PRAY: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us to hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
READ: 1 Corinthians 2:10b–16
MEDITATE:
But we have the mind of Christ (v. 16).
Read this passage again and take special note of the pronouns: 12: we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13: This is what we speak… 16: But we have the mind of Christ.
These are important pronouns. The we of these verses refer to the apostolic community: Peter, Paul, and the other writers of the New Testament. And in verse 16 the we makes a preposterous, wonderful boast: we have the mind of Christ.
In our society, which rightly values majority rule and vote, it can be tempting to include ourselves in that royal we, allowing you and me the same authority as the apostolic community. Perhaps this presumption is behind the unfortunate statement
by a bishop in the Episcopal Church: “The church wrote the Bible, therefore we [the modern church] can change it.”
The scriptures are not open for change. We do not have the privilege or the responsibility of rewriting God’s word. In our creeds we state that we believe in an apostolic church, not because we have the same rights and authority of the apostles but rather because we inherit what the apostles taught, apply what the apostles taught to our day and age, and guard what the apostles taught so that it may be passed down to those yet to come.
Questions and Application:
- What does this passage say?
- What does this passage mean?
- Are there any ways that your faith, your life, your family, and your church need to be informed by and conformed to what the apostles taught?
PRAY: Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to yourself: We praise and bless you for those whom you have sent in the power of your Spirit to preach the Gospel to all nations. We thank you that in all parts of the earth a community of love has been gathered together by their prayers and labors, and that in every place your servants call upon your name. Father, keep us faithful to the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ our Lord; for the kingdom and the power and the glory are yours forever. Amen.