Thursday · Jul 9
God’s Power and Wisdom
In 1 Corinthians 1:19, 20, 30, 31 , Paul says that God’s wisdom and human wisdom are very different. Paul doesn’t reject all human wisdom. Paul rejects human wisdom that tries to replace God’s wisdom. Human wisdom can’t free people from sin. Only Jesus can, as the chart below shows us:
| “The teaching about the cross seems [is] foolish [silly; not wise] to those [people] who are lost. | But to us who are being saved it [the teaching about the cross] is the power of God [the power God uses to save us].” | 1 Corinthians 1:18 (ERV) | | “But Christ [Jesus] is God’s power and wisdom | to the people God has chosen, both Jews and Greeks.” | 1 Corinthians 1:24 (ERV) |
Both 1 Corinthians 1:18 and 1 Corinthians 1:24 show that Jesus is God’s power. What does that mean? God in Jesus saves people from their sins. “The good news is the power God uses to save every one who believes” ( Romans 1:16 , WE).
Jesus is more than God’s power. Jesus is also the wisdom of God. What does that mean for us? God solved the sin problem in Jesus. Human wisdom was powerless to solve it. Human wisdom can’t save anyone ( 1 Corinthians 1:21 ). But “the Bible has taught you how you can be truly [really] wise. You understand that God saves you because you believe in Christ Jesus” ( 2 Timothy 3:15 , EASY).
Read 1 Corinthians 1:24–29 . Notice the words Paul uses: “silly,” “weak,” “power,” and “wise.” What is Paul using these words to say?
People may think the Cross is silly. But God “is wiser than people with their clever ideas. . . . he is stronger than any human power” ( 1 Corinthians 1:25 , EASY). Paul isn’t saying God is weak or silly. Paul is saying God’s power and wisdom are more powerful than anything human.
Think about the idea in 1 Corinthians 1:26 that God doesn’t choose many people who are “clever or powerful” or who “belonged to important families” (EASY). What is the message for us in this verse?