Jesus told the disciples, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (John 16:12-15)
Paul and the other apostles were proof that this was true. Through them, there was demonstration of the Spirit and of power. The people who believed throughout the world at that time, wherever Paul and the other apostles an disciples traveled and taught, they believed, not because of the apostles excellence of speech or of their own wisdom, nor of their persuasive words of human wisdom. But they believed because the message was clear, not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified; and they spoke with authority and power, in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Jesus didn't just tell us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;" (Matthew 28:19-20) But He promised, "and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) So how would he be with us always? Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:46-49)
The "Promise of the Father," the "Spirit of Truth," the "Holy Spirit," He is how Christ is with us always, even to the end of the age. And "...He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." (John 16:8-11) God uses us to spread the gospel message, but it's not because of anything we say or how we say it that causes anyone to accept God's free gift of salvation. It is through the power of God and His Holy Spirit speaking through us that causes people to become convicted of sin; and God willing, that conviction leads to repentance.
However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”[Isaiah 64:4] (I Corinthians 2:6-9)
The use of the word "mystery" in scriptures often throws us off. Basically it's used to explain that the people, specifically Jews who lived before Christ's birth, death and resurrection didn't understand that God's plan of salvation was for ALL people! If they had understood that, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. God's plan of salvation was to save all those who love Him, not just to deliver the Jews who spent most of their existence just trying to obey His voice and keep His covenant. (Exodus 19:5) Somehow they missed the meaning of the commandment, "And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,..." (Deuteronomy 11:13)
God wants a relationship with us, not just "robots" who do what they are told. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10) But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things 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 2:10-12)
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?”[Isaiah 40:13] But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:13-16)
God's grace and mercy are so wonderful! His grace was to do something for us that we did not deserve, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) And His mercy was to give us something that we did not deserve, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:26)
We are instructed, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:5) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2) Well, the only way that mind transformation was possible was because we have received the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
Man’s wisdom tried to understand the things of God, but the majority did not comprehend it. A few, like “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) But when Christ Jesus came, He revealed the Truth to all people, the meaning of “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law [Moses] and the Prophets [Elijah, and the rest] [Matthew 17:1-5; Mark 9:2-7; Luke 9:28-35].” (Matthew 22:37-40)
The wisdom of this age, the rulers of this age, are coming to nothing, which was proven by Christ, because ...when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. (Matthew 22:34) They didn't gather together to discuss how they may have been wrong in their beliefs and teaching, but ...the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. (Mark 14:1) They didn't realize that killing the messenger wouldn't kill the message. Jesus had to die, for He said, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you." (John 16:7) Thank God for His Son, Christ Jesus, and His Holy Spirit!
God's grace and mercy are so wonderful! His grace was to do something for us that we did not deserve, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) And His mercy was to give us something that we did not deserve, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:26)
We are instructed, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:5) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2) Well, the only way that mind transformation was possible was because we have received the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
Man’s wisdom tried to understand the things of God, but the majority did not comprehend it. A few, like “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3) But when Christ Jesus came, He revealed the Truth to all people, the meaning of “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law [Moses] and the Prophets [Elijah, and the rest] [Matthew 17:1-5; Mark 9:2-7; Luke 9:28-35].” (Matthew 22:37-40)
The wisdom of this age, the rulers of this age, are coming to nothing, which was proven by Christ, because ...when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. (Matthew 22:34) They didn't gather together to discuss how they may have been wrong in their beliefs and teaching, but ...the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. (Mark 14:1) They didn't realize that killing the messenger wouldn't kill the message. Jesus had to die, for He said, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you." (John 16:7) Thank God for His Son, Christ Jesus, and His Holy Spirit!
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