The Foolishness of God and the Wisdom of Men

Seeking wisdom? In 1 Corinthians 1:25, the Apostle Paul writes “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” What a perplexing statement. When we think of someone or something that is foolish, the last thing we would ever think is that this person or thing could be admirable in any way. In fact, when we think of “foolishness,” we cannot help but to think “warning, stay away!” But when the Apostle Paul penned these words to the early church in Corinth, he was writing to a group of people who were acting quite foolishly. In fact, if you read in subsequent chapters, you find that the church was in turmoil (a shock to modern people I know). There were divisions and party spirits in the church. There were those taking pride in their education, their baptism, even in their sin!

Yet, it is to this same group of people that Paul begins his letter “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours…” Wait a minute, did Paul just say that these people were sanctified? In reading the remainder of the letter we can clearly see that they don’t act very sanctified (or holy). Yet, with all of their faults, and immaturity, and squabbles, Paul still includes them together will all those in every place who call upon the Name of Jesus Christ. How can Paul say that, that sounds like foolishness! And according to the wisdom of the world, it is.

But in God’s infinite wisdom, He has chosen a people to call His own (even though they are not smart, or pretty, or good on their own). Yet, God has called them His own, and He has loved them with an everlasting love, so much so, that He became a man without sin, who would go to a cruel Roman cross in order to pay for their sins.

This is the good news of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  That God when He did not have to (and when we certainly did not deserve it, sent His One and only Son into the world in order to redeem those in the world through Him. And it is through this good news that is passed on in the proclamation of Jesus, that people without hope find real hope and life everlasting. The world says this is foolishness, and anyone who would believe such a thing is a fool too. But in God’s economy, you have to become a fool in order to become wise. It’s not the  good who are “in,” and the “bad” who are out. It’s the humble who receive mercy, and it’s the proud who are left attempting to stand in their own wisdom.

Praise the Lord that He is pleased to save fools through the foolishness of preaching, and that His grace abounds to folks who don’t deserve it – people like you and me.

 

 

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Riverside Community Church
Sundays at 10:30 am
311 Old Mill Road
Cartersville, Ga 30120
(470) 315-2344
info@RiversideCartersville.com

Riverside Community Church is a mission church of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)