No need for Superman...

Some thoughts on 1 Corinthians 1:18-25...

Reading the letters to churches that are included in the Bible is reading someone else’s mail. The main difference is that though this letter was originally written to a church community almost 2000 years ago, the message of the letter still speaks to our church community today.

Now Paul was writing to the church at Corinth. Corinth was in Greece. The church there was predominately Greek and with them came a corresponding love of knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge and wisdom were part and parcel of Greek culture in that time. In our day and time we also put a great deal of importance on knowledge. We can see it in our science, technology, politics, the military, and everyday news reporting. Our society today has this thing about Do-it-yourself and self-help. We emphasize individual rights and pressure people to be top performers and independent. According to Paul, then it should be no surprise that the good news of Jesus, the Gospel, should seem like so much foolishness.

For the message about Christ’s death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God’s power. (v.18)

Only if you are personally experiencing the gracious power of God in your life are you able to truly see past the ‘nonsense’ and get at the heart of what is true. The truth is that we need a savior. We need help. Our own reason and strength is not enough to combat the powers of sin, death and the devil that we face in this life. This shouldn’t be surprising to us because if coming to God or growing in God was simply achieved through the acquisition of wisdom and knowledge, then of what need is there for God himself or of a Christ. To become like God simply becomes knowing the right things. Making the right choices. Climbing the spiritual ladder of success. All by my own reason and strength. It is against this error that Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah, remind us that God would “destroy the wisdom of the wise” and “Set aside the understanding of the scholar”. God’s way is not ours. God’s wisdom is not ours. It is different. It is difficult for us to get our heads around this. The key is ‘faith’.

“God decided to save those who believe.” Is the way Paul puts it in verse 20. It is not dependent on human ability to understand or learn. As one author put it, “It is not about what you know or about whom you know, but about who knows you.” It is about faith. Believing. Acceptance of the ‘foolish’ message of grace. That’s why it is a message that can reach the whole world. No one is excluded. There are no under-achievers in God’s eyes...just sinners...just the lost...in need of a Saviour and a Shepherd.

Yet, Paul highlights how different groups look for different things. Jews and miracles. Greeks and wisdom. Lutherans and what?...organization....committees...theology...catechisms...good order. It’s all the same in God’s eyes. All this stuff is useless foolishness. Faith is the key. Believing that the grace is there for you as a free gift, waiting only for you to freely accept the gift and allow it to work in you and in your life.

The grace that is shown as we “proclaim the crucified Christ”. But this is offensive and nonsense to the world which discounts the spiritual and downplays or ignores sin. The brutality of the sacrifice is too much. The whole sin and God thing too impractical and unrealistic. Again is the reminder that only to those who have heard the call of God, this message is “Christ...power of God... wisdom of God”. No need to apologize. Paul seems to be saying that we need to accept the reality of the situation. What we say and preach and teach as Christians will not make sense to those outside the church and the Christian community. Your life and attitude as a Christian will continually see odd or strange to anyone who lives without the knowledge of the grace of God.

But this “foolishness” and “weakness” is divine wisdom and strength. Comparatively speaking…whatever God does is greater than anything man can offer or do…hence…God’s negatives are greater than man’s positives. God’s grace versus our good works. God’s peace compared to the world’s peace.

So what’s the point? As always...grace.


God chooses the ordinary and the everyday. Normal people living normal lives. God did not make a superhuman…nor does he ask you to be superhuman. He chooses that which appears neither wise nor strong to demonstrate the foolishness of thinking that somehow or in some way strength and wisdom give someone greater value or importance and enable them to enter some special relationship with God. Rather God wants us to understand that each person…regardless of strength, power, wisdom etc…is to be valued and is of value…has something meaningful to contribute…and has place in the kingdom of God through God’s grace, through the sacrifice of Christ, through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.

And just in case you missed it...this means you, too!