-September 28, 2020-
Good morning, happy Monday,
-The Natural Man Does Not Receive Or Believe The Things Of The Spirit-
“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.”
(1 Corinthians 2:14).
Those who are born of Adam, who are unsaved, and devoid of the Holy Spirit cannot understand the things of the Spirit. Unregenerate people, though they be brilliant with high IQ’s , great knowledge, or education, do not understand, appreciate, or receive the things of God; they are foolishness to them.
In 1 Corinthians 1:18-21, Paul wrote, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’ Where is the wise? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
The lost are unable to understand, believe, or receive the things of the Spirit. They make no sense to them. The Holy Spirit convicts those who are unsaved and brings them to Christ. Then it is like a light bulb does off and it starts to all make sense. They get saved and the Holy Spirit begins to teach them wonderful things from the Word of God.
In the world, one must appreciate the value of something, otherwise it means little or nothing. Some understand and appreciate art, science, sports, music, or other things that others do not. They have an eye and a passion for them. The same is true of spiritual things. Only believers in Christ who have the mind of Christ can understand and appreciate the things of God; otherwise they are foolishness to unbelievers.
All this being said, this why those who do not know Jesus, do not believe or accept the gospel. They argue against it, for it makes no sense to them. They view Christians as fanatics, extremists, or weirdos. They oppose us every step of the way. We pray for their salvation. This is why getting saved is such a huge transformation. Only God can save a sinner through a Jesus Christ.
Let us thank God we are saved and are in dwelt by the Holy Spirit. We have the mind of Christ. We are able to discern spiritual things, to know right from wrong, and to see things from God’s perspective. We must be patient with the unsaved. We can’t expect them to understand. We pray for the Spirit to open their hearts and minds to the truth.
Have a blessed day walking in the Spirit, knowing the Lord and His truth, and appreciating what we have in Christ. Stay safe and healthy.
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 