What Really Matters? (1 Corinthians 2)

Sometimes, we make a big deal about things that don't matter too much. Imagine a group of skilled craftsmen diligently working to construct a magnificent temple. Each is gifted and passionate, yet they spend their days arguing over the bricks' color or the windows' design. The temple, intended to be a place of worship and unity, becomes a monument to division and disarray. This happens when we allow ourselves to be consumed by matters that do not truly matter in the grand scheme.

Have you ever witnessed this in a local body of Christ? I know I have. I remember being one of the chiefest of sinners in this. I was convinced that the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt for 215 years. I still believe that, by the way. But I was so bullheaded that I tried to teach the preacher at the church we were attending my understanding before he taught the class. I pressed the issue, and he disagreed with me. Looking back, I feel ashamed and embarrassed about that. Can I just say, "Who cares?" That was a proud and arrogant thing for me to do. Is it all that important for everyone to arrive at the same understanding of that as I have? Is it more important that everyone sides with me on my interpretation than for me to love my brother and give him a chance to explain his interpretation?

This is an example of divisive behavior. When we make much out of something unimportant, we are being divisive. That kind of stuff messes with relationships. It makes it hard for people to love me when I'm proud of my interpretation. When it's hard to love one another, Satan has a wedge that he can use to pry us apart. Jesus said that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Mark 3:24). So, we have to understand this problem we have and overcome it.

Paul has been trying to help the Corinthians understand the divisive behaviors that they have fallen into so that he can help them mend their relationships with one another. They choose sides and create sides when everyone is on the same team. Another thing that we often do is put ourselves in categories or create categories for others based on inconsequential things when God has created two categories: those being saved and those perishing. These are the only two categories that have any meaning, and those being saved have no room for boasting. They aren't saving themselves. That's not a category that exists.

Some Things Don't Matter

Today, Paul points out another divisive behavior. He tells the Corinthians that they care about things that don't matter. They are honoring and exalting empty things, or they are upset and angry about things that have no significance. Have you ever known anyone to do this? Have you ever done this?

Being a parent, I have witnessed this in my children. I think God gives us children so that we can learn a thing or two about ourselves. I have seen my children and other people's children get upset over something that's not a big deal or excited about something that's not all that valuable. We aren't much different. Are we?

Have you ever made a big deal about something because you firmly believe it? Furthermore, have you ever changed your opinion and looked back with regret? If only you could take back those words and love your brother, sister, spouse, and child more instead of loving your opinion and wisdom. Let's see how this relates to division in the church.

What Doesn't Matter?

So, what is it that we focus on that does not matter?

Worldly Identity

1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (ESV) — 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

‌First, let's review the idea at the end of Chapter 1. Paul points out that these Christians were not chosen because they were the wisest, most substantial, or most notable by worldly standards. None of that mattered to God. Even the best of us would be unworthy in God's eyes. He finds more joy in helping the lowly than the proud. Focusing on these things makes them proud and causes them to lose what God likes most about them.

Skills & Abilities

1 Corinthians 2:1–5 (ESV) — 1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

In this next section, Paul says he did not present himself to them as one who knows much about a lot. His mission was not to impress them with his eloquence or wisdom. He doesn't go on tangents to ensure they listen carefully to everything he says. He doesn't rely on his educated background or charm. In verse 2, he says, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." Paul wants to keep it simple. He's not pulling a bait and switch. He's not trying to convince them to listen to him because he can show them how smart he is. He doesn't break out the title "Dr." so that they care. He simply told them who Jesus is, what he has done for them on the cross, and what he offers them. He even says, "My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom." Paul wasn't working hard to explain the intricacies of it all. He just let the message stand on its own.

Paul says that we pay attention to what doesn't matter (what the world cares about). Is that you? If I could read your mind and look at what we care most about, would I find that it is inconsequential? Perhaps at times, you care most about spiritual things, but maybe at other times, you aren't so focused. If you did the same for me, I'm scared of what you might find.

The problem is that we often fail to care about what is essential to the extent that we should. Jesus and his crucifixion don't mean enough to us.

What Matters?

Do you believe that the message of Christ and his crucifix can stand on its own as Paul did? How many of us want to fancy it up a little bit? Paul was convinced that coming to them "with weakness and in fear and much trembling" allowed their faith to rest in God's power instead of men's wisdom. Their initial belief was based on the word of the cross and the power of God to save through that sacrifice. That is what matters.

Why does that matter?

Some of us might look at this and roll our eyes. In our day and age, we are looking for something more. We constantly look for new things to learn and see, but we don't understand the depth of that message. The power was in the simplicity of the message, but that simple message revealed a willingness of God to sacrifice for us in love. God loves us.

1 Corinthians 2:6–13 (ESV) — 6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 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”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 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. 12 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. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

‌Paul says that even though his message is simple, it contains an element of wisdom beyond what those who are wise can understand. It is important because we can access every spiritual blessing on the cross. Listen to the ideas Paul says are connected to the message of the cross.

‌In verse 7, he says God's secret and hidden wisdom is "for our glory." Then, in verse 9, he calls these things "what God has prepared for those who love him." Then, in verse 10, "the depths of God." In verse 11, "The thoughts of God." In verse 12, "Things freely given us by God." And finally, verse 13 says they are "Spiritual truths." All of these things are

The World Doesn't See

Our generation has a prevalent mindset: "Everything in this book is wrong." It shuns all of the wisdom of Christianity and disregards the good that Christianity has done on the earth, just like it did when Christianity was first introduced. These people who defy God's word's truth resemble those who crucified Christ. They love themselves and believe in their wisdom. Paul says no human could see or understand the things God had in mind on their own, and the things that God has revealed appear foolish to many of us.

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 (ESV) — 14 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. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

The most important things for us to understand cannot be found based on our wisdom and understanding. No one can comprehend the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We do not get to determine what matters, but we can learn from God.

Why Does This Matter?

That's important! We must put off our arrogant attitudes and let God speak to us through the word the Spirit teaches. As we look at this text, we see a mystery and secret hidden for ages that God wants us to understand, but we tend to be too bullheaded to let it sink in. These spiritual truths are fundamental, but they aren't evident. They are just out of sight, but a day is coming when we will all have to face them. We will receive the spiritual blessings of those being saved or perish.

Message

So, when we look at this text, we see that our tendency is always to focus on things that don't matter. We like to think that we know better but don't know anything. We are all just foolish people, little children compared to the magnificent, multifaceted minds of God and Christ. We divide because we think we know more than each other, but the truth is that we know nothing! We would never know anything without God's help. How can we stand proud of something that's not our own? Did I develop my brain cells? Did I feed them with oxygen from my blood? Did I pump my heart? I have no power and no control. I have no wisdom or understanding that God did not give me. Everything I do have I received from him, and I can have it all taken away.

Application

Who do we think we are? Chapter 2 ought to be humbling for us. In a world that is so divided and with a Christian community that loves to tear down others, we have to learn humility and grace. We have to alter our perspective and focus on what God has saved us to focus on. It's not about who figured out what this or that passage means. It's about loving the brother for trying to understand and trying to live faithfully with what God has given him. That's what Paul wants these brothers and sisters to do, and that's what he wants us to do.

So, how about you? Do you have some relationships that you need to mend? Is there someone you need to apologize to? Have you compromised love to push your selfish agenda? When you admit you were wrong, you start being right.