A few weeks ago for institute we read 1 Corinthians. This book is full of doctrinal treasures, but there were a few that stood out to me.
The first was how Paul entreated the Corinthians to not be divided. He tells them (1:12-15): "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name."
This shows how easy it is to create factions even in a centrally organized religion, and how difficult it was to keep false doctrines from leaking into the beliefs and practices of groups of people, especially when there was a geographic barrier and not enough leadership to support the growth of the church. As that specific instance applies to the church today, I suspect that's part of why missionaries are transferred so often. I know its difficult for a lot of investigators and missionaries to be separated when things are going well, but it's too easy to associate your own testimony with a particular person or people.
The part of 1 Corinthians that struck me the most was how strongly Paul asserts that the wisdom and philosophies of men are nothing to eternal truth. It's pretty obvious that Greek and Roman culture and ideas were leaking in and corrupting the early Christians' beliefs (Culture is, I think, the hardest thing to distinguish from religious doctrine. The dominant culture of the members almost always influences how they interpret their beliefs into life practices).
I love these verses. I assume that "the foolishness of God" really means the perceived foolishness of God, because nothing God does is foolishness. But when what society may see as foolishness is actual truth, it is wiser than the supposed wisest of ideas coming from men. It's the same parallel as between humility and power. We see great spiritual leaders (which I'm not associating with power) come from humble beginnings all the time, from the Savior, to Moses, to Joseph Smith, to many of our bishops and other leaders. Any lack of formal secular education or other surface qualities that society looks up to can be more than made up for through spiritual education, love of God, and love of their fellow men. To paraphrase J.K. Rowling--who, despite any other flaws in her books, hit upon one of the truths that define human existence--love will always triumph over power, even when it's not in a way that's recognizable to everyone.
The key to this is that true wisdom always comes through the Spirit of God, or the Holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 2 says:
It's interesting how Paul compares knowing the Spirit of God to the spirit of a man. I've often felt like people misjudge things I say because they don't know me well enough to understand my intent (possibly more often than with a more tactful person than I am). Likewise, how can someone claim to understand the words of God when they don't trust his Spirit? 1 Corinthians 2 continues:
These words are very comforting to me in this additional age of divisiveness between those who perceive with the spirit of the world and those of us who strive know the Spirit of God, or the mind of Christ.
The first was how Paul entreated the Corinthians to not be divided. He tells them (1:12-15): "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name."
This shows how easy it is to create factions even in a centrally organized religion, and how difficult it was to keep false doctrines from leaking into the beliefs and practices of groups of people, especially when there was a geographic barrier and not enough leadership to support the growth of the church. As that specific instance applies to the church today, I suspect that's part of why missionaries are transferred so often. I know its difficult for a lot of investigators and missionaries to be separated when things are going well, but it's too easy to associate your own testimony with a particular person or people.
The part of 1 Corinthians that struck me the most was how strongly Paul asserts that the wisdom and philosophies of men are nothing to eternal truth. It's pretty obvious that Greek and Roman culture and ideas were leaking in and corrupting the early Christians' beliefs (Culture is, I think, the hardest thing to distinguish from religious doctrine. The dominant culture of the members almost always influences how they interpret their beliefs into life practices).
1 Corinthians 1:
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
I love these verses. I assume that "the foolishness of God" really means the perceived foolishness of God, because nothing God does is foolishness. But when what society may see as foolishness is actual truth, it is wiser than the supposed wisest of ideas coming from men. It's the same parallel as between humility and power. We see great spiritual leaders (which I'm not associating with power) come from humble beginnings all the time, from the Savior, to Moses, to Joseph Smith, to many of our bishops and other leaders. Any lack of formal secular education or other surface qualities that society looks up to can be more than made up for through spiritual education, love of God, and love of their fellow men. To paraphrase J.K. Rowling--who, despite any other flaws in her books, hit upon one of the truths that define human existence--love will always triumph over power, even when it's not in a way that's recognizable to everyone.
The key to this is that true wisdom always comes through the Spirit of God, or the Holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 2 says:
9 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.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."
It's interesting how Paul compares knowing the Spirit of God to the spirit of a man. I've often felt like people misjudge things I say because they don't know me well enough to understand my intent (possibly more often than with a more tactful person than I am). Likewise, how can someone claim to understand the words of God when they don't trust his Spirit? 1 Corinthians 2 continues:
12 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.
13 Which things we also speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 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.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
These words are very comforting to me in this additional age of divisiveness between those who perceive with the spirit of the world and those of us who strive know the Spirit of God, or the mind of Christ.
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