One of the frustrations of the Christian life is hearing, "That's just your opinion" or some similar phrase when we speak with unbelievers about the Faith. This goes to the heart of a much larger dispute over what truth, or The Truth is. How should we respond to this? Should we conform our message to the prejudices of the age? Thankfully, the Scriptures tell us what the nature of the Christian message is, and also how we ought to communicate it.
First, we must understand that our message is not a message of human wisdom. (See verse 5) Also, our message is not the repackaging of human wisdom in religious language. In fact, the text tells us that it is not according to what the world considers wisdom and what the world values. Our message is unique and distinct. But being unique and distinct does not fully express the message. Our message is the expression of the wisdom of God. We also know that this wisdom of God will not be received by those who have not been enlightened by the Holy Spirit.
Secondly, we know that the wisdom of God is confrontational to all other assertions of truth and wisdom. If this is so, when we receive the truth of the Word of God as the final judge of truth and wisdom, we ought to confront the powerful messages that are contrary to it. These messages are powerful and they are preached by pop-stars, politicians and professors. How often do we hear these sermons in our homes, on the radio or over the internet? And how often do these sermons pass by unchallenged? These messages are dangerous to us and the church if we lose our distinctiveness and opposition to them and if we compromise with them. This requires confidence in the message of the Scriptures, so the text tells us that our message is a mystery and that it is hidden from the worldly-wise and it is beyond the natural comprehension. So when we confront the world and its messengers, even though it is rejected by the worldly-wise, we can and should speak the truth in confidence.
Lastly, we should understand that the spiritual nature of the truth does not mean that the truth is disconnected from day-to-day reality. But it does mean that the truth of God is perceived by the spiritually alive and it is communicated by simple words communicated simply. We should sense no compulsion to "fancy-up" our message to make it more attractive. Through it all, we know that the acceptance of the truth and wisdom of God is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the opening of the eyes of the spiritually blind and the softening of the heart of the spiritually dead to see the truth of the simple proposition that Jesus Christ came and was crucified and rose again to save sinners.
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