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“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”[1]

As we previously observed, Corinth possessed three characteristics, wealth, wickedness, and wisdom. They prided themselves in their heritage and their ability to discern great truth. Therefore, they expected those who came to them and spoke to them to appeal to them in that time honored tradition.

When Paul came to them, they had heard of Jesus Christ. In this passage, Paul described how he came to them the first time and spoke of Christ to them. He reminded his friends that he did not come in the fashion that the Corinthians desired. He certainly could have, because he studied under the greatest teachers of the Scriptures of his day. A well-educated and highly trained man, he could have relied upon his brilliance in the Scriptures.

However, Paul did not follow the Corinthian format. In fact, he came to them in the opposite fashion. He described his entrance this way, “I came to you in great weakness, fear and trembling when I came to you the first time.” He wanted them to realize an important issue: the contrast between the way that the world presents wisdom and the way that God presents it. This text identifies this difference.

This description provides important lessons for us. In many ways, our nation, even the professing Church, fits the description of Corinth, wealthy, wicked, and wise. We have the same interests and desires as our Corinthian counterparts. Solomon wrote, “There is nothing new under the sun.”[2] Humanity still governs their lives by money, wantonness, and wisdom, as did Paul’s friends at Corinth. Therefore, we expect preachers today to follow the pattern of the world in their appeals to us.

Further, this example from Paul’s life enables us to see how God presents the truth concerning Himself. We have great misunderstandings of Biblical truth because we approach it as we approach every other kind of knowledge. We do not understand God and His provision in Christ the same ways that we attempt to learn science, mathematics, business, or literature. Because of the unique nature of God, it requires His Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds to understand spiritual truth.

Paul makes this evident in this reminder. Therefore, this passage can provide for us the distinctions between the false prophets and teachers of our day, who follow the culture’s methods, and the true preachers of God, who follow the Biblical method of proclaiming God's truth. Therefore, from this passage, I want us to examine Paul’s explanation of this distinction, which he distilled into two rules, his rejection of the culture’s way of understanding truth and his reliance upon the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth.

First, when he came to Corinth to present the truth of Christ, Paul rejected the methods of the culture in presenting those truths. He used two words to describe his rejection. He said that he did not come to Corinth with excellency of speech nor enticing words.

In that day, because the people had such a thirst for communicating wisdom, they compiled a collection of works on how to persuade people of any kind of audience of any truth, regardless of the opposition with it. They assembled these works into a collection of several volumes. When any speaker wanted to convince a group of people of some truth that he held and to believe it as well as he did, he would go to this set of volumes and research this set to ascertain how to present the truths that he wanted them to believe. Then, when he came to them, he would present it based on what those volumes directed him to use as the best means and methods to communicate his truth. 

You might simply call them volumes of oratory. They explained how to convince anyone of anything, with detailed directions on how to accomplish it. These speakers would research their issues and couch their presentations with enticing words and excellency of speech so that the crowd would believe and follow them.

In contrast, Paul said, “When I came to you I didn’t come to you the way every run of the mill orator comes to you. They come to you presenting their message to you based on how you think it ought to be presented.” He did not follow the pattern of the orators of his day. When Paul presented the claims of Christ, he rejected the means and methods of the culture.

He told them why he rejected the world’s ways in verse five. He made the distinction because Paul did not want the Corinthian believers’ faith to rest upon him. Using the world’s methods would lead them to rely upon Paul and his presentation. Instead, Paul wanted their faith to rest upon God, not man. Therefore, Paul rejected the appeals, attractiveness, and winsomeness that the culture’s system would produce.

This emphasis can affect our lives today in several ways, because our world is very similar to the world of Corinth at the time of Paul. We have our culturally influenced means and methods of presenting the gospel today as well. The examination of Paul’s approach to the Corinthians helps us to distinguish between false and true ways in which to present the gospel. It also enables us to discern the false prophets and teachers who present the gospel incorrectly.

Modern day false leaders and pastors use a variety of false measures upon which they rely in their gospel proclamations. For example, they rely upon human authorities. They promote famous and spectacular people to give their endorsements of Jesus. Seldom do they use ordinary people in this role.

In addition, they trust polls to direct their plans for the Church. These results of these tests determine sermon topics, program selection, types of meetings, even music. As a result, these leaders give people what they want, not what they need, or what God's word commands. A variation of polls relies upon the population of a given locale and its demographics. It dictates Church location, income targets, as well as nationality emphasis or exclusion. To many, famous people, polls, and population have become the authoritative voice in Church functions.  

Still others depend upon apologetics, using skillful argumentation against famous religions leaders in an attempt to defend the gospel. Although apologetics can prove the rationality of the Scriptures, it has not demonstrated in history as an effective means of revival in the Church and the world. Again, proponents of archaeology rest upon artifacts and geographical digs as a foundation for presenting the claims of Christ. The Bible does not depend upon archaeology to verify its message.

Another way in which we adapt to our culture counts on appeals to the flesh. One way in which we appeal to the flesh emphasizes the presentation of the gospel with programs. We specifically design programs to please human nature, hoping to draw in the crowds. These occur at popular holidays, like Easter, Christmas, or national celebrations. The promotion of these events concentrates upon vivid descriptions of the presentation that cater to the flesh and the satisfaction of its desires. Sadly, when the crowds come, we preach to them a false gospel. 

Worse yet, many attempt to present the gospel by appeasement. These false prophets and teachers deliberately proclaim a message designed not to offend anyone. So, they couch it in terms that make their audiences feel good about themselves, never mentioning the demands of Christ upon those who follow Him.

These examples highlight only a few of the methods that false pastors and leaders use the methods of the culture to present the truth of Jesus Christ. That contradicts how Paul proclaimed Christ to Corinth. He reminded them that he did not follow the ways and methods of the world, but rejected them. Today, the Church has rejected Paul’s counsel and chosen to concentrate upon the world’s ABCs of Church growth, attendance, buildings, and cash.

Paul said, “When I came to you, I determined not to know anything except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I preached not with excellence of speech or enticing words.” Instead, Paul reminded them that he came to them in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

Many of us have seen demonstrations at stores, malls, and county fairs. A person displays a product and shows its uses, hoping to convince you to purchase the product. That pictures the meaning of Paul’s description of how he presented Christ to the Corinthians.

Paul said, “When I came to you, I came to you in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” He proclaimed Christ by the supernatural ability that the Holy Spirit gave to him. The people of Corinth observed it, believed Paul’s message, and it changed their lives.

Sadly, in our day, we can explain everything about the Church in terms of means and methods. We tend to confuse emotion and excitement for the Holy Spirit. Music groups and bands whip up excitement and audience enthusiasm and call it the moving of the Holy Spirit. Certainly, the work of the Holy Spirit affects people’s emotions, but you cannot manufacture it. The mere presence of emotion and excitement does not equate to the presence of the Spirit.

In similar fashion, false prophets and pastors tend to confuse the spectacular with the supernatural. This especially plays a role in special presentations designed to appeal to the flesh. However, a spectacular presentation does not guarantee the supernatural power of God. The supernatural can be spectacular, but the spectacular is not necessarily supernatural.

When we talk about the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, what do we mean? I suggest a few examples to evidence the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit turns sinful, wicked men and women into saints, who do not have to rely upon the Greek original, which describes believers in Christ. Their lives demonstrate it. The demonstration of the Spirit and of power will produce true, Biblical saints.

Further, the demonstration of the Spirit and of power provides unction to a preacher. Unction, a Biblical term, describes one totally absorbed by God. The preacher speaks with a fervency and urgency, which consumes the speaker. You can see it. The preacher is on fire, spiritually speaking.

False preachers and teachers do not speak with the unction of the Holy Spirit. They may deliver messages based upon some Scripture reference or Biblical theme. However, they lack the power of the Holy Spirit in their preaching.

Again, the demonstration of the Spirit and of power affects the atmosphere of the meeting. I do not refer to the air that you breathe. Rather I intend the sense of God's presence. Awe pervades the place without anyone asking for silence. The quietness recognizes a holy condition that occurred supernaturally, without manipulation. A holy fear grips you, not a flippant carefree attitude. God has invaded the meeting and made Himself known to those present.

In another way, the demonstration of the Spirit and of power can bring supernatural activity. Sadly, in our day many in leadership of professing churches reject supernatural activity. They say, “It is not for our time. It no longer occurs in our day. Oh, yes, in times past supernatural activity took place. We can read about it in the Bible. It did occur. But, that is not for us anymore. Don’t expect any thing supernatural to happen in your life, because that does not come from God.”

Consequently, we have completely shut off a whole function of the Spirit of God, Who can produce supernatural activity. Thus, we have those who need God to work in a supernatural way in their lives who never seek it, because their leaders told them not to pursue it. Therefore, they/we miss entirely the supernatural, miraculous work of the Spirit of God.

Let me suggest to you some ways in which we need to have the supernatural activity of God in our day. For example, everyone’s salvation results from a supernatural act. You cannot save yourself, which comes from a work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life, supernaturally.

In addition, prayer depends upon the supernatural intervention of God on behalf of the matter requested from Him. I do not doubt that a direct correlation exists between the rejection of the Spirit’s supernatural work and the decline in prayer. Despite the hundreds of promises in the Bible for answered prayer, believers simply do not believe that God answers prayer. Therefore, prayerlessness pervades the Church today. Prayer and faith in the supernatural work of God by His Spirit go hand in hand.

Perhaps you have heard of Pastor Cymbala in Brooklyn, NY. When he arrived at the Church he pastors, a handful of people attended. He set aside one night a week, Tuesday night, only for prayer. He invited the people to bring their prayer needs and requests to the meeting and they would spend the meeting time in prayer for those needs and requests. When they began to pray, God heard their cries and answered, supernaturally. He relates that now more people attend the Tuesday night prayer meeting than the other regularly scheduled meetings, because they believe that God answers prayer.

Unfortunately, false prophets and Church leaders explain away the obvious. The Church and believers in Christ must turn to God in prayer to plead for mercy from Him to intervene again, supernaturally. Prayer can be and should be a vital relationship between you and God where you bring to Him your needs and you expect Him to answer. God still answers prayer.

Additionally, we can see supernatural activity by miracles. We see very few miracles in our day. I have often thought about that as to why we do not see miracles in our day. Many people say that we do not see miracles today, because God does not do miracles anymore. Well, I suppose you could give that as an answer, except I am prime example number one that that is not true.

God does do miracles today, because I can tell you several that God did in my body. Supernatural miracles. The doctor, absolutely dumbfounded, staggered out of the surgery room to my wife and said, “I can’t explain it. It is not there. It was there on the operating table before surgery, but it is gone.” That only describes one of them. God does miracles this day, in our day.

Why doesn’t He do more? I admit I do not know why He does not. However, I know one reason why He does not comes from the fact that we do not ask Him for the miraculous. We fail to ask Him to perform for us those things that only He can do, the supernatural, requests that require Him to do something that no one else can do. Miracles? Yes, the supernatural activity God on behalf of His children.

So, when Paul said, “When I came to you, I came to you in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” what did he mean? The things that we just examined and perhaps more. The Holy Spirit worked in him beyond human explanation. The Corinthians saw it and believed Paul’s messages. In similar fashion today, we need to see once again the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit, not the explainable ways of the false prophets, pastors, teachers, and leaders so abundantly present.

Where has the Spirit of God identified in your heart and life where your failure to apply these truths? Do you rely upon the ways, means, and methods of the world to try to understand God? Do you follow those that choose the world’s ways instead of reliance upon the Holy Spirit?

I pray that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to see the abundant supernatural works that He can and will provide to His children who ask Him. He waits for your call.

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for this vivid example we have from your servant Paul. It shows us how You used him, and how he relied upon You by Your Holy Spirit to demonstrate to the Corinthians the truth and reality of Yourself. Father, I pray that in Your grace and mercy by Your Holy Spirit You will demonstrate the truth and reality of what  we have examined, especially concerning the Lord Jesus Your Son. Open our eyes to see and to understand the truth, so that we might commit our lives to it, trusting your Son Jesus exclusively as Lord and Savior, and that we might be reconciled to You through His blood. We will give You thanks, Father, for what you accomplish. I ask these things in Jesus name, Amen.