God’s Power in Our Weakness (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

What’s the job of Apostle Paul? He was commissioned to proclaim the mysteries of God. So are those who are called in Christ Jesus the Lord. The apostle seemed to be the last person whom God might call because he persecuted the church of Christ. But it was by God’s foreknowledge and irrevocable plan for Paul and every Christian in Christ. Before the time began, our God made a plan to restore the lost race through Jesus Christ the Son of Man. That’s the mystery of Christ. Hear the Apostle how he began his ministry at Corinth.

“And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

When he proclaimed to the Corinthians the mystery of God, he did not deliver with eloquence or human wisdom. Rather, he resolved to know nothing except Jesus and Him crucified. He didn’t present the gospel of Christ Jesus with polished speech and the latest philosophy. He is saying that he deliberately chose to keep it plain and simple. What did he preach? He preached who was Christ Jesus and what He did—Christ crucified. He was determined to proclaim the mystery of Christ and no more. There was no Paul in his presentation of the gospel, absolutely nothing. Paul’s attitude exactly reflects what John the Baptist said.

“He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)

Paul says that he came to them in weakness with great fear and trembling. It doesn’t mean that he was afraid of preaching the gospel because he says that he was not ashamed of the gospel in the Epistle of Romans.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16)

What he meant is that he felt totally inadequate to present the gospel of Jesus, even he was scared to death. So, nothing he said was impressive to them and anyone else. It is so common that every Christian experiences how difficult it is to witness Jesus Christ to someone who are completely little known about Christ Jesus.

What he is saying is that he is not the source of power in proclaiming the mystery of Christ. There is another one who worked through Paul—Christ Jesus the Lord. God’s Spirit and God’s power delivered the gospel of Christ to the people. Neither Paul nor some philosophical loftiness and human wisdom did it. But the power of God let the gospel of Christ penetrate into the dull and blind mind and heart of humanity. Thus, their faith might not rest on human wisdom but on God’s power.

Likewise, our faith rests on God’s power but not on anything else like scriptural knowledge, four spiritual laws, disciple making programs, and so on. Why must such things be completely excluded? It’s because all these things cannot penetrate the barrier of blindness and blackness entrenched in the fallen race. Lofty ideas and thoughts and pompous slogans and chants never reach and touch to the core of real humanity. Philosophical wisdom and psychological intelligence never reveal the reality of humans. Neither technological advancements nor scientific enhancements can solve the fundamental problem of humanity.

But God is the beginning and the end. He is the Creator who designed and made the whole universe. God made humans in His image and in His likeness in the beginning. He knows all, especially who we are and what we are. He knows what we need desperately. He runs and operates the wheels in wheels—all the human events and affairs. God is the ultimate realist and before Him everything will be laid bare as in daylight.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13)

God’s power is incomparably stronger than any power, authority, and dominion in heaven and on earth and under the earth. He made all things and nothing was made that has been made without Him. When God made the universe He never intended to run by itself. All things are now and forevermore under God’s total and perfect care and control. Many a wise people see the world going mad and chaotic and uncontrollable ever and ever. Hurts, wounds, bruises, agonies, decries, pains, distresses, pressures are ever increasing in every corner of our lives and in all people. Is there anyone who does not experience all these things?

Nevertheless, the universe is the same as yesterday and will be the same tomorrow no matter how far it may be until the Day of the Lord. It’s because in Christ Jesus all things hold together. All things in heaven and on earth will be united under Christ (Ephesians 1:10).

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17)

Our God knows exactly what He is doing. Despite of increasing disharmonies and chaotic violence in our midst, one of these days God will move and change the hearts of the elect like He did to Saul on the way to Damascus. God arrested the man who fervently opposed against Him as His chosen instrument to advance the gospel to the Gentiles. So are we in Christ. Therefore, we shall continue to rely on God’s power not at all the wisdom and philosophy of the world.

Why does God’s power manifest in full when His instrument like Paul becomes completely weak and inadequate, even scared to death? This is one of the most difficult lessons for any Christian to learn and experience. The world says constantly be confident and strong by all means, so that you will be the top of the world. But the Scripture says exactly the opposite. Our Lord Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) Who are the poor in spirit? Are not those who have reached to the point of total bankruptcy in handling their lives? Are not those who have realized the fact that they can do nothing to fulfill their lives?

The state of the poor is so pertinently presented by Paul in the Epistle of Romans Chapter 7. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15) This is not a confession before Paul’s conversion. When he wrote this epistle he was converted and mature in the faith of Jesus Christ. This is the honest and real confession of all believers in Christ. Yes, we in Christ all want to do good but we do not do and we hate to do bad but we do. There is something deeply wrong in our humanity. That is called sin. We are all born in sin and death in Adam. We simply cannot help it. Even the regenerated in Christ cannot help it. So, Paul cries out, saying “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Romans 7:24)

When we reach to the point of total bankruptcy, saying “I am doomed to sin,” the immediate help is available in Christ Jesus like SWAT storms to rescue. “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 7:25-8:1) This is the apt illustration of new life in Christ under the new covenant. “Everything is coming from God and nothing coming from me.” God demands to obey Him in perfection and completeness and at the same time provides power to obey Him. That power is Jesus Christ who indwells in us.

Apostle Paul says when he was weak then he was strong. “That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10) That’s why he was in weakness with great fear and trembling at Corinth in order for God’s power to manifest in full.

“All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, Thank our Lord Jesus Christ who manifested His incomparable power in full when Paul was in inadequate weakness with great fear and trembling at Corinth. Thank you for teaching us when we are weak then we are strong in Christ in whom all things hold together. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Christ Crucified (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

Apostle Paul said that he was not sent to baptize but to preach the gospel of Christ—not with wisdom and eloquence, let the cross of Christ be emptied of its power (1 Corinthians 1:17). Now he explains why.

“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. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19)

The gospel of Christ is essentially the message of the cross through which we can understand the mystery of life. The message of the cross is the way to the Father who lavishly pours out eternal life. What is the message of the cross? It’s shame, guilt, despair, suffering, pain, loneliness, and being forsaken. It’s death, the bloody death. It’s offensive, repulsive, repugnant, nauseating, vile, awful, appalling, brutal, horrible, and dreadful. No one would like the cross if understood what it is truthfully.

Christ Jesus voluntarily took up the cross and obeyed unto the Father even to the point of death. He drank the cup of suffering not for Himself but for the world which is under the complete darkness and death. Our Lord Jesus died in our place to save all people from eternal condemnation and destruction. The world hates the cross of death because it seems foolish and thoughtless and unreasonable. Why would He die that way if wanted to save others? Nonsense, says the world. That’s how the world respond to the message of the cross. It doesn’t make any sense to those who are perishing.

But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. In the cross of Christ, the mystery of life is hidden. That mystery of life is the power of God. No pain, no gain. No cross, no resurrection. In that painful shame and unbearable guilt and despair, the promise for the redemption of fallen race has been fulfilled. This was the moment the whole creation in the universe had been awaited in tiptoe because it was the moment of paying off the unconquerable debt of sin and death. God prepared the ransom for the redemption of fallen race and poured out His unrelenting wrath upon the Son who was made sin for the world on the cross of Calvary.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

God was pleased to offer His only begotten Son this way to fulfill the scriptures. “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (Isaiah 29:14) That’s the destiny of human wisdom and philosophy and intelligence. It’s dead end, no way out. The brilliant and glowing human civilization, seemingly no ending technological advancement, and the pompous rhetoric of the intelligent and even courageous statesmen look like promising much but in fact deliver nothing. History proves that it is so true. Where there are humans there are unescapably disorder and ruins. Ever trying to solve our problems but only producing more problems ever. The world never touches the reality of humanity because it is under the complete darkness and total confusion.

“Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)

God chose the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe since the world through its wisdom did not know Him. God has made foolish the wisdom of the world which is not from Him but from the devil. That’s the devil’s burden. The devil is craftier and more cunning than any other creatures. However, he is all but foolish because he rebels against the ultimate reality, God. Although he is not in the same league with God, he is lying and deceiving all peoples on earth. It is true that the devil is the prince of this world. More daunting and tragic truth is that we do not have a way out of the devil’s trap. Right at the time when we were powerlessly sinful God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die in our place.

“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)

History says humanity has been constantly struggling to find out a way out of the deadly trap. Jews search for signs, the sign for the Messiah. Gentiles follow after wisdom and philosophy. But we preach Christ crucified, says Apostle Paul. Christ crucified is a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. Ironically that Jews rejected the blessed Messiah of God even though they had been microscopically searching for the coming the Promised One. They handed Him over to the Romans to crucify. But it fulfilled the scriptures according to the wisdom of God. It’s still true that Christ is a stumbling block to this peculiar people in order to fulfill the promise of God. Apostle John puts this truth into the blunt statement, saying “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12)

Our Lord Jesus says so plainly that He is the way to the Father. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Jews and Gentiles shall come to the Father the one and only way that is Jesus Christ our Lord. There is no other wiser and smarter way to the Father except through Christ crucified for the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Christ crucified was presented and witnessed by Paul at Corinth and the people who heard the good news were changed and joined in the body of the Lord Jesus. Most of them were not wise, nor influential, nor of noble birth in human standards. In fact, Paul tells them who they were in the sixth Chapter.

“Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9b-11)

That’s how our God is working to save the world by choosing the foolish things of the world to shame the wise and by choosing the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God intently chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things which are nothing to abolish the pretenses and facades of humanity, so that no one may be proud before Him. This is a significant and powerful revelation that we never and ever forget it. In a condensed phrase, it means nothing is coming from us and everything from Him. That’s called a new life in Christ under the new covenant. It is indeed true humanity which God intended man to be even before the time began. We are made and designed to live on Him from the beginning to the end.

We are in Christ Jesus who has all resources we ever need and gives us unconditionally. Need righteousness? He provides because He is our righteousness. Need holiness? He provides because He is our holiness. Need redemption? He provides because He is our redemption. Are righteousness, holiness, and redemption not what we really want and need? They are indeed. Jesus is our wisdom from God. God knows what we are, so He provides abundantly what we need. Righteousness is a sense of worth before God. Since we have been made righteous through faith in Christ, we have access to the throne of grace with confidence and boldness.

Holiness is wholeness in His sight. No one does not want to be whole. We are born inadequate and insufficient in Adam to handle our lives. But we have been made holy and blameless in Christ who has eternal resource and provides for us. Redemption is liberation from the clutch of sin and death. We have been redeemed and delivered because Jesus Christ is our ransom forever. So, we boast in the Lord.

Prayer: Thank you Father, You did not withheld your Son but gave for us to live the life, eternal one which you intended for man to live before the creation of the world. Christ crucified is that resource—righteousness, holiness, and redemption. May we never forget that nothing is coming from us and everything from you and continue to experience never-ending resource flowing from within rivers of living water. In His name. Amen. 

Christ, the End of Quarrel (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

Is quarrel wrong especially in the church? Absolutely it is wrong. Is it avoidable? Absolutely it is avoidable in Christ. However, it happened in the first century churches and is happening now wherever churches are. It happened in the church at Corinth which Apostle Paul planted. It happened among the disciples even in the midst of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s happening every church in the presence of the awesome God.

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:10-12)

From Chloe’s household Paul was told that there were quarrels among the saints in the church of Corinth. There were divisions among them, saying “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” So, Apostle Paul appealed to them that all of them agreed with one another in what they said and that there be no divisions among them, and that they be perfectly united in mind and thought. He appeals to them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, there is nothing other than the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to appeal in this matter.

Jesus Christ is peace through the breaking of His own body in the cross of Calvary. He is the One who sustains the intricacies and complexities of the universe.

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)

The mastermind of lie and the murderer is lurking in the shadow to devour even the elect at any moment in seasons and out of seasons. The cause of peace and order we now enjoy is not the mighty government like the United States of America but the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father God.

“And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7)

In such a powerful and mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paul appeals to the church at Corinth to agree with one another in what they say. New King James Version renders it “that you all speak the same thing.” There should be no dissensions or schisms but they should be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. There is an infallible unity among the saints in Christ. The unity of believers is not to produce by our efforts like ecumenical movements. Rather, it already exists through the power of God. The church, the body of Christ, was born on the Day of Pentecost and has been kept on growing and increasing as new born believers add to it. There is only one body in the church of Christ in which there are many members. All members in the body share the one life of Christ Jesus our Lord. Emotionally and culturally every member in the body is different, which should be that way by the divine provision of God. But intelligently and thoughtfully we all speak the same thing because there is one Lord and one Christ and one God.

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1-6)

Paul planted the church at Corinth and Apollos was in teaching while Paul was in Ephesus. Apollos was a passionate and converted Jew whom Priscilla and Aquila helped to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ in much deeper way even the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He was a great orator who knew the Scripture well. It is not sure whether Apostle Peter ever taught in the church or even visited but he was a well-known figure among the Christian circle.  

What’s gone wrong? No preacher, Paul, Apollos, or Peter was teaching out of line of the gospel of Christ Jesus. But their styles were different which should be so in nature. Some liked the speech of Apollos, another Paul, another Peter, and even another Christ. It’s happen even right now in churches everywhere. Some like Graham, another Keller, another Piper, and so on and on. It’s pride, the fallen humanity. That’s the cause of the quarrels in the church. So are the divisions among the church at Corinth and everywhere.

Why shouldn’t it happen in the church? Paul answers why it should not happen. The answer is that Christ is not divided.

“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (1 Corinthians 1:13-17)

Our Lord Jesus is not divided. He is the supreme One who was crucified once for all for the sin of the world. Every Christian comes to the Father in the name of the Son Jesus Christ and in no other. Every believer is baptized in the one blessed name of our Lord Jesus Christ. No one can be crucified for others. Even so, it is no avail. Christ the Son of God was the only One who was qualified and sealed by the promise of God to be suffered on behalf of the fallen race. No blood would be acceptable to God if not the blood of Jesus Christ the Son. So, all is born in Christ Jesus. All is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Apostle Paul baptized a few people in the name of Jesus Christ. He says that Christ did not send him to baptize but to preach the gospel. It is not undermining the baptism itself at all. It has meaning in itself if it is understood correctly and rightly. But the point is to believe the gospel of Christ Jesus. It’s because the externals even if they come with wisdom and eloquence in appearance have no touch with the mind of God. They are just shadows and copies of the real substance. The real is Christ Jesus, specifically the cross of Christ. Nothing can top the cross of Christ no matter how it looks attractive to humans, even the wise and eloquent teachings.

Paul says in the second Epistle to the Corinthians how the power of God is manifested in our midst.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 10:9-10)

Self-adoration and self-esteem and even self-righteousness before the Holy God are abominations in His sight (Luke 16:15). Christ died while we were still sinners. This we shall never forget. Since we are saved by the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ, we continue to live on that basis. We shall continue to be saved by the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord. No sincere dedication and commitment will add to our salvation by any degree just as we have entered into Christ by faith. God wants us to have a broken and contrite heart as King David said after committing the twin sins.

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Psalm 51:9-16-17)

God is glorified not by eloquent, external, religious activities but by being Christ-minded, humble and poor in His sight. That’s the spirit of the cross of Christ where all pride shall be put to death completely and perfectly. Just around the corner there was the tomb where Christ was buried and on the third day He was raised from the dead. When we die with Christ we shall be raised with Him and receive a new life, the resurrection life. It’s eternal life in Christ. But first die, then the life come.

Prayer: Father in heaven, Thank you for the honest and truthful prescription for quarrel. May we take heed to it that nothing can work to maintain the unity of the body of Christ except through the cross of Christ, the power of God. In Christ’s name. Amen.