Why It’s Important//

The temptation to be like-minded with our friends, colleagues, or even family is real—we all easily buy into the “wisdom of the world” that tells us to behave/speak/dress/live a certain way. And yet, the call to follow Christ is a call to be different, to think and behave independently of what others tell you to do or what is typically done.

Perhaps this is why earlier Paul sharply reminds the Romans to “not conform to the patterns of this world” but to “be transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Rom 12)—as Christians, we are called to a new way of living and thinking, in line with God’s character and wisdom, not those of the world. The world’s wisdom is self-indulgent, prideful, and reckless; God’s wisdom is a “tree of life” (Prov 3), directing us to a path of generosity, humility, and love that gives life. In order to obey God and live a life that is pleasing to Him, we desperately need to search His Word and ask for this kind of wisdom—His wisdom.

What It’s Talking About//

Written by the apostle Paul to the young church in Corinth, this first series of letters addresses many of the moral issues Corinthians wrestled with: marriage and divorce, paganism, lawsuits and sexual immorality…In a world (then and now) where values are based on sinful desires and popular opinion, how should the church (and the people in it) live in accordance with God’s will?

In each letter, Paul highlights different aspects of the Christian life, and what it means to bear the likeness of Christ. This letter in particular addresses God’s wisdom, and how it strikingly differs from the wisdom of the world: what is wisdom to God is foolishness to the world, and vice versa.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 NIV

18 For 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.

19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,

29 so that no one may boast before him.

30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”