Study Desk

No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets.

And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.

It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow.

Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness."

and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power.

God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you."

Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality,

or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

You say, "Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food." (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can't say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies.

And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.