YouTube: https://youtu.be/-UtQjTQhTu4

Download Audio: https://od.lk/f/MV8yOTU4OTA2MTJf
Download Video: https://od.lk/f/MV8yOTU4OTA4Mzlf
Download PDF: https://od.lk/f/MV8yOTU4OTA3MjBf

Priscilla: I Corinthians 1:18-31
Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

18 For the Word of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being saved, it is the power of God.

19 For it has been written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the understanding ones.” Isa. 29:14

20 Where is the wise? Where the scribe? Where the lawyer of this world? Did God not make the wisdom of this world foolish?

21 For since in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save the ones believing.

22 And since Jews ask for a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom,

23 we, on the other hand, preach Christ crucified (truly an offense to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks),

24 but to the called out ones, both to Jews and to Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God;

25 because the foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and the weak thing of God is stronger than men.

26 For you see your calling, brothers, that there are not many wise according to flesh, nor many powerful, not many wellborn.

27 But God chose the foolish things of the world that the wise might be put to shame, and God chose the weak things of the world so that He might put to shame the strong things.

28 And God chose the low-born of the world, and the despised, and the things that are not, so that He might bring to nothing the things that are,

29 so that no flesh might glory in His presence.

30 But of Him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, both righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

31 so that even as it has been written, “He that glories, let him glory in” the “Lord.” Jer. 9:24

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, today I offer You my reflection on the Word of God in I Corinthians 1:18-31 regarding the misconceptions of the Gospel.

Dear God, I understand verse 18 to mean that those who are perishing, stubborn in their unrepentant sins, and blinded by demons, do not have the wisdom to understand the Word of the Cross. Therefore, they argue that the Cross is foolishness and do not accept Your salvation, and they will perish forever in hell. I understand that the following verse, “but to us being saved, it is the power of God,” means that those who have a meek heart, truly repent of their sins, and do not want to live in violation of Your commandments will be granted the power of the Holy Spirit in their spirits to understand the Word of the Cross and to accept Your salvation.

Dear God, I understand verse 19 to mean that those who fear and trust in You will be granted wisdom to understand deeply the Word of God and how to live a life in You. But those who are arrogant, look down on others, and do not believe in You, their wisdom will be taken away.

Dear God, I understand verses 20 and 21 to imply that even the wise Jewish teachers and the skilled Gentile debaters who do not truly believe in You cannot understand the Word of the Cross. It is because You have made their minds foolish, so they cannot comprehend the Gospel. They use human wisdom to understand the Gospel, so they consider it foolish, and only foolish people believe in it.

Dear God, I understand verse 22 as follows: The Jews value miracles more than the Word of the Cross, which is the preaching of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for the redemption of mankind. The Greeks have philosophy, so the Gospel sounds illogical to them because they use their physical minds to judge it.

Dear God, I understand verse 23 as follows: The Jews stumbled because they only believed in the Old Testament without understanding it correctly, so they did not believe in Christ. Because He came from a common background, was crucified on the Cross, and died in a shameful way. As for the Greeks, they believed that the Word of the Cross was foolishness because they did not believe that the dead could be raised to life.

Dear God, I understand verses 24 and 25 as follows: Anyone, whether Jewish or of any other nationality, who truly repents of their sins and honors You will be called by You to receive salvation. That means they will be called to receive the Gospel to accept the salvation of You, to be granted eternal life in Heaven. I understand the phrase “because the foolish thing of God is wiser than men” refers to those who do not have wisdom in the world, who are ordinary people. But because they repent of their sins and accept the Gospel, which is the Word of the Cross, they are saved and become wiser and more understanding than anyone wise in the world.

Dear God, I understand verses 26 to 28 as follows: The Apostle Paul calls on the people of God to see that most of them are common people, and they have received salvation by responding to Your call. I understand that You do not only call people who are knowledgeable, powerful, or wealthy in society to be saved, but You call everyone. Anyone who responds to Your call is accepted into salvation. You have chosen the foolish, the weak, and the lowly people of the world because they responded to Your call. You will make them rich in both the physical and spiritual realms, more than anyone who has everything in this life.

Dear God, I understand verses 29 to 32 as follows: through Your mercy, humanity is granted the gift of salvation. Everything the people of God have is because of their faith in the Word of the Cross. They receive wisdom, riches, and everything else from You. Everyone in Christ is wise and saved forever. Therefore, no one can boast that they are chosen by You because they are righteous or talented. If someone has worldly wisdom, wealth, and power but does not understand the Word of the Cross, it is of no use to them. For everything in the world will pass away, and they will be eternally lost in Hell.

I thank You, Father, for granting me the understanding and knowledge of the Gospel of Salvation. I am grateful to be Your child.

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Priscilla Christian Huynh
04/19/2023