1 Coríntios 2
Thomas Constable · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 Coríntios 2
Constable adds "Some early texts have “mystery” (Gr. mysterion) instead of “testimony” (martyrion). The difference is not significant. The gospel was both the message God had previously not revealed that the apostles made known and the message to which they bore witness." Matthew Henry on Verses 1-5. Christ, in his person, and offices, and sufferings, is the sum and substance of the Gospel, and ought to be the great subject of a Gospel minister's preaching, but not so as to leave out other parts of God's revealed truth and will. Paul preached the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27+). Few know the fear and trembling of faithful ministers, from a deep sense of their own weakness They know how insufficient they are, and are fearful for themselves (ED: ). When nothing but Christ crucified is plainly preached, the success must be entirely from Divine power accompanying the word, and thus men are brought to believe, to the salvation of their souls. ILLUSTRATION: D.L. Moody was once scheduled to preach at Cambridge University. Some of the students were outraged that an American without a college education would dare to speak in that center of culture. They planned to hoot him off the platform. Moody began his sermon by saying, “Young gentlemen, don’t ever think God don’t love you, for he do!” The scoffers were dumbfounded, and Moody’s unpolished words captured them. That was the beginning of revival and of one of the greatest awakenings of the nineteenth century. ILLUSTRATION OF NOT COMING WITH SUPERIORITY OF SPEECH - The difference is illustrated in the account of two men who went to hear a certain famous preacher. Coming away from the service they said, "My, what eloquence! He knows how to choose the right words and how to say them! His oratory is simply irresistible!" The next week they went to hear another preacher, equally as famous. They left the service silently and reverently. Finally one said, "My, what a Christ!" (Zodhiates) Win the Lost at Any Cost 1 Corinthians 2:1–5 - Stephen Hooker Introduction There are many noble pursuits in life, but there is at last one which towers over all the rest, that causes all others to stand in its shadow. It is one of the very reasons for the church’s existence. It is not an invitation, it is an imperative. It comes not from man but from Christ Himself. It is to this task that I would call the church. “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.” Win the lost at any cost. In our text we find the testimony of a man who answered this call. His response may be seen as a model for our own. I. The Man For there to be evangelism, there must be an evangelist. What kind of person can God use? A. One who is willing to go. “When I came,” said Paul. 1. The early church took the great commission seriously. They began at Jerusalem and they went. On the street corners and in the market places, whenever and wherever the message needed to be heard, they “declared it publicly and house-to-house.” 2. It seems today that somehow that divine commission has lost some of its urgency. Instead of winning the world to Christ we have become content to gather regularly and talk about winning the world. B. One who is willing to be used in spite of his fears and shortcomings. 1. Paul confesses that he was with them in “weakness” and “fear.” He understood the natural fear we have of confronting someone with a message that we are not even sure that he wants to hear. 2. Paul was also keenly aware of his personal limitations, his lack of “eloquence” and “wisdom.” This illustrates that the real ability that God blesses is “usability.” II. The Manner A. Evangelism is to be done with integrity not with clever manipulation, not with “wise and persuasive words.” 1. Many people are turned off by the mere mention of “evangelism” because of the bad name some non-scrupulous, pseudo-religionists have given it. In some cases today it has been reduced to cheap promotionalism. 2. That is not how Paul came to the Corinthians (see also 2 Corinthians 4:2) His witness was genuine and sincere. B. Evangelism is to be done with primary dependency upon God rather than man. It is to be done “in demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” It is, after all, God who “gives the increase.” III. The Message—“Jesus Christ and him crucified” A. There was once a great conviction that gripped the church of Jesus Christ—that Jesus Christ is the only savior of humankind and that apart from Him people are lost and doomed to destruction. 1. So important was this to Paul that he said, “Woe is me if I preach not the gospel.” 2. So important was it to Henry Martyn that when he landed on the shores of India he said, “Here let me bum myself out for God.” B. In our sophisticated society we seldom find salvation worth talking about any more. 1. The church is involved in too many other things that come at the expense of the proclamation of the gospel. 2. Ours is not the age of the rejection of the gospel. It is the age of the unproclaimed gospel. Conclusion How many of us in the room today have spoken to a lost person about Jesus Christ in the last week, month, year, in the entire time we have been a Christian? If not us, then who? If not now, then when? Illustration H.L. Hendricks once said that he could not find a single verse of Scripture that commands a lost person to go to church but he could quote numerous scriptures that call the church to go a lost world. (Sermon Outlines for Growing Christians) 1 Corinthians 2 "THE CHAPTER OF THINGS" This truth is brought out especially in the KJV where this word "thing" is found 11 times in 8 verses (only 6 times in the NAS). Here are the KJV occurrences: 1 Cor 2:2KJV For I determined not to know any THING among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Cor 2:9KJV But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the THINGS which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor 2:10KJV But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all THINGS, yea, the deep THINGS of God. 1 Cor 2:11KJV For what man knoweth the THINGS of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 1 Cor 2:12KJV Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the THINGS that are freely given to us of God. 1 Cor 2:13KJV Which THINGS also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual THINGS with spiritual. 1 Cor 2:14KJV But the natural man receiveth not the THINGS of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor 2:15KJV But he that is spiritual judgeth all THINGS , yet he himself is judged of no man. See note below by Archibald Brown The Testimony of God - James Smith "I came to you declaring the testimony of God." 1 Corinthians 2:1 The gospel is not a cunningly devised fable, but the very word of God; it is a divine testimony; a message from Jehovah to man. It comes directly from heaven, and is addressed to us in love. By the gospel, God testifies to us that we are totally and entirely lost by nature; that there is neither help nor hope for us but in the Lord Jesus Christ; but that in Him is all that we need, or that our circumstances require. He has . . . pardon for all sin; a righteousness to justify the ungodly; peace for the troubled conscience; life for the dying soul; holiness for the impure and filthy; strength for the weak and languishing; in a word — a full salvation for the lost and perishing! He possesses all the wealth of God. He is able to make . . . the foolish, wise; the guilty, just; the filthy, clean; the miserable, happy; the weak, strong; the diseased, healthy; the carnal, spiritual; and the slaves of Satan, the children of God. Christ is all that God can give! Christ has all that a sinner can need. Having Christ — we can need no more; and, if we are taught by the Holy Spirit — we can be satisfied with no less. The gospel testifies — that we are welcome to all that the fullness of Christ contains, without money and without price. God has set no price upon gospel blessings, because they are invaluable. He has prescribed no conditions, but given a universal welcome. His words are, "Whoever will — let him take the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17.) And the testimony declares, that believing; Christ, and all He has, becomes ours! We receive Him. We are entitled to all that He has. We are interested in all He has done. His work is reckoned ours, for our justification; it is received as ours, to be the foundation of our hope; and it is pleaded as ours, and forms a prevailing plea with God. It becomes our joy, our boast, and our song, in the house of our pilgrimage. The gospel testifies — that true faith always produces penitence, and leads to holiness. The believing heart and the weeping eye go together. If we really believe — we daily repent. We cannot repent of sin — unless we believe in Jesus. And we do not believe in Jesus — unless we repent of sin. Faith produces godly sorrow — and godly sorrow leads to holiness of life. The stronger our faith — the deeper our penitence; and the deeper our repentance — the holier our life. Never be satisfied with faith without a broken heart; nor imagine that the heart is broken — unless sin is bitter. And if sin is biter to the soul — it will be sure to be forsaken. Faith and holiness are indisputable evidences of a title to heaven. Faith purifies the heart — and the heart reforms the life. You have heard the testimony of God, you have read it; but do you believe it? Do you perceive its great importance, and receive it into your heart, as a message of love coming direct from God to you? Do you heartily approve of it? Do you act upon it? If you reject the testimony, you treat God with contempt! If you deny the testimony — you give God the lie! If you postpone the consideration of it — you manifest the greatest folly! If you receive the testimony — you set to your seal that God is true! The testimony being sent — man is brought to the test. The testimony being rejected — the doom of man is sealed. Once more the testimony is placed before your eye, and presented to your heart — it is to be received or rejected? Decide! 1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
1 Coríntios 2
Constable on v10 - The wonderful mysteries God has prepared for those who love Him are not knowable only by a select group of Christians. Any and every believer can understand and appreciated them because the indwelling Holy Spirit can enlighten us." On verse 12 Constable says "“We” is emphatic in the Greek text. All believers have received the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:13; Rom. 8:9). He helps us understand the mind of God and the things God has given us." BUT THEN ON VERSE 13 CONSTABLE SEEMS TO SWITCH writing - "Paul and the other apostles spoke the truths that the Holy Spirit had helped them understand (cf. vv. 6–7). They did not choose their words because of what people generally regarded as the best ones to persuade. They did not rely on the rhetorical forms that the orators used either. The Holy Spirit guided them in their communication of divine truth as well as in their perception of it. Spiritual thoughts or truths are concepts the Holy Spirit enables us to understand. Spiritual words are those He guides us to use in expressing these thoughts. (NOW CONSTABLE SEEMS TO SWITCH BACK TO BELIEVERS IN GENERAL) The Spirit enables us to speak in language appropriate to the message rather than with human wisdom. In short, the Holy Spirit plays an indispensable role both in our understanding and in our communicating God’s revelation. (ED: I PUT THIS QUOTE IN SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HOW CONFUSING THIS SECTION CAN BE BASED ON INTERPRETATION OF THE WE/US). The following group interpret WE/US as referring to Paul and the apostles, not all believers: