Series: Mastermind Week 5: Foolish & Wise Thinking
EVERY STEP TOWARD GODLINESS AND EVERY STEP TOWARD SIN BEGINS WITH A THOUGHT.
AS A CHRIST-FOLLOWER, OUR SOUL HAS BEEN CHANGED BY JESUS, BUT OUR FLESH BATTLES US CONSTANTLY—and THAT BATTLE TAKES PLACE IN THE MIND. It is vital that we learn how to think biblically … think rightly … think wisely.
1 Corinthians 2:1-16
The theme of 1 CORINTHIANS 2 is spiritual wisdom—the wisdom that comes from God’s Spirit! Paul is showing the difference between thinking in God’s wisdom vs. thinking in man’s wisdom. There’s a clear contrast!
What is FOOLISH THINKING?
- Living to Impress, 2:1. The curse of the life of living to impress is that you’re always thinking of yourself. A constant focus on yourself and what you have instead of who God is and what He has. Paul was just the opposite of living to impress 2:3
- Pretending to be Strong, 2:2-3. Paul was saying, “I wasn’t trying to be something I wasn’t. I wanted you to see God’s strength, not my strength.”
- Talking beyond your spiritual reality. You try to persuade with your words, but there’s no power in your life. 2:4-5
- Rejecting God’s Truth 2:14 So focused on the wisdom of this world—pride, power—they have no room to receive truth from God. 1:18 Foolishness—Gk mória same word for madness, or downright silliness. It is madness to who reject God’s truth. To those who are dying it is silly talk for those who are perishing. But those who’ve been rescued by Jesus, it is the power of God. 2:6
WISE THINKING
- Dying to self and status2:5 Paul is saying this isn’t about me…or my status or my power. Galatians 2:20
- Centering all on JesusBoast in Jesus. The wise trust in spiritual power, supernatural power…the wise trust in the name of Jesus. 2:2 In Philippians 3 Paul says everything else is rubbish—Gk skubalon: poop
- Receiving God’s Truth 2:7 God has spoken to us. He has decreed messages for us. The Bible is not just information about God, it is a word from God.
- Walking with the Spirit 2:8-12Look at the benefits of walking with the Spirit: God reveals things to us (v 10). The Spirit searches the thoughts and the heart and the mind (v 11). Then the Spirit tells us God’s thoughts (vs 12). You’re going to need the Holy Spirit to bring you the wisdom of God so that you might think wisely.
Walking with the Spirit means 3 practical things:
- TIME LISTENING, –you’re going to have to turn off all the noise around you and be still.
- TIME IN SCRIPTURE, –the Spirit is speaking through the Word
- HEART SURRENDERED. –“God, before you tell me anything my answer is YES.”
2 GREAT THINGS GRACED TO YOU AT SALVATION: THE HOLY SPIRIT AND (2:16b) THE MIND OF CHRIST.
You’ve been given everything you need to think wisely. You’ve been given everything you need to think biblically. You’ve been given 2 internal gifts: the Holy Spirit & the Mind of Christ and 2 external gifts: God’s Word & God’s people.
You have more than you know which is why you can think wiser than you do.
EVERY STEP TOWARD GODLINESS AND EVERY STEP TOWARD SIN BEGINS WITH A THOUGHT.
YOU WILL NEVER DO WHAT YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT FIRST.