Devotional from Houston:

"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. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words."
- 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 -

In today’s reading, Paul uses the idea of the world as a metaphor for human society. Thus Paul easily shifts between the ‘wisdom of this age’ (v 6) and the ‘spirit of the world’ (v 12). Paul here is talking about the values, ethics and self-centered ungodliness of human society. These indeed we must reject: ‘Do not love the world or anything in the world.’ However, we are not called to withdraw from the world, not even the human world – quite the opposite. Paul will shortly agree that we are inextricably part of the human society. How can we be the ‘salt of the earth’ if we must withdraw from it?

Paul knows that the world has been corrupted by human sinfulness, but also that God’s ultimate purpose is, through Christ, to restore all creation to its former perfection and glory – and this includes us and our bodies as well. The ‘world’ of human society is corrupt and we must turn from it, but the church has received the Spirit from God (v 12). Open to the Spirit’s guidance, we must make good and godly choices about the created world, including our own bodies. Then we will truly have ‘the mind of Christ’ (v 16).

Prayer: Spirit of God, dwell in me in fullness, so that I may have the light of hope in my eyes, the fire of inspiration on my tongue, and your love in my heart.

(From the Encounter with God)