Fool's Wisdom
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. I Corinthians 1:17-31 (KJV)
This passage speaks of God’s wisdom compared to man’s foolishness. We preach the cross, not with wise words, but with power. The preaching of the cross is foolishness to the lost, but to those of us who believe, it is God’s wisdom and power. The world just doesn’t get it; they lean on their own natural “wisdom,” but God’s wisdom is spiritual. The world is living in one realm: the natural, while God and His children live in another realm: the spiritual. Therefore, they don’t understand God or His ways.
God turns the world’s wisdom into foolishness because they reject Jesus, the One who can open their eyes so they can see spiritual realities. The preaching of the Gospel is God’s wisdom. As we accept it, we become wise in God’s eyes and foolish in the eyes of the world. They don’t get God, so they don’t get us.
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Isaiah 5:21 (KJV)
Some seek a sign, and others seek the world’s wisdom, but our wisdom is that we preach Christ crucified. God’s wisdom says that Christ came to destroy the works of darkness and to save man from his own “wisdom.”
God’s foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom. God’s weakness is stronger than man’s strength. God chooses foolish and weak people in the world’s eyes, yet He uses them to confound the wise and mighty. God chooses us “nothings” to bring to nothing the things that are, to tear down evil, to promote good. Christ is our wisdom, thus we give glory to God as His wisdom flows through us to expose the foolishness of the world’s wise men.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Proverbs 3:7 (KJV)
