“THE WISDOM OF GOD’S WISDOM”

I Corinthians 1:18-21

For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Wisdom is one of God’s premier attributes. The word is used scores of times in the Bible - both of God’s and man’s wisdom. I believe the most significant usage of God’s wisdom is found in the passage in I Corinthians 1:18-21. It is used in the context of the way in which God decreed to save man.

To begin - in verse 18 the message of the cross is utter foolishness to man who is perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. In verse 20 God challenges the wise men of this age, the scribe, the debater. Then He says that He has made foolishness of the wisdom of the world.

In verse 21 Paul says that God in His wisdom decreed that man in his wisdom could not come to know God. Then the apostle says that it pleased God to take the most foolish of the messages preached to save those who would look at that message as not foolish at all but powerful to save. The message is “Christ Crucified” which to the Jews is a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness. However, to the believing Jew and Gentile, that message of foolishness becomes the power and wisdom of God.

Verse 25 sums it all up. That which we consider the epitome of foolishness, God considers the epitome of wisdom. That which the greats of this world consider the essence of weakness, God considers the supreme power.

To bring this down to where we live, before salvation I dare say that every one of us reading this message today regarded Christ’s dying on the cross a very noble act - the supreme example of sacrifice. But what we didn’t realize was the significance of that death for us. We each had our own idea of how to get to Heaven. In our wisdom we had it all planned out. Then there came the time when the Holy Spirit’s work culminated in our life. It was then that we realized the wisdom of God’s wisdom.

Beloved, let us contemplate the mighty wisdom of God in providing our great salvation. Remember that wisdom is available and workable in each of our lives every day!

Love to you all.