Spiritual Thinking

Introduction

One of the great names in NBA history is Bill Russell. Counted as one of the top 50 players to ever play the game, Russell was a rebounding force. He played 13 years for the Boston Celtics. During those 13 years he averaged 22.5 rebounds per game accumulating 51 rebounds in one game and 49 rebounds in two other games in his career. He led the league in rebounding for 4 seasons and had 12 consecutive seasons of gathering over 1000 rebounds each year. He was a defensive specialist. He changed the way professional basketball was played. He was a five time MVP. And in his 13 years his team won 11 championships (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969). He was a 12 time all-star.

With all of these accolades, what gets lost is his history. Growing up in southern Louisiana where the divide between whites and blacks was profound, Russell’s father moved the family to southern California when Russell was 10 years old. His father formed a trucking business and was doing well when Russell’s mother became ill and eventually died. Russell’s father sold his business and went to work in a foundry so that he could raise his two children. His salary was cut in half and he sacrificed so that his sons could go to college. Russell went on the only scholarship offered to him by the University of San Francisco. And the rest they say is history. Russell in an interview with Bill Simmons in 2013 called his dad his hero.

What makes a man sacrifice for the benefit of his family? What makes a man turn away from wealth in order to be home with his motherless children? What makes a man see the world through the eyes of what his children need rather than what he wants? Such selflessness is valued in others but it isn’t always valued in ourselves. These stories inspire but they do not always change us. We at times believe that we can be the exception and that what others do isn’t necessarily what we should do. All of which may be true but then the heart can be selfish or selfless. Which do you think the world honors most often?

Paul is writing to a group of people who have allowed the culture to invade their thinking. There are divisions among them. Their thinking reflects the world’s thinking — competition, status, power, and political connections make all the difference. As a whole they are pushing selfish agendas and making spiritual distinctions based on comparative thinking. Too much of the world has entered into their thinking and behaviors. Paul writes to correct such. It is no different today. We all can fall into the trap of allowing the world’s view to push our agendas and the result produces divisions. With open hearts we come into God’s throne room to receive his message.

Philosophies vs. The Spirit

Chapter 2 picks up Paul’s thought ending in verse 17. Resuming a first person account, Paul helps his readers to remember the past. When he came to Corinth, he had nothing to persuade people. He was a simple man with a message that was deemed by most as laughable. No great philosophy to present. In fact, the crucified Christ failed to meet the standard of human wisdom. Paul in verse 1 calls it a mystery (what the NIV translates testimony about God). The word mystery fits better because Paul’s point is to state that his message went against all human reason. Paul’s message highlights the truth that the Corinthians were struggling with — the appearance of status and power is an illusion. Christ crucified is a picture of complete and utter defeat. No power. This mystery is not for the elite (again the view of the Corinthian culture) but is open to all who will receive it. Paul knew how the “game” was played in his day. But he didn’t come to show what he could do, he came to preach Christ crucified.

Paul’s fear and trembling was an intentional attempt on his part to make sure that people heard Jesus and not Paul. The message of the cross is sufficiently powerful for those who want to receive such a message. Paul is not anti-intellectual (see Acts 17 and his Mars Hill speech) but he refused to get caught up in the arrogance, pride, and presumption of speakers in his day in order to get a hearing. He preached what appeared to be foolish to most in order to make sure that people were attracted only to Jesus. And if Paul preached a foolish message then he appeared to be the fool in preaching it.

In verses 6-16, Paul makes an argument against the foolish and wicked competitive spirit that in ongoing in Corinth. Mentioning the Spirit’s power in verse 4 should be understood to mean their conversion was through God’s intervention through the Spirit. Nothing miraculous here but an affirmation of God’s power to convict the heart of one who is searching for truth. Look at how Paul contrasts the Spirit’s power with worldly thinking:

The wisdom of this age is contrasted with the wisdom of God (6-7)

What rulers of this age know is contrasted with what God reveals (8-9)

What the spirit of this world has to offer is contrasted with what God’s Spirit gives (12)

What the world teaches is contrasted with what the Spirit teaches (13)

What one perceives in the natural world is contrasted with what the Spirit enables one to discern (14).

The point is this — God’s wisdom comes through revelation, revelation comes through the Spirit, and only spiritual persons can receive this revelation. When we receive this revelation it points us to the mind of Christ and Christ’s mind is one of selflessness. Those who are mature understand that serving others is the mind of Christ; loving others reflects the mind of Christ; humility is the way of Christ; weakness is the means by which God’s strength is revealed.

So What?

The application for us is challenging. It is difficult at best for any of us to avoid the thinking of our world. That same thinking can find its way into congregational life producing disharmony. This is what Paul is challenging. Thinking themselves mature has produced divisions. Paul begins with the mature message. This message is for the mature but according to 3:1, the saints in Corinth are thinking more like infants. This is not an elitist message. It is a message that says those who want to have the mind of Christ will think this way. Rome’s worldly thinking believed that if you opposed them, the government would crucify you. The government could silence the opposition but in crucifying Jesus Rome actually sowed the seed of its destruction. Rome believed political and military power would win. They were wrong.

Just as political power is not the answer, God reveals what will succeed among his people. Just as Christ died, we, too, die. Just as Christ was selfless, we, too, are selfless. Just as Christ sought the agenda of God, we, too, seek God’s agenda. The wisdom of God makes no sense in this world. The trap is to believe that this world’s wisdom is somehow better than God’s. Perhaps it is that we don’t like the world’s evaluation of us and we do what we can to lessen our humiliation in this world. We are not anti-intellectual but the world certainly thinks we are not very smart. The world thinks we are foolish to attend a worship assembly or to give a tenth of our income to a congregation to use or to make decisions based on something we cannot see.

The trap is to fall into the same thinking. Even within the body of Christ we applaud those who “make it” in some way. We compare ourselves to other congregations and find ourselves lacking. We think ourselves too weak and inferior and then speak against those who are bigger. That is not mature thinking. Mature thinking understands that serving others is our great joy and privilege. Mature thinking doesn’t compare and compete. Mature thinking recognizes that it is in weakness that God’s strength is revealed. Having the mind of Christ means that we care about congregational unity and community. To have the mind of Christ means to put to death selfish ambitions and to humble ourselves so that God’s power is seen through us. To have the mind of Christ means to sacrifice for others so that God’s kingdom wins.

Charles Russell sacrificed so that his boys could win. We think nothing of parents doing that for their children. It is expected. But those with the mind of Christ extend this sacrificial spirit beyond the earthly family to our spiritual family. We who have received the Spirit of God think in this way. Invitation.

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