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:
God continues to reorient my thinking. After two old testament texts that reveals a more ethical set of requirements for being in the presence of God, now Paul adds fuel to the fire as he and Jesus teach us that God chooses the foolish, lowly, poor and weak over the strong and wise of this world to work as God's agents. I mean Paul all but says that God's weakness is greater than any...I mean any...human power. Further more, the only way that you and I can truly know God's power is through the Son's weakness. Isn't this Holy Reversal (or revolution if you like) at the heart of every human conversion? Redemption should have destroyed our boasting in ourselves, yet Paul finds it necessary to remind us (even still today) that our boasts should be solely in the Lord.
What areas of strength in your life are actually areas of strength because of the Son's weakness? Are we still running around with the mentality of, "don't you know who I think I am?" or are we close enough to God to allow the weakness of the cross to be our wisdom and power?
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."God continues to reorient my thinking. After two old testament texts that reveals a more ethical set of requirements for being in the presence of God, now Paul adds fuel to the fire as he and Jesus teach us that God chooses the foolish, lowly, poor and weak over the strong and wise of this world to work as God's agents. I mean Paul all but says that God's weakness is greater than any...I mean any...human power. Further more, the only way that you and I can truly know God's power is through the Son's weakness. Isn't this Holy Reversal (or revolution if you like) at the heart of every human conversion? Redemption should have destroyed our boasting in ourselves, yet Paul finds it necessary to remind us (even still today) that our boasts should be solely in the Lord.
What areas of strength in your life are actually areas of strength because of the Son's weakness? Are we still running around with the mentality of, "don't you know who I think I am?" or are we close enough to God to allow the weakness of the cross to be our wisdom and power?
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