1 Corinthians 2:12

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us ~ 1 Corinthians 2:12

 

What is meant by “the spirit of the world”? Does it mean there is another spirit which is comparable to the Holy Spirit? Is this what Paul is saying here? Or, is he talking about the spirit of Satan? No, it is neither. Paul is talking about the secular, materialistic thinking that exists in the world which lives apart from Christ through God. He is talking about the intellectual and moral tendencies of an era. We live in one now – it is the “Me” generation. All things in life are about what “I” can attain, how “I” am pleased, what “I” think or believe about a matter, including faith. This is the spirit of the world. As Christ’s followers, we have left behind the spirit of pride, malice, covetousness, for we are filled with God’s Spirit of life, light, faith, comfort, adoption, truth and future glory. All this has been given to us by a God of love and covenant. We are His children, and as such, we have been given a gift – His Holy Spirit. His Spirit teaches us the opposite of what the world teaches. Things we now know through His Holy Spirit lead us to the deep mysteries of wisdom and of the good things God has prepared for us (1 Corinthians 2:9). It is through His Spirit that we know the things of God, things about the spiritual realities, the thoughts of God realities. As Paul continues on in his discourse, the things of God cannot be understood by those who do not have His Holy Spirit. We have a God who loves us so much! He gave us His Son to bring us into a wholeness we could not attain by our own merit. He died for us, in our place, to take our sin! Who would you die for? Whose sin would you take? I know there are very few, if any, who would step up to take on what Christ took on for us. This was done from Love. Then to send His Spirit so that we might be continually filled with His love, grace, comfort, peace, and not because we deserved it, but because He wished to share a part of Himself with us. How great a gift we have received! “Be filled [then] with the Spirit!” (Ephesians 5:18)


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