Paul has written a letter to the church at Corinth. That city has prospered and because of its prosperity has become corrupt with idolatry, pagan temples and the vice that permeates the society that prospers. We see and hear of examples of that happening in our own society now.
We can be studied and knowledgable in a lot of things, with degrees of higher learning, fluent in many languages, comfortable speaking before the masses, and yet not be wise in the simple things.
The plan of salvation is too simple for the worldly-wise to understand.
Paul asks where the great voice of three segments of wisdom in his day were. The wise who had general knowledge such as the wise men who came looking for the baby who would be king. The scribes were Jewish theologians. They studied the law, transcribed it and often wrote commentaries. The disputers were Greek philosophical folks of his day. They were highly skilled in philosophical debate. None of these “wise” men could understand the simplicity of how to be saved through Jesus Christ. It was folly and silliness to them. The plan of salvation through a man called Jesus that could lead to eternal life was too simple for them to understand its value.
Thought For Today:
Isn’t this the very thing we are witnessing in our own day? The plan of salvation is not on a high enough scale of learning to the intelligent and knowledgable, for them to believe it?
I have experienced this with someone I consider to be highly intelligent who shared with me the difficult situations that they were going through. As a believer, my first response is always, “I will pray for you and this situation.” They were taken aback by that remark and a look would come over their face as if to say, “well,what good will that do?” I prayed anyway and things came out okay. However, there was never a recognition that prayer was helpful at all. It was resolved in their own mind because of what they or someone on their behalf were able to accomplish. Sometimes wisdom can be a barrier to finding Christ. God seems to have purposely made the road to salvation seem a foolish, simple message.
We must lay down our “learning” and look at a baby who was born under lowly circumstances. He grew to the prime of His life teaching about His part in God’s plan to save us. He made the blind to see and raised the dead. He was whipped and crucified. He was buried and rose on the third day. He was seen by at least five hundred people before he ascended. So simple that it defies belief. Belief is only possible when we become nothing in ourselves and Christ becomes everything.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
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, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 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? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.(NKJV)
Prayer For Today:
Hello Father! This world is full of knowledge like at no other time in history. Yet it is coming apart at the seams. I pray for those “wise” men and women of our day that they will seek true wisdom in what seems folly to most of them now. Father, there are exceptions in the governing bodies trying to lead the nations of the world. I know there are those who know You personally. I pray for them to have courage. Nothing is going to work without You. We pray for guidance and a desire to pray faithfully without ceasing for our country and the world, that the lost might be found. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.