The Sabbath-School by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 15, 1883

The Sabbath-School.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Lesson for Pacific Coast.—November 24.

1 CORINTHIANS 2:6-4:21.

NOTES ON THE LESSON.

"Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught; but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world." In the previous chapter, Paul had said that "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;" and in the beginning of this chapter, he says that he came not to the Corinthians "with excellency of speech or of wisdom," or with "enticing words of man's wisdom." He is not willing to admit, however, that he really uttered any foolishness, although it seemed so to the scoffers. He had not spoken the "wisdom of this world" but the wisdom of God, which is infinitely superior. He says that he spoke this wisdom "among them that are perfect." By this he means, not those who are sinless, for there would be no object in preaching to such at all; but to those who were somewhat advanced in Christian knowledge—who had received enough of the Spirit of God to enable them to appreciate the beauties of the gospel plan.

This wisdom, he says, "none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." This text proves that skepticism depends more upon the condition of the heart than of the head. Those who put Christ to death were ignorant of his true nature. Had they known that he was the Son of God, not one of them would have lifted his hand against him. Why did they not know? They had listened to his teachings, and had witnessed many of his miracles. But instead of becoming convinced, as hundreds of others did, on the same evidence, they closed their eyes and ears, and steeled their hearts, lest they should be converted. The reason for this course lay in the fact that their own selfish interests were involved. Christ uttered plain truths which condemned their most cherished habits of life; to follow him would be at the cost of great personal inconvenience in themselves, and they therefore deliberately resolved to reject him. No person, however, can long remain in a state of self-condemnation, and when one has willfully rejected clearly revealed truth, it does not take him long to become firmly convinced that the error which he accepts is truth. And so the Jews, although their minds had once been enlightened, were ignorant of Christ when they crucified him. In like manner, we have known the most bitter opponents of the true Sabbath of the Lord to be those who had once acknowledged its claims, and even kept it. They rejected light, and darkness came upon them, so that they did not have their former clear conception of truth. "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!"

In the ninth, tenth, and eleventh verses Paul proceeds with the argument to show why the gospel seems like foolishness to the wicked. "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Human reason cannot grasp the wonderful truths of the gospel. The blessings which God stands ready to bestow upon those who obey the gospel, have no meaning to those who serve self. When Christians tell of the great love of God, how it lifts them above earthly trials and sorrows, they seem to the worldling to be simply fanatical. This is because the things of the Spirit of God are spiritually discerned (verse 14). In the eleventh verse the apostle clinches his argument by saying, "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." That is, that as no one can know the thoughts and designs of a man, except the man himself, so none but the Spirit of God can comprehend the things of God, and he alone, therefore, is capable of revealing them to others. It would be far less absurd for a man to profess to understand all the hidden thoughts of his neighbor's mind, than for one entirely destitute of the Spirit of God to imagine that he is capable of passing judgment upon the truths of the gospel.

This eleventh verse has been used as proof of the inherent immortality of man; but one must have that doctrine firmly fixed in his own mind before he can derive any comfort from this text, for it declares no such thing. That there is a spirit in man, is plainly stated many times in the Bible; but that that spirit is an entity of itself distinct from the man; that it of itself alone is capable of thought; or that it can maintain an existence separate from the body, is not stated, either by this text or any other. These things are always assumed, and then various texts of Scripture are interpreted in accordance with that assumption.

In the third chapter, the apostle says that he was unable to give the Corinthians all the instruction that he wished to, on account of their lack of spirituality. They had suffered the Spirit to come into their hearts only to a limited extent, and consequently could appreciate but little of the truth. They were as babes, requiring milk, and unable to digest strong food. The proof of their carnal condition is found in the fact that there were among them "envying, and strife, and divisions." These things may exist with worldly wisdom, but are incompatible with "the wisdom that is from above," which is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be encreased, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance [R. V.] and without hypocrisy." James 3:17. —without this wisdom, all other attainments will profit nothing.

The apostle next guards them against forming factions among themselves, calling themselves after some favorite minister. He would not have any favoritism in the church, as to the ministers, for that would tend to create dissension. The minister is nothing of himself, whatever his talents may be, for the increase comes from God, for whom all are fellow-laborers. He first compares the ministers to husbandmen, and the church to a vineyard, and then he likens them to architects, and the church to the building which they rear for God. If the building is truly God's, it can have but one foundation, that is Christ. 1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:19, 20. If a man lays any other foundation, it comes to nothing; but "the foundation of God standeth sure." 2 Tim. 2:19.

It makes a great deal of difference, however, how a man builds even on the sure foundation. "Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every man's work shall be manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." 1 Cor. 3:12-15. It is evident from Paul's statement, "ye are God's building," that the gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble, that may be built upon the true foundation, indicate different classes of people in the church of God. The gold, silver, and precious stones are the good,—those whom the fire cannot harm; while the wood, hay, and stubble represent those who will finally be cast into the fire and consumed. The day of Judgment will reveal the characters of all, so that "every man's work shall be made manifest." "The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." This does not mean that every man will have to pass through purgatory, nor does it have the slightest reference to such a place; the meaning is brought out in verses 14 and 15, where it is declared that some will abide, and some will be burned. And so the class of work that has been done by the minister will be revealed by the fire. The next two verses are clear. If it is seen that the laborer has built enduring substance on the foundation he shall receive a reward; for "they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever." Dan. 12:3. But if any man's work be burned; if his converts prove to be only worthless stubble, he will suffer loss; the joy of seeing many in the kingdom of God as the result of his labors, will not be his; yet he himself shall be saved. Surely every minister has need to "take heed how he buildeth."

And the individual members have no less need of care. The church is the temple of God, in which his Spirit dwells. "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." How can one defile the temple of God? By cherishing some sin; by harboring vain and evil thoughts, envy, malice, hatred, an unforgiving or fault-finding disposition. All these bring reproach upon the church. It is a fearful thing for a man to come into, or continue in, a church, and still cling to evil thoughts and practices. His punishment will be greater than though he had committed the same sins without the pale of the church; for now he has defiled the temple of God. Then "let no man deceive himself;" but "let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."