Paul says that he preached only "Jesus Christ and Him crucified". The CJB version says it this way, "for I had decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Yeshua the Messiah, and even him only as someone who had been executed on a stake as a criminal."
He did not preach wisdom, strength, or power. He did not rely on elegant words and forceful arguments. Instead he relied on the "power of the Spirit" so that their faith would be in God alone.
Paul says that no one can understand the things of God except through the Spirit of God. "Now we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit of God, so that we might understand the things God has so freely given us."
Paul says that his "manner of speaking" was taught by the Spirit.. "by which we explain things of the Spirit to people who have the Spirit. " Without the Spirit of God "natural man.. does not receive the things from the Spirit of God.. Moreover he is unable to grasp them.. "
If we cannot grasp God's truth except by His Spirit, then how can we be saved? How can we receive the Spirit? - Only through the gospel truth - "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." It is God's doing. (1:30) He chose "what the world considers weak.. what the world looks down on as common or regards as nothing.. " (1:27-28) Spiritual truths are divinely supernatural truths. They cannot be understood by the human mind. "But we have the mind of the Messiah!" Oh, what amazing grace! Look what our God has done! What "no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no one's heart has imagined... " God gave to us through His Spirit.
Father in heaven, once again we give You all honor and praise and thanksgiving, for You are God of heaven and earth and there is no other. You have created all things and we have nothing that You have not provided, including Your Spirit, so that we might understand the spiritual truths that You have revealed to those who would believe in Jesus Christ who was crucified. Help us to listen, to take heed of Your Spirit , to truly understand the power of the Gospel, and to obey Your Word always. For it is in the name of our Lord Christ Jesus that we pray. Amen.
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