visit we In our last visit we introduced some background for what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:9: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”  

When I first thought about this many years ago I was doing a personal study of 1 Corinthians.  When I read this statement I immediately thought Paul was talking about heaven.  I remember thinking about all the things I had heard and read about heaven and started writing down my thoughts.  I rejoiced over all of the neat things that came to mind that would be waiting for me when I arrived in heaven, because I did love God. 

The next morning I again read this statement which was followed by a dash and then verse 10.  Listen to what verse 10 declares: “but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit!”  Paul was saying what in the past no eye saw, ear heard or mind conceived of what God prepared for those who love him, was now revealed to us who loved God by His Spirit.  We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to know much of what God has prepared for us. 

When Paul first arrived in Corinth he was speaking to pagans.  God loved them, but they didn’t know anything about the true God Paul spoke about.  They had never seen, heard or conceived anything related to God’s plan.  Rather than engage in a theological debate, Paul resolved to know nothing among them “except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”  If they didn’t know Jesus Christ died to provide forgiveness they would never know what God prepared for those who love Him.  That’s still true today.

InI