1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Paul has corrected people’s ideas about Who is truly important in the Church (Christ alone) and what the primary message of the Church must be (the word of the cross).  Now he says that division in the Church makes no sense because it is contrary to the constituency of the Church.  Since our message is foolishness to the world, then to the world we who believe the message are a bunch of fools.  

Envy, strife and division in the church depend on people having elevated views of themselves.  Thus in today’s passage Paul corrects that elevated view.

·        V26-29 says that we were not chosen by God because of our greatness but because of our smallness, so that no flesh should glory in His presence.  God did not choose many wise, powerful (capable) or noble people.  Rather He specifically chose the foolish, weak, not-noble (base), despised and insignificant people to stand up to the greatest of the world.  The reason?  So that all glory would go to God.  The despised tax-collector was forgiven; the self-exalting Pharisee was not.  The hated Samaritan was acknowledged for his love; the too-busy Levite and Priest were condemned.  The shameful prostitute knew forgiveness; the teacher of the Law did not.  

·        V30-31 says that whatever significance we have is attributed to Christ, so that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”  Think deeply about this!  We are fools in the opinion of the world; but in fact we have great wisdom from God because we are in Christ Jesus.  He, Christ Jesus, has become for us …

o   Righteousness.  Jesus is The Lord our Righteousness (Jer. 23:5-6).  In His life Jesus satisfied every righteous demand of the law (Rom. 10:4).  We, being people whose righteousness is as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6-7), have become righteous in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).  Our sin was put to His account on the cross; His righteousness is put to our account by faith.

o   Sanctification.  Jesus prayed that we would be sanctified (set apart to Him; John 17:17-19).  When we believe in Christ we are united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection so that we might walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:1-4).  In another picture, we have been married to Christ so that we might bear fruit to God (Rom. 7:4).  Not only does Jesus give us a righteous standing before God; He enables us to live a sanctified life now!

o   Redemption.  This speaks not only of the transaction on the cross whereby Christ shed His blood as a ransom for sin; it speaks of the future when He returns and the work of the cross is fully applied (Rom. 8:23; Eph. 4:30).  Our bodies will be raised like His glorified body (Phil. 3:21).  The path to Christ-likeness will then be complete (I John 3:2-3).

Christ is all of this for the believer.  This is not the way men think.  But in fact, it is the wisdom from God.  All of this is bound up in Christ; it is the effect of the cross of Christ (1 Cor. 1:17).  Let us glory in the Lord!