The Natural Unforgiven World Versus

the Spiritual Forgiven Church

1 Corinthians 2:1-16

There are many kinds of opposites in the world. Morally, there’s good and evil. Many stories are written with the good guy and the bad guy. In Chinese medicine, you have Yin and Yang. To balance out heatiness in the body, you must eat cooling foods. This is the case also in politics. In World War II, there were the Axis forces versus the Allied forces - fighting it out. In the Cold War, the Eastern communist bloc versus the Capitalist west also fought for influence. You also see it in popular culture. In Star Wars, there’s the dark side and the resistance. And closer to home, you have the Singapore Young Lions versus the Malayan Tigers. There are opposing sides and distinctions.

But today, we’re talking about the ultimate distinction in humankind. We’re not talking about rich versus poor or learned and unlearned; we’re talking about saved and unsaved. We’re talking about spiritual and unspiritual. We’re talking about being saved from your sins versus remaining in your sins. We’re also not talking about good and evil because only God is good. All of us are wicked - there’s no one who is not wicked. But we’re talking about how wicked people can be saved. We can be forgiven of and saved from our sins, or we can remain in our sins. We’re talking about the difference between God’s people - the church - God’s spiritual and forgiven people; and the world - those who aren’t God’s people, those who aren’t spiritual nor forgiven. So ultimately, what matters at the end is not whether we died rich or poor, smart or dumb, good-looking or ugly; all that matters is whether we’re forgiven or not of our sins as we stand before the judgment seat of God. That is the ultimate thing that matters - nothing else does. Death is the great equalizer - whether we have many letters after our name or none, whether we are billionaires, we will still die in this life - at the side of the road, with a marble tombstone, or a watery grave. What matters is if you live on in the next. Therefore there are 4 propositions to examine today.

Firstly, the plain and glorious message teaches forgiveness; secondly, the Spirit of God reveals that glorious message; thirdly, the natural world disbelieves the message of forgiveness and is not forgiven; while fourthly, the spiritual church believes it and is forgiven.

Firstly, the plain and glorious message teaches the forgiveness of sinners. We see that there’s a message from God. Paul was a preacher and when he went to preach to the Corinthians, he came with that message. Verses 1-2 say - “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” It was such an important message - the most important message. He said he determined not to know anything else. It doesn’t mean he didn’t know anything else - Paul was a learned man. But this means that this message was so important - it was the primary message - that none other thing was worthy to be known. Why? This was a message from God - this was not man’s message, but God’s message.

And the message was about how Jesus Christ was crucified - how Christ came to make satisfaction for sins - that sinners can be accepted by God. It was a message of forgiveness - a message of salvation - that sinful wicked people can be forgiven by God. As question and answer 56 says, “I believe that God, because of Christ’s satisfaction, will no more remember my sins, nor my sinful nature, against which I have to struggle all my life, but will graciously grant me the righteousness of Christ, that I may never come into condemnation.” The Bible teaches us this when it says in 1 Timothy 1:15 - “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” We’re all sinners. We’re terrible sinners. But Christ came into the world to save. You see, the marvelous message is this - God loves sinners to save them. John 3:17 says, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” But how did Jesus do this? He was crucified. He died in the place of sinners who should’ve paid for their sins. Galatians 1:3-4 says, “The Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” This was God’s testimony - his own plan for his Son to take our place. He suffered in our place. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ has suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit.” That’s why, because Christ satisfied God’s demand for justice, he does not count our sins and sinful nature against us. Rather, now he sees us as innocent and righteous. That’s the good news for everyone who believes and accepts this message.

And it’s a plain message. Paul said that he didn’t come with excellency of speech or wisdom. He didn’t need to be eloquent. Elsewhere in verse 4, he said that his speech and preaching was not with enticing words. The word “enticing” carries the notion of craftily trying to coax someone to believe. Like trying to sweet-talk a person to believe. This was the technique of the Greek philosophers who tried to argue their propositions with a variety of techniques. But the Christian message of salvation is very plain. It’s declared and preached. You’re a sinner. You can’t do anything for your salvation. God hates you. He’ll judge you, unless someone takes your punishment. And Jesus has done that - he was crucified - nailed to the cross and died as a sacrifice for sinners. This demonstrates God’s love for sinners.

And this is a glorious message. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says - “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.” If mankind had to come up with a plan of salvation, this would never be it. Have someone to take your place? Have someone take your punishment? No one would come up with this scheme. In fact, every religion and philosophy puts emphasis on the role of man to improve himself and save himself. In Islam, you must keep the 5 pillars to work on your salvation. In eastern religions, you must build up your karma through good works and thoughts, over several lifetimes before you can reach enlightenment. In Catholicism, your sins must be paid for; and if you die with some remaining sins, you must suffer for them in purgatory until they’re purged. But never has it entered into the heart of man this glorious message that all your sins can be forgiven - past, present, and future - if you just believe that Jesus was crucified and was punished for your sins - you’re accepted by God without needing to do any good works, without atoning for your own sins, without having to work to be acceptable. But not only has it never crossed man’s heart and mind, the Bible tells us that most people find this message and this scheme ridiculous. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” This plain but glorious message of forgiveness is foolish to most. How can someone dying for and taking your place save you?!

But how is it that so many people believe in this message? Why does this church preach it and believe it? Because secondly, it’s the Spirit that reveals this glorious message. We are told in verse 7, that the wisdom of God is a mystery – it’s a hidden wisdom. But the Spirit reveals it. Verse 10 says, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” So this gospel message - this wonderful, never entered into the heart of man message is revealed by God’s Holy Spirit. Yes, the message is preached - by Paul, by pastors and preachers, as I’m doing here - but it’s the Holy Spirit that reveals the truth. He helps us understand. The word for “searcheth all things” means to investigate into or examine into all things. The gospel message is plain and glorious, but it’s also deep. It’s not deep because it’s hard to understand. It’s actually easy to understand. But it may not be easy to accept, to believe. It requires soul searching. And the Spirit helps us to search our souls and to examine ourselves in light of that truth.

But that message is foolish to many. Those who understand may not want to accept it. They don’t want to search themselves. Most won’t receive it because they trust in their own wisdom. The Christian message is foolish. “What? Have someone pay your debt? No, you must pay for your own sin. You must work to atone yourself.” People often react that way - rather than receiving it innocently. In Matthew 11:25, Jesus said, “I thank Thee Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes.” Unless we’re like children - trusting, willing to admit wrong, and children are more willing and they’re tender towards their sins - only then can this hidden wisdom be received and believed, not just understood. And this is the work of God the Holy Spirit. As question and answer 53 says, I believe that the Holy Spirit, “is also given to me, to make me by true faith share in Christ and all His benefits.” It’s the Holy Spirit that reveals the truth of that plain and glorious message. So that we not only understand it, but receive it by true faith, acknowledging our sins and receiving the benefit of forgiveness.

But why do some not believe? That’s the third proposition. The natural world disbelieves and is not forgiven. Verse 14 says of most people, “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.” The word “natural” comes from the Greek word that is used to refer to animal life. This word tells us that human beings, at a fundamental level, are no different from animals – we eat, sleep, do our business, fight, love, bear children, have nursing instincts, and set up home. The natural man is merely a biological creature – he does not have the Spirit of God in him. If he does not have the Spirit of God, he won’t believe. He may understand the Christian message of forgiveness, but it doesn’t impact him. He can’t feel the danger of his sins. Or, while he admits his sin, he doesn’t see all his sinfulness. Now, there are two things that we learn about the natural man. From the phrase – “but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him” – we learn that the natural man, firstly, does not welcome spiritual things. He receives them not. Why? Because they’re foolish to him! The Greek word for “foolish” is where we get the English word “moron.” Spiritual matters are moronic to the natural man. He’s either not interested in them, or he despises them. That’s why the preaching of the cross - that Jesus’ crucifixion for sinners - can forgive sinners - is foolishness to him. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.” He’s a perishing man. His sins are not forgiven.

Furthermore, not only does he not want to know them because they are foolish, he can’t know them. The second part of verse 14 says, “neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” He has no desire or ability to receive the gospel message. He may understand, but can’t believe because he’s not spiritually equipped to receive spiritual things. It’s like some email attachments - we can’t open them because we don’t have the software or the software update. He doesn’t have the heart ware update to understand and receive spiritual things. So the natural man has no ability. That’s why he’s perishing. In fact, verse 8 says that if the princes or governors of the world had actually and truly understood who Christ was, they’d never have crucified him. Jesus was crucified by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, at the instigation of the rulers of the Jews. This was despite the fact that while on earth Jesus performed great miracles, proving again and again that he was the holy and powerful God. But yet, they didn’t, they wouldn’t, they couldn’t acknowledge who he was.

But we see who can. Lastly, the spiritual church believes and is forgiven. Here, there’s an opposite. There’s the natural world that doesn’t believe, can’t believe, finds the message foolish, and therefore is not forgiven but perishing; and then, there’s the spiritual church of God, who because of the Spirit, they receive this message of salvation gladly, and are forgiven.

Verse 12 says, “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.” Those who receive the Spirit from God can know the things that are freely given to them of God. While the world may say - “people must pay for their sins - people must try harder the next time - you can’t get someone else to do it for you! People must work for their salvation.” The church says - “I believe salvation is freely given to me by a God who loves to save sinners.” Can it be so easy? Just believe, and receive with humility this gift? Yes. We therefore learn that there is not just an understanding, it’s a humble acceptation. The Spirit softens the heart of the unbeliever and makes him willing to believe that message. That’s why question and answer 53 says that the Holy Spirit is “given to me, to make me by true faith share in Christ and all His benefits, to comfort me, and to remain with me forever.”

The ones who hear that message can understand because they have the heart ware. They’re able to interpret spiritual things. That’s why verse 15 says, “he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” He can discern all spiritual things. Spiritual things make sense to him because he has the Spirit. While the world is unable to understand spiritual things, the spiritual man can understand because of the Spirit. But we learn that he himself is judged of no man. No one can understand him. He’s an enigma. When Jesus was insulted, he didn’t insult in return. When he was persecuted, he didn’t fight back. He told his disciples that if you are slapped on one cheek, offer the other cheek. Don’t render evil for evil. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed are they who are persecuted. And these were the characteristics of Christians.

In the first century, Christians were being persecuted for their faith. A letter was written to officials around the region to describe these Christians, pleading with them not to persecute them. It says, “They obey the established laws; indeed in their private lives they transcend the laws. They love everyone, and by everyone they are persecuted. They are unknown, yet they are condemned; they are put to death, yet they are brought to life. They are poor, yet they make many rich; they are in need of everything, yet they abound in everything. They are dishonored, yet they are glorified in their dishonor; they are slandered, yet they are vindicated. They are cursed, yet they bless; they are insulted, yet they offer respect. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when they are punished, they rejoice as though brought to life.”

A number of years ago, a Christian couple lost their 2 boys after a truck ran over them and crushed their skulls. Pictures were all over social media. They forgave that truck driver. Not too long ago, a school boy in Singapore was hacked to death by his school mate. His Christian parents parents forgave his killer and assured his parents of the same. Who can understand this. Except that they who have been forgiven much, are forgiving. Who can understand this?

Now, in the beginning, I said there’s an opposite. But this is not between good and evil. It’s between forgiven and not forgiven. Everyone is wicked. Only God is good. But God is taking from out of the world a people that he saves. This is what question 54 says - “I believe that the Son of God, out of the whole human race, from the beginning of the world to its end, gathers, defends, and preserves for Himself, by His Spirit and Word, in the unity of the true faith, a church chosen to everlasting life.” The church is not better than others, she is forgiven. Why is she forgiven? Because she freely accepts God’s provision of a savior. How could they admit their sin to receive this savior? By the Spirit alone.

Believers, you’re saved not because you’re good, but because you understand the gospel and receive Christ’s sacrifice freely. Know that you must live therefore, according to the salvation you have received. Look to the Lord Jesus who gave himself for you, who was holy, who was without blame - and live as God’s children, blameless in this sinful world.

There are those who have come today, hearing this message of salvation. It’s no surprise that you find it foolish. But what other way of salvation is there for you? There are those who have come, hearing this message, and you understand and you’re seeing its wisdom. Yes, how can I be saved from my sins? I urge you today to pray to God - ask him for his Spirit, to understand this deeper truth of God - that you might be saved from your sins, to be his people - not a good people, not a perfect people, but a saved and forgiven people. And he’s defending us and preserving us and making us holier everyday.