“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”– but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:6-10). 

Paul explains to the Corinthian church that our faith in the gospel is not based upon human wisdom but God’s power manifested by the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 2:4-5). He claims that this revelation is so profound that it is inconceivable to the human mind apart from the Spirit’s impartation. In other words, it can’t be understood unless it has been revealed by God Himself. When grasped, however, we understand God’s wisdom to be infinitely glorious and understandably beyond the imagination of those apart from Christ. But those in Christ have been given this secret wisdom and we have it now. Verse 9 is a quote from Isaiah 64:4 and when taken in context is not about the unfathomable nature of what awaits us in heaven (even though that is true) but the amazing nature of God’s wisdom presently in us! Concerning this, let us note that: 

  • God’s wisdom is contrary to the so-called wisdom of this age (v. 6). Those mature in Christ realize that if the world says it then God essentially says the opposite. And this has implications for every aspect of our being and living. There is no room in God’s message for syncretism with the world’s ideologies and theories. The world’s philosophers don’t understand God’s wisdom and we reject theirs outright (v. 7-8). 
  • God has given His children this wisdom “from the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) and did so through His Son (v. 7). Jesus verified that He was the source of this eternal wisdom when he stated, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, “So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world” (Matthew 13:35). This is why He is called the Word (John 1:1). 
  • This divine revelation is so infinitely profound yet it is given away by God. Who receives it? Those that love Him (v. 9). And why do we love Him? Because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).  But that doesn’t mean I can always describe what I have in Christ – no words can fully capture its essence or nature– but I know in my spirit, through the Holy Spirit, the magnitude of the gospel and many of its ramifications. Such is the nature of love – difficult to describe but extraordinarily real. 
  • God’s wisdom is not shallow or superficial (v. 10). It penetrates us by His Spirit and compels us to hunger and thirst for more of His truth and revelation. God’s saving gospel light is but the beginning point as we search after the riches of who Christ is and what He means. As Paul humbly stated, “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.  Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things” (Ephesians 3:7-9). 

It is no wonder that we wonder over the marvel of His grace. He has given us unimaginable things now through His Son, by His Word, and from His Spirit. But is this our experience? It should be – “we have been given the secret wisdom of God”. Compelled by His love we are to have an insight into God and a passion for His purposes. Are we searching for the deep things of God? Are we marinating in His revelation and presence in us? In other words, do we have God’s wisdom now? We should – it is His gift to His chosen children! If not, cry out to Him from the deepest recesses of your soul and ask for Him to show Himself to you in all of His wisdom and power: 

“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,  and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,  which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,  far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:18-21).

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