“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.” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
When Paul wrote his two letters to the Corinthians, they were blending into the sinful, pagan culture around them. They were so corrupt, in fact, the word “corinthian” became a term outsiders used to describe folks that were pagan, hedonistic pleasure seekers. Paul had received a report of uncorrected sin in the Corinthians. They become indifferent to immorality. The Corinthians were also confused about the gospel message and who to follow. That led to divisions in the church. The Corinthians were always trying to complicate what was simple. They were becoming “religious” rather than living out the gospel message Paul had taught them.
Their wisdom was coming from within themselves and from the world around them. Their wisdom was not from God, so they could not reflect God’s wisdom. Understanding the importance of His wisdom allows us to reflect an insightful life. God’s wisdom enables us to rest our minds in God and the miraculous power of a transformed life.
Our lives can not be transformed, however, if we rely on our own wisdom. Godly wisdom is sharper than any two-edged sword. It divides mankind into two distinct categories: those who are perishing and those who are being saved. Those who are perishing, Paul and Jesus call foolish. Paul is also addressing Jewish religious leaders and the Corinthians who are embracing the world around them and it’s wisdom. Corinthians lived their lives as fools. The wisdom of the world that Paul calls foolishness. “Where is the wise man?” Paul asks. “Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
The wisdom of the world is still foolish today. One of the great discussion topics of our age is how we get to heaven. The pervasive world view is that everybody will get there some day depending on what you’re looking for. The world’s view claims it doesn’t matter which path you follow to get there. Many in the world’s intellectual and scientific communities believe heaven and hell don’t even exist. We who are being saved, however, know that Jesus would not have gone to the cross if He did not know there was something beyond this world. Those of us who are being saved also know human wisdom costs a person everything, but Godly wisdom affords us everything.
Ephesians 1:3 declares, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” In other words we have it all. Every born-from-above believer, everyone who is living in Christ, has every spiritual gift we need to reflect God’s wisdom. If we are living in Christ, He positions us to experience real life and reflect His wisdom, which replaces the wisdom of the world. Living in Christ also positions us to be right with God and be His righteousness. And living in Christ puts us in a position to be set apart, or consecrated, for reflecting His wisdom in our lives to others.