Don’t Be Spooked by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9-16)
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Of the three persons of the Trinity, believers seem to know the least about the Holy Spirit. We know how to relate to a Father, and we can understand the relationship between the Father and the Son, but how do we relate to a Spirit? He’s often seen as an impersonal force, and we don’t know how to relate to Him.
It doesn’t help that the King James Version translates “Holy Spirit” as “Holy Ghost,” which 400 years ago was an acceptable translation, but today just leads to misunderstanding. When we think of ghosts, we think possibly of supernatural beings who haunting others for who knows what reason. Or maybe we think are loved ones who have passed away before us. Or maybe we think about seances and Ouija boards. None of these things belong in the Christian worldview, and certainly do not apply to the Holy Spirit.
On the contrary, the Holy Spirit is God, and He is absolutely essential to the life of the Christian believer.
“But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”– these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (1Co 2:9-16 ESV)
One of my favorite Christian hymns is the Doxology. The last phrase, though, calls the Holy Spirit “Holy Ghost.” This was perfectly acceptable at the time of its writing, but misunderstood today. “Ghost” used to just refer to a person’s soul or spirit. Today, it is used to refer to a dead person’s soul or spirit. But God’s not dead. No! He is alive!
Not only that, but God’s Spirit is living in us if we know Christ as Savior (v. 12). God has given us His Son, Jesus Christ. But without God’s Spirit inside of us, we wouldn’t be able to understand spiritual things in a spiritual way. What things does the Holy Spirit help us to understand?
The Holy Spirit reveals to us what God has prepared for us (v. 9-10). The believers in the Old Testament only saw part of the picture. They didn’t have the Holy Spirit inside of them. It’s said that they didn’t have a full understanding of Heaven and Hell. But we know of what awaits us! Though we can’t fully comprehend it, we know heaven is a place of pure joy in worshiping God. God has also given us joy and peace in this life. The more we find our treasure in God, the more we will experience that joy and peace. The Holy Spirit teaches us something of the depths of God (v. 10b). The Holy Spirit reveals to us some of God’s thoughts (v. 11).
This ought to motivate us toward godly living. Do not live according to the spirit of the world, but be led by the Spirit of God.
Pastor Chris Huff has been with us since July 2009. He and his wife, Abby, have four children. Chris is originally from St. Louis, MO and even though he was raised as a city boy, he has a small town heart. Chris is all over the internet, so you can find him on Facebook, Twitter,… (read more)
