Paul wrote to the church at Corinth that his speech and preaching there at the time God used him to raise up the church "were not with persuasive words of human wisdom" (1 Corinthians 2:4). Paul emphasized the difference between human wisdom and Godly wisdom.

"We speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory" (verses 6-7).

Human wisdom is the result of our natural human mind. Godly wisdom is founded on the knowledge of God which is only made accessible to us via the holy spirit. In this regard Paul writes in the same chapter: "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God" (verse 11).

The contrast between human and Godly wisdom is not a contrast between good and evil. Instead, it involves the ability to understand Godly knowledge. With his natural human mind man can complete great construction projects, compose inspiring music and do many other things. But without the spirit of God he will not understand the things of God: "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (verse 14).

What a blessing we have! "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God" (verse 12).

On the outside conversion involves a change in our behaviour. The motivation for that change comes from within, by being able to recognize things we did not understand previously. We know assess things differently.

Paul says: "We have the mind of Christ" (verse 16).

Beautiful words!

But right in the next chapter Paul starts off by saying: "And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:1). Why did he write that? Because there were divisions and strife within the Corinthian congregation.

So, having the mind of Christ and living accordingly are not one and the same.

With these thoughts I wish everyone a rewarding Sabbath!