A FOOLISH MESSAGE?
For to those who are perishing, the preaching of the cross is 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 will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
Where is the wise [man]? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of this world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, we preach Christ as the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For observe your calling, brothers. Among you, not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty men, and not many noble men are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And God has chosen the base things of the world and things which are despised. Yes, and He chose things which did not exist to bring to nothing things that do, so that no flesh should boast in His presence. But because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, whom God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Modern English Version.
In the light of the above verses, it is interesting to note that Easter Sunday this year falls on April 1, traditionally April Fools' Day. Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday, as it is referred to by many Christians is the celebration of the triumphant resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, having been crucified on a Roman cross three days earlier. The Cross is central to the Christian message of salvation for repentant sinners from the penalty of sin and separation from the Eternal God. The Bible clearly states that :All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23. The Greek word for sin is hamartia which means "to miss the mark". It can be pictured by thinking of an archer aiming arrows at a target, and never ever being able to either reach the target with the arrows, or totally missing the bull's-eye. Because of our inherent sin nature from birth, we are all separated from relationship with the Living God. No matter how good we think we are, we can never by our own efforts attain to God's standard of righteousness. In fact, the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament, said it this way: We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.
The verses at the top of this blog equate the preaching of the cross of Christ as foolishness to those who are perishing (in their sins) - BUT, it is the power of God for all who are being saved.
Jim Elliott, one of five young American missionaries martyred by Auca indians in Ecuador in 1956, is remembered for one of his quotes: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
His wife, Elisabeth Elliott later returned to the same place and was able to lead some of those same Indians to Christ, and wrote the book "Through Gates of Splendour."
The apostle Paul who wrote half of the New Testament books of the Bible under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was once a prominent Jewish leader who hated Christians, and actively was involved in seeking their arrest and subsequent execution. On one such trip to the city of Damascus in order to arrest Christians, he had a supernatural encounter with Jesus. He fell to the ground, saw a dazzling light and heard Jesus say to him: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul, who became the apostle Paul, was blind for three days , until a man named Ananias was sent to him by God to pray that he might receive his sight back again. Later, when well established in his apostolic ministry, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Philippi, and in the third chapter of Philippians outlined his impeccable credentials as a Jewish leader before his life-changing encounter with the risen Christ. He went on to say, however:
But what things were gain to me, I have counted these things to be loss for the sake of Christ. Yes, certainly I count everything as loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord....Philippians 3:4-8
Countless millions of people from all walks of life, from nations around the world can testify to the power of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to transform their lives from hopelessness and despair to ones with real hope and peace and a purpose for living. To many, the preaching of the cross of Christ, and the salvation message of the Gospel might indeed seem foolish, but to those who are being saved, it is indeed the power of God! No one can take that away from them! For further information on how you can come to know Christ as your Lord and Saviour, go to www.vision.org.au Click on the Grow your faith tab, then Looking for God? God Bless!
For observe your calling, brothers. Among you, not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty men, and not many noble men are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And God has chosen the base things of the world and things which are despised. Yes, and He chose things which did not exist to bring to nothing things that do, so that no flesh should boast in His presence. But because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, whom God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Modern English Version.
In the light of the above verses, it is interesting to note that Easter Sunday this year falls on April 1, traditionally April Fools' Day. Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday, as it is referred to by many Christians is the celebration of the triumphant resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, having been crucified on a Roman cross three days earlier. The Cross is central to the Christian message of salvation for repentant sinners from the penalty of sin and separation from the Eternal God. The Bible clearly states that :All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23. The Greek word for sin is hamartia which means "to miss the mark". It can be pictured by thinking of an archer aiming arrows at a target, and never ever being able to either reach the target with the arrows, or totally missing the bull's-eye. Because of our inherent sin nature from birth, we are all separated from relationship with the Living God. No matter how good we think we are, we can never by our own efforts attain to God's standard of righteousness. In fact, the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament, said it this way: We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.
The verses at the top of this blog equate the preaching of the cross of Christ as foolishness to those who are perishing (in their sins) - BUT, it is the power of God for all who are being saved.
Jim Elliott, one of five young American missionaries martyred by Auca indians in Ecuador in 1956, is remembered for one of his quotes: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
His wife, Elisabeth Elliott later returned to the same place and was able to lead some of those same Indians to Christ, and wrote the book "Through Gates of Splendour."
The apostle Paul who wrote half of the New Testament books of the Bible under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was once a prominent Jewish leader who hated Christians, and actively was involved in seeking their arrest and subsequent execution. On one such trip to the city of Damascus in order to arrest Christians, he had a supernatural encounter with Jesus. He fell to the ground, saw a dazzling light and heard Jesus say to him: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" Saul, who became the apostle Paul, was blind for three days , until a man named Ananias was sent to him by God to pray that he might receive his sight back again. Later, when well established in his apostolic ministry, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Philippi, and in the third chapter of Philippians outlined his impeccable credentials as a Jewish leader before his life-changing encounter with the risen Christ. He went on to say, however:
But what things were gain to me, I have counted these things to be loss for the sake of Christ. Yes, certainly I count everything as loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord....Philippians 3:4-8
Countless millions of people from all walks of life, from nations around the world can testify to the power of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to transform their lives from hopelessness and despair to ones with real hope and peace and a purpose for living. To many, the preaching of the cross of Christ, and the salvation message of the Gospel might indeed seem foolish, but to those who are being saved, it is indeed the power of God! No one can take that away from them! For further information on how you can come to know Christ as your Lord and Saviour, go to www.vision.org.au Click on the Grow your faith tab, then Looking for God? God Bless!
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