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Join me as I do a refresh of basic doctrinal topics of the gospel, these are personal study notes. KJV is used for Bible references. You can go to the referenced verse by clicking the citation number (in red), next to the verse, and go back to where you left off, by clicking the return icon (⮐) at the end of the reference

1. Men are spiritually blind

1 Corinthians 2:9-16

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.
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 also we 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.

  • Verse 9: How can we learn about the things that God has prepared for believers?

    • Can we learn about such things using our eyes? No
    • By using our ears? No
    • By thinking with our minds? No

  • Verse 10: What is the only way by which we can learn God's truth?

    • Going to college for four years (especially Bible college)? No
    • Reading books about religion and the Bible? No
    • Having God's truth revealed to us by God? Yes
    • Watching beautiful sunsets? No
    • Thinking and meditating for long periods of time? No

We learn from 1 Corinthians 2:10. (But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.), that God reveals His truth to us by (through) His Spirit
* Is there anything about God or about God's truth that the Holy Spirit does not understand? No
* Remember the Holy Spirit is God. Acts 5:3-4. (3: But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4: Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God)
* According to 1 Corinthians 2:10, who is it that really understands the deep truths and deep things of God? The Holy Spirit

  • Verse 11: Without the Lord's help, is it possible for a man to know and understand the things of God? No

    • Who does know according to this verse? The Spirit of God
    • Read Isaiah 55:8-9. (8: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.). Are God's thoughts far above and far greater than your thoughts? Yes.
    • Read Romans 11:33-34. (33: O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
      34: For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?)      .
    • Do you think the Lord needs a teacher? No
    • Is there anything that the Lord does not know? No
    • Do you need a teacher? Yes
    • Who must this teacher be? 1 Corinthians 2:13. (13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.). The Holy Ghost.

  • Which of these are true?

    • I can learn God's truth without the Lord's help. Talse
    • It is impossible for me to learn any truth about God and about His Word unless He reveals it to me and teachers me. True
    • Unless the Lord shows me and teaches me what the Bible really means, I will never really understand it. True
    • I can understand the Bible on my own, although with the Lord's help I would probably learn much more. False

  • Verse 12: Let's see it again (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.). What does every believer receive the moment he is saved?. The Holy Spirit

    • This verse teaches us that God wants us to know the things that are freely given to us of God and that is why He has given to us the Holy Spirit to be our teacher.
    • Do you think God wants you to know His truth? Yes
    • Read 1 Corinthians 14:20. (20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.). When it comes to understanding His truth, does God want us to be babies or grown up men? grown up men and women.

  • Verse 13: (Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.) Do we learn God's truth by our own wisdom or by the Holy Spirit teaching us? By the Holy Spirit teaching us.

  • Verse 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.).

    • The natural man is the unsaved person. This verse teaches us that unsaved men and women, boys and girls are blind when it comes to God's truth. Can the natural man receive the truths of God's Word? No.
    • Can he know and understand them? No.
    • What one word in this verse shows us what the unsaved man really thinks about God's truth? foolishness.
    • Therefore, when you share something from the Bible with an unsaved person, should you be surprised if he should make fun of you or ridicule you for believing what God says? No
    • Should you be surprised if he cannot really understand God's Word? No.
    • Do you remember when you were unsaved? did you understand the things or God or you were blind? I was blind.
    • The Word that is translated natural in 1 Corinthians 2:14 is the same word that is translated sensual in Jude 19. (19: These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.) Thus in Jude, verse 19, we learn that the natural(sensual) man is the man who does not have the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion:

  1. From what we have learned already, who is the only Person who can teach us and reveal to us God's truth? The Holy Spirit.

  2. If a person does not have the Teacher, can he learn the truth? No

  3. Does the natural man(the unsaved man) have the Teacher? No

  4. Read 1 Corinthians 1:18. (18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.) Does the natural man understand what Jesus did on the cross for us? No.

  5. What one word best describes the way the unsaved person feels about the cross? foolishness.

  6. If you share with a person that the only way he can be saved is by believing in a crucified Saviour, should you be surprised if he thinks you are foolish? No.

  7. See 1 Corinthians 1:18 (18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.), Acts 16:14 (14: And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.), Acts 26:18. (18: To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.)

    1. According to these verses, what kind of person really understands the meaning of the cross? Those whose hearts and eyes the Lord has opened.
    2. Only God can open the eyes of the blind

  8. The natural man is spiritually blind and he cannot understand God's truth. Only God can open the eyes of the natural man through the miracle of the new birth. See John 3:3-5. (3: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
    4: Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
    5: Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.)

  9. The moment a person is born again (by believing in Christ as Saviour), he receives the Holy Spirit and as a newly born baby, he begins to desire the pure milk of the Word of God so that he might learn and grow. See 1 Peter 2:2 (2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:). The Holy Spirit is now his Teacher.

  10. Verse 15 (15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.): The Spiritual man is the person who has the Holy Spirit (he is a believer in Christ), and who also allows the Spirit to teach him.

    1. The spiritual man loves the Word of the Lord. Psalm 119:97. (97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.).
    2. His constant prayer to God is this: Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy Law. Psalm 119:18. (18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.)