The word of the cross is foolishness...

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 from the daily reading in the One year Bible

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

²⁰ 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? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷ but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no man may boast before God. ³⁰ But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, ³¹ so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

2 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. ² For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³ I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, ⁴ and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Man has accumulated much knowledge. A study done in 2013 found that up until 1900 human knowledge doubled every century. By the end of World War II, it was doubling every 25 years. We have currently reached the point where knowledge is doubling every 12 months and it continues to progress.  This rapid increase has not caught God by surprise. Daniel, the Old Testament prophet was given a vision of things that would happen thousands of years after he lived, some of it in our very times. Daniel 12:4 says:    But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.”     Still with all this human knowledge, the text says:   Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?       There are many today who rely on human wisdom; knowledge of things they understand. There are many who love to debate. The thing about debating though is that it really is just an intellectual exercise. Whether it is done at the highest levels of academia or on the pages of social media, no one really convinces anyone else to change their mind through debate of human knowledge.  

The text says:  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?    Though many will reject it:   the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.     What of us, we who believe, how should we respond to the wisdom of the world?  There are a few things we should not do. The text says: For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.      Recognizing that those who do not believe are perishing, we should not become arrogant, judgmental or condemning. We should recognize that:    The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) God Himself does not want them to perish. He has given time as grace. We then should find no joy that some, relying on the wisdom and knowledge of man will perish. Rather our hearts should break. We though need to understand that we cannot debate them into the kingdom. Again no one really changes their mind through debate. Human knowledge goes to great lengths trying to disprove God. When science comes to the end of its understanding it creates theories. While these theories cannot be proven, those who hold to human knowledge for their answers will hold to them, sometimes beyond reason.  

The text says:    For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,  and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,  so that no man may boast before God.     The world may boast of its knowledge and they may ridicule, mock and call those who have faith in God and in the cross of Christ foolish. The truth is though, that “no man may boast before God.”  The text says: “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”    We then should be those who boast in the Lord. We should boast about and declare what He has done.

Paul says:  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.  I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,  and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,  so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.     No matter the amount of our knowledge, we will not convince others of Christ through persuasive words, through superiority of speech. We like Paul should determine to:  to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.      Our message, like Paul’s should rest: on the power of God.

Jesus says:  “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.  These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;  they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”       We are to preach the gospel, the good news of the kingdom of God, not in our own words and wisdom, but “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified; Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”     Jesus says the signs will accompany those who believe. The power of God will be present and evident as the word of God, His wisdom, His truth is proclaimed.

For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”      Also,      For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.”        The wisdom of man, all of his cleverness and knowledge will one day be useless as he stands before and bows to God and to Jesus, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. May we be faithful to hold to and declare Jesus Christ, and Him crucified; Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; Holy Spirit thank You that though the world may count me as foolish, You have called me blessed, saved and redeemed through the cross. May my words and my life be a witness to others of the power and wisdom of God.    Amen