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, 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.

The Christian experience of truth goes far beyond and deeper than academic knowledge and logical propositions. To know about truth is not the same as knowing truth. Paul writes of the grand, spiritual “aha” of understanding and insight. At the core, genuine Christians have a knowledge of truth that is beyond the reach of unbelievers, no matter how intelligent and trained they are. The simplest of people, the lowest of IQs, can comprehend. Even children can understand the truth that is at the center of Christian belief, judging from Jesus’ own comments, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Luke 18:17). This teaches not only that childlike faith is necessary, but also that the essential truth of Jesus is sufficiently understandable by a child.

As an aside, yet not unimportant for larger conversation elsewhere, Paul emphasizes that we all have received the Spirit of God; there are not two classes of Christians, one being more spiritual than the other. Remember he is writing to the carnal Christians in Corinth when he uses the term “we.” There is no lack of the Spirit for any believer. But there can be a lack of responding to the Spirit that comes into focus here.

This is especially poignant in light of the Corinthian divisions around influential teachers. All spiritual truth is freely given by God, so why limit or put up boundaries based on who is doing the teaching? That puts the emphasis on the human instrument, giving way to what Paul calls “human wisdom.” True, God uses the wisdom and insights of godly teachers, but the power of the Spirit does not reside in the human instrument, but in God. True teaching from God is that which combines “spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”

Therefore, when hearing the teaching of human teachers, the responsibility lies with the believers to evaluate that teaching in light of the Spirit’s witness. We are all to be like the Bereans, who had previously established the reputation of searching the Scriptures in evaluating even Paul’s teaching (Acts 17:11). Yet this evaluation isn’t just a logical comparing of a particular teaching with Scripture. It is sensing the Spirit’s power in it. As John the apostle wrote, “It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:7). Therefore, teaching that is from God is spiritually discerned.

Lord, help me to hear teaching not just logically or theologically but spiritually.