(#012) 1 Corinthians 2 - The Difference Between the Believer and the Unbeliever is the Spirit

Ravalries form and our intimacy with God grows with the difference maker.

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

Good Morning!

Happy New Year my friends, and welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with worldwide impact. My name is Pastor Rory Clark. At Barah Ministries we know this truth…that Jesus Christ is God. As the Lord He is 100% Deity. He is God the Son. He is also 100% true humanity just like you and me. He is Jesus Christ. The Lord, God the Son…became flesh…Jesus Christ...and lived among us. He is the Sovereign God of the Universe…He is the Savior of the whole world…and He is the Jewish Messiah.

Those who make Barah Ministries their spiritual home, believe in Jesus Christ, and we call ourselves Christians. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. As Christians, we have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. To us, Christ is a Person and Christianity is a Person…Christ…they are not things.

At Barah Ministries, we make a difference by teaching the Word of God from the Lord Jesus Christ’s perspective, and not from man’s perspective. We search the Scriptures to learn who the Lord is as a Person, and to learn what our God has to say about Himself, about His plan for all mankind, and about His personal plan for each of us. We strive to see life from His perspective.

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Difference Between the Believer and the Unbeliever is the Spirit

LESSON INTRODUCTION

If I stood two people in front of you right this moment and could say with absolute certainty that one of them is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and one of them is not, there would be little else to differentiate them. That’s our experience when we’re in the world. If we were people-watching in a mall or in a restaurant, there really would be no way for us to tell, by looking at people we don't know if they are believers or unbelievers. God knows.

However, there is a HUGE difference between believers in Christ and unbelievers. As we continue our study of the apostle Paul’s first letter to the believers in the church at first-century Corinth, Paul tells us the difference between believers and unbelievers. The difference is the difference-maker…God the Holy Spirit.

SONG INTRODUCTION

Let’s listen to some music! Imagine for a moment that you committed a capital crime…a crime that carries with it a death sentence. You are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. You are on death row, and your execution is scheduled for one week from today. The governor of your state has made it clear that in spite of your numerous appeals, there will be no stay of execution…no delay in carrying out your final judgment.

One hour before you are to be executed, a man comes forth and volunteers to die in your place. The state agrees to accept this man’s sacrifice on your behalf, so your life is spared. This is exactly what the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished for you at the Cross. His sacrificial death on your behalf was initiated by and allowed by God the Father. Why? Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 8 tells us…

ROMANS 5:8

God the Father demonstrates His own unconditional love toward all mankind…in that while we were yet sinners (while we were unrighteous, ungodly, unbelievers) … (the Father sent the) Christ (the Messiah) … (and He) died (a sacrificial death) for us.

The motivation for this sacrifice is love…unconditional love…not only on the part of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, but also on the part of God the Father. Here are Phillips, Craig and Dean to sing HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR US.

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

HOW DEEP THE FATHER’S LOVE FOR US

Phillips, Craig, and Dean

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

Father, we thank you for the New Year…for allowing us to live to see a new decade…we thank you for all the blessings of adversity and prosperity You have provided up to this point in our lives that have been lessons designed to teach us who You are and what You have planned for us…thank you for loving us…for forgiving us…for being gracious toward us so that we can learn through experiences and mistakes under the sphere of Your perfect protection…

Father, as we embark on the journey of a New Year, one step at a time, we ask you to continue opening our spiritual eyes so we can see the resources you have provided, the people you have provided, and the divine power you have provided through God the Holy Spirit to guide us on the way to becoming conformed to the image of Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ…

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s

name...Amen.

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Difference Between the Believer and the Unbeliever is the Spirit

We continue our study of the third passage of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, which extends from Chapter 1, Verse 10 to Chapter 4, Verse 21. In this passage the apostle Paul is addressing rivalries and dissensions in the Corinthians Church. First Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verses 10 and 11…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:10

Now I (Paul) exhort you, brethren (fellow believers in Christ), by the name

of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no rivalries among you…but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same purpose.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:11

For I (Paul) have been informed concerning you, my brethren (in the church at Corinth) … by Chloe’s people…that there are quarrels among you.

Paul is communicating subtly and sarcastically about why these rivalries exist. First Corinthians, Chapter 1, Verse 18 says…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 1:18

For the Word (of God)…especially the Word of the Cross (the gospel message)…is foolishness to those who are perishing (unbelievers)…but to us (believers in Christ) who are being saved by it…the Word of the Cross is the power of God the Father (divine omnipotence in action).

Unbelievers in the world see life one way, Christian sees life differently… and rivalry is born. The people Paul is addressing at Corinth are Christians …no doubt about it…for the apostle Paul had led them to the gospel message personally. Yet they were baby believers…they were immature… they were new to the faith. They did not have enough biblical instruction under their belts to think as mature Christians think. This would be a problem if it were not for the difference-maker, God the Holy Spirit. The next part of the third passage addresses God the Holy Spirit’s role in the Christian Way of Living. As you listen to the passage…First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verses 6 to 16…it’s important for you to hear the distinction being made…there is a big difference between how worldly unbelievers see things and how Godly Christians see things…notice the distinction as you hear the passage…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:6

Yet we do speak (biblical) wisdom among those who are mature (to the spiritual, not the unspiritual) … a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age (Pilate…Caesar… Herod…Caiaphas…to name a few)…rulers who are passing away (in power now, for a short time, but soon to be dethroned) …

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:7

…but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery (the mystery doctrine of the Church Age) … the hidden wisdom which God the Father predestined before the ages to our glory…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:8

…the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age comprehend (not Pilate… not Caesar…not Herod…not Caiaphas…because they were all unbelievers) … for if they had understood God’s wisdom, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:9

…but just as it is written, “Things which (the unbeliever’s) eye has not seen (empiricism) …and things which (the unbeliever’s) ear has not heard (rationalism)…and things which have not entered the heart of (unbelieving) man (intuition)…all that God has prepared (in predestination and foreordination) for those who love Him (believers in Christ).”

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:10

For (believers in Christ) … God the Father revealed these things (of biblical wisdom) to us through (the enabling power of God) the (Holy) Spirit…for the Holy Spirit searches all things, even the depths of (the thinking of) God the Father.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:11

For who among humans knows the thoughts of a human except for the spirit of the human which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God the Father no one knows except the (Holy) Spirit of God.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:12

Now we (believers in Christ) have received, not the spirit of the world, but the (Holy) Spirit who is from God the Father, so that we may comprehend the things freely given to us by God the Father…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:13

…these things we speak about, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those words taught by God the Holy Spirit, who combines spiritual thoughts (like the gospel message) with spiritual words (preaching given by God the Holy Spirit).

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:14

But a natural man (the unspiritual unbeliever) does not accept the things of the (Holy) Spirit of God…for they are foolishness to him…and he cannot understand them…because they are spiritually examined.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:15

But he who is spiritual examines all things (with the help of the Spirit) … yet he himself is examined by no one (especially not unbelievers).

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:16

For who has come to know the mind of the Lord? And who will instruct the Lord? But we (believers in Christ) have the mind of Christ (in the Word of God…in the Bible).

Let’s look at the contrast we just heard.

UNBELIEVERS vs. BELIEVERS

Unspiritual Spiritual

Human Wisdom Wisdom of God

Rulers of This Age Knowledge God Revealed Knowledge

UNBELIEVERS vs. BELIEVERS

spirit of the World Holy Spirit of God

Natural Perception Spiritual Discernment

The Natural Mind The Mind of Christ

Notice the things we just talked about…let’s listen again…First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verses 6 to 16…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:6

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:7

…but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery (the mystery doctrine of the Church Age) … the hidden wisdom which God the Father predestined before the ages to our glory…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:8

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:9

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:10

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:11

For who among humans knows the thoughts of a human except for the spirit of the human which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God the Father no one knows except the (Holy) Spirit of God.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:12

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:13

…these things we speak about, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in

those words taught by God the Holy Spirit, who combines spiritual thoughts (like the gospel message) with spiritual words (preaching given by God the Holy Spirit).

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:14

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:15

But he who is spiritual examines all things (with the help of the Spirit) … yet he himself is examined by no one (especially not unbelievers).

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:16

For who has come to know the mind of the Lord? And who will instruct the Lord? But we (believers in Christ) have the mind of Christ (in the Word of God…in the Bible).

Paul’s subtle message is that the believers in Christ at Corinth would od well to be reflective. They are not at all acting like spiritual royalty… they are not at all acting like children of a King…children of God…they are not at all acting like people indwelled by the entire Triune Godhead…they are acting in ways that make them seem like there is no difference between them and unbelievers.

How about you? When people look at your life…do they see reflected the power of the difference-maker, God the Holy Spirit? Can people see a difference between you and unbelievers? If you're at the center of rivalries in your relationships, then the answer is a definite NO!

When we return from our five-minute break, we’ll study this section verse-by-verse and we’ll let God the Holy Spirit reveal the truths He’s communicating to believers today.

FIVE MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Difference Between the Believer and the Unbeliever is the Spirit

When you’re giving, what’s important to God is your attitude. Second Corinthians, Chapter 9, Verse 7…

SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:7

Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart…not grudgingly or under compulsion…for God loves a cheerful giver.

When we give God wants us to give voluntarily, thoughtfully, cheerfully, prayerfully, generously, and enthusiastically. Check your attitude as you give, believers in Christ. Make sure your attitude is an EXACT reflection of the voluntary, thoughtful, cheerful, prayerful, generous, and enthusiastic sacrifice that our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, made on your behalf at the Cross. Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with the offering message.

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

OFFERING VERSE

JEREMIAH 29:11

“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

David Bauer, Instrumental

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Difference Between the Believer and the Unbeliever is the Spirit

SONG INTRODUCTION

There are many people on earth today who don’t believe the sign that hangs above my head…the sign that says Jesus Christ is God. Yet every creature, both angelic and human, will meet the Lord Jesus Christ face-to-face one day. Philippians, Chapter 2, Verses 8 to 11 say…

PHILIPPIANS 2:8

Being found in appearance as a man, Jesus humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross.

PHILIPPIANS 2:9

For this reason, also, God the Father highly exalted Jesus Christ, and

bestowed on Him the name which is above every name…

PHILIPPIANS 2:10

…so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow…of those who are in heaven and of those who are on earth and of those who are under the earth…

PHILIPPIANS 2:11

…and so that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord…to the glory of God the Father.

Here’s Jesus Culture to sing about our Lord…the One who IS unconditional love…and they say LOVE HAS A NAME. Can you guess love’s name?

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

LOVE HAS A NAME

Jesus Culture

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Difference Between the Believer and the Unbeliever is the Spirit

First Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verses 6 to 16…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:6

Unbelievers don’t see spiritual wisdom as real wisdom. They prefer human intellect. They prefer the “what if” speculations of the world. “Well what if there is life on another planet?” and “What if there really is reincarnation… what would you come back as?” Paul doesn’t want the believers in Christ at Corinth, or any believers for that matter, to adopt the same approach to wisdom.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:7

…but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery (the mystery doctrine of the Church Age) … the hidden wisdom which God the Father predestined before the ages to our glory…

The mystery Paul speaks of is not mysterious…it is a truth that God held back until the right time…deciding in eternity past exactly the right time to reveal these truths. Human beings do not understand divine wisdom on their own…it is made understandable to them by God the Holy Spirit who guides believers into all the truth, just as Jesus promised.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:8

The unspiritual are blind to the real truth…if they weren't, they would have recognized Jesus Christ for exactly who He is…God in human form…and they would never have orchestrated His crucifixion. As believers in Christ who study His Word, we look at world events and we know there is a shadow organization of humans who are being guided by the forces of evil in the heavenlies to create their own "power" … yet this power is human power and not divine power. And these "rulers" definitely will be destroyed by the Lord of glory at the proper time.

Human wisdom is anti-Christ. It seeks to blot out the fact that there is one and only one God. Yet no matter how hard human power strives, it is not more powerful than God’s ability to thwart it. Evil always plays right into God’s hands because evil makes it clear how wonderful God’s good is.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:9

…but just as it is written, “Things which (the unbeliever’s) eye has not seen

(empiricism)…and things which (the unbeliever’s) ear has not heard (rationalism)…and things which have not entered the heart of (unbelieving) man (intuition)…all that God has prepared (in predestination and foreordination) for those who love Him (believers in Christ).”

The difference between believers and unbelievers? Believers see things that unbelievers don’t through the power of God the Holy Spirit. Temporary power bends to eternal power. Evil may seem to triumph in this world, but real power, the divine power of the Spirit of God…always wins. Who knew that what appeared as a victory for the human rulers…the Cross and Christ’s crucifixion…was really the strategic victory in the Creator-creature conflict? God knew. The Cross is the ultimate overthrow of the world and its pseudo-power. How does God reveal divine knowledge? Through the difference maker!

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:10

The difference between unbelievers and believers is the Spirit!

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:11

For who among humans knows the thoughts of a human except for the spirit of the human which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God the Father no one knows except the (Holy) Spirit of God.

Introspection has its value…but not much! Much of our introspection is going deep inside to listen to the flesh. The difference-maker, God the Holy Spirit, talks to believers through the Word of God. When we reflect on God's Word, we learn the deep, intimate, personal and supernatural plans God has for those who love Him.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:12

Now we (believers in Christ) have received, not the spirit of the world, but the (Holy) Spirit who is from God the Father, so that we may comprehend

the things freely given to us by God the Father…

God the Father wants us to know His private thoughts…that’s what intimacy is…we don’t get to know the thoughts of God by filtering his thoughts through human wisdom.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:13

Believers in Christ are directed by God the Holy Spirit. When believers listen to anyone other than the Spirit, they are violating themselves.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:14

Without God the Holy Spirit’s help, no one can understand God… ESPECIALLY NOT THE UNBELIEVER!

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:15

But he who is spiritual examines all things (with the help of the Spirit) … yet he himself is examined by no one (especially not unbelievers).

To unbelievers, believers are stupid.

FIRST CORINTHIANS 2:16

For who has come to know the mind of the Lord? And who will instruct the Lord? But we (believers in Christ) have the mind of Christ (in the Word of God…in the Bible).

We have a supernatural power at our disposal…the Bible…the Word of God…the TROOF…the inerrant Canon of Scripture!

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

The closing moments of our study are for the benefit of anyone who does not have a personal relationship with the Sovereign God of the Universe, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We want you to know that GOD WANTS YOU.

What is going to happen to you when you close your eyes in this life? Will you go to heaven or will you go to hell?

Many think the key to getting to heaven is to be a “good person.” According to this standard, a “bad person” goes to hell. The bible obliterates this delusion. The bible says we’re all “bad people!” Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 23 says…

ROMANS 3:23

…all creatures have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 10…

ROMANS 3:10

…it is written, "There is no creature who is righteous, not even one…"

First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22 says…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22a

…all in union with Adam at physical birth (and that is every human being) are set to die the second death in the Lake of Fire…

Your condition at birth IS NOT YOUR FAULT, but it is your circumstance.

The good news is that the Lord Jesus Christ did something about your problem because He doesn’t want anyone to go to The Lake of Fire…Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9 says…

SECOND PETER 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of...instead He is patient toward unbelievers…not wishing for any to perish (in the Lake of Fire) but for all to come to repentance (a voluntary change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

The Lord provides human beings with the Bible to illuminate the path to heaven…John, Chapter 20, Verses 30 and 31…

JOHN 20:30

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book (the Bible)…

JOHN 20:31

…but these things written here have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (The Jewish Messiah)…the Son of God (in human form)…and that by believing in Him you may have the resurrection life in His name.

The Bible contains the Lord’s exact thinking.

So, how can you get to heaven? Right where you sit, RIGHT NOW, you can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is the moment of eternal life for you. Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

Who is this God who saves you? The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ…in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you as of first importance what I also received… that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Scriptures…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Scriptures…

Believing in Jesus Christ is your acknowledgment that you can't do a thing

to get to heaven on your own. Being a “good person” does not get you to heaven. You can’t work your way into heaven. Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 6 says…

ROMANS 11:6

But if salvation is by grace, and of course it is, it is no longer on the basis of (your) works…otherwise, grace is no longer grace.

If you have to work for a free gift then the work makes you deserve the gift. In salvation, there is no work you could do that is impressive to God. The Lord would never allow you to save yourself! The ONE WAY…the ONLY way to get to heaven is through the Lord Jesus Christ…John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, “I am the way (to salvation), and I am the truth (through the Word of God), and I am the resurrection life…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me.”

It’s wise to let God save you, because once God does something, He never changes His mind. So, heed the warning in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment… but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

Are you ready to join me in heaven when you close your eyes in this life? Do it now!

SONG INTRODUCTION

Matthew, Chapter 16, Verses 13 to 17…

MATTHEW 16:13

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

MATTHEW 16:14

And the disciples said, “Some say You are John the Baptist…and others say

You are Elijah…but still others say You are Jeremiah, or one of the

prophets.”

MATTHEW 16:15

Then Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

MATTHEW 16:16

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ (the Jewish Messiah) … the Son of the living God (which means You are Deity).”

MATTHEW 16:17

And Jesus said to Peter, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona (son of Jonah)… because flesh and blood (human beings) did not reveal this to you…but My Father who is in heaven revealed this to you.

Here’s June Murphy to sing the title track to her latest CD…JESUS CHRIST IS GOD.

CLOSING SONG

JESUS CHRIST IS GOD

June Murphy

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

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