“By The Power Of The Holy Spirit!”

“By The Power Of The Holy Spirit!”(I Cor.2:1-5).
Apostle Paul is ranked as the greatest theologian in the Bible. Paul “took the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and systematically applied them to human existence, creating a framework that explains why and how salvation works.”
When we read the gospels reporting what Jesus said or did, it flows easily, and we are able to easily understand Jesus’ teachings. Then comes Paul with complicated narratives and explanations that kind of makes it difficult to follow. Peter was the first to notice that Paul’s “letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures…”(II Pt.3:16).
Peter also acknowledges that Paul “wrote with wisdom that God gave him.”
Despite Paul’s wisdom and some of his difficult writeups he told the Corinthians, “When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.”
Paul kept human wisdom aside so that the faith of the Corinthians should not rest on human wisdom but on God’s power.”
Christian ethics has not quite impacted African Christianity because of the kind of Christianity that was introduced in the continent – what Desmond Tutu called “cerebral christianity.” Cerebral christianity focuses on dogma, intellectual belief, and doctrinal accuracy. This does not consider the emotional practice.
We may call this “brain faith.” Brain faith “is based on understanding doctrine, evidence, and logical reasoning rather than purely emotional or spiritual experiences…”
Paul is today telling us that intellectual ascent as a way of knowing God may never be convincing and may direct us to something other than God.
True knowledge about God comes from feeling.
Corinth was a place of intellectual and philosophical display. Paul didn’t want any of their wisdom.
He set out to point out to them that Christ is the wisdom and power of God. Though he was an evangelist or teacher, he had not yet known enough. In his words: “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God.”
My friend, as we begin each new day, may we seek to know Jesus Christ and his crucifixion as a priority. May we keep human wisdom aside and allow the Holy Spirit to demonstrate God’s power in our lives.
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit I come to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. Demonstrate your power through me as I testify about Christ crucified. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
20/02/2026.