Chapter 2 Confessions My faith is not in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for me because I love Him. These things are revealed to me through the Spirit of God. I have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God and so I know the things that have been freely given to me by God. I am spiritually alive; I have access to everything Gods Spirit is doing, and I cant be judged by unspiritual critics. I have the mind of Christ.

Chapter 1 Paul the apostle addresses the Corinthians, first thanking God for their lives, as concerning the access they have to God through Jesus, and the evidence of Christ in their lives. He encourages them that all the gifts and support of God that they would ever need, until Jesus comes, has been given to them. He went on to correct them on a serious concern, after receiving a report that they have been fighting among themselves, that they should learn to be considerate and get along with one another. He warned them from picking sides, on Paul, Apollos, Peter and the Messiah, reminding them that their salvation and baptism was wrought by the Messiah, and not by the name of Paul or any other. He was only sent out to preach the message of the gospel, and not to baptize. He went on to say that the Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those bent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. Moreover, all this human wisdom was but foolishness, which God brought to nothing: the preaching of the cross was the power of God; and God had chosen the weak things, the things of nought, foolish things according to the world, to annihilate the wisdom and strength of the world, in order that the gospel should be evidently the power of God. Thus we are of God, and Christ is everything for us (right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start) on God's part, in order that he who is going to blow a horn should blow a trumpet for God. Chapter 2 Paul came to them at first in this spirit: not knowing anything among them but Christ, and Christ in His humiliation (crucified). His speech was not attractive with human persuasiveness, but it was with the expression of the presence of the Spirit and of the power which accompanied that presence. As such, their faith rested, not on the fair words of man, but on the power of God a solid foundation for our souls. He later spoke of the wisdom of God in a mystery, not known to the rulers of this age; else, they would not have crucified the One in whose Person it was all to be accomplished. That which had never entered into the heart of man, God had revealed by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. It is only the spirit of a man which is in him that knows the things which he has not communicated. So no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now, it is this Spirit of God that the apostle and others have received, that they might know the things which are freely given of God. Thus, they dont have to rely on the worlds guesses and opinions. They learnt these things from God who taught them person-to-person, through Jesus and are passing it to the Corinthians in the same firsthand, personal way. However, to the unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, cannot receive the gifts of Gods Spirit. They seem like silliness and theres no capacity for them. Spirit can only be known by spirit-Gods Spirit and their spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive in this way, they have access into everything Gods Spirit is doing and cant be judged by unspiritual critics, because they Christs Spirit. Chapter 3 The Corinthians were not natural men; but they were carnal (not spiritual) men, such that the apostle had to feed them with milk and not with meat which was only fit for those that were of full age. The apostle thus blamed them for their weakness and non-proficiency. A proof of this was their divisions into schools of doctrine. No doubt, Paul had planted, Apollos watered, but it

was God alone who gave the increase. Moreover, the apostle had laid the foundation of this building of God (the church in Corinth) and others had built since (carrying on the work of the edification of souls). Let everyone take heed. There was but one foundation; it was laid. But in connection with it, they might teach things solid or worthless and form souls by one or the other, or even introduce souls won by such vain doctrines among the saints. The work would be proved, sooner or later, by some day of trial. The subject then is ministerial labour, carried on by some means of certain doctrines: good, worthless, or subversive of the truth; and the fruits which this labour would produce. And there are three cases; the work good as well as the workman; the work vain, but the workman saved; the corrupter of Gods temple (introducing that which destroyed fundamental truths) here, the workman would be destroyed. Finally, if anyone desired to be wise in this world, let him become unintelligent in order to be wise. God counted the wisdom of the wise as foolishness, and would take them in their own craftiness. But in this, the saints were below their privileges. All things were theirs, since they were the children of God. Chapter 4 As for the apostle and the labourers, they were to consider them as stewards employed by the Lord. And it was to Him that Paul committed the judgment of his conduct. He cared little for the judgment man might form respecting him. He was not conscious of anything wrong, but that did not justify him. He who judged (examined) him was the Lord. He shows a good way to bridle pride. First, if you consider how it is wrong for you to exclude yourself from the number of others, seeing you are a man yourself. Second, if you consider that even though you have something more than other men have, yet you only have it by God's bountifulness. And what wise man is he that will brag of another's goodness, and that against God? Paul and his companions had been as the off-scouring of the earth for Christ's sake, while the Corinthians were reposing in the lap of luxury and ease. Even while writing to them, this was still his position. "Would to God," he says, "ye did reign" (that the day of Christ were come) "in order that we might reign with you." He felt his sufferings, although he bore them joyfully. They, the apostles, were set forth on God's part as though to be the last great spectacle in those marvellous games of which this world was the amphitheatre; and as His witnesses they were exposed to the fury of a brutal world. Patience and meekness were their only weapons. Nevertheless he did not say these things to put them to shame, he warned them as his beloved sons; for his sons they were. Though they might have ten thousand teachers, he had begotten them all by the gospel. Let them then follow him. In all this there is the deep working of the affection of a noble heart, wounded to the utmost, but wounded in order to bring out an affection that rose above his grief. In order to remind them of his doctrines and his manner of life, since he is hindered from coming himself, the apostle sent Timothy, his son in the faith and in heart, well acquainted with his views and feelings, that he might do what the apostle would do if he were present. Paul had sent him; Paul himself would soon be there. Some said, No, he would not, and took occasion to magnify themselves in the absence of the apostle; but he would come himself and put everything to the test; for the kingdom of God was not in word, but in power. Did they wish him to come with a rod, or in love?

Here this part of the epistle ends. Admirable specimen of tenderness and of authority! of authority sure enough of itself on the part of God, to be able to act with perfect tenderness towards those who were thoroughly dear to him, in the hope of not being forced to exercise itself in another way. The most powerful truths are unfolded in so doing. Chapter 5