304 - Les Feldick Bible Study Lesson 1 - Part 4 - Book 26 - 1 Corinthians 1:1-2:7 - Part 2

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 1 * PART 4 * BOOK 26 I CORINTHIANS 1:1 - 2:7 - PART 2 I Corinthians 1:27 "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" When you get over there, they don't refer to those philosophers, but rather Paul. And so God was the winner once again. God uses for His glory the base things of the world, and things which are even despised, and ridiculed. I Corinthians 1:28 What does Paul mean when he says that God will use the things that are not, to confound the things that are? Why shouldn't God use someone who has all the talent in the world? Why shouldn't God use someone who has a tremendous IQ? Why shouldn't God use someone who has a whole background of wealth? Why didn't God use Moses when he was second in command in Egypt? I Corinthians 1:29 No human being will ever glory or brag in God's sight, because God won't have it. "God didn't have a thing to do with all our accomplishments. America wouldn't be where we are without the Grace and blessing of God, but the point here is, God seldom uses gifted, intelligent, wealthy, human beings because they would be prone to brag. Romans 4:2 "For if Abraham were justified by works (by what he could accomplish), he hath whereof to glory (or brag); but not before God." No one is ever going to brag to God, "Look what I've done." God will never have it, not even with a man like Abraham would He allow him to come to the place where he could brag, "God, do you realize all that I've done for you? God do you realize that I was patient, and waited, and waited until you finally gave me that son?" Paul is just a nobody who is has been brought down to nothing. Here's Paul own account, and we know in various other verses he describes his speech as being contemptible. Now look what Paul had to put up with? Paul had an experience, and wasn't quite sure it had all happened, but he knows it happened. II Corinthians 12:4 "How that he (Paul) was caught up into paradise (the heaven of the heavens), and heard unspeakable words, which is not lawful for a man to utter." II Corinthians 12:5,6 I Corinthians 12:7a Paul was given a constant pestering thorn in the flesh as a constant reminder, "Paul don't you repeat these things that you've heard and seen, don't you get puffed up, don't you try to reveal to the world all that I've shown you." II Corinthians 12:7b Does God ever inflict discomfort or pain Himself? Do you remember Job? God didn't afflict Job, but who did? Satan did, and God limited him. God didn't put the thorn in Paul's flesh, but he did permit a messenger of Satan, and here again is the reason. II Corinthians 12:7b I Corinthians 1:30 "But (Paul says) of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: I Corinthians 1:31 We can shake this old world to its boot straps if we would just step out by faith, and do it. The wisdom of this world set up against the wisdom of God. I Corinthians 2:1,2 "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. Paul didn't come with all the knowledge of the Greek classics: Homer, Plato, and all these. No, that didn't count any thing to Paul, he didn't even rehearse all of his knowledge of the Old Testament even though he could have, but I don't think that in Corinth, this wild, wicked, Gentile city, God even let Paul use his Jewish background. But Paul comes with only one message, and it's the message that's almost forgotten today. Now I know that, but you see that's not what the Apostle Paul did. Paul didn't come announcing a great healing meeting. Paul didn't come saying, "Hey, we're going to philosophize, we're going to deal in the classics today." But rather what did Paul do? Now verse 3. I Corinthians 2:3 Now verse 4. I Corinthians 2:4 II Corinthians 10:10 Paul didn't but the Spirit of God did, and it's the same way with every one of you. Now verse 5: I Corinthians 2:5a "That your faith..." Paul wasn't too proud of the Corinthians' works yet, but he was proud of their faith. I Corinthians 2:5a "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,..." We put our faith in the Gospel, in the Word of God, and from that God will begin to expand our knowledge. Now finishing the verse. I Corinthians 2:5b "...but in the power of God." I Corinthians 2:6a,7 "Howbeit we speak wisdom...'' This Book of Corinthians is all hung up on wisdom. The wisdom of men versus the wisdom of God. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible