Foolish Wisdom — A LifeWords Devotion

For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. (NRSV)

There is a great difference between being religious and being a Christian. The difference is brought out by the cross on which Jesus hung on that first Good Friday. Paul tells us the Jewish people reckoned a crucified Messiah was a contradiction in terms. They were expecting a powerful deliverer who would restore their national power and glory.

And the non-Jews, particularly those with a philosophical frame of mind, thought the whole idea of a crucified individual offering an intellectually satisfying answer to life questions was an absurdity. It simply didn’t make sense.

Christians embrace the meaning of the cross, though we can never plumb the depths of it and have complete understanding of it. We see it as being both powerful and wise. Jesus defeats the power of sin and death on the cross. And as he bore the penalty of our sins on himself, he offers the chance for those who trust him to be free of that penalty and receive God’s pardon.

The cross shows God’s justice in that sin was dealt with. The cross shows God’s mercy and love in that sinners are offered grace and forgiveness. God neither went soft on sin nor turned his back on sinners. Very powerful, very wise. But only to those who accept the triple realities of God’s righteousness, God’s mercy, and our need of it.

Blessings
David