We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit from God, so that we may understand the gifts God has freely given us. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

Poor Corinthians! They thought they had understood. Paul had come to see them. He had spent time in their city. He had founded their community. His way of communicating pleased them. From his preaching, they had retained some of his well-crafted formulas that were easy to remember. Then the Apostle left. Other preachers had passed through. Confusion reigned in their minds. Behavior that some Corinthians deemed incompatible with the Gospel had led them to write to Paul. And then they wanted him to shed some light on obscure and disputed points and on how to live and pray together.

Paul responded by sending them the "first letter to the Corinthians." It took up several slogans that were making the rounds in Corinth: "Everything is allowed" (6:12), "Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food" (6:13); "We have knowledge" (8:1); "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman" (7:1).

Faced with these simplistic slogans, St. Paul sought to bring in other factors . Yes, he probably told the Corinthians that they were no longer under the Law, that all foods were pure. Yes, he said they had been made firm in the knowledge of God; he praised celibacy. Perhaps he also said that they had already risen with Christ. But these truths, which the Corinthians had reduced to slogans, had to be understood and lived out in relationship with other ones. God’s gifts cannot be understood without a deep transformation of our whole being. Those who have entered into the "mind of Christ" (2:16) no longer view reality with themselves at the center. They know they belong to God (3:21-23). Made holy by God, they know they are also "called to be holy" (1:2) and are thus not likely to settle into complacency. They also know that the gifts they have received were not given so they can exalt themselves in a spirit of rivalry and competition, but in order to build up the community (8:1, 14:4).

Paul wants to help the Corinthians truly to know God’s gifts (2:12). It is striking that he is not more directive. Doubtlessly he realized that he would be contradicting himself by dictating a new law. He would like the Christians of Corinth to learn to think for themselves, to acquire the “depth of insight” (Philippians 1:9) through which they can move and grow in the only reality that lasts (13:8).

 What would change in the way of understanding and presenting the Christian faith if Paul were more directive in his dealings with the Christians of Corinth?

 What change of heart and mindset is needed to understand the gifts of God?