The first two chapters of 1 Corinthians draw a clear distinction between the “wisdom of God” and the “wisdom of this world.”
Sometimes these distinctly different approaches to life are called “worldviews,” which is defined as, “The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world.” Our ideals, motivations, ambitions, morals, responses, character, commitments, etc., are all affected by the “wisdom” (worldview) we choose to follow.
“The wisdom of God” is also called “the mind of the Lord” and “the mind of Christ.” (2:16)
“The wisdom of this world” is called “human wisdom” (2:4), “the wisdom of men” (2:5), “the wisdom of this age” (2:6), and “man’s wisdom” (2:13).
The contrast of these two kinds of wisdom concerns the perspective and approach one takes to life. For instance:
- “The wisdom of God” acknowledges that He is the creator of all things, while “the wisdom of this world” says we evolved over millions/billions of years.
- “The wisdom of God” values life from the moment of conception, while “the wisdom of this world” says life is expendable in a mother’s womb.
- “The wisdom of God” teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman, while “the wisdom of this world” defines marriage as any loving, committed relationship, regardless of gender.
- “The wisdom of God” says we are to deny ourselves, “the wisdom of this world” says we can indulge ourselves.
And, there are hundreds of additional ways where these two approaches to life conflict with one another.
One area where this contrast is clearly seen is in the realm of how people are made right with God.
- “The wisdom of God” says it’s only through a personal relationship with a specific person (Jesus) that we can experience the favor of God.
- ”The wisdom of this world” says it is through our own good works that we can earn God’s favor.
Ask the average person on the street how they think someone can get into Heaven and they will usually explain a works based system of entrance (religious and/or moral works).
A lot of people think of this process of gaining entrance as tipping the “scales of justice” in your favor by doing good works. Consequently, God gives you entrance into Heaven on the basis that you have done more good deeds than bad ones.
On the other hand, “the wisdom of God” teaches that a person only goes to Heaven by trusting in the person and work of Jesus Christ. (cf. John 3:16; 3:36; 5:24; 6:40, etc.)
Consider carefully “the wisdom of God” in Christ and “the wisdom of this world” in self-righteousness...then make your decision as to which one really makes sense.
We’ll do this by showing what the work of Jesus on the cross accomplished that your works can never accomplish.
Christ’s work on...
1. The cross erases sin forever (1:21)
Forgiveness is something self-effort and self-righteousness can never accomplish. No matter how hard you try to outwork your bad deeds, the fact still remains that they will always be in your rearview mirror. They are like a dark cloud hovering over you everywhere you go. In “the wisdom of the world” you can never escape your evil deeds/thoughts because they are always present with you.
“The wisdom of God”, however, erases sin forever through Christ’s cross and gives a person a new life to live for Him. Once you’ve trusted Christ your sins are never remembered against you again.
“As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
“...when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:23-24)
Illustration:
You can do one of three things with a dirty spot on your hand. 1. You can ignore it and pretend it isn’t there. 2. You can hide it so that no one else knows it’s there, though you can’t forget it yourself. 3. You can take some soap/water and wash away the dirt.
Which of these three choices makes the most sense? Obviously, it makes sense to wash your hand so the dirt is gone.
How foolish is it to ignore our sin or try to hide it when God stands ready to wash it all away forever!
An old hymn that the church sings goes: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow...No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
In light of the fact that God removes our sin from us, it is no wonder that the Apostle Paul would say, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) This is Good News for everybody and everybody needs to know!
Christ’s work on...
2. The cross eliminates rigorous performance. (1:21)
If it is true that you can work your way to Heaven, then you have some important questions that must be answered.
- What kinds of things do I have to do to earn my forgiveness?
- How long do I have to do these things before I’m forgiven?
- When will I know if I’ve done enough of these things to be forgiven?
- What if the things I’ve done still aren’t enough to gain my forgiveness?
In other words, you can never have peace with God because you never know when enough is enough. Your life is one rigorous performance after another without ever having the assurance that everything is OK with your soul and God.
Think about how hard it is to keep New Year’s resolutions and how many people start out well, but fail in the long run. They begin with the best of intentions only to become overcome with the rigors of keeping their promises.
Illustration:
The people at TD Ameritrade have confirmed something we have known for years: People give up on New Year's resolutions with alarming ease.
The TD Ameritrade study, conducted for the firm by Harris Interactive, said that among adults making resolutions, nearly 60% of those pledges are related to finances. More than half of those resolutions, according to the study, will be abandoned within a month, while roughly 80% of respondents failed to keep their resolve for a year. (December 25, 2007)
One person told the St. Louis Dispatch, "Resolutions are like rules. They're just made to be broken."
Now, consider that you can never stop working to resolve your sin problem as long as you live because you are always adding bad deeds and failures to the scales. That means you live your whole life never knowing whether you’ve done enough good or even if you are doing all the right kinds of good you need to do. It’s a system of rigorous performance that no one ever completes and only leaves you exhausted and defeated. Most just abandon it along the way and give up trying to be good.
And, none of this takes into consideration what the scripture says about getting to Heaven by your good works.
“...knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
The reality is that no one can outwork their evil deeds, nor can they work their way into God’s good favor. Even if you could, Paul says God won’t give you entrance on the basis of your good works. So, all of your rigorous performance has been for naught!
The “wisdom of God” doesn’t say, “Do this and you will earn the favor of God.” It says, “Trust what Jesus has already done for you!” He was made sin for us so that we could be made right with God and set free from the rigorous performance of “the wisdom of this world.”
“For 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)
Christ’s work on...
3. The cross encompasses every person. (1:23-29)
What about the man/woman who has done the most despicable kinds of evil or the person about to die and can’t do any good works to help themselves at all? In “the wisdom of this world” all those people are excluded from experiencing God’s favor.
When Jesus was crucified it was between two despicable criminals. Initially, they both reviled Christ, but eventually one of them recognized Him as “Lord.” There was nothing this criminal could do to reverse the course of his life. No amount of good works could tip the proverbial “scales of justice” in his favor. Besides, he was only a few minutes away from his own death. What could he really do in so short a time. Knowing his only hope was in the One being crucified next to Him, he called out to Christ for help.
“Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” (Luke 23:42-43)
In “the wisdom of this world” there are always people left out, but not in “the wisdom of the God.” He makes a way for everyone, even those who can’t overcome their evil deeds by doing good or don’t have enough time left to tip the scales in their favor.
Illustration:
I was privileged to lead a 90+ year old man to Christ a few years ago. His family had been praying for him and had been talking with him about Jesus. I was invited to their home to meet him while he was visiting family in our area. During the course of our time together I learned about his life and work. After a few minutes, I moved our discussion to spiritual matters and watched as the Lord opened this man’s heart to the Gospel. Needless to say, his family was overjoyed that he had settled his relationship with Christ. He didn’t live many years after that meeting and wouldn’t have had enough time to overcome a lifetime full of bad choices and failures. But, God leaves no one out of His offer of love found in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Christ’s work on...
4. The cross empowers Christian living. (2:4-5)
With “the wisdom of this world” you are on your own to do all the good you can, for as long as you can, as quickly as you can. There isn’t anyone that can help you, nor is it possible for someone else to do it for you. It rests totally on your own shoulders to know what is right to do, as well as to do the right thing.
Illustration:
I liken this scenario to an unplugged computer. No matter how much potential your computer has to accomplish good things, it is useless when it isn’t hooked to a power source. You can sit at the keyboard pecking away at letters and crafting designs, but it is all to no avail when it isn’t plugged into an outlet. “The wisdom of this world” offers you no assistance and no power to do the good you are supposed to do in order to hopefully earn your right standing with God.
Sometime back the Associated Press carried this news item: "Glasgow, Ky.--Leslie Puckett, after struggling to start his car, lifted the hood and discovered that someone had stolen the motor."
The truth is, “the wisdom of this world” is not only lacking fuel, but the engine to move you where you need to go.
On the other hand, “the wisdom of God” is the power source (engine & fuel) for right living. God enables His children to do what He commands as they learn to depend on Him. Living the Christian life isn’t about how much I can do, but about how much I will allow Him to do through me. People who can’t break addictions and bad habits find that in Jesus Christ all the power needed to live a different kind of life is provided for them.
Christ’s work on...
5. The cross enlightens darkened minds. (2:9-10, 16)
Illustration:
One of the coolest inventions for our cars is the turn-by-turn directions provided by satellites high above the earth.
We were travelling some time ago along a path I was sure was the way to our destination. When we had been on the road long enough to have arrived at the destination, I finally acknowledged to my wife that I had missed or made a wrong turn somewhere along the way. Instead of panicking, we pulled over to the side of the road and entered the street address for the place we were headed. In just a few moments the in-car navigation system began giving us turn-by-turn directions about how to get back on track. The satellite knew our location, as well as the place we were going. We only had a horizontal perspective, but the satellite had a vertical perspective and was able to guide us where we needed to go.
When our children were young we went to a beach amusement one afternoon to have some summer fun. It was a maze laid out in an open field made with 4’ X 8’ sheets of plywood. My two children and I paid to enter the maze while my wife went to the observation deck to watch us make our way through all the twists and turns. It didn’t take my kids too long to find their way out the other side, but I was stuck and unable to make the right turn at one particular spot. My wife seeing my dilemma and knowing the children were safe decided to have some fun at my expense. Instead of telling me which turn to make next she just laughed and taunted me. What I couldn’t see, she could clearly see because she had a different perspective.
“The wisdom of this world” only provides you with a horizontal perspective and sometimes leaves you feeling lost in a maze. But, God’s wisdom provides you a vertical view of things (God’s view) that enables you to find your way along the winding path of life to the place where God intends you to be. He helps you see things you could never know without His perspective.
When you read the book of Ecclesiastes, you are reading the words of a man that is struggling to understand life. Repeatedly, he uses the phrase, “under the sun” to describe his (horizontal) perspective on this life. It was depressing to him that he didn’t have a different perspective. And, “the wisdom of this world” will leave you feeling that way, too.
Paul says in this passage that God shows us things that others cannot see. He enlightens our minds to see and understand even the “deep things of God” (2:9-12).
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you...However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth...” (John 16:7, 13)
Christ’s work on...
6. The cross encourages Heavenward praise. (1:29, 31)
What would Heaven be like if we were able to make it to that city on the basis of the works we have done? Can you imagine the selfish/self-centered bragging that would exist in that place? Some people would be talking about how much they had overcome to get into Heaven and others would be talking about how little they needed to do because they had been so good. All the attention would be centered on the individuals in the city, rather than on the One who is deserving of our praise. As a matter of fact, there wouldn’t be much difference in the way the world is right now and each person would be proclaiming his/her “own goodness” (Proverbs 20:6). Can you imagine that being Heaven?
Heaven isn’t a place where our “goodness” will be on view, but where the grace of God will be magnified.
“...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace...” (Ephesians 1:5-7)
Christ will be the center of attention for all eternity and He alone will receive our praise! (1:29, 31)
Closing:
Now, think again about the two kinds of wisdom mentioned by Paul. Which makes more sense to you when you consider the implications of how they affect our eternity?
I choose the grace of God as my only hope of eternity with God and I totally reject any thought of self-effort gaining me a right standing with God or entrance into His presence.
That’s why Paul says in the passage: “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)
Illustration:
In Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, George and Vera Bajenski’s lives were changed forever on what was an otherwise normal Thursday morning. At about 9:15 a.m. their phone rang and the caller said, "There’s been an accident..." that involved their son Ben.
They hurriedly made their way to the intersection of Adelaide and Simcoe Streets near the high school where they could see the flashing lights of the police cars and ambulance units. Vera noticed a photographer and followed the direction of his camera lens to the largest pool of blood she had ever seen.
All she could say was, "George, Ben went home--home to be with his Heavenly Father!" Her first reaction was to jump out of the car and somehow collect all that blood and put it back into her son. She said, "That blood, at that moment, became the most precious thing in the world because it was life. It was life-giving blood and it belonged in my son, my only son, the one I loved so much."
The road was dirty and it was obvious that the blood just didn’t belong there. George noticed that cars were driving right through the intersection--right through some of the blood. With a broken heart he wanted to cover the blood with his coat and cry, "You will not drive over the blood of my son!"
Through this experience Vera said she came to understand for the first time in her life one of God’s greatest and most beautiful truths. “Why was it necessary for Christ to die and shed HIs blood?” Because it was the strongest language God could use. It was the most precious thing He could give--the highest price He could pay.
It’s no wonder Charles Wesley wrote these words to one of our familiar hymns, "Amazing love! How can it be? That thou, My God, shouldst die for me!.”
May we never treat lightly nor trample underfoot the blood of God’s Son (cf. Hebrews 10:29).
