He Changed Everything - 1 Corinthians 1:18-31- Godly Wisdom
When God's Wisdom Looks Foolish: Understanding the Power of the Cross
Have you ever felt like God's way doesn't make sense? Like His plans seem backwards or upside down compared to what the world values? You're not alone. The apostle Paul addressed this very tension when he wrote to the Corinthian church about why the message of the cross appears foolish to some but represents God's ultimate power to others.
Why Does the Cross Seem Foolish to the World?
Paul wrote that "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18). The Greek word Paul used for "foolishness" is "moria" - the same root from which we get our English word "moron." This seems harsh, but Paul was acknowledging that to those outside Christianity, the faith can appear moronic or illogical.
Understanding the Cultural Context
To understand why the cross seemed so foolish, we need to grasp what crucifixion meant in the ancient world. Corinth was a wealthy trading hub that prized eloquent speaking and impressive rhetoric. When Paul arrived preaching a simple message about "Christ crucified," it went against everything they valued.
Crucifixion wasn't just execution - it was total humiliation. The Romans designed it as a slow, brutal, public spectacle to strip away all hope, dignity, and identity. It was the ultimate sign of defeat. The Jews viewed anyone hung on a tree as cursed according to their law (Deuteronomy 21:23).
So when Paul preached Christ crucified, he was preaching a message that seemed foolish to the Greeks and offensive to the Jews - truly an equal opportunity offender.
How Does Human Wisdom Lead to Division?
The Corinthians were dividing themselves by saying "I follow Paul," "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas." They were looking at everything through the lens of human wisdom - their way was best, and anyone who disagreed was wrong.
This same pattern happens today. We panic when things don't go our way. We believe our approach is superior. When others do things differently, we label them as weird or wrong. This human tendency to trust our own understanding leads to division and conflict.
What Makes God's Wisdom Different?
God Intentionally Flips Expectations
Paul quotes Isaiah, saying God will "destroy the wisdom of the wise" and "frustrate the intelligence of the intelligent." God has always delighted in overturning the world's assumptions and flipping things upside down.
Where humans see strength and power as desirable, God looks at weakness and says, "I can work with that." Where we admire success and fame, God values sacrifice and humility. The crucifixion perfectly demonstrates this - what appeared to be Jesus' ultimate moment of weakness was actually God's greatest display of power.
Faith Changes Our Perspective
The difference isn't in the event itself - both believers and non-believers look at the same cross. The difference is the lens through which we view it. Human logic will always make the cross seem foolish, but faith reveals it as the power of God.
Faith doesn't give us all the answers, but it gives us the right angle to look at things. Through faith, what seemed foolish becomes wisdom, and what looked like weakness reveals itself as strength.
What Does This Mean for Our Daily Lives?
We May Be Called Out of Our Comfort Zones
If God's wisdom often contradicts human logic, then as followers of Christ, we may be called to do things that feel uncomfortable or don't make sense by worldly standards. We might need to take steps of faith that stretch us beyond where we are - steps that probably feel foolish by human standards.
This could mean making career changes that don't add up on paper, making financial decisions that seem risky, or choosing paths that others don't understand. The key is learning to trust God's wisdom over our own understanding.
God Uses Ordinary People
Paul reminded the Corinthians: "Not many of you were wise by human standards. Not many were influential. Not many were of noble birth." In other words, "You're not that impressive." God built His church with ordinary people - fishermen from a backwater town whose message spread like wildfire.
God isn't attracted to our human greatness. He's attracted to those who choose to humbly serve Him. He uses whoever is willing to take a step of faith, even when it feels foolish.
Where Should We Anchor Our Identity?
The Corinthians were dividing because they were anchoring their identity in preferences, positions, and personality differences rather than in Christ. Paul urged them to let Jesus be their wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
When we anchor our lives in human wisdom, we'll always end up dividing because we'll fight about what we think is best. But when we anchor our lives in the "foolishness" of the cross, we discover its power and find unity, humility, and peace.
As Paul later wrote, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." When we accept our weaknesses and anchor our identity in Christ, God's power is perfected in us.
Life Application
This week, consider where you might be relying too heavily on your own understanding instead of trusting God's wisdom. Are there areas of your life where you're trying to figure everything out on your own before taking a step of faith?
The cross invites us into something different - to take steps that may feel uncomfortable but lead to freedom. Taking a step of faith doesn't mean we'll understand everything, but it means we can bring our questions to the foot of the cross and say, "Jesus, I trust you."
Questions for Reflection:
What situation in your life currently doesn't make sense from a human perspective but might be where God is calling you to trust Him?
Are you waiting to have all the answers before taking a step of faith, or are you willing to trust God's wisdom over your own understanding?
How might God be calling you out of your comfort zone this week to demonstrate that His power is made perfect in weakness?
