2:71 Corinthians 2:7

God's hidden wisdom is altogether different from the wisdom of this world and its rulers that comes to nothing, ordained before the world for the glory of those who believe.AA 250.4–251.1+2 Its substance is Jesus Christ and Him crucified, Christ the power and wisdom of God, and in particular His sacrifice as an atonement for sin, the great central truth around which all other truths cluster.JIOKP 17.2–18.1+4 None of the princes of this world knew this wisdom, for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, but in ignorance and blindness they failed to apply the prophecies and rejected Him.AA 250.4–251.1+2 It is spoken among the mature, those with discernment in spiritual things, and concerns what God prepared for those who love Him, which eye has not seen nor ear heard, but God reveals by His Spirit to humble, praying, believing saints while the natural man cannot receive it because it is spiritually discerned.AA 250.4–251.1+3 It is not declared with excellency of speech or enticing human wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, and it is known only through persevering search of the Word with prayer and emptying of pride, so ministers must determine to know only Christ crucified and lift up Jesus in weakness and dependence on the Holy Spirit.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+4

Paul speaks among the mature a wisdom that is God's own, kept as a hidden mystery and ordained before the world for the glory of believers, altogether different from the wisdom of this world and of its rulers that comes to nothing.AA 250.4–251.1+4 It is not declared with excellency of speech or enticing words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that faith stands in the power of God and not in the wisdom of men.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+4 Its reception depends on what God reveals rather than on human eloquence, learning, pomp or pride, and it requires study of the Word with spiritual knowledge and spiritual experience in order to face the future, meet opposition, and be changed if alive or raised if dead for transfer to future life.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+1

It is spoken among them that are perfect, meaning those with discernment and experience in the things of His Spirit that God bestows upon humble, praying, believing saints.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+4 Even a very great teacher finds all education of little account without the Spirit of God working with him, so all need to fear self, sit at the feet of Jesus to listen, empty the soul of foolishness, pride and folly, invite Jesus to take possession of heart, soul and character, and trust the Lord to bring needed truth to mind while keeping eternal life constantly before them.Ms 84, 1901, par. 11–12 The world by its own wisdom knew not God, and this wisdom is hid from the wise and prudent and revealed unto babes, so that no one can glory as if he had not received it.Lt 48, 1893, par. 50–52

Its substance is Jesus Christ and Him crucified, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.JIOKP 17.2–18.1+4 It is the mighty power of the cross of Calvary to bring back what was lost, which God alone uses to transform character, and though oratory could be met with oratory and philosophy with philosophy, the determination is to know only Christ crucified because this wisdom does not come by human reasons but by the Spirit of God, who can use a poor foolish man with only a simple message to bring a learned man to his knees in confession.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+2 In particular it is the sacrifice of Christ as an atonement for sin, the Son of God uplifted on the cross of Calvary.Ms 70, 1901, par. 9–13+1 It is the great central truth around which all other truths cluster, the wondrous truth in connection with which and in whose light streaming from Calvary every truth from Genesis to Revelation must be studied, the theme of every discourse drawing all men to Christ, and those who study it grow in grace and knowledge and are imbued with Christ's love.Ms 70, 1901, par. 9–13+1

It is Christ in His human and divine nature, now taken into eternal union as both God and man after His obedience unto death as Priest and Sacrifice.Ms 115, 1897, par. 28 No man ever can or will explain this to human sense, and when Christ is seen by faith in His human and divine nature it is because God has revealed Him.Ms 115, 1897, par. 28 It is God's plan to save the fallen race through Christ, begun as soon as man sinned when Christ commenced His priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, so that fallen man under the dominion of death was not left to become extinguished but was made a prisoner of hope.Ms 43b, 1891, par. 5 The Star of Hope lighted the dark and dismal future in the gospel preached in Eden that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head while the serpent should bruise His heel, and the other worlds God created watched the sad apostasy with intense interest.Ms 43b, 1891, par. 5

None of the princes or rulers of this world knew this wisdom, for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+4 In ignorance and blindness of mind men did not apply the prophecies of Christ where they belong and rejected the crucified Christ Jesus, and human opposition of human origin counterworks the Spirit of God.Ms 128, 1908, par. 15–19 The high and lifted up suffer great loss even in this life besides loss of eternal life in the kingdom of God by missing it.Lt 42, 1906, par. 8–11

It concerns the things God prepared for those who love Him, which eye has not seen nor ear heard nor entered the heart of man.AA 250.4–251.1+4 But God has revealed them by His Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, yea the deep things of God.AA 250.4–251.1+4 Believers receive not the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God that they may know the things freely given by God, speaking them not in man's wisdom but as the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, while the natural man does not receive them because they are spiritually discerned, and he that is spiritual has the mind of Christ.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+2

The hidden wisdom is not to be set forth with impressive speech or persuasive words of human philosophy and oratory, but with demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that faith rests in the power of God and not in the wisdom of men.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+4 Even one as greatly taught as Paul counted all his education as of little account without the Spirit of God working with him.Ms 84, 1901, par. 11–12 Ministers must therefore determine to know only Jesus Christ and Him crucified, speaking wisdom among the mature.Ms 142, 1909, par. 9–12+1

It cannot be found by unaided human wisdom, learning, pomp, or pride, but only through what God reveals.Ms 93, 1903, par. 13–14+2 Reception calls for persevering search of the Word with an open heart, for spiritual knowledge and spiritual experience, for prayer, for emptying the soul of foolishness, pride, and folly, for sitting at the feet of Jesus to listen to His instruction, for inviting Him to take possession of heart and soul and character, and for trusting the Lord to bring needed truth to mind and to use every mental faculty to let light shine so others glorify the Father in heaven.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3+1 Such study prepares to face the future, meet opposition, and be transferred to the future life, changed if alive and raised from the grave if dead.Ms 111, 1909, par. 1–3

It belongs to the highest education, which is knowing God and living by His truth, rather than relying on human wisdom or book learning.STE 132.1+2 Education must not crowd out God's word but understand it and put it into practice.STE 132.1+1 True wisdom received from God leads to wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption in Christ, giving glory to Him rather than to human achievement, while the preaching of the cross remains foolishness to those whose life and character are shaped by worldly pursuits and sharp business traits, so that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.OEWP 19.2–23.1+1 God chooses the foolish and weak and base and despised things of the world to confound the wise and mighty and to bring to nothing the wisdom of this world, that no flesh should glory in His presence but he that glories should glory in the Lord.Lt 56, 1893, par. 22–25

Every laborer must learn this wisdom at the foot of the cross in order to bring sheaves to Christ, preaching it plainly and lifting up Jesus while keeping self out of sight, not to please ears, glorying only in the cross with a deep sense of inefficiency and entire dependence upon Christ for success.Ms 70, 1901, par. 9–13+2 It is to be the theme of every discourse, set forth not in weakness of human persuasion but in weakness, fear, trembling, and entire dependence on Christ, with self hidden and Christ revealed as chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely.Ms 70, 1901, par. 9–13+1 Only work done through the Holy Spirit striving in human hearts has value to convert souls, turning them from idols to serve the living God, planting seed in good ground that brings deep, thorough, substantial fruit.Ms 142, 1909, par. 9–12 This requires a decided change to unity of the Spirit, humility, meekness, self-sacrifice, departure from old channels and human agencies, shutting out subjects of contention while keeping this wisdom before the people, and giving the third angel's message as a lamp that burns.Lt 42, 1906, par. 8–11+1

Those for whom it was ordained before the world God purposes to share in Christ's glory, and while mercy still lingers they are called to fall on the Rock and be broken so that Christ builds them up into His own likeness.Ms 158, 1902, par. 11–12+2 Those who study the sacrifice grow in grace and knowledge and are imbued with Christ's love, taught by heavenly agencies the great lessons which through faith in Christ make them overcomers, strengthened to leave the world and accept Christ, reaching spiritual perfection with life made holy and Christlike.Ms 70, 1901, par. 9–13+1 Then they walk wisely with wisdom to discern worldliness and to represent truth with integrity and boldness.Ms 3, 1909, par. 12 Since many who think they are prepared for the Lord's coming are not prepared, the teaching of 1 Corinthians 2 and 3 is to be thought over at home and applied to the life, to gain understanding from God, separation from all hindrances, knowledge of the will of God and walking in that pathway, freedom, being all light in the Lord, open confession of Christ and personal experience, coming out of darkness into marvelous light, trimming the lamps and having the oil of grace, and seeking Christ daily to be ready for translation.Ms 111, 1909, par. 28–30