READ THE REST OF THE VERSE!

If I hear one more preacher, teacher or brother/sister in Christ NOT read OUT LOUD, at the least, the rest of the sentence in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (which is verse 10), I think I'm going to scream! What I really yearn for is for ALL of us to Believe the second part more than we seem to Know the first part.

The verse says, "However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him'--but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit."

God has chosen to uncover, make known, what was previously unknown or hidden to us by the power of His Holy Spirit - what the eye has not seen yet, nor the ear has not heard yet, nor the mind had any idea about yet!

Ah! But I hear so many pastors and teachers say, "But there is just no possible way we can know this side of heaven all the marvels that await us in paradise" - or heaven or glory or whatever you want to call eternal bliss with God. And just Why Not?! First, that is not what Scripture says according to the above verse. Second, you are limiting the power of the Holy Spirit within each believer to do this work - the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead! And thirdly, look at where this verse and idea sit. This verse and idea are located in the middle of a section speaking on Wisdom From The Spirit.

Wisdom From the Spirit
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 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, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. - 2 Corinthians 5:6-16

Allow me to magnify some key points in the other verses to support my passion and challenge!

We have received "the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." I believe this verse pertains Not only to understanding the free gift of salvation provided by Christ Jesus through His death and resurrection, BUT ALSO to the abundance of wisdom we as believers can grasp through His Holy Spirit, right now, especially concerning things not seen or heard or still future.

Observe the next verse - "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." This verse describes how readers of the Bible can read over a passage of Scripture many times and each time receive a personal application or different facet that was not seen before because the Holy Spirit revealed it to you this way this time. The key is to be in The Word in the first place So That the Holy Spirit has a foundation to work with when He desires to reveal something to you.

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." This is true for some Christians. First you have Father God "enabling" someone to come to the knowledge and acceptance of Jesus as their Savior (John 6:65). Then after you are "born again" or become a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) we still need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit - we need a baptism of His Holy Spirit. Pentecost, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, for the Disciples came after the resurrection and after they believed in Jesus as truly the Son of God. As the verse above states, we need the Spirit of God residing and acting within us to help us accept the things of God and discern the the things of God. Some believers just stop at salvation. That is sad to me because the man/woman with the Holy Spirit leading and guiding them in their lives has a great foundation, a wonderful foothold, an excellent filter to rely on for everything - "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things,".

"But we have the mind of Christ." If the Holy Spirit makes His home within us and we have accepted His power as our governing force in our lives then we can definitely claim "we have the mind of Christ"!
Having the Holy Spirit dwell within us and empower us as believers in Christ Jesus grants us many things, but among them are - the mind of Christ, spiritual discernment, spiritual enlightenment of The Word and REVELATION of the previously hidden things of God!

Assuming you have studied and/or researched the cloaked things of God (good books would be Daniel and Revelation) - the next time you hear someone quote - "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him--" - You Can Say Confidently, "BUT GOD HAS REVEALED IT TO US BY HIS SPIRIT." Then you are prepared to tell anyone the findings of your research.

If you have NOT studied the wonders and mysteries of God - past, present, and future - in the Bible, then I encourage you to do so. This will be a highly rewarding experience. To get you started in the right direction, if the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense seek no other sense (Golden Rule of Interpretation). When you do encounter symbolism or anything else that you do not understand, cross-reference it in the Bible and seek other commentary about that topic and pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance. Just think as you research, God is Revealing His hidden wonders to you by His Holy Spirit as you go!