1 Corinthians 2:1-2 are among my favorite convicting verses. It reads: “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” Why do I consider this so special? This was Paul’s inner attitude to what was most important to him. Yes, he was an apostle and had a special calling, but I am looking beyond that to his priority that applies to all of us in whatever God has called us to do. He is saying that in relation to others around him, he came with nothing of himself. He was not concerned about how he could impress others with himself. He had no ego in his approach to others. In any relationship he had with others it was not for building himself up or for advancing personal gain in personal pride, self-esteem, or any other self-motive.

He also says that he did not approach them with, “superiority of speech or of wisdom.” His speaking manner was not to be the attraction he was bringing or his eloquence with words. He also adds, “or wisdom,” which has its meaning that he was not trying to impress others with his vocabulary. Paul, as a new man, knew self-centered thinking is a form of idolatry, and that no person, no matter their IQ or abilities has anything of which to really brag. Why would Paul write this? Paul knew this was how the world’s attractions acted. This is what those who do not know God are all about. They are about self and are thereby focused on how they can impress others with themselves.

When we look at Scripture, we find people who have in various degrees encountered God. What always comes to my mind is Isaiah the prophet in Isaiah 6. He met God through a super-natural vision, and what was his response? “Woe is me, for I am ruined!” What happened to Isaiah? God gave him a mere glimpse of Himself and whatever Isaiah had thought about himself before this exposure fell apart when he saw God. There are many examples of this in Scripture. Remember Peter when he saw the miracle of Christ filling his nets with fish. He, after falling on his knees said, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” This is the new attitude of the person who begins to see God. Peter undoubtedly took great pride in his ability to fish, and yet Christ showed him who is really in control of all things.

From our perspective, because of what he did and by his inspired writings, we think of Paul as a great man. Yet, that is not Paul’s perspective at all. What is his perspective? He says he was the,” foremost of sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). Paul instead thanked God for putting him into service (1 Tim. 1:12). Paul was about, “the testimony of God” (1 Cor. 2:1). He knew that to discuss Christ was truly to discuss the God-man worthy of discussion. I often think of the words of Isaiah 9:6. Jesus Christ is prophetically described as, “Wonderful.” He is the only Person who can be named Wonderful. Because of this Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” This is an honest declaration from Paul, and this is the Word of God given without exaggeration.

Sometimes how we speak to one another is trite and insincere. People are naturally skeptical of what others say because most have a self-seeking agenda. Paul is saying that he is in a different camp altogether. He states that, “I am determined to know nothing among you.” What does this mean? He had no personal agenda. He was not seeking to gain personally from any encounter. I hope we can recognize that when our attitude is likened to the kind of Christ-centered attitude of Paul, it represents true biblical love for others. Paul wanted nothing in return. He had one goal in mind and that was the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the only Savior. He wanted others to know Him. The highest form of love for others is to seek their well-being with Christ. For those who would listen and come to know Him, there could be nothing anyone could do that would be of a greater degree of value!

Notice how this verse begins, “I determined.” This is the Greek word, krino, which means to judge. Paul had reasoned out, as a result of his calling and salvation, what his life was to be about. The idea of his determined decision is that there was nothing else to be discussed. It means he was resolute in his thinking to have one exclusive purpose above all other purposes. He would make the prominence of Christ his deliberate goal. He later says in this same letter, “You are not your own…you are bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Here is the stark reality. Living the Christian life is not about us, it is about Jesus Christ. There is a major transformation or change of direction that begins at our new birth in Christ when we move from self to Him.