There are many highly intelligent people in professions that impact many, and who use their God-given intellect to make decisions. We all meet these people each day as we go about our lives and we are grateful that they have the wisdom to tackle the problems that need solving, and yet they can be operating in these areas without God’s power. They are human beings who are created in the image of God, but who rely on self instead of God, perhaps because they think this is what they should do.
Paul makes it very clear to us in 1 Corinthians 2 that he does not want to be seen as anyone other than a man totally influenced by Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. Basically, who he is outside of Jesus is superficial and so not important. His walk is centered and focused on His Savior. This is his message.
We often refer to Paul’s conversion when we see others who completely changed direction as their salvation took root. These individuals have experienced a life altering occurrence and they will never be the same. They walk with grace that is apparent in each step that they take, knowing that what they have received has literally saved their life. Paul is a great example of a learned man who came to understand that all of his wisdom was useless if he was not demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is only through the wisdom of God, revealed to us through the Holy Spirit, that we will walk in understanding that is beyond anything a book has to teach. Furthermore, to depend on our life experiences to give us the depth of wisdom that we need in this life would have us fall very short, but with the Holy Spirit the wisdom that comes from our mouths, the wisdom that is evident in the decisions that we make, and the wisdom that is seen in the actions that we take are all linked to God.
1 Corinthians 2:6-7 CSB We do, however, speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory.