The foolishness of God

God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. I Cor. 1: 27.

It almost seems sacrilegious to use foolish and God in the same sentence, doesn’t it? But Paul was trying to make the point to the carnal church of Corinth that what seems foolish to the world, i.e., the message of the cross, is actually the power of God. In that day as well as in these days, the message of the cross has been subverted by a different message. The gospel has been replaced by a social gospel in which Jesus lived an exemplary life to be an example for how society should try to live, or Jesus came to earth so we could have a better, more enjoyable life here on earth, or my own personal favorite, God is love and he loves me just the way I am so I never have to change.
“But the message of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”. I Cor. 1:18 Lots of people are seeking power in their Christian lives today, aren’t they? They want some supernatural power to heal people, or they think that some spiritual power they can possess will enable them to live a godly life or show others how godly they are, or they are looking for some special power to be able to accomplish all their goals in life. But the problem with all of that type of thinking is that too often I am the beneficiary of that power. I want it not to build up the kingdom of heaven, but to build my own kingdom right here on earth.
But God said, “not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise and the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. That no man should boast before God.” I Cor. 27-29 God said He will not share His glory with man.
Jesus was our example. And Jesus considered the glory that was His with the Father in heaven nothing to be held onto, but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a servant, and while being whipped, beaten, spit upon and reviled by His creation, crawled to the cross with his last ounce of strength, to take our place on the cross. So we too, if we want His power to manifest itself in our lives we must first die to our fleshly desires and will. Jesus said we were to take up our cross and follow Him.
Gal 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Sounds foolish to the world, but that’s where power comes from. Dying to ourselves, not trying to manipulate God to fulfill the lusts of the flesh.