Humility Before God–1 Corinthians 1.18-2.5

Read 1 Corinthians 1.18-2.5

Those who are perishing, the unsaved, consider the gospel to be foolishness, but to those who are saved, the gospel is the power of God (v. 1.18). Paul proves this point through Isaiah. He had prophesied regarding this matter in Isaiah 29.13-16 (v. 1.19). In this passage, the Lord is condemning Israel for following worldly plans, but claiming to follow God. Essentially, Israel had declared themselves equal to, or above, God in that they followed secret motives. They felt that God had no understanding of them. Israel was perishing and considered God’s wisdom to be foolishness. [IN WHAT WAYS DO WE CONSIDER GOD’S WAYS TO BE FOOLISHNESS? ARE THERE PARTS OF THE BIBLE THAT WE SIMPLY DO NOT ADHERE TO BECAUSE IT IS TOO DIFFICULT TO ADHERE TO FOR SOME REASON?]

Since it would be wise to act in accordance with the nature of God, to act in accordance with our own nature, worldly wisdom, is folly (v. 1.20). God created man with the nature to choose, therefore, in creating man, God made worldly wisdom to be foolishness. This call for the wise men (arguably of Egypt—Is. 19), the scribe (scholars) and the debater (philosophers) are to make a specific point. Remember that it is the saints in Corinth and all the saints which are being addressed here. Paul says this to make the point that the wisdom of these people is foolishness. [IN WHAT WAYS HAVE OUR WISE MEN, SCHOLARS AND PHILOSOPHERS ADVANCED MODERN SOCIETY? IN WHAT WAYS HAVE THESE ADVANCEMENTS INHIBITED OR ADVANCED THE WORK OF THE GOSPEL?]

Through worldly wisdom—selfishness—man cannot come to know God (v. 21). Because of this, God was happy to save those who would put aside their own wisdom, to humble themselves, and accept the message which was so contrary to their own nature. The Jews have a very apocalyptic view of life (v. 1.21). They are looking to be saved from oppression as had been prophesied, as if they were the last era (but the church is). So they are looking, not for salvation, but for signs of the return of Christ which would save them from oppression. The Greeks, on the other hand, were searching for enlightenment anywhere that they could. They were philosophers. But we—the saints—are on yet another path (v. 1.23,24). We are not looking for a release from oppression, nor are we seeking enlightenment. We have been released from the bonds of sin and have found peace in Jesus Christ and we are not looking for enlightenment, because we have found it through Christ in the power and wisdom of God. This is a stumbling block to the Jews because they believe that Christ is coming to release them from the Romans, not from sin. The Gentiles consider it foolishness because they are looking for worldly wisdom, self-enlightenment, not the mercy of God. [IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU NOTICED OTHERS’ NEED TO BE RELEASED FROM OPRESSION OR THEIR PURSUIT OF ENLIGHTENMENT? HOW CAN YOU USE THAT TO LEAD THEM TO CHRIST?]

There is an implied question in verse 25 (v. 1.25). ‘WHY DID GOD SAVE US THROUGH HIS OWN POWER AND NOT GIVE US A WAY TO FIND SALVATION ON OUR OWN?’ The answer is simple. God is simply wiser and stronger than man is capable of achieving. When we are working, we use the best tools at our disposal, not the broken ones. WHY WOULD WE WANT TO BE SAVED BY OUR OWN MERIT, INSTEAD OF BY GOD’S? If God allowed it, we would not be able to achieve His standards, so there is no other way in which it could have happened.

Paul recognizes that it is difficult to achieve this status of wise, noble or mighty according to the world (v. 26). God chose to use worldly foolishness. Jesus Christ (which is also God’s wisest), to bring shame upon those who have actually achieved the titles of wise, noble or mighty according to the world (v. 27). [IN WHAT WAYS DOES GOD BRING SHAME UPON THE WISE, NOBLE AND MIGHTY OF TODAY? IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT THAN IN THE 1ST CENTURY?]

Paul prefaces this statement by telling them to consider their own calling so that they can realize that none of them were able to meet the world’s standards, but through the mercy of God, they have far exceeded it. The interesting thing is that there is record of two men who were converted to Christianity who were rulers of the synagogue in Corinth, Sosthenes and Crispus. They had received this status in the world and stepped down from it, humbled themselves to embrace the foolishness of the world, Jesus Christ. [WHAT WAS YOUR ‘CALLING’ BEFORE YOU CAME TO CHRIST? DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE HUMBLED YOURSELF?]

God chose (v. 28). This word is used to say ‘set apart’ or ‘picked out’. It is also often used in the context of righteous judgment. This is how it is used here. God chose the things of the world which were base things and despised, “the things that are not” wise according to the world, in order to nullify “the things that are” wise according to the world. Verse 29 is so impactful (v. 1.29). God did not choose to send the self-righteous to hell simply because in His sovereignty, He has chosen and we should comply; rather in His sovereignty, He will not allow any man to come before Him with any form of wisdom, specifically any other form of salvation, other than His own; so that we cannot boast before God. “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Due 4.24).

This takes us back to the creation account. Adam and Eve had one command. “…you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Gen 2.17). It was not that God forbid them to find sustenance in His creation; He had already said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food” (Gen 1.29). The serpent had it right. In tempting Eve, he said, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3.5). The sin was to try to be like God and we have a jealous God. He does not want anyone to come before Him believing that anything they have received from God has been anything other than His mercy and grace; and it is His sovereign right to require this of man. [HOW DO YOU TRY TO BE LIKE GOD? DO YOU FEEL THAT THESE AREAS EXPRESS A REFUSAL TO SUBMIT TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY?]

Where God requires us to be humble before Him, we can still boast, however not in our own doing; “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD” (v. 1.31). It is our responsibility to boast about what God has done for us: “righteousness and sanctification, and redemption” (v. 1.30). In light of the greater context of this first chapter (evangelism for church growth and the presence of all gifts) I believe this to be one way in which we can evangelize. We do not hold gifts over the heads of our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we boast about these things (righteousness and sanctification, and redemption) in the presence of the unsaved who have not experienced the mercy of the Lord. [IN ORDER TO BOAST ABOUT THESE THINGS, WE MUST BE ABLE TO PUT IT INTO WORDS. HOW HAVE YOU SEEN RIGHTEOUSNESS IN YOUR OWN LIFE? SANCTIFICATION? REDEMPTION?]

We will study the beginning of chapter two in more depth in the next section, but it is vitally important to take Paul’s words here as part of the context of chapter 1 (v. 2.1-5). Paul is making a statement which is in direct obedience with the previous section. Paul basically says, “All I know is that Jesus Christ was crucified, so that we could live.” He came without any strength and in fear. He didn’t preach “in cleverness of speech” (1 Cor 1.17). Instead, he humbled himself before God and man and preached the message God gave him through His Spirit and for the express purpose that their “faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (1 Cor 2.5). His foremost example is to come before them humbly so that they too can come before God humbly. What an amazing implication that is made in this text; we humble ourselves before God so that He receives all glory and all honor and all praise. And when we do this, God works through us to draw others to himself in humility.

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