Have you ever tried to talk to someone, and they could not understand what you were trying to explain? Sometimes, people do not understand because they do not have the mental capacity to understand. It may be because they do not have enough information, or they are not listening. Then, there is the spiritual realm of understanding. Paul reveals to us in I Corinthians 2:14-15 that those who do not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit cannot understand the things of God.
I Corinthians 2:14-16 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
In verse 14, it says the natural man will not accept the things of God. He is driven by the sinful nature he is born with. He yields to his natural instincts and passions. When I was a teen, there was a comedian named Flip Wilson. He coined and promoted the phrase “if it feels good, do it.” This is the guide for those unregenerated by the Spirit of God. The only reason they do not entirely yield to the flesh is because they fear the consequences. The person whom the Spirit controls knows sin has consequences, but their true desire is to please the Savior. The love of Christ governs them. Paul states this in II Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ constrained us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.” God’s love drives the spiritual man to obey and seek to please Him. The spiritual man knows and understands the price God paid so that he could be free from the power and penalty of sin.
Verse 14 also tells us that spiritual things are foolish to the natural man. To the natural man, the Christian life is nonsense. I have even been told that the Christian life is for weak people who need a crutch. They cannot understand how we can spend time talking to someone we cannot see. But we must realize, as much as it may frustrate us, that they cannot grasp spiritual truths until they place their faith in Jesus Christ. At that time, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in them, and at that point, they can start a journey of understanding and enlightenment from the Spirit himself.
In John 14:26, Jesus is about to leave earth and return to Heaven. He tells his disciples, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” He sought to comfort them by telling them what would happen and that it would be better than Him staying here. When Jesus walked the earth, He was the God-Man. He could only be in one place at a time, but the Spirit would come and dwell in all believers. He will teach and remind them of what He has said. For us today, the Holy Spirit illuminates God’s word for us to understand. Unless we have the indwelling of the Spirit, we cannot understand, and therefore, we cannot obey. The Spirit also helps us to remember the truths of God’s word that we have read and been taught. It is still our responsibility to study as we are taught in II Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Then, when we need those truths to make the right decisions, the Holy Spirit will bring them to our memory. Note: If you have not studied or been taught the word, there will be nothing for the Holy Spirit to bring to your memory.
Those who have not been saved cannot make wise decisions. Their wisdom is of this world. It does not think of the eternal ramifications that come from their decisions. We as Christians have the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom from God. In James 1:5, we are taught, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” He will give it freely and fully without any reproach. Those still operating in the natural man cannot gain this, nor will they understand it.
In I Corinthians 2:12-13, the two verses prior to our first text, Paul reminds us, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
When you are making your decisions daily, do not expect those who have not accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior to understand or agree with you. While this may cause you to face opposition, do not allow this to change or waffle on doing what you know the Bible teaches. You have been bought with a price, by the blood of Jesus. You have been given the Holy Spirit to guide you, and when you feel that nudge or discomfort that something is not right, stop, listen, and obey. We, as God’s children, are to daily live out the Word of God. This is a testimony to the world of who we belong to.
