Confound the Wise
Foolish Things
Christianity Oasis provides this Why God Chooses Foolish Things to Confound the Wise study bringing forth truth, understanding and peace within.
Christianity Oasis Ministry
presents
Daily Bread Devotional Bible Study
The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
Chapter 1
Confound the Wise
Foolish Things
Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Daily Bread study program. This is our most intriguing ... Why God Chooses Foolish Things as to Confound the Wise Bible quest for answers. The absolutely awesome and thought provoking answer to the mysterious question of Why God Chooses Foolish Things to Confound the Wise message will truly bring a smile to the lips and heart and shine the LIGHT of Truth upon your be-YOU-tiful Christian walk path.
How Does God Confound the Wise
Why God Chooses Foolish Things
It is always nice to have you back with us at Daily Bread to study another letter written by the Apostle Paul. Let's familiarize ourselves a little bit with Corinth before we open Paul's letter. It may be a good idea to refresh yourself about Paul's first visit to Corinth, during his second missionary journey by reading Acts 18:1-17. You'll find that not much is mentioned about his second visit to Corinth in Acts 20:2-3.
Corinth was a very large city in Achaia (Greece) where as you would imagine, as in any large city, there were also some large problems. Among them were corruption, idolatry and immorality, just to name a few. These were the kinds of hurdles that Paul faced while introducing Christianity to a society that had never known anything but a heathen culture without religion.
Why God Chooses Foolish Things to Confound the Wise tidbit of Truth ... If you were Paul, however, converting a city like Corinth would be the kind of accomplishment that you would live for, and Paul started a church there. Of course Paul couldn't stay in Corinth, because he was busy spreading the Gospel to Gentiles of other nations where the Holy Spirit led him, so Corinth, as all the other churches that Paul started, were left to build their church on Faith and following the instruction that Paul had given them to start with.
Why Confound the Wise
God Chooses Foolish Things of the World
1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the
will of God, and Sosthenes our brother [you can find out who
Sosthenes was in Acts
18:17],
2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that
are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in
every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's
and our's:
3 Grace be
unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus
Christ.
4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of
God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all
utterance [words or expression], and in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be
blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the
fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Paul Did Confound the Wise
God Chooses Foolish Things Like Humility
This is Paul's way of saying, Hi, I hope this letter finds you well, you're always in my prayers and I hope God blesses you abundantly. Then he continues with something that's troubling him.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no
divisions [differences] among you; but that ye be perfectly joined
together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren,
by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions
among you.
12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of
Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were
ye baptized in the name of Paul?
14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus
and Gaius;
15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own
name.
16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas:
besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the
gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be
made of none effect.
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written [in Isaiah
29:14], I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to
nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the
disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this
world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom
knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe.
Confound the Wise Who Think They Are
God Chooses Foolish Things to Humble
Paul has heard that the Corinthians are debating with one another about who they were brought to know the Truth by. In other words, who showed them the way to Jesus. The important thing, Paul points out, is that when you're being adopted into the family of Christ, it doesn't matter who baptizes you. What matters is that you are now one with the body (the Church or the people) of Christ.
Why God Chooses Foolish Things to Confound the Wise point of interest ... You cannot know God by worldly wisdom. What is the opposite of wisdom? Foolishness. So, God chose to save them that believe, by the foolishness of preaching. But ... You may be thinking, I don't think preaching is foolishness. That's because you're a believer. Just as Paul said a moment ago, The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish (unbelievers), but to those who are saved, it's the power of God.
22 For the Jews require a sign [they want to see a
miracle], and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks [Gentiles] foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks
[Gentile], Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
The next part explains well why God Chooses Foolish Things to Confound the Wise.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and
the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many
wise men after the flesh [men with worldly wisdom], not many mighty,
not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world
to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are
despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to
nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Confound the Wise Properly
God Chooses Foolish Things Wisely
This is certainly an easy thing to see in the world today. Why God Chooses Foolish Things to Confound the Wise trivia question for you ... How many Christians do you know who are mighty, noble, and wise? We're not talking about being spiritually mighty, noble or wise, we're talking about mortally. God chooses the meek, the humble, the lowly. The last will be first. Our wisdom is not worldly wisdom. Paul explains:
30 But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made
unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Where is that written? Glad you asked:
23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his
wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the
rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he
understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in
these things I delight, saith the Lord.
How to Confound the Wise Conclusion
Why God Chooses Foolish Things Summary
What have we learned? To be unified as Christians. This is something that's definitely an issue today as well as in Paul's day. Some Christians are far more interested in being right than being righteous.
Why God Chooses Foolish Things to Confound the Wise warning ... If you find yourself debating with another Christian about something, ask yourself, What is the Truth about the matter? Maybe you can find out together instead of having divisions. Everyone wants to be smarter than everyone else, but being worldly wise is not required of your Father. Be Godlike wise.
Come on back soon, and we'll continue our Why God Chooses Foolish Things to Confound the Wise study as Paul talks more about wisdom, right here in our next Daily Bread.
Click below to learn how not to confound the wise:
There is a force out there that is attempting to overtake us all; it is Satan. There is another force that is protecting us from him; it is the Holy Spirit. It is a battle for souls. This battle is called Spiritual Warfare, and like it or not, you are right in the middle of it.
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