The Skeptics Annotated Bible (911 page)

2
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2 For
I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ
, and him crucified.

(2.2) “I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ.” If you are to be a good Christian you must try to know nothing (except for Jesus, of course).

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

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.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

15 But
he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

(2.15) “He that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” Christians can judge everything and everybody, but no non-Christian can judge them.
126 To judge or not to judge

16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

3
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

4 For while
one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

(3.4)
“One saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”
Or confused, maybe? (See 1.12 for more evidence of divisions among Paul’s followers.)

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved;
yet so as by fire.

(3.15) “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved;” Get saved by burning your work!

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy
; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

(3.17) “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy.”
157 Does hell exist?

(3.18-20) Christians who want to be wise must become fools. But then they’ll have a problem since fools shall not stand in the sight of God (Ps 5.5)
295 Is it good to be foolish?