The Wisdom of God and the Foolishness of the World

1 Corinthians 2 

This wonderful New Testament chapter drives a dividing sword between earthly wisdom and the wisdom of God, as given by His grace and discerned by the spirit.

In the second verse Paul says something that should strike the heart of every true believer: ‘For I determined to know nothing among you except Christ Jesus and Him crucified.’

Now meditate on that verse for a second. What would it be like to spend your days knowing nothing but Jesus Christ? What does this even mean? Well, Paul goes on to illuminate his readers with the revelation that what he knows (and therefore preaches) is not based on human understanding, and that any power in his teachings comes not from human speech or eloquence, but from the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit (v 4). What he knows is Christ Jesus, and this knowledge leads him, fills him with love and joy and directs his steps.

You see, to know Christ Jesus means to be filled with His Spirit, led by Him, with the understanding that whatever power and influence He works through you, whatever wisdom you share is from Him and for Him. Verse 6 explains that we speak wisdom not of this world or of this age, but the wisdom of God. The rulers, the authorities, the wise of this world and of this age do not know this wisdom. It is foolishness to them. But the bible says that the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God (1 Cor 3:19).

So, how do we receive this wisdom of God? We receive it through God’s Spirit (v10). Verse eleven cranks open our eyes by declaring that we have received this great Spirit who has come from God, not by the wisdom of this world, which is coming to nothing, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God (which is understanding, and the gifts of the Spirit). Vitally, verse 14 points out that the natural man, the one who puts stock in the wisdom of this world, in its teachings and methods, does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for these things are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because such things can be understood only by those who Have the Spirit. The point is clear: the one who loves God seeks God and receives the Spirit of discernment and understands that the wisdom of this world cannot be compared to the things God has prepared for those who love Him (verse 9).

So, what are you placing your hope in today? Are you trusting in the wisdom and knowledge of this world? Or are you placing your faith and hope entirely on He who healed the sick, was crucified, and rose again, and who is creating in you a new creature, one filled with the power and direction and joy of the Holy Spirit?

Some might ask, why place your faith in Him?

You place it in Him because, as new creatures, we become ambassadors of Christ, creatures through whom God can touch other lives and bring all to the knowledge of His lovingkindness and eternal salvation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). We place our hope in Him because ‘He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). It always comes back to love. We believe and trust Him because of love, because He first loved us and a life of love is a life of purpose and fulfillment and joy.