Christ Crucified

[nChrist]

Christ Crucified
Unto the Jews a Stumblingblock
Unto the Greeks Foolishness
By Cornelius R. Stam

The world will gladly listen to preaching about “the baby Jesus,” or “the carpenter of Nazareth,” or “the man of Galilee.” They will gladly listen to the story of His life, but bring them to the Cross and they back away.

The preaching of the Cross embarrasses the Jew. To him Christ crucified is a constant Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence. He complains with his fathers, “Ye intend to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5:28 ).

To the Gentiles the preaching of the Cross is foolishness. They laugh and say, “He could not save Himself! How can He save others? He could not save them by His life! How can He save them by His death?”

Thank God, what seems so foolish and illogical to them is to us the only reasonable plan of salvation. We are thrilled and proud of Him; we love and worship Him, because He did not save Himself, so that He might save us, for “CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS” (I Corinthians 15:3).

Yes, “The preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18 ).

[Allinall]

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

    "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
   and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

The older I get the more sense Paul makes in this passage from 1 Corinthians 1 and 2.  The world can't grasp it.  Those who know Him are grasped by it.  That's the point.  Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  Thanks for posting this Tom!  I needed that.   

[nChrist]

Hello Allinall,

Brother Kevin, I need it also and I need it frequently. I think that it's wonderful for us to simplify things often and simply come to CHRIST like a little child. It helps us to keep things in the proper perspective, and it also makes us stronger in CHRIST. I firmly believe that the central focus of CHRIST is what all Christians need in these confusing and evil days. We can keep our eyes on HIM and know what our future holds. I really do think the End Days of this Age of Grace are drawing near. To be IN CHRIST is really ALL - and that will be for Eternity in joy with HIM.

Love In Christ,
Tom

 

[Allinall]

Amen and amen.