THE NATURAL MAN

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14
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Heavenly Father, thank you for your blessings. Bless the world. Bless Your children. Bless the lost. Bless You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

The “natural man,” as opposed to the supernatural man of Christ, receives not the things of the Spirit of God…. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

1 Corinthians 2

7 “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 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.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11 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.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.”

Let’s look at verse 7 again, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:”

Jesus Christ was foreordained before the foundation of the world:

1 Peter 1

20 "Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
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Jesus Christ is the word made flesh: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

And by this “wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom 1 Cor. 2:7 above,” the word made flesh, Jesus Christ, we are transformed into His image, from glory to more glory.

At verse 10, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”

The Spirit of God searches man’s heart for the deep things of God.

And verse 12, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

Those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior have received the spirit of God, not the spirit of the world. You can accept Jesus as your Savior by saying the Prayer of Salvation by clicking here.

Accept Jesus, and listen to and obey God’s gift of the Holy Spirit inside you.

1 Thessalonians 5
 
19 “Quench not the Spirit.
 
20 Despise not prophesyings.
 
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”

Christians may not understand every passage in the Bible, but we understand this:

God is good. “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matthew 19:17
 
God is love. “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:8
 
Everything God created is very good. “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” Genesis 1:31
 
Every good and perfect gift comes from God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17
 
God loves us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
 
God will not forsake us. “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6

God is real, but so is Satan. 
 
There are only two kingdoms: God’s kingdom or Satan’s kingdom: “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.” 1 John 5:19
 
What do we know about Satan? We know that he was subtle, cunning, wily, crafty. We know that he was a liar, and the father of lies. We know that he was the deceiver of nations, who caused the whole world to sin. We know that he came to kill, steal and destroy our blessings from God. We know that he tempted Eve in God's garden of Eden.
 
The serpent tests Eve (“that old serpent called the Devil and Satan” Revelation 12:9). “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5
 
Adam and Eve choose Satan’s kingdom (evil) by disobeying God. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:6
 
However, “No sooner was the wound given than the remedy was provided and revealed.” Matthew Henry. At Genesis 3:15, only a few short verses later, God promises a Savior: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Christ was the “seed” promised to man in the beginning, to crush Satan’s head.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, man went from being perfect, walking in the presence of God, and knowing only God’s love and light, to now knowing evil and darkness. "And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:" Genesis 3:22
 
Man is exiled to a life outside of the presence of God. “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24
 
Submit yourselves to God, obey God, resist the devil by accepting and believing in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, reading God’s Word, accepting God’s love, and His Will for your lives, and the devil will flee from you. “Let Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10. Your Will, not our own. Amen.
 
“The way, the truth and the life” for mankind: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” James 14:6
 
“no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus is man’s “way” back into the presence of God, after being exiled.
 
Jesus crushed Satan’s head for us. Satan now has no power over us unless we let him have power: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

2 Corinthians 3

17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]
 
18 And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.”
 
Let’s look at Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, from biblehub.org:

Quote: “It is the duty of the ministers of the gospel to use great plainness, or clearness, of speech. The Old Testament believers had only cloudy and passing glimpses of that glorious Saviour, and unbelievers looked no further than to the outward institution. But the great precepts of the gospel, believe, love, obey, are truths stated as clearly as possible. And the whole doctrine of Christ crucified, is made as plain as human language can make it. Those who lived under the law, had a veil upon their hearts. This veil is taken away by the doctrines of the Bible about Christ. When any person is converted to God, then the veil of ignorance is taken away. The condition of those who enjoy and believe the gospel is happy, for the heart is set at liberty to run the ways of God's commandments. They have light, and with open face they behold the glory of the Lord. Christians should prize and improve these privileges. We should not rest contented without knowing the transforming power of the gospel, by the working of the Spirit, bringing us to seek to be like the temper and tendency of the glorious gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and into union with Him. We behold Christ, as in the glass of his word; and as the reflection from a mirror causes the face to shine, the faces of Christians shine also.” End quote.
 
So, through Christ’s love, like a reflection of His light in a mirror, we, “the natural man,” once banished from God’s presence, can once again be the supernatural man of love and light God created us to be, and let our light shine into the world, into the hearts of men.
 
You can read more about the veil of blindness over our hearts in my blog titled “The Veil” here.

Also, you can read My Testimony to God’s Power, titled “The Veil and the Law of Moses” here, to learn about my husband and my experience with “The Veil.”
 
Whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of our great God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
 
God bless you! Amen.