By Gary Ray Branscome
Since man was created without sin, and, therefore, in
perfect harmony with God, the words, “The natural man does not accept the
things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: and he cannot
understand them, because they are spiritually discerned,” are not talking
about man as he was originally created, but man as he is now (1Corinthians 2:14).
As a result of the fall, and the corruption it wrought, those without the
light of God’s Word, “Walk, in the futility of their mind, Having their
understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Ephesians
4:17-18). Because of that blindness, men would rather rationalize their sin
than repent, would rather deny God than seek His mercy, and would rather trust
in works than admit that the law condemns them.
The words, “All who trust in the law are under a curse:
for it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue to do everything
that is written in the book of the law,” and the words, “There is none
righteous, no, not one,” tell us that the law of God condemns all who trust
in it (Galatians 3:10, Romans 3:10). Moreover, the words, “It is clear that
no man is declared righteous in the sight of God by the law,” tell us that
no one can ever escape God’s judgment through keeping the law (Galatians
The words, “We do speak a wisdom
among the perfected: but not the wisdom of this world, or of the rulers of this
world, who will pass away. On the contrary, we speak the wisdom of God in a
mystery, even the hidden wisdom that God ordained before the world to our
glory. Which none of the rulers of this world knew, for had they known it they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it
is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart
of man, the things that God has prepared for those who love Him,” tell us
that the truth of the Gospel cannot be discovered by sinful man, and is alien
to the sin-corrupted wisdom of this world (1Corinthians 2:6-9). And, the words,
“Because God, who once commanded light to shine out of darkness, made His
light shine in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” tell us that it is only by the grace
of God that we have been delivered from that darkness (2Corinthians 4:6). “For
you were once darkness, but now are light in the Lord: walk as children of
light” (Ephesians 5:8). Therefore, hold fast to the truth of God’s word
at all times, “Lest any man take you captive through hollow and deceptive
philosophy, after the tradition of men, after the basic principles of this
world, and not after Christ… Do not let any man swindle you out of your reward
through a false humility and the worship of angels, intruding into things
that he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind” (Colossians 2:8
and 18).