1 Corinthians 3:18-23

1 Corinthians 3:18-23

Let no one deceive himself.  If anyone in you all thinks to be wise in this age, let him become a fool in order that he should become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness according to God.  For it has been written, “the one who seizes the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise – that they are useless.”  Therefore let no one boast in mankind, for all things are yours – whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or while being the present or while being the future.  All are yours, you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul’s discussion here about wisdom and foolishness is a not-so subtle reminder about how things really work.  We think that we are so much smarter than God.  We think that we don’t need Him.  But really this is a point that talks about human humbleness.  If we want to be wise, we should be like a fool and accept that it is God’s wisdom within us that makes us wise.

Do you submit to God?  Do you live as though His qualities are truly better and more dependable than your own?

Second Thought:

In 1 Corinthians 3:21 we hear Paul give a warning.  The Corinthians were comparing human beings with each other.  They were deriving worth from their relationship with other people.  Their focus on man was wrong, and it can be evidenced because of how it fractured their congregation.  Their desire to boast based on human understanding and human pedigree split their church.

Have you ever been compared with someone else?  How has that made you feel?  Why is this a divisive concept?

Third Thought:

Rather, Paul tells us that everything is ours.  This is really true if we think about it. Jesus taught the disciples.  The disciples taught more disciples.  Eventually it was all written down.  Then it was collected into what we call the Bible.  We have access to that.  Literally, everything in Christ is ours!  Yet at the same time, that does not make us supreme.  We belong to Christ.  We have access to all of this because we are in Christ.  And if we are in Christ, then we are in God.  It is God who is supreme, not us.

Are you blessed to be able to have the witness of all the disciples at your fingertips?  Do you consider yourself to be blessed?  Do you consider yourself to belong to God?  How do you live that out?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5