Not to Brag

In chapter 1 Paul introduced us to some of the issues the church in Corinth was facing - the greatest is unity.

One of the factors causing dissension is an attitude of superiority but Paul makes it clear that man’s understanding or wisdom is nothing compared to God’s

1 Corinthians 1:25 CSB

25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

This is the backdrop for the believers calling

1 Corinthians 1:26–2:5 CSB

26 Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one may boast in his presence. 30 It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption 31 —in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 1 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, announcing the mystery of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. 2 I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.

Remember where you come from.

Paul says to “consider” your calling. He is talking about remembering how you were when you first came to Christ.

We were all sinners, lost and destined for hell but God changed all that through Jesus.

Most of us answered the Holy Spirit through the simple gospel message. Most of us did not go and learn Hebrew, Greek or diagram the Scriptures to find Jesus. He found us, introduced Himself and we followed.

God’s view of us is vastly different than what the world sees.

Paul says that not many were wise, powerful or of noble birth but look at the qualifier… “from a human perspective”.

The world has a twisted view of things but God see us how we really are.

God choses to use us to show the world His plan.

The presumed foolish shame the wise - the presumed strong shame the weak - the presumed nothings show the world something, Jesus.

We have nothing to brag about without God.

All that we have comes from God. It is in Him that we are wise, strong and adopted as children of the King.

We have an advantage over the ones the world calls wise, strong and noble, see they rely on their own status but we put our trust and faith in God.

The things of this world will crumble and fail but God will never fail.

So if we have anything we cannot brag about our ability but we must boast in the works of the Lord.

R.C. Sproul says - “Christians have nothing to be smug about; we are not righteous people trying to correct the unrighteous. Just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”

The greatest thing we have in this world is the gift of salvation.

God himself is the ultimate force behind the salvation of those who believe. Although salvation is “by grace through faith,” even faith itself is “a gift from God” (Eph. 2:8–9). No credit belongs to the humans who have come to Christ. All credit belongs to God.

We don’t have to have all the answers, we just have to let the Holy Spirit work.

Paul didn’t use a bunch of fancy language or philosophy. He spoke the gospel plainly.

All we need is the message of Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection.