The Holy Spirit or human wisdom?

The Holy Spirit or Human Wisdom? Which has God chosen to use?

By: Le Roy Caudell

There is a mindset within Christian circles which urges those "called to ministry" to seek the highest level of education available. Attending a seminary after college to achieve a Masters or Doctorate degree is sought after. These degrees are credited with enhancing the teaching of the gospel. The premise of the mindset is flawed and not in keeping with examples and doctrines taught in scripture.

1 Corinthians chapter 2:1 - 5
"1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him cruciﬁed.
3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." NKJV

Today what the Apostle Paul avoided is normally used to perform evangelism and edification of the church. Some think persuasive speech [having the power to induce action or belief] or intellectual achievements such as a higher degree of education can fulfill these needs. Is this true or has God chosen to use other means?

God can use anyone in anyway he desires to perform his will because he is a sovereign God. God chose to use a dumb donkey to thwart a mad prophet. "but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet." 2 Peter 2:16 NKJV. God used a raven to feed Elijah in l Kings 17:26. God closed the mouths of lions to protect in Daniel in Daniel 6:22. God commanded lice to cover man and beast in Exodus 8:16. Jesus commanded the weather in Mark 4:39. There is no doubt that God can use anyone or anything he chooses to use in any way he chooses. What God is able to do is never in question. What means has God chosen to communicate the gospel to man?

Paul declares in verse 4 that "my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power," It is notable that Paul avoided using language filled with human wisdom what was calculated to persuade his hearers. Paul avoided the use of such language because Christ sent him "to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no eﬀect." 1 Corinthians 1:17 NKJV. Paul was a highly educated man who possessed great human wisdom and yet he specifically chose not to use his intellectual prowess but chose to rely solely upon a simple presentation of the gospel message accompanied by total reliance upon the Holy Spirit. Yet today the methods Paul rejected are touted as desirable and necessary to evangelize the lost and edify the church.

"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." 1 Corinthians 1:21 NKJV. This text states plainly that God did not choose human wisdom to proclaim the gospel of Christ. It is not through human wisdom that God works but through the foolishness of preaching without tainted human wisdom.

God has a reason for not using human wisdom for the preaching of the gospel. "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the ﬂesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no ﬂesh should glory in His presence." 1Corithians 1:26-29 NKJV. God did not want corrupt human wisdom to be glorified by those who hear. Those who boast of their pastor's education instead of the Christ of the gospel are glorifying the flesh and that is exactly what God does not want. Such boasting is sinful because it denies the verity of God's word. The idols of the mind are as abhorrent to God as those of stone.

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no eﬀect." 1 Corinthians 1:17 NKJV. Using man's wisdom to evangelize is much worse than boasting. Using wisdom draws attention away from the cross of Christ and can cause the message of the cross to lose its effect. Why would any believer choose human wisdom to evangelize the lost?

Persuasive speech combined with wisdom was not Paul's method because it is not God's method. Since this is absolutely true then what is God's way? "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him cruciﬁed. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:2-5 NKJV. As above we repeat, Paul's preaching was not with persuasive words of human wisdom. Rather his preaching was a demonstration of the Spirit and the power of God. Paul chose this method because this is the manner in which God chose to reveal Christ in the gospel. The reason God chose this method and Paul obeyed God was to establish faith in the power of God instead of the wisdom of men. The flesh wants to help God so that it can boast.

Faith in Christ is not the result of persuasive words of human wisdom but is the result of the work of the Holy Spirit. "But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 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. 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. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." 1 Corinthians 2:9-13 NKJV.

In chapter one of 1 Corinthians Paul repeatedly declares that God's revelation of Christ to man is not in "persuasive words of man's wisdom." Now in chapter two Paul repeats that the things he preaches is "not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches". Paul invokes the name of God's Spirit five times in the verses quoted above.

Why is it so difficult for some to accept the fact that only God's Holy Spirit gives understanding and brings salvation to the sinner? Why do so many preachers decide to use human wisdom clothed in persuasive speech for evangelism and edification? Why do so many Bible colleges and theological seminaries teach reliance upon human wisdom to understand God's word? "But 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." 1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV. The natural man, who does not have the Spirit of God, considers the simplicity of the gospel as foolishness. The natural man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God through human wisdom and persuasive speech because the things of God are spiritual NOT intellectual. How are preachers introduced today? Usually by detailing their degrees from prestigious educational institutions and the prestigious positions they have held and the many books they have written. These are not qualifications for being called by God to preach the gospel. Some would reply that their motives are pure because they wish to help God. Really? Any motive or act which contradicts the word of God is sinful, not pure. No matter how hard one tries it is impossible to make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

Having an education is good to have but the preaching of the gospel and the saving of men's souls is not the work of man's wisdom/education. God has used uneducated men to preach the gospel. "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13 NKJV. One of the most powerful preachers since the first century was Charles Haddon Spurgeon whose formal education was limited to Newmarket Academy. He did not have a college education or degree which shows that God also uses those with less education. One of the most effective preachers of the 20th century was A.W. Tozer who had only an 8th grade education.

It is not education, which is man's wisdom, but the work of the Holy Spirit of God that enlightens the sinner to the gospel of Christ which is God's wisdom. It is God's Spirit that gives faith to the sinner so that he may believe the gospel. No flesh will glory in his presence.