The Foolishness of God and the Cross
Jesus Christ is foolishness to the reprobate, unredeemed, unregenerate, unbeliever (1 Cor 1:18). The reason for natural man’s disdain, for a Savior sent from heaven, is that God has made His wisdom to be foolishness to fallen men (1 Cor 1:25). He will not allow men to boast in His presence (1 Cor 1:29; Eph 2:9). God is jealous for His glory, and He will not share His glory with another (Is 42:8).
There is no doubt that natural man (1 Cor 2:14), with his foolish heart (Jer 17:9), thinks himself to be wise (Rom 1:21–22). He credits himself for his own evolution, even worshiping the creature he deludes himself into thinking he evolved from (Rom 1:25). In his wisdom, he imagines himself the descendant of an ape, or even a jellyfish. He strives with his neighbor to subject himself to human government, even to totalitarian extremes. The fool’s hero, who champions his or her political platform with rhetoric, “Equality for all!” is coincidentally burdened with multiple million-dollar mansions (e. g. Bernie Sanders; Nancy Pelosi; Joe Biden; et al). The Apostle Paul asks, “Has not God made foolish, the wisdom of the world (1 Cor 1:20)?”
God has stated His intention to destroy the wisdom of the wise (1 Cor 1:19). He must do so because philosophy is merely the ideology behind idolatry. God has commanded, “You shall have no other gods before Me (Ex 20:3).” The clever man further suppresses the truth of God (Rom 1:18) by including “god” in his philosophy. This man is the inventor of religion.
The religion maker is ambitious to control people (e. g. Popes of Rome, Muhammed, Joseph Smith, Charles Taze Russell, Ellen G. White, Benny Hinn (and his kind), etc.). He creates “god” in his own image and likeness. He is after money, power, sex, and possessions. His religion is propagandized through external rites and rituals. Religion has its costumes and “holy places” because man looks at the outward appearance (1 Sam 16:7). Philosophers and religionists are always learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim 3:7). Religionists are the blind guides, leading the blind into the pit (Mt 15:14). Thus, the world through its wisdom did not come to know God (1 Cor 1:21).
There is another fool, who says in his heart, “There is no God (Ps 14:1; 53:1).” This man’s foolishness is extreme. He must not only suppress the truth, which God has made evident to all. He must also construct narratives in every university discipline, to exclude the Creator of the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). He must somehow deny the architect and builder of everything (Heb 3:4; 11:10), who sustains everything by the Word of His power (Heb 1:3).
Along comes the preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He has good news to proclaim to all men, everywhere (Mt 24:14; Mk 16:15). God has sent His only begotten Son into the world to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21; Jn 3:16). “Who will believe our report?” asks the preacher (Is 53:1; Jn 12:38; Rom 10:18). The Jew claims the Cross is a stumbling block to him. The Gentile declares it to be stupid (1 Cor 1:23). Why then do some people embrace this “foolishness” even to the point of a martyr’s death?
God has revealed the truth, regarding His salvation of His people, not to wise men, but unto babes (Mt 11:25), that is, whomever He chooses to do so (Mt 11:27). The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Cor 1:25). In God’s predetermined plan and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23), He established His purpose for Christ Jesus, His Son (Eph 3:11), and through Him, He accomplishes all His holy will (Eph 1:11).
The preacher of the Christian message, the Gospel of grace, comes with one person and one work at the center of his proclamation, “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 2:2).” The preacher does not use persuasive words of wisdom (1 Cor 2:4), as was the error of the Moderates (an earlier form of today’s Liberals) in the church, during the era of the Enlightenment. Overzealous intellectualism has no place in the church of Jesus Christ. We have a simple Gospel to herald.
The gimmickry of Finneyism (Charles Finney) has carried over into the easy believism (Billy Graham) and entertainment culture (Hillsong/Bethel) of the false church, today. The lust for supernatural, ecstatic experience has long plagued the church, as well. Why do people in the church imagine these extra-biblical techniques will further the kingdom? It is because it is written, but they have not read nor would they understand if they did read. Faithful men of God have preached the sufficiency of the Scriptures, but these people have not heard.
The natural man cannot hear the Word of Christ, either. Hence, he has no interest in the things of the Spirit (1 Cor 2:14). He must be made spiritual (1 Cor 2:15). He must be converted (Acts 5:31; 11:18; Phil 1:29). He must be made anew (2 Cor 5:17). He must be born of God (Jn 3:1–8), that is, caused to be born again by the Spirit (1 Pet 1:3). This is the work of regeneration that makes the Gospel call to become effectual in the soul of the elect sinner. This chosen man, a vessel of God’s mercy (Rom 9:23), receives the grace of God, as he receives the Spirit of Christ, by the will of God (Jn 1:12–13). He is made alive by the Spirit (1 Cor 15:22; Eph 2:5; Col 2:13), and he is brought into union with Christ (Jn 15; 17; 1 Jn 4:13).
When this salvation manifests in the redeemed clay pot (Jer 18; Rom 9:21), he or she becomes a fool for Christ (1 Cor 4:10). The Christian is not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ because she knows, firsthand and by personal experience, it is the power of God unto salvation for her (Rom 1:16; 1 Cor 1:18). He saved her (Titus 3:5), and it was by grace and through the gift of faith that she believes (Eph 2:8–9; Phil 1:29). This faith came to her when God poured out His love in her heart, at the time He gave her His Spirit as a gift (Acts 2:38; 10:45; Rom 5:5). She was spiritually blind, but God made her see.
Look at the wise. Look at the mighty. Look at the rich and noble. None of these have any advantage in God’s predestination and election. God chose the foolishness of the Gospel (1 Cor 1:27) because His ways are higher than man’s ways (Is 55:9). God’s way of saving sinners is the way of the Cross. Jesus Christ came from heaven to suffer and die on a cursed tree (1 Pet 2:24). He was falsely accused of crimes he did not commit, and he was silent before his executioners (Is 53:7). In suffering death, His precious blood was shed for His beloved bride (1 Pet 1:19), His church (Rom 5:8; Eph 5:25), for her redemption and the forgiveness of sins (Mt 26:28; 1 Cor 1:30; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:22).
You will know the Christian by his love for Jesus Christ (Jn 13:35). He boasts in the Lord (1 Cor 1:31), who has become to him: wisdom from God; and righteousness; and sanctification; and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). In fact, as He glories in the Cross, the fool for Christ declares that Jesus Christ is his all in all because Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil 2:11), and Lord of all (Acts 10:36). It would take a miracle from God for you to believe that, and the Spirit of God is still working miracles. That’s good news for those who believe.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
June 16, 2022
