In light of the blatant pursuit of worldly relevance in the visible church today, passages like the ones below strike me as being diametrically opposed to the predominant methods and messages of so many churches.
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:12–14)
“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men” (1 Corinthians 3:18–21)
These passages remind me of something that Luther said regarding Albertus, Bishop of Mentz. The Bishop was part of the Roman Catholic delegation at the Diet of Augsburg in 1530 and was no friend or ally of the Reformation . Here's how Luther told the story:
In the year of our Lord 1530, at the Imperial Assembly at Augsburg, Albertus, Bishop of Mentz, by chance had got into his hands the Bible, and for the space of four hours he continued reading therein; at last, one of his Council on a sudden came into his bed-chamber unto him, who, seeing the Bible in the Bishop’s hand, was much amazed thereat, and said unto him, “what doth your Highness with that book?” The Archbishop thereupon answered him, and said, “I know not what this book is, but sure I am, all that is written therein is quite against us.”
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