Foolishness or Truth
“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.
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
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.
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Paul writing to the Corinthians in the above passage hits the nail on the head. If you are not a Christian the message of a suffering saviour is foolishness.
To those who deem themselves wise to have one man die for the sins of all men is at first glance a convoluted way of thinking.
For God himself in the form of Jesus Christ to come to the earth he crated and enter into society as a low born person does not make sense at all to non-Christians.
Yet Christians realize this was the only way it could happen.
Think about it, religions around the world agree that God will one day judge the world. Will one day judge each person individually But how could he judge the world fairly if he didn’t understand what it was to be a man?
The reason earthly judges can judge is that they know the law and they understand what it is to be human with all the temptations that lie around us.
For us to stand before an almighty, all knowing omnipresent God who has never experienced what it is to be human and be judged would be simply wrong from a moral point of view.
We could even make the statement to God that he didn’t understand what it was to be human and we’d be right in saying it.
The thing is with Jesus coming to this earth God can say I understand. He can say I understand what it’s like to as an infant to run for my life to Egypt to avoid being killed. He can say I understand what it’s like to feel the sun on my face. To stand in the rain to be loved.
At the same time he can say I understand what it’s like to be flogged and put to death for a crime he didn’t commit.
Jesus calls all mankind to himself saying,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Christians believe that we cannot live a life good enough to be judged fit to enter heaven. That’s why Christ died for us.
The apostle Paul writing to the Romans saying,
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
God can also say Jesus made things clear saying,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:16-18
That Jesus also said,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6.
So ultimately the big question is.
Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God. That he came to this earth to offer the free gift of salvation to all who would believe in him?
Think about it.