It's Not In There
If I were looking for an important document someone may tell me that it should be in a certain filing cabinet. So, I look through the files in that particular cabinet. Let's say that I find no folder marked in a way that would indicate that it contains that document. It could be misfiled, so I look through each page of paper in each file folder. Nothing turns up. Maybe the paper I am seeking has fallen between folders. I take each folder out of the cabinet. Still, nothing shows up. Maybe it has fallen down behind the drawers. I take each drawer out of the cabinet. I bang each one on the floor several times. Perhaps static electricity has made the paper stick to the underside of the cabinet. I reach my arm fully into the cabinet and scrape my hand along the underside and the sides of the steel cabinet until I have no fingernails left. At last I throw the cabinet onto the floor and proceed to jump up and down on the office furniture. Because of this exercise, what do I know?
It's not in there.
It is not in that cabinet because it is in a different place, perhaps totally unknown to me. Anyone watching me would certainly wonder about my sanity.
But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters]. (1 Cor 2:14 AMP)
The pre-Christian man cannot understand the things of the Holy Spirit. The person who chooses to live by the natural soul life cannot understand anything from the Spirit. The mind of an unbeliever (or even a believer who lives as though spirit did not exist) does not have the capacity to perceive anything of the Holy Spirit. Even a person with a powerful intellect is unable to grasp the meaning of anything from God. This is not meant to insult anyone. As a genius uses his mind, no matter how powerful, the ability to understand the things of the Holy Spirit is absent. Not because he is not trying hard enough. Rather it is because it is not in there! The ability to know God and His ways does not reside in the mind of a man, no matter how smart, wise, or sincere he may be. The knowledge of God is not located in the mind. It resides in another place.
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. (1 Cor 2)
A small child may understand things a seminary professor cannot. Not because a child can compete with the mind of an educated and trained professional, but operating with the Spirit, a person potentially has the ability to understand things that a intellectual giant is unable to. Again, this is not meant to insult anyone but a natural man is usually angered by the suggestion that his mind does not and cannot contain the knowledge of God. It does not because the knowledge of God is located in another place.
A blind man may be bewildered by the conversation of others about the beauty of colors. With a heightened sense of hearing, he may wonder if green is louder than purple. The fact is that colors are a function of eyesight. The ear was designed to perceive sounds. The eye was designed to perceive light. One organ does not fulfill the function of a different organ of the body. We need both.
The mind of a man is very powerful and valuable. It functions as a memory and communication center. It acts as an interface between the body's senses and our immaterial soul. It is necessary and important but it does not do the function of a different aspect of man. The reborn human spirit serves as an interface between God and our soul. Of course, the spirit of an unsaved person is dead toward God. The unregenerate soul aspect of man does not (and cannot) do the function of the born again spirit. That is why Jesus said,
...“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 AMP)
Mar. 15, 2025