The Cross or Some Glory

1 Corinthians 1:18-25
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 

After dealing with the ridiculous debate about which Gospel teacher the Corinthians are pinning their hopes upon, Paul takes up what Martin Luther has called “The Theology of the Cross” versus “The Theology of Glory”. As pride-filled, sinful humans, we are all about “the glory”. My dog is better than your dog. My dad is stronger than your dad. My job, my clothes, my bank account — is better than your! This is not where we are called to live. None of those things matter. But - for the world that is all that matters.

Instead, as CHRISTians, we focus on the Savior, who did the unimaginable; He died on the Cross to save us from those exact sins of pride we all so readily embrace. For our hearts tell us daily to put ourselves first, to promote our own agenda and press into just how great we are in the world. Instead, we who believe recognize that we are nothing and that the suffering and death of Jesus Christ is everything. His Cross is our focus, not our own glory. The world looks at that idea and laughs out loud about how crazy that sounds. Who would ever pursue that type of life? It sounds ridiculous in their ears (and sometimes it sounds ridiculous in ours. But our deepest wisdom is foolish in the eyes of God and our greatest strength doesn’t even touch God’s weakness. (I must admit, the concept that God has any “weakness” is slightly difficult. I don’t think He has any weaknesses at all. This is merely a literary foil used to make a point.)

This is a theological concept that many have written volumes upon and I fear I have over simplified. But these words are important and deserve our meditation. Read them again and let the Spirit bring clarity.



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