Is Christian belief Foolishness?
Luke's gospel records,
"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left." Luke 23:32,33.
Here we have one of the most important incidents in the whole history of Christianity, the crucifixion of Jesus. The apostle Paul has noted of the crucifixion of Jesus,
"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.” 1Corinthians 1:18.
As one person noted to me, “God does not do things the way man would do them.”
Certainly to man’s way of thinking having the Saviour of mankind crucified seems counter intuitive. After all God could have revealed himself to mankind in all his glory and people would have believed in him.
There is to my way of thinking a flaw in thinking that if God was suddenly to appear in all his glory it would produce true believers in Him.
Quite the contrary if this happened many would believe in him simply because they feared what He could do to them. That’s not what God wants.
God wants true believers. Jesus said,
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
The writer of Hebrews defining faith as,
What do you believe?
Please think about it.
Luke's gospel records,
"Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left." Luke 23:32,33.
Here we have one of the most important incidents in the whole history of Christianity, the crucifixion of Jesus. The apostle Paul has noted of the crucifixion of Jesus,
"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.” 1Corinthians 1:18.
As one person noted to me, “God does not do things the way man would do them.”
Certainly to man’s way of thinking having the Saviour of mankind crucified seems counter intuitive. After all God could have revealed himself to mankind in all his glory and people would have believed in him.
There is to my way of thinking a flaw in thinking that if God was suddenly to appear in all his glory it would produce true believers in Him.
Quite the contrary if this happened many would believe in him simply because they feared what He could do to them. That’s not what God wants.
God wants true believers. Jesus said,
“God is spirit,
and his worshipers must worship
in spirit and in truth.”
John 4:23.
The writer of Hebrews states,“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
The writer of Hebrews defining faith as,
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see."
Hebrews 11:1.
God knows a true believer will follow Him in good times and in bad. No matter what the circumstances are. True believers believe in the death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. True believers believe Christ had to die for the sins of each individual. Even if in human terms that doesn't make sense.What do you believe?
Please think about it.
