1 Corinthians 1:25 KJV
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Barnes Notes says, "There is really no weakness in God, any more than there is folly. This must mean, therefore, the things of his appointment which appear weak and insufficient to accomplish the end. Such are these facts - that God should seek to save the world by Jesus of Nazareth, Who was supposed unable to save himself Mat_27:40-43; and that he should expect to save people by the gospel, by its being preached by people who were without learning, eloquence, wealth, fame, or power. The instruments were feeble; and people judged that this was owing to the weakness or lack of power in the God who appointed them."[1]
Men observe what God has planned and consider it foolish and weak. We devise ways to make His plan work better. It might be that God uses the foolishness of preaching, but we think we can improve the odds by making preaching more palatable. It might be that the instruments God uses are weak in that they are unlearned, but we think we can improve upon them by giving them the type of education this world would respect.
The best of our churches fall prey to the worldliness of turning God's plan into a skill. And we think we have evidence in the effectiveness of our devises in the growth of some of our ministries. The problem is, invariably it is the skill of the men involved that is glorified and not the God they claim to serve.
Heaven help us to return to simply trusting God for whatever results He chooses for us. Heaven help us to stop glorifying men and their plans and return to honest faith in Christ.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Barnes Notes says, "There is really no weakness in God, any more than there is folly. This must mean, therefore, the things of his appointment which appear weak and insufficient to accomplish the end. Such are these facts - that God should seek to save the world by Jesus of Nazareth, Who was supposed unable to save himself Mat_27:40-43; and that he should expect to save people by the gospel, by its being preached by people who were without learning, eloquence, wealth, fame, or power. The instruments were feeble; and people judged that this was owing to the weakness or lack of power in the God who appointed them."[1]
Men observe what God has planned and consider it foolish and weak. We devise ways to make His plan work better. It might be that God uses the foolishness of preaching, but we think we can improve the odds by making preaching more palatable. It might be that the instruments God uses are weak in that they are unlearned, but we think we can improve upon them by giving them the type of education this world would respect.
The best of our churches fall prey to the worldliness of turning God's plan into a skill. And we think we have evidence in the effectiveness of our devises in the growth of some of our ministries. The problem is, invariably it is the skill of the men involved that is glorified and not the God they claim to serve.
Heaven help us to return to simply trusting God for whatever results He chooses for us. Heaven help us to stop glorifying men and their plans and return to honest faith in Christ.
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