Sure, only those who have been regenerated can welcome or understand God’s Word—that’s what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2. An unbeliever may read the words, but they don’t make sense to him—they seem like “foolishness” (v. 14).

On the other hand, the reason why believers can understand, is because, as he goes on to say, “. . . we have the mind of Christ” (v. 16).

“What on earth does that mean? How can one person have another’s mind? Or, in particular, how can we have Jesus’ mind? I don’t understand.”

Well, you see, it’s like this—

Paul says that the only way anyone can understand the Word of God is through the Spirit Who enables us to do so (vv. 12, 13). Because the Spirit dwells in every believer, and the Spirit knows the mind of Christ, and because He is the perfect interpreter of Scripture, He enables us to accurately understand.”

“That’s having the mind of Christ?”

Yep. It’s being able to think as He does about anything. And since the Scriptures are “spiritually discerned,” (i.e., through the Spirit’s assistance) we can do so.