14The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
Question:
If the natural person does NOT ACCEPT the things of the Spirit of God, and they are NOT ABLE to understand them, then WHY would Christians say they ARE ABLE by their supposed "free will" to ACCEPT Jesus?????
This is a scripture that some use justify their doctrine, not including all of the context, the context reminds us of this truth that man is a spirit, and the things of God are revealed unto the Spirit of man, the natural man being the mind and the flesh is not able to receive the things of God, actually this is answer to most confusion in the body of Christ, man a spiritual being trying to commune the things of God thru the natural man.
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 � And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 � Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God�s husbandry, ye are God�s building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 � For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man�s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man�s work of what sort it is.
14 If any man�s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man�s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 � Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
whooooops! sorry guys, but PJ is right on the mney with this text... he is speaking what this passage means and is saying.
Paul is speakign about a carnal(natural) minded person trying to understand the spiritual things of God. Just as many try to do today in the world and they don't have a clue as to what God is speking.
Paul is speaking about an unspirutal person trying to understand spiritual things. A carnal minded person cannot receive the spiritual things of God because they are spiritualli discerned by the Hol;y Spirit meaning by revelation, insight given by the Holy Spirit of God's wisdom, not man's carnal wisdom. There is a BIG difference between godly wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit, and carnal wisdom which is man's wisdom that he thinks of himself which does not fit with God's wisdom, this is the nautral man's wisdom when it is not of God as Paul speaks about.
A spiritual mindedxd person thinks things out and seeks God for answers, a carnal (natural) minded man seeks his own answers. The spiritual minded man as Angel states seeks God and Hiw ill by faith and directions from God. Acarnal minded(natural) mand is not filled with the Holy Spriit to know the difference and does not, and is not able to discern God's will... as Paul says, the spiritual minded person seeks to have the mind fo Christ, and does his best to follow the guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit and knows the difference between the truth and a lie when it comes to God's word. at least he/she should know anyway, he the person is being lead by the Holy Spirit, and we know if it doesn't line up with God's word of truth, and it doesn't point to Jesus, it AIN'T OF GOD!
I Corinthians 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
Remember, this is a letter Paul has written to the church at Corinth therefore, chapter 3 is the start of the next paragraph, and this is where PJ is posting from which is the continuation of the thing Paul is speaking about even so in chapter i of this letter. I Corinthinas chapter 1:1 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly(meaning carnal/natural minded). For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?
whooooops! sorry guys, but PJ is right on the mney with this text... he is speaking what this passage means and is saying.
James replies: PJ has not said ANYTHING concerning interpreting the text! Just repeating "Calvinism is wrong." does NOT answer the question.
ET said:
Paul is speakign about a carnal(natural) minded person trying to understand the spiritual things of God. Just as many try to do today in the world and they don't have a clue as to what God is speaking.
James replies:
It does NOT say "Carnal OR natural minded"!
it says "Natural MAN".
Then you say Many are TRYING to understand the Spiritual things of God?
James you broke the first rule of Biblical interpretation,
CONTEXT,CONTEXT CONTEXT.
From Youngs Literal:
1Co 2:9 but, according as it hath been written, `What eye did not see, and ear did not hear, and upon the heart of man came not up, what God did prepare for those loving Him--'
1Co 2:10 but to us did God reveal them through His Spirit, for the Spirit all things doth search, even the depths of God,
1Co 2:11 for who of men hath known the things of the man, except the spirit of the man that is in him? so also the things of God no one hath known, except the Spirit of God.
1Co 2:12 And we the spirit of the world did not receive, but the Spirit that is of God, that we may know the things conferred by God on us,
1Co 2:13 which things also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Holy Spirit, with spiritual things spiritual things comparing,
1Co 2:14 and the natural man doth not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are foolishness, and he is not able to know them , because spiritually they are discerned;
1Co 2:15 and he who is spiritual, doth discern indeed all things, and he himself is by no one discerned;
1Co 2:16 for who did know the mind of the Lord that he shall instruct Him? and we--we have the mind of Christ.
When you read this from the Greek,The natural does not RECIEVE,for he is UNWILLING to recieve the things of GOD.
They are Absurd to the NATURAL man.
English-Foolishness
Greek-moria,from where we have the English word 'MORON'
foolishness
Original Word: μωρία, ας, ἡ
