God's Wisdom

1 Corinthians 1:17–31

God’s Wisdom

   In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians 1:17-31 Paul speaks of the wisdom of God. This wisdom, being from God, is not common to man. As a matter of fact, Paul refers to this wisdom as being foolishness to men. Paul said that he preached the gospel the way God had directed him by His Holy Spirit and without man's advice or direction. The point, I believe, he wants to make clear in this passage is seen in v. 29 where he states, "That no flesh should glory in his presence." Paul lived and wanted to preach according to God's commands and His principles. Therefore, even though, it was true, the wisdom that was inlaid in the words which he spoke from the mouth of God was not a worldly understanding, it was even more so true, Paul points out, that the gospel is the wisdom of God. He states in this passage that the wisdom which comes from God, spoken in the words of the gospel which he preached, was seen every day in a paradoxical manner. Paul emphasized, I believe, this point at the end of this passage to give more weight to his statement in v. 31, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." It's almost as if you can read Paul's reasoning in this passage. If there is one true God, which there is, then He is to be trusted; if He is to be trusted, then His wisdom which He displays is to be viewed as perfect wisdom; and if His wisdom is to be viewed as perfect wisdom, then those who are used to proclaim His name will be those who will glory in and exalt the Lord Jesus the Christ. Often times this will be those other than kings and princes and others who "have everything at their fingertips." In the words of Jeremiah 9:23-24, "Thus saith the Lord, let not the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the wise man glory in his wisdom; let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understands and knows me for I am the Lord that exerciseth loving kindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight saith the Lord."

   Paul speaks about the wisdom of God as being foolishness to the world, wiser than man's wisdom and foolishness that confounds the world. He starts out in v. 17 talking about how the wisdom of God and the spreading of the gospel through preaching is seen as foolishness or insignificant to the world around. If you remember the words of Jesus and how he said that no man can understand the gospel unless he had the faith of a child, then understanding what Paul meant in v. 18 is not hard. God has given you and I the ability, by His Holy Spirit, not only to understand but to have the faith to lead us to Him. Knowing that there is no merit within myself, no ability to persuade the God of heaven, no righteousness on my own account that could lead me into His presence, I can do nothing but lift up my hands and rejoice because He has chosen me. Paul is pointing out in this passage that the foolishness with which this world views the wisdom of God is as foolishness which, by the Holy Spirit, captures the heart and mind of individuals all over the world and leads them to an everlasting relationship with the Father forever. The first part of this passage impacts me in such a way that for me to realize that I had been led to understand this foolishness, as Paul so presents it, to say the least, makes me feel privileged.

   But the impact of this passage is not just one that allows me to see, again, that I have been given a gift far more glorious than rubies and gold but that I have been chosen by the Creator of this gift. No matter what I do. No matter what I say. No matter what I think. This gift has been given to me by the choice decision of God Himself. I do not have to work for it. As a matter of fact, according to Romans 4:5, this gift of salvation is given on the basis of faith and not works at all. Paul comes, in this first letter to the Corinthians 1:21, to show the church members that despite the world's view and interpretation of God's wisdom, the Lord would still save some by the preaching of His gospel. Two drawbacks seem to be present in the world’s refusal of the wisdom of the gospel of the Lord Jesus the Christ. One, is that it requires us to reject the world, it's entertainment and other pleasures. When I thought about this part of the passage it opened up a whole new meaning of what Paul meant when he said, "I die daily." The Lord requires that after putting your hand to the plow, to be his disciple and an heir of the Kingdom, one cannot look back. He cannot desire the things that once made him happy. Even though the world has rejected this simple salvation message, the Lord, again, has chosen me out of the world to be part of what the future will hold. I am able to look forward to a new world set up by the King of eternity. Because of this "foolishness" which pierced my heart long ago I would have fellowship of a nature so sweet forever.

   The part of this passage that has always struck me in a personal sense is that part which Paul writes in vv. 26-28. He pointed out that this message of wisdom has not been given to those who already see themselves as righteous or who already think that they have everything they need. This message of the Gospel has been given to those who are otherwise inferior in the eyes of the world. Those who seem to know less, be able to do less or just seem to be less than what the world views as a significant personality are the ones that God desires to use to display His power. Paul says in v. 26 how God desires to use the ones who are not mighty, the ones who are not wise the ones who are not noble. The reason why this part of the passage has always impacted me strongly is because of what I've seen Him do, and not just in my life and the lives of others who had to struggle in ways far worse than me. God has used those of us who struggle mightily to reach hundreds, even thousands. One of them is a quadriplegic and has served for the past 15 years as an assistant pastor. Another is a paraplegic and has been since '97 and preaches in churches about the saving power of God and what he has in store for those who believe. To know that Christ would not only reach down to save my soul but would use this vessel, as raggedy, crooked and incomplete as I am fills me with a sense of thanksgiving and praise.

   This passage, especially vv. 26-28, causes me to think of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9 when this young man had been chosen by the King of Israel, David, to receive everything that his father once had. This young man went from a state of poverty to the status of wealthy in no time at all, simply because of the king's desire to show compassion. There was nothing that Mephibosheth had done or could do to obtain that which was given him. That is a clear picture to me of what Christ did for me on the cross 2,000 years ago. A wretch I was, lost in myself and the Lord decided to make Himself known unto me and sacrificed His own Son in my place. I'd been given everything and had done nothing to deserve it. This passage also causes me to think about Paul, the apostle, in 2 Corinthians 12. Paul, for whatever reason, did not want to deal with his "thorn in the flesh" and had beseeched God to remove it three times. And I can see those famous words spoken by Jesus fitting in this passage so well, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." It's that weakness that Paul refers to in these few verses. Whether physical, mental or spiritual, this passage has impacted me not because so much it has shown me that God still desires to use someone such as myself but rather that it has shown me that God's power has never nor will it ever succumb to man's wisdom but that it will always be perfect and mighty.