The Spirit Of God

For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

I Corinthians 2:11-12

How do we know truth? Humanity offers what passes for answers to this question by pointing to human intellect, reasoning, and scientific inquiry. Paul refers to this in the passage that precedes our text. He points out that when he preached to the Corinthians, his speech and preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom. He distances himself from what he calls the wisdom of the age. He then brings his audience to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. He declares plainly that true spiritual understanding of the things of God requires revelation by the Spirit of God. We will not have the Spirit of God within us unless we have Christ. In Romans he remarks, ‘if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.’ The Spirit and Christ are indissolubly united. To have one is to have both. The Spirit takes the things of Christ and shows them to us. That is how we know truth. The more we know of Christ, the more we know of truth. This elevates the knowledge of God above all human knowledge. Education is good and science has its’ place, but human knowledge, rightly understood, is subservient to the knowledge of God. The Holy Spirit does that work. Therefore, we depend upon Him.

Our Good and Gracious God,
we rejoice that You have given Your Spirit to us.
We praise You that He guides us into all truth
as Christ promised.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning