The Folly of Wisdom-1 Cor. Ch.1 & 2

We are accustomed to hearing and believing that wisdom is something desirable. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9:10a) Solomon says, and wisdom is clearly something we should pursue. So it is a bit shocking when Paul says 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. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent (1 Cor. 1:18-19)." How does that make sense? Why is something foolish better than something wise?

The key to understanding this text lies in the next verse: "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1 Cor. 1:20)" Paul is saying that the wisdom of this world, the so-called "wisdom" of people who reject God, treats the message of the cross, of Christ and his saving death and resurrection, as foolishness. These secular people don't desire God, nor do they recognize their need for Him. They reject Christ, and they arrogantly believe that they are wise to do so.

The tragedy for the church in Corinth is that they struggled to differentiate between the wisdom of God and the "wisdom" of men. In these first two chapters there are at least four warning signs of an unhealthy church. 1) They have neglected their calling as saints to be distinct. 2) They have allowed divisions to split apart their fellowship. 3) They have succumbed to the cult of personality, allowing preferences for various teachers to fracture their unity. 4) They are not rightly distinguishing between the folly of human "wisdom" and the true wisdom of God in the cross of Christ.

Here's the takeaway: the world will always be opposed to the message of our savior. Why? Because worldly people believe themselves wise, even when they are rejecting God. They look at the message of Christ as foolish, silly, ignorant, perhaps like a myth or feel-good fable. So let's not make the mistake of thinking that if we just make the truth more palatable or appealing to our culture, if we make the gospel more secular, we suddenly win the world to Christ. Instead, let us be a testimony for our savior by doing what the Corinthians failed to do, namely: 1) Living in light of our calling. 2) Living in unity with believers. 3) Being united not by teacher but by Christ. 4) By trusting the wisdom of God, not the folly of man.

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Reading: 1 Corinthians 1 & 2