“But unless the weight of the burden is felt the gospel can mean nothing to the man; and until he sees a vision of God high and lifted up, there will be no woe and burden. Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them” (Tozer). 2 Cor 4:4 “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 4:6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.””
We are continuing to look at how the Gospel of the glory of God is indeed the reason that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Last time we looked at how I Corinthians 1:18-24 sets out how the Gospel is a Gospel of power. It is also about the glory of God’s wisdom and power in making men’s wisdom and power look foolish and weak. But how did Paul preach with power? “My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (I Cor 2:4). When Paul preached, he did not do so as a mere recitation of facts with man’s wisdom that lead to knowledge and pride (I Cor 8:1). Paul preached with power and in demonstration of the Spirit. How does the Spirit work? The Spirit pours out the love of God in the hearts of men (Rom 5:5), works all of His fruits which are the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22ff), and enables men to share in the life of God. But it is also the Spirit who alone enables men to understand the things of God. Let us look at that.
“Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away;7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory” (I Cor 2:6-7). The work of the Spirit (in context with the power of v. 4 & the power of the cross in 1:18) is in speaking God’s wisdom. This wisdom actually leads to our glory or to our obtaining an understanding and possession of that glory. This is seen in the following verse: “8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” The power with which Paul preached was wisdom and power that came from preaching the glory of God by the Spirit. There is a wisdom that people did not have and so they crucified the Lord of glory. In other words, they did not see His glory with their wisdom. But the power of the Gospel that Paul preached is that it is the wisdom and power of that same glory. The glory of God is the power of the Gospel and that is why it is the Gospel of the glory of God.
“But just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” 10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God” (I Cor 2:9-11). It is the Spirit of God who opens the truths of God and His Word to man. God reveals these things by the Spirit and only the Spirit can reveal the thoughts of God because no one knows them but the Spirit of God. What are those things that the Spirit reveals and that with power? Remember we are in the context of the Gospel and the cross as the power of God.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (I Cor 2:12-14). What we see here is that the Spirit teaches certain men things that are not taught by and in human wisdom. These are things that are spiritual. The natural man does not accept them and cannot understand them because they are spiritual things. But again, if we go back in the context, we see that it is the power of the cross and of the Gospel that is being discussed. The Gospel is of the glory of God because it is all about the righteousness and wisdom of God. The Gospel is powerful because the Spirit opens the things of God to the mind and soul and shows that the wisdom and glory of God are far better than anything man has to offer. In that God overcomes the dominion of darkness by shining Himself and His glory in the hearts of men. A low view of God destroys the Gospel.
God Loves... Himself 
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