Articles Number Five
“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.” Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians echo throughout this edition of ARTICLES - as Christians our worldview is shaped by the cross. We may feel that the opposition we face by holding on to this message is something new, but the Apostle Paul was preparing the first Christians for the same kind of hostility. In this edition we look at youth violence, medical ethics, sexuality, money and workplace witness. Each issue is explosive, and we are thankful to the writers for their prayerful approach to each topic. None of these articles are the final word, but they hold up the issue to the cross and look to the wisdom of God, no matter how far it is from the wisdom of the world. So please read, pray and talk about these ARTICLES - and as you do, remember our brothers and sisters in Corinth, and our brothers and sisters across the world today. As we contend for the Gospel, and contend for the truth, remember that it was God himself who chose the things the world thinks are foolish to shame the wise. And God himself chose the things that are weak to shame the strong. God chose the things that people hate, the things they think are nothing, at all - and He used them to bring to nothing things that seem so much.
“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.”
Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians echo throughout this edition of ARTICLES - as Christians our worldview is shaped by the cross. We may feel that the opposition we face by holding on to this message is something new, but the Apostle Paul was preparing the first Christians for the same kind of hostility.
In this edition we look at youth violence, medical ethics, sexuality, money and workplace witness. Each issue is explosive, and we are thankful to the writers for their prayerful approach to each topic. None of these articles are the final word, but they hold up the issue to the cross and look to the wisdom of God, no matter how far it is from the wisdom of the world.
So please read, pray and talk about these ARTICLES - and as you do, remember our brothers and sisters in Corinth, and our brothers and sisters across the world today. As we contend for the Gospel, and contend for the truth, remember that it was God himself who chose the things the world thinks are foolish to shame the wise. And God himself chose the things that are weak to shame the strong. God chose the things that people hate, the things they think are nothing, at all - and He used them to bring to nothing things that seem so much.
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1 CORINTHIANS 1:18-31<br />
For the message of the cross is foolishness to<br />
those who are perishing, but to us who are being<br />
saved it is the power of God. For it is written:<br />
‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;<br />
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’<br />
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of<br />
the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has<br />
not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?<br />
For since in the wisdom of God the world through<br />
its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased<br />
through the foolishness of what was preached<br />
to save those who believe. Jews demand signs<br />
and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach<br />
Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and<br />
foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God<br />
has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the<br />
power of God and the wisdom of God. For the<br />
foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,<br />
and the weakness of God is stronger than human<br />
strength.<br />
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when<br />
you were called. Not many of you were wise by<br />
human standards; not many were influential; not<br />
many were of noble birth. But God chose the<br />
foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God<br />
chose the weak things of the world to shame the<br />
strong. God chose the lowly things of this world<br />
and the despised things – and the things that are<br />
not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one<br />
may boast before him. It is because of him that<br />
you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us<br />
wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness,<br />
holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is<br />
written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’<br />
A film based on this passage was made for REVIVE 2019<br />
- watch it online at facebook.com/comissionldn
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