1st Corinthians 3 - Foolish Wisdom

1st Corinthians 3:18-20 - ¹⁸Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; ²⁰and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."

^"18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise." - Deception is pulling the wool over your or someone else's eyes. You cannot deceive God, therefore, it is foolish to even try.

^"19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight." - You cannot be led away from the truth by having a high opinion of human wisdom. God's logic does not equal man's logic. God created logic and he can defy logic. You have to learn to follow God even when things don't make sense. The true way to wisdom is to submit your own understanding to God's will. Then you will be truly "foolish" in the eyes of the world, but wise in the eyes of God.

Which would you rather be?

"As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; - This would be a direct quote from Job 5:13.

^"20and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." - And this one from Psalm 94:11.

There can be no comparison between God's wisdom and man's. All knowledge ultimately comes from God. This is the reason that we have faith. We cannot explain what we do not know. Scientists have tried with the theory of evolution and the science of eugenics, but they cannot produce an answer that fits their logical patterns.

God knows everything - he is omniscient. As proof of this, I'll leave you with this quote from Jesus as he conversed with Nicodemus in John 3:11-12 - ^"11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹²I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"

We'll polish off this chapter tomorrow.