June 20, 2016 FOOLISHNESS OR POWER
1 Corinthians 1:18, 20: “For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
As believers, we sometime may wonder why the world does not see the value, the truth, and the wisdom that is contained within the written word of God. In the verse above, in no uncertain terms, God tells us that His message, “the word of the cross,” comes across as foolish to those who do not believe in Him. In light of this fact, we should not be surprised that those who do not believe, reject as foolishness the message of the gospel. Some who do not believe would agree that some of the teachings of the Bible are commendable; most would agree with the teaching that we should love our neighbor, as an example. The key point where the gospel becomes “foolish” to those who do not believe is the message of the cross. At the heart of the word of the cross is that man is sinful, and that Jesus came and died that man might be saved by believing in Him. Man, apart from God is prideful, independent, and considers himself to be self-sufficient, and the idea that he is a lost sinner is foolishness to him. It does not take a lot of insight to see that God does indeed make the wisdom of the world foolish. In this section of 1 Corinthians, we see that God uses the simple to confound the wise and that God uses the “base things of the world and the despised,” for His purposes. Only as one believes, are his eyes opened, enabling him to see the wisdom of God and the foolishness of the world. For our part, we must know that it is by God’s grace that we have come to know Him and not by our own goodness or our own works. Now that we are in Christ, we can boldly proclaim the truth of 1 Corinthians 30-31: “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boast, boast in the Lord.’” We cannot change the thinking or opinions of those who do not know the Lord, and we will become frustrated if that is our goal; rather, it is our opportunity and responsibility to live our lives in such a way that we reflect the wisdom of God and the love of God, and those who have a heart to believe in God will be drawn to Him. Nothing can compare to living in the wisdom that comes from God, and His wisdom is a gift that leads to life and peace; some mistakenly equate intellect or “smartness” with wisdom. As believers, we are blessed to have been given wisdom that comes from God, a wisdom that enables us to discern between what is true and what is false, between good and evil, and makes clear to us the way that leads to life and blessings.
James 3:17: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
Blessings,
Buddy
1 Corinthians 1:18, 20: “For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
As believers, we sometime may wonder why the world does not see the value, the truth, and the wisdom that is contained within the written word of God. In the verse above, in no uncertain terms, God tells us that His message, “the word of the cross,” comes across as foolish to those who do not believe in Him. In light of this fact, we should not be surprised that those who do not believe, reject as foolishness the message of the gospel. Some who do not believe would agree that some of the teachings of the Bible are commendable; most would agree with the teaching that we should love our neighbor, as an example. The key point where the gospel becomes “foolish” to those who do not believe is the message of the cross. At the heart of the word of the cross is that man is sinful, and that Jesus came and died that man might be saved by believing in Him. Man, apart from God is prideful, independent, and considers himself to be self-sufficient, and the idea that he is a lost sinner is foolishness to him. It does not take a lot of insight to see that God does indeed make the wisdom of the world foolish. In this section of 1 Corinthians, we see that God uses the simple to confound the wise and that God uses the “base things of the world and the despised,” for His purposes. Only as one believes, are his eyes opened, enabling him to see the wisdom of God and the foolishness of the world. For our part, we must know that it is by God’s grace that we have come to know Him and not by our own goodness or our own works. Now that we are in Christ, we can boldly proclaim the truth of 1 Corinthians 30-31: “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boast, boast in the Lord.’” We cannot change the thinking or opinions of those who do not know the Lord, and we will become frustrated if that is our goal; rather, it is our opportunity and responsibility to live our lives in such a way that we reflect the wisdom of God and the love of God, and those who have a heart to believe in God will be drawn to Him. Nothing can compare to living in the wisdom that comes from God, and His wisdom is a gift that leads to life and peace; some mistakenly equate intellect or “smartness” with wisdom. As believers, we are blessed to have been given wisdom that comes from God, a wisdom that enables us to discern between what is true and what is false, between good and evil, and makes clear to us the way that leads to life and blessings.
James 3:17: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
Blessings,
Buddy
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