1Co 2:1
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. (ESV)
When I hear "lofty speech" I tend to think of $50 dollar words, perfectly turned phrases and "high minded" intellectualism, but that's not the idea here. The word "lofty" here carries more the meaning of superiority or authoritarianism. It is what happens when a child says "Why?" for the tenth time and the parent finally cries in desperation, "Because I said so. That's why!" It is what is the scribes and Pharisees practiced. It is how the Rabbis of Jesus day functioned. Every word was "established" by quoting an authority.
Paul didn't come to Corinth with great arguments nor with an authoritative attitude that caused him to beat people over the head with truth. It is fine, as a believer, to say, "God says it. I believe it. That settles it." But the truth is, that doesn't necessarily carry much weight in the mind of an unbeliever. In Corinth it was the Spirit and the power of God, not the power of Paul's arguments nor the insistence on speaking with authority. In fact, my guess is that had Paul come into Corinth insisting on his authority and demanding that people listen because "God said...", he likely would have had little or no impact on that city.
As a society moves away from a biblical world view and a Christian perspective of life it becomes increasingly necessary to rely on the Spirit and the power of God to convince a fallen, broken world of the truth of Christ. I recently watched a woman recite a Hindu mantra, strike a partial yoga pose and pray, "Lord help" all at the same time. That is the syncretistic world in which we live. Quoting a Bible verse to her would have had little effect.
There is power in the Word of God and we need to quote it. But it is the Spirit of God that works with the Word of God to convince the lost of their need for Christ. In verse 14 of this chapter Paul will write, "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." It is not "lofty speech" but the Spirit and the power of God that will convince the natural man of the truth. Thus prayer and sensitivity to the Spirit's leading are essential to evangelism in our world.
Father, go before me today. Prepare hearts for your truth and give me eyes to see where you are already at work.
By His grace,
Rick Weinert
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