Day 19 - Context Is Everything

Our Counselor provides the teaching—and the reminding—of what we need to know and remember. He is our comforter, our advisor, our encourager, and He gives us strength. He guides us in the way we should go.

Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.

Have you ever noticed how certain subjects, hobbies, or careers have their own vocabulary? People who enjoy woodworking talk in terms of sanding, routing, scrolling and such. People who enjoy cooking talk in terms of piping and sifting and shredding. Folks who enjoy skateboarding also talk about shredding and reference the pipe, but it means something totally different. It’s the same for sailing. People who sail talk about different kinds of sails- mainsail, jib, spinnaker, topsails. Context is everything in these areas. Sometimes I’ve been around some of these conversations and although I understand the words themselves, I don’t understand the context.

Paul uses language in 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 that some in his audience understand while others do not. It’s not that they don’t understand the actual words; it’s the context that eludes them. And it eludes them because they are not spiritually mature in Christ. Paul references the prophet Isaiah (64:6) by quoting, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him,” in verse 9, then follows it up with verse 10, “but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.”

Because we can read the larger context, we understand that Paul is referencing Christ’s saving sacrifice offered on the cross. The Spirit has revealed the deep and compelling message of salvation through Jesus to us. This message of hope doesn’t come, however, without some very humbling truths. We are sinners. We need to be saved but cannot save ourselves. We must humble ourselves before the truth of our condition. Paul says that the man without the Spirit doesn’t accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. That’s because discernment comes from the Spirit. He says that as Christians, we have the mind of Christ.

Have you ever felt like there was conversation with a deeper meaning going on around you? How did it make you feel?

How does it make you feel to know that we have been given the mind of Christ?