Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleThe True Excellency
Bible Text1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Date14-Sep-2017
Article Type Article
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
 

THE TRUE EXCELLENCY

 

And I, brethren, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything 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 Corinthians 2: 1-5

 

Excellency of speech” is preeminent, superior speech.  Enticing words of man’s wisdom” persuades by the impressionable preacher turning the sinner from Christ to man-made doctrine.  The faithful apostle understood that it is not by flowered prose or man’s highest wisdom that sinners are brought to the feet of Christ. Fact is God never quickened one sinner by the crafted words of a preacher.  God quickens sinners by the preaching of Christ crucified from his holy word.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that THE EXCELLENCY of THE POWER may be OF GOD and NOT OF US.” “Of his own will BEGAT HE us WITH THE WORD OF TRUTH, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (2 Corinthians 4:7; James 1: 18)