1Cor 1:27-29 | KingComments | STEP | . Apparently the Corinthians were still sensitive to wisdom, power and honor. Those are the three things to which Paul refers in . He reminds them of the moment when they were called by God. Did they belong to the higher society class when they heard the voice of God when the gospel was preached to them? Were there many wise, powerful and highly esteemed people among them? It is exactly these people, who think that they do not need the gospel, who ignore the calling voice of God. Human wisdom , the intelligence of man, is overrated. Philosophers are giving the impression to be able to penetrate into the invisible, the intangible part of creation, while disregarding God. And if they involve God at all, He is not allowed to determine His place, but they determine the place He is allowed to occupy. In human wisdom, man is overestimated and the only wise God is underestimated. Many people are impressed by might . They actually would love to exert a certain form of might. In the world might always is exerted by money and by force. Submission to might is always for its own benefit. If you do not give in to it, you will suffer. If you do give in, you will benefit from it. The eye of man is focused on that. That’s why he doesn’t see God; he rules his own life; he doesn’t need God and therefore declares the might of God to be something that is not might. Being noble , or of distinction, is also something many people strive for. People with a high position, or who have received a special distinction, are looked upon with jealousy. Esteem makes man great, but God, Who is the only One Who is worthy of all honor, is forgotten. Most people who are saved through the gospel do not belong to the wise, mighty and noble people. Fortunately there are also people among the wise, mighty and noble people, who acknowledge their guilt before God and who are saved. In the Bible there is an example of such a person: Joseph of Arimathea. Of him it is said that he was “a prominent member of the Council”, who expected the kingdom of God ( ). But in general, the people who take refuge in the Lord Jesus are people whose lives have been broken down, who are the losers (cf. ). That was actually the case with the Corinthians. . Paul speaks of the “the foolish things of the world” and of “the weak things of the world” and of “the base things of the world and the despised” as the kind of people that God has chosen. With such expressions there is nothing left of your own self-importance. In this way God also wants to shame the wise and the strong, who never have succeeded to save a person for eternity and to give him happiness and peace in life. Finally there is still one more thing said that completely wipes out the arrogance of man: God has chosen “the things that are not”. Have you ever felt like that? The more you get aware of that, the more you will be grateful to God that He has accepted you. . As long as we honor ‘something’ of ourselves, we haven’t understood that God cannot accept anything of the flesh – that is the old man. He had to judge that in Christ on the cross. We need to be reminded of these things again and again because we constantly are at risk honoring something of the flesh, so the old man. There is really not one thing in which a man could boast. . God has condemned the old man thoroughly. Even though something of that old man comes forward again in the Christian , it doesn’t change God’s judgment on that. God cannot tolerate that. As a Christian you are to deal with that the way God deals with it. The only way to be able to condemn the old definitely, is to be aware of what you have become now. “By His doing you are in Christ Jesus.” It all came from God. He was the One Who gave you a new position, a position that the wisest philosopher couldn’t give to you. This is how He sees you now. He doesn’t see you in relation to your old life anymore, but He sees you in Christ. This is the way you also should see yourself. Christ has made it possible that you would receive this wonderful place. What the Lord means to us now, is indicated by four words. These four words give a complete description of what you are as a Christian. In the first place “wisdom from God”. In Christ you have acknowledged that wisdom is only to be found in God. He was the initiator of the salvation of man, which no person could have thought of. On the one hand God was glorified by that plan and on the other hand it has appeared how useless everything is that is invented by man. Second “righteousness”. That was the first thing a sinner needed to stand before God. The Lord Jesus made it possible through His death and resurrection. This subject is exhaustively set out in the letter to the Romans. Third “sanctification”. Sanctification means that you have been set apart with a purpose. You are not anymore someone who belongs to the world, but someone who belongs to God now. God wants you for Himself so that you can glorify Him. That’s how the Lord Jesus went through this world, as the Holy One and that’s how He is in heaven now. And because you are in Him, God sees you like that now also. Fourth “redemption”. Here it is not meant redemption from the power of sin. That redemption has already happened when you were justified. The redemption that is meant here has to do with the redemption of your body, as it is said in Romans 8 ( ). That happens when the Lord Jesus returns, so that is yet to come. . So now you see that God has kept you safe and secure in Christ from the beginning till the end. He has done everything. Man remains completely out of sight in this. The only thing man could and can do, is showing his incapacity in his way of dealing with problems which affect so many people. Your very own efforts also did not bring any perspective, but led only to a desperately seeking for rest and peace that was increasing more and more. Now you have acknowledged that, there is nothing more left than to have joy in Him, is there? So give Him all honor and glory! Now read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 again. Reflection: Tell someone else what it means to you that you ‘are of God in Christ Jesus’.

‏ 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

Let Him Who Boasts, Boast in the Lord

1Cor 1:26. Apparently the Corinthians were still sensitive to wisdom, power and honor. Those are the three things to which Paul refers in 1Cor 1:26. He reminds them of the moment when they were called by God. Did they belong to the higher society class when they heard the voice of God when the gospel was preached to them? Were there many wise, powerful and highly esteemed people among them? It is exactly these people, who think that they do not need the gospel, who ignore the calling voice of God.

Human wisdom, the intelligence of man, is overrated. Philosophers are giving the impression to be able to penetrate into the invisible, the intangible part of creation, while disregarding God. And if they involve God at all, He is not allowed to determine His place, but they determine the place He is allowed to occupy. In human wisdom, man is overestimated and the only wise God is underestimated.

Many people are impressed by might. They actually would love to exert a certain form of might. In the world might always is exerted by money and by force. Submission to might is always for its own benefit. If you do not give in to it, you will suffer. If you do give in, you will benefit from it. The eye of man is focused on that. That’s why he doesn’t see God; he rules his own life; he doesn’t need God and therefore declares the might of God to be something that is not might.

Being noble, or of distinction, is also something many people strive for. People with a high position, or who have received a special distinction, are looked upon with jealousy. Esteem makes man great, but God, Who is the only One Who is worthy of all honor, is forgotten.

Most people who are saved through the gospel do not belong to the wise, mighty and noble people. Fortunately there are also people among the wise, mighty and noble people, who acknowledge their guilt before God and who are saved. In the Bible there is an example of such a person: Joseph of Arimathea. Of him it is said that he was “a prominent member of the Council”, who expected the kingdom of God (Mk 15:43). But in general, the people who take refuge in the Lord Jesus are people whose lives have been broken down, who are the losers (cf. 1Sam 22:2). That was actually the case with the Corinthians.

1Cor 1:27-28. Paul speaks of the “the foolish things of the world” and of “the weak things of the world” and of “the base things of the world and the despised” as the kind of people that God has chosen. With such expressions there is nothing left of your own self-importance. In this way God also wants to shame the wise and the strong, who never have succeeded to save a person for eternity and to give him happiness and peace in life.

Finally there is still one more thing said that completely wipes out the arrogance of man: God has chosen “the things that are not”. Have you ever felt like that? The more you get aware of that, the more you will be grateful to God that He has accepted you.

1Cor 1:29. As long as we honor ‘something’ of ourselves, we haven’t understood that God cannot accept anything of the flesh – that is the old man. He had to judge that in Christ on the cross. We need to be reminded of these things again and again because we constantly are at risk honoring something of the flesh, so the old man. There is really not one thing in which a man could boast.

1Cor 1:30. God has condemned the old man thoroughly. Even though something of that old man comes forward again in the Christian, it doesn’t change God’s judgment on that. God cannot tolerate that. As a Christian you are to deal with that the way God deals with it. The only way to be able to condemn the old definitely, is to be aware of what you have become now.

“By His doing you are in Christ Jesus.” It all came from God. He was the One Who gave you a new position, a position that the wisest philosopher couldn’t give to you. This is how He sees you now. He doesn’t see you in relation to your old life anymore, but He sees you in Christ. This is the way you also should see yourself. Christ has made it possible that you would receive this wonderful place.

What the Lord means to us now, is indicated by four words. These four words give a complete description of what you are as a Christian.

In the first place “wisdom from God”. In Christ you have acknowledged that wisdom is only to be found in God. He was the initiator of the salvation of man, which no person could have thought of. On the one hand God was glorified by that plan and on the other hand it has appeared how useless everything is that is invented by man.

Second “righteousness”. That was the first thing a sinner needed to stand before God. The Lord Jesus made it possible through His death and resurrection. This subject is exhaustively set out in the letter to the Romans.

Third “sanctification”. Sanctification means that you have been set apart with a purpose. You are not anymore someone who belongs to the world, but someone who belongs to God now. God wants you for Himself so that you can glorify Him. That’s how the Lord Jesus went through this world, as the Holy One and that’s how He is in heaven now. And because you are in Him, God sees you like that now also.

Fourth “redemption”. Here it is not meant redemption from the power of sin. That redemption has already happened when you were justified. The redemption that is meant here has to do with the redemption of your body, as it is said in Romans 8 (Rom 8:23). That happens when the Lord Jesus returns, so that is yet to come.

1Cor 1:31. So now you see that God has kept you safe and secure in Christ from the beginning till the end. He has done everything. Man remains completely out of sight in this. The only thing man could and can do, is showing his incapacity in his way of dealing with problems which affect so many people. Your very own efforts also did not bring any perspective, but led only to a desperately seeking for rest and peace that was increasing more and more. Now you have acknowledged that, there is nothing more left than to have joy in Him, is there? So give Him all honor and glory!

Now read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 again.

Reflection: Tell someone else what it means to you that you ‘are of God in Christ Jesus’.