Foolishness

 

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

Bankrupt Christians

These wonderful words of life were preached by the apostle Paul to the Corinthian church, called out of pagan society, in voluptuous Corinth, the most important city in Greece during his day. It was a bustling hub of world-wide commerce, degraded culture, and idolatrous religion.

The faults and abuses in the Corinthian church were due to Christians behaving as un-regenerative men, as carnal believers instead of spiritual. Many were spiritually dying, dead or “bankrupt.” The result was the evil of disunity or factionalism brought about in turn by a perversion of Christian liberty. The legitimate likes and dislikes of teachers and leaders were perverted into parties and cliques. (1 Cor. 1:12-13)

The Cross

Only at the cross can the sin of dividing over men instead of uniting around a message be avoided. The futility of worldly philosophy and human wisdom will here be contrasted to the triumph of preaching the cross; its perfection of words voiced by God for our perfection. (1Cor 1:21-25)

Power of God

Jesus Christ was rejected by His own people, and family, unmercifully flogged, hung on the cross naked, humiliated, suffered agonizing pain, died, buried, and rose again. Jesus said, “It is finished.” This stunning message needs to be preached for sinners like you and I. But, hardness of heart, selfish pride, the love of sin more than God, prevents us from yielding our hearts to Him. You see, we are much like the Jews who, by knowledge and works alone, established their own righteousness. Admittedly, I did.

The Apostle Paul, however, said it is all “foolishness.” But, it’s the “power of God” alone from God; exactly that, to stop our perilous course and awake in us a state of repentance. We can say most assuredly with Paul that it is the power of God alone from God, not yours or mine; His power to give us a new position – sanctified in Christ,” and “called saints”(those set apart). Glory in the Lord!

What A Fool

Fool, foolish, and foolishness, is mentioned over 250 times in the Bible. A remarkable number and justifiably so, as mankind’s nature is such that foolishness is often common in one’s conduct; erring, falling, forgetting, indifferent, etc., quite often, unconsciously, inadvertently, ignorantly, or innocently.

It is aptly defined as one who is stupid, silly, a person who lacks judgment or sense. A weak minded or idiotic person; one who putters around aimlessly, wastes time. It gets worse. Also, a simpleton, nincompoop, moron, imbecile, asinine, witless. (Archaic GR worthless).

Foolhardy, being one who is reckless, or thoughtlessly bold, foolishly rash or venturesome. It is not time to be any of these, and as the end progresses, not to be rash in “fleeing to the mountains”, but to be “wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove.” Moreover, “prayerful and watchful.”

Bible Fools

One of the most well known Biblical references is perhaps, the parable of the foolish virgin. (Math 25:1-13) The five foolish virgins symbolize the unbelieving segment, who only profess to look for the Messiah’s advent. They will be without oil (the Holy Spirit), and will be shut out from the Messianic Kingdom; hence, foolish. Then, too, there’s the foolish rich young ruler, and the foolish prodigal son, among others.

What Is New?

This paper, in part, has been composed, I pray, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit on a ship cruising from the Greek Island of Myconos, to the Eastern port of Rafina, and then to Athens, a prodigal journey of 6 hours. In Athens, the capital city of Greece, I was confronted by much, but much more, of what the Apostle Paul witnessed in his time. “He was exasperated to see how the city was wholly given to idolatry.” Idolatry is utter folly and wickedly reprehensible. (Isaiah 40:18-20) To the apostle the artistic magnificence and cultural refinements of the city were seriously tarnished by superstition and spiritual ignorance.

“Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new,” (the last new idea). (Acts 17: 15-21) Athens, thereby, was the most famous intellectual center in the world. Paul, although a learned scholar in his day, may not have been wise in his discussions with the intellectuals of Athens. He realized this in his failure with them and subsequent expulsion from Athens. To these philosophers, Paul sounded like a “babbler,” meaning literally “seed-picker,” described as one who picks up scraps of undigested knowledge, or in Greek (spermologos), meaning a loquacious person with nothing important to say. In essence, “foolishness.”

Bad Taste

No message could have been more unpalatable to Greek philosophers than that of the cross, bodily resurrection from the dead and a day of judgment. This was “untactful” to the philosophers… foolishness. Paul later abandoned this approach, due to the character of the Athenians, themselves, but not to his message.

Therefore, there is no reference to a church in Athens (alas, but there is today), but “the first fruits of Achaia” (1 Cor. 16:15), were in Corinth. Paul quoted, in his debates with the philosophers, one of the Greek poets, Aratus, a pagan Stoic, who embraced a philosophy of stern self-repression on the basis of human self-sufficiency. Also, a Cretan poet, Epimenides, whom Paul quoted. Paul attempted the intellectual approach and tried to be a philosopher among philosophers, rather than preaching the simple gospel of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, Plato, the Greek philosopher, suggested, “too much philosophy might be at odds with nurturing responsible citizens.”

Open Door

The Gospel, in fact, must never be presented as a human philosophical system, but preached as a “salvation.” Wisdom of words marks the transition to Paul’s analysis of the cause of the dissension at Corinth; this love of a false wisdom. (1Cor 1:14-17)

To the perishing the cross must always appear to be foolishness. Paul regarded the cross as God’s paving instrumentality. The foolish perishing souls in this turbulent world presents a constant stream of the lost, toppling into eternity without Jesus Christ, and the much fewer, but still constant stream of the saved, entering the door of eternal fellowship with Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:18)

Wayward Saints

Paul was not the only one to write and propound this foolishness question. It was written well before his time in the Old Testament in Isaiah’s ministry with his ”woe to Jerusalem” and its fate; “for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29:14)

Many learned in the time of Isaiah, and Jeremiah, that by following the Word of God, seeking His counsel, they would not perish. But they, because of their blindness of disobedience, lost it. The prophet Jeremiah had a heart-breaking message of doom to proclaim to the people of Judah, “yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.” (Jer. 7:24, 28, 30).

Listen

Furthermore, God pronounced judgment on their obscene religion, “so you shall say to them, this is a nation that does not obey the voice of their Lord nor receive correction. Truth has persisted and has been cut off from their mouth.” There was no more blessing in the Temple, “for the children of Judah have done evil in My sight,” says the Lord. “They have set their abomination in the house which is called by My name to pollute it.” (Jer. 7:24, 28, 30).

Jeremiah was pleading, to “stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there His word, and say, “Hear the word of the Lord, all you Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the Lord.” Saying, “do not trust in these lying words, saying, “the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these.” (Jer. 7:2, 4, 5) Here, the priests, scribes, and sages thought they were truly wise, but God said, “I’ll destroy them.”

Paper Wisdom

Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews, a rabbi, a Pharisee, and leading member of the Sanhedrin council, and who met secretly with Jesus Christ at night, was troubled with the premise of Jesus that “man born of flesh is flesh, and man born of spirit is spirit.” He asked, in turn, “How?” Jesus answered him, “are you the teacher of Israel and knowest not these things?” (John 3:1-15)

You see, one can have many promising advanced degrees of learning, but will be destroyed by the perils of false teaching, broken covenants, shamelessness, disobedience, brazenness, pride… foolishness!

Isaiah and Paul both proclaimed it, “I’ll destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” (1Cor. 1:19) (Isa. 29:14) Many claim this vain wisdom and attempt to promulgate it. I asked a Christian believer; Quest. “What do you believe?”

Ans: “I believe in the Church.” Quest: “What does your Church believe?” Ans: “What the Church teaches.” Quest: “What does your Church teach?” Ans: “What the Church fathers have written.” Many, thusly, are blindly led, saying, “we are the true Church, we have the Truth,” but without any biblical basis or evidence, make such confounded, foolish, declarations.

Trembling Belief

The wisdom of the wise that do not bow down to God will be destroyed unless under the heading, “It is written.” (Math 4:4, 7, 9) Moreover, Isaiah had written, “on this one will I look on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2). What? Why tremble at the Gospel, the Good News? Well, not because of the message. But, to ask self the heart-searching questions… do I know it? Am I living it? Am I living it in my heart? Or, do I “come short of the Glory of God,” and to God’s glory and saving of my soul?

Heart Attacks

The wilderness Christians, because of unbelief, could not enter Canaan. They “hardened their hearts, have gone astray in their hearts, have not known My ways, so I swore they shall not enter My rest.” (Heb. 3:7-11) Again, why? They thought they were wiser than Moses, than God! They wanted to appoint another leader and return to Egypt. As a consequence they died in the wilderness. All the older ones pitifully perished. The younger ones came into the light, saw the walls of Jericho fall. They had the victory over wickedness. “These we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we drift away.” (Heb. 2:1) Brethren, friends, do not neglect salvation! (Heb. 2:3).

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Since, therefore, it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter, because of disobedience. Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Heb. 4:6, 7)

It’s In Vain

Don’t trust in your own learning. Many attempt to prove their points by the scriptures or testimonies; testing them, and others, and often sit on one verse or passage like a “thumb tack”! I know, because I thought I knew so much, but, oh, so little! My thinking was actually inadvertently, in rebellion with God! “For it is written, I’ll destroy the wisdom of the wise.” (1 Cor. 1:19) Furthermore, “hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 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. But, we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks, foolishness.” (1 Cor. 1:20-23) For many, however, preaching the cross is still foolishness. Even the disciples, who lived near to Jesus and witnessed His miracles asked for more proof, a sign that “we may see it and believe in You.” (John 6: 29-30)

Ticket To Heaven

Jesus stated, “verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3) Ah! But also to enter Christ’s Kingdom, a man must realize his personal inadequacy, and his “complete dependence” on the Lord Jesus Christ and not self. Abandon self! He must experience a new birth. (Math 18:1-14) Have you experienced it, or are experiencing it, or living it? Lukewarm?

Know-It-All

When we live in a perishing state, we think it is foolishness; the cross, believing, worshiping, praying, prophecy, testimonies, etc., when actually we think we know it all! But, in reality, know not anything! Socrates, although a pagan Greek philosopher, however, made a profound statement, “I know one thing in this world. That I know nothing!”

Born Again?

Unless one is born again, he can’t see it in those that believe, for those that are, thusly, perishing, it is “foolishness.” Why? “It is the worst kind of foolishness to leave the Lord out of your councils and to put confidence in the wisdom of men.” (5T 561)

Writer, George Orwell, interestingly, stated further, “character is more important than intellect.” We can see now that, “for it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise.” (1Cor. 1:19)

“For the worldly wise have been brought to nought, and the called who believe now enjoy a sovereignty given salvation sufficient for all the exigencies of time and eternity.”

Taught Of God?

The pulpits, pews, prisons, atheists, preachers, leaders, professing Christians are many that think they know it all, but are not taught of God, “but I make known to you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached by me is not according to man’s for I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 1:11, 12)

Fools First

The Lord says, “come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28) How? “Close your heart against all foolishness.” (SD 283)

“To many, the externals are the sum total of religion and yet it will be evidenced that the heart has not the genuine courtesy which alone is of value with God. The sacred position of the minister with His message of warning is lost. They think themselves as paragons of wisdom. To all such, God says that they will have to become fools in order to know the true wisdom of Christ. (TM 196)

Fool’s Paradise

Many today are living in a “fool’s paradise.” They are in a state of enjoyment based on false beliefs or hopes; living in a state of illusionary temporary happiness. They are living much like the disordered saints of Corinth, completely unconcerned about disciplinary action or on their responsibilities. Moreover, living perhaps like the early Epicurians in Athens who followed Epicurus (342-271 B.C.); in abandoning the search for pure truth by reason as hopeless and giving themselves to present pleasure.

You see, true wisdom is distinctly God’s wisdom, “a mystery… hidden,” and revealed only by the Holy Spirit, and comprehended only by the mature or adult believer… the spiritual man.

Proof!

The proof that the leaders of this world were ignorant of this true wisdom is the fact that they crucified the Lord of Glory who is the true wisdom of God. (1 Cor. 2:8). The spiritual man (GR pneumaticos), has the potential to understand all things. He is judged by no man (who is not spiritual) for the unspiritual do not have the necessary relation to the Spirit to judge or understand the spiritual. This explains why Christians and saints are often enigmas or
perplexing to worldlings, and sometimes enigmas to carnally minded Christians.Much controversy among Christians can be traced to this principle. Bear this in mind, and with patience, in your relations with the unspiritual. You are the light; let it shine!

Natural Man

This is in contrast with the natural man, the non-Christian. (Jude 19; Rom 8:9) The Greek word “natural” means “dominated by the soul,” the principle of physical life. This man does not receive divine truth, or possess the Holy Spirit, nor does he receive true wisdom because it is mere folly to him. (Acts 17:11; 1Thess. 1:6; 1 Cor. 2:10, 11) Human ears cannot hear high-frequency radio waves, blind men cannot enjoy beautiful scenery, deaf men are unable to judge music, and the unsaved are incompetent to judge spiritual things or perceive them; another important principle. Bear this in mind, also. Remember, you were foolish and in the darkness.

One Thing

What else? Well, let us share the words of counsel from the Apostle Paul, “for I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1Cor. 2:2)

Jesus Christ died in your place and my place. Did you know that? He is now interceding for you in the Heavenly Sanctuary, or does He see you in FOOLISHNESS?
Amen.

John Theodorou, Athens, Greece