The Foolishness of God!

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 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called,both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."

 Paul writes two letters to the church in Corinth. Like the church in Ephesus, it was a major center of trade and thus had all kinds of worldly influences surrounding it.  Corinth was narrow landmass that connected to Greece on the way to Athens, which was the intellectual center of the world.  After Paul started the church as we read in Acts 19, he was concerned that the early Christians might be swayed by the philosophies and many pagan influences in the culture.  Corinth was also a "den of inquity" with many types and practices of sexual immorality.    

 In this chapter Paul compares the wisdom that God which has been revealed in Christ with the wisdom of the gods of this world.  A commentator says this about the nature of God's wisdom, 

 "There is a constant tendency to think that the smartest and wisest humans will know the most about God. But God cannot be found through human wisdom, but only through the message of the cross. The pursuit of human wisdom may bring an earthly contentment or happiness (though this is rare), but in itself, it can never bring the true knowledge of the true God." (Guzik)

 Contrary to the sophists who wax eloquently about esoteric topics, the message of the cross is rather simple. The message of the cross is that God came down to earth to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.  Jesus, who was without sin, became sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God. The wisest thing we can do is to believe this message by faith and be saved.  To trust in faith is to realize our wisdom is foolishness in God's eyes.   The question is do we trust in God through the wisdom that Jesus revealed, or do we think we are smarter than God's plan of salvation through Christ.  

 Paul defines true strength as admitting we are in need of Savior.  Strength is reaching out to a power greater than yourself and realizing that you are powerless without God in your life.  

 Where are you looking for wisdom in your life? Oprah? The latest new age philosophy?  If Jesus really is God, don't you think it is a wise choice to listen to him?   If Jesus is really God, don't you think he is a pretty smart guy?  I don't know about you but I am going to go to him for the answers to life toughest questions!  



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