Foolishness

1 Cor 3:18-19

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.

I read that a few times, and it is a tall order Paul is asking us to do. Keeping this passage in context Paul is talking about the separation of body and spirit. In Corinth the practices done in that community were very sensual. There was the thought that “I’m saved, I can do as I want”. “No” Paul writes. Slaves are not allowed to do as they wish.

WHAT? I’m not a slave. If you have asked Jesus to be your LORD, you asked to become both a child of God and a slave (by choice). Sound offensive? (Look at 1 Cor 7:22, Romans 6:18) If that is true, then we are not our own. My life is His. And if it is His, then I do what He wants me to do. So what is that? What the word says- Love God, love others, do not sin.

In this world there is so much that can draw us away to where we no longer trust the value of God’s Word. When that happens, we start trusting in the wisdom of man: psychology, evolution, solve your problems with a pill, ”I’m from the government, I’m here to help…” It’s okay to do as the world does as long as no one gets hurt, right?

Paul says to not be deceived. The current age he was living in had wisdoms that drew then into sensual perversions. We don’t have that issue today, right? Our TV is safe, right? If the movie is PG it is safe, right? The internet is… never mind.

If we agree with God on this, we will stand out like a sore thumb. We will dress differently by choice, we will talk differently by choice, we will entertain ourselves differently by choice. This will cause others to think we are judging, when we are, but not others actions, only our own.

Final thought: I choose to be a slave, in doing so, I look to God for wisdom, not this world. In doing so a rift is revealed that I adopt wisdom that looks foolish to the world, but in reality it is the wisdom of God. I want that!

Shalom.