THE KING’S BUSINESS
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science does he know, but does he know the Holy Ghost. To the natural man, no matter how learned, the “things which are of the Spirit” are “foolishness,” he can not know them, because they are “spirit ually discerned.” There is no more use arguing with a natural man about spirit ual things, than there is in arguing with a man of no aesthetic taste about art. But any man can get spiritual discernment. How? By surrendering his will to God and thus receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32; John 7:17 R. V.). A spiritual man, a man born and taught of the Holy Spirit, judges all things; everything is open to him: but while he judges all things, “he himself is judged of no man.” He lives in a sphere where he is beyond other men’s estimation and judgment; God alone can judge him (1 Cor. 4:3, 4), and no one can instruct God in this judgment; but it is our blessed and glorious privilege to have the “mind of Christ.” Sunday, Sept. 30 . 1 Cor. 3 : 1 - 4 . While the believers in Corinth were won
derfully endowed with spiritual gifts (ch. 1:7) : they were not “Spiritual;” they were “carnal,” men under the influence of the flesh rather than controlled by the Spirit of God. It is true, they were sanc tified” (ch. 1:2) but still they were only “babes”. Paul evidently used the word “sanctified” in a broader sense than many do who nowadays make their boast, that “they are not only saved but sanctified.” These sanctified ones in Corinth were nev ertheless very imperfect Christians; they were full of “jealousy and strife.” The proof that they were still carnal was that one boasted, “I am of Paul;” and another, “I am of Apollos.” It is much, the same today; one boasts that he is of Wesley, another, that he is of Calvin, another that he is of Luther, another that he is of Darby, and another, that he is of some one else. This only shows not that they have attained to a high state of spirituality, but that “they are carnal.” Paul adapted his teaching to his hearers; he did not try to feed babes with meat but with milk. Not all teachers are as wise as that; they think that the same food is good for all believers.
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