QT 2/21/2025 1 Cor 2:1-5, We only need to speak truth

1 Corinthians 2:1–5 (ESV) —

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

 

NOTE: Paul continues on with his argument that the gospel is not based on human wisdom. Paul was quite brilliant and his arguments and speech can be lofty. But Paul specifically says that he did not present the gospel in that way. He did not impose himself upon them in a tower of great intelligence and human power. Instead, he came in weakness, fearful, and a little scared. He didn't use human arguments (although he could, and many people make apologetic arguments using science and philosophy), no -- he spoke as the Spirit of God led him. I imagine that he quoted Old Testament scripture to these Greek Gentiles. A favorite verse of mine illustrates this idea perfectly:

 

Isaiah 55:10–11 (ESV) —

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

 

God's word is powerful. You don't have to have all the answers. You really only need a few scriptures.

 

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) — And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Romans 3:23 (ESV) — for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 (ESV) — For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 10:10 (ESV) — The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 3:16 (ESV) — For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Revelation 3:20 (ESV) — Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

 

Don't try to tell me that the last verse  was written to a church and does not apply to an individual. Read it in context and you will see that the last church were not believers -- they were blind (God opens the eyes of believers); they were naked (God clothes believers in righteousness); they were poor (they thought they were rich but God says they were poor, but God gives believers an inheritance). The reason they were wretched is because they thought they were saved but weren't. They needed a relationship with the savior. Each one needed to open the door and let him Jesus in.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I wretched? Do I truly know Jesus?
2. Am I trying to answer all the questions or do I just tell people what I have seen and heard using a few bible verses? That's all that Jesus asks.

 

PRAYER: Father, the level of our faith is so stinking low. It is hard to believe that so many are actually Christians. If there were as many Christians in this country as their claim to be, this country would look so much different. Forgive us and open our eyes to real truth.