Man in his natural mind
cannot begin to comprehend God. In fact, one basic truth that the scriptures
teach us from beginning to end, is that apart from the Spirit and spiritual
birth, God is infinitely and eternally out of man’s grasp. “Man does not accept
the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot
understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1st.
Corinthians 2:14) Paul is, in effect, repeating Jesus’ teaching when He told
the Pharisee Nicodemus, “...unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Man cannot
have the knowledge of God apart from God’s Spirit; the wisdom, the teaching,
and the understanding of the things of the Spirit.
Here is probably the
clearest and best example. The disciples walked and talked with Jesus for over
three years. They were with Him constantly, listening to Him teach, seeing His
miracles, asking Him questions, seeing Him in all the aspects and circumstances
of life. But they did not understand. They did not perceive His purpose in
coming, until after the resurrection, and even then they continued to ask
questions that exposed their ignorance. “We were hoping that it was He who was
going to redeem Israel”…They asked him; “Lord, is it at this time you are
restoring the kingdom to Israel?” It wasn't until they were gathered in the
upper room, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit that they stepped out
onto the streets of Jerusalem with a greater knowledge and power.
Now I want you to take
notice here... they weren't given a crash course in theology. They didn't stay
sequestered in the upper room for another thirteen weeks while Jesus appeared
to them with a dry erase board and a box of scrolls and taught them doctrine
and homiletics and how to properly apply the scriptures…They had a certain knowledge, a learning that He had stored up in them while He was with them, but
they had no revelation of the Spirit, until He came and filled them; and
baptized them, there in that upper room. And when He did, these disciples who
only days before stood gazing into the sky as He ascended...now stepped
immediately out of the upper room and preached a Holy Spirit inspired sermon
that had even those who crucified their Lord crying, “What must we do to be
saved?”
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