February 14, 2014
EMBRACE YOUR FOOLISHNESS TO INHERIT WISDOM
1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Lance Thrailkill
Central Truth
Reject the worldly standards of wisdom and success, acknowledge your shortcomings, and embrace your need for our Savior. Then, take up your cross daily by following Him and putting to death your fleshly desires and self-righteousness. This is foolishness to the world, but the only way to true wisdom.
Key Verse | 1 Corinthians 3:18
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. (1 Corinthians 3:18)
1 Corinthians 3:16-23
16 Do you not know that you 1 3:16 The Greek for you is plural in verses 16 and 17 are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
Dive Deeper | 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
This verse jumped off the page and immediately convicted me! The Corinthians were known to be an arrogant group that valued wisdom and the ability to persuade others above all else. Paul is speaking out against this false sense of wisdom and arrogance that caused the division in the church. Instead, the Bible encourages us to "clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5, NASB) The moment that we start thinking that we are wise, pride sneaks in, and our dependence on God begins to disappear. Worldly wisdom creates false pride and security in us, whereas godly wisdom produces a humble, loving spirit.
Paul urges us to surrender our lives to Jesus by accepting Him as the Savior from our sins and by making Him Lord over every aspect of our lives. That idea is absolutely foolish in the eyes of the world. Jesus summarized it well when He said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:23-25, NASB)
The idea of this daily commitment to denying myself is absolutely essential for me, because I am so quick to rely pridefully on my own wisdom and efforts to be successful! I have used the wisdom of this world to pursue women and worldly success, and it was all absolutely empty. Now I have to humble myself before the Lord each morning, declare my full dependence on Him, and ask for His wisdom that He promises to give generously to those who ask in faith (James 1:5). Then, I must go through my day prayerfully by humbly seeking guidance from the Lord in every situation.
Discussion Questions
1. Do you spend more time pursuing worldly knowledge or godly wisdom? Get your schedule out and block off specific times that you can spend studying God's Word and talking with Him!
2. When someone praises you, do you get proud or do you humbly deflect the glory to God? A good litmus test for worldly wisdom versus godly wisdom is if you feel prideful when you apply or share that wisdom.
3. What sin struggle are you stubbornly refusing to admit as folly? Or what are you putting before your relationship with God? Where are you finding your significance besides from God? Confess now, repent, surrender it to Christ, and pursue Him above all else!
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33, NIV)