The Wisdom of Man vs the Wisdom of God

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Introduction

This morning we are continuing our series through the book of I Corinthians. If you have a bible with you or a device, go ahead and locate I Corinthians chapter 1. We’re going to be in verses 18-31 specifically. This particular section of scripture deals with the difference between the wisdom of God in the gospel and the wisdom of men. Lord willing, there are three main aspects I want to focus on here. The response, results, and reason of God’s wisdom as apposed to the lack of results of human wisdom. I want to be careful because if we’re flippant with how we approach this, we can get off the rails into a bunch of deeply philosophical thoughts and miss what God is trying to tell us here in His Word. Please pray with me as we begin.

PRAY

Human Wisdom and God’s Wisdom

Read Scripture: I Corinthians 1:18-31

1 Corinthians 1:18–31 ESV

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.”

I Corinthians 1:18-31

I. The problem of exalting human wisdom.

If you’ll recall last week, the church in Corinth was dealing with some division. There were groups of believers who had pledged their allegiance to certain individual leaders. In doing so they had elevated these leaders into a place in their lives they should not have been because it caused them to become divided. They exalted human wisdom and that resulted in disunity. You can look throughout church history and see time and time again, that when the church begins to rely on their own human wisdom rather than the wisdom of God, problems rise. Disunity happens. Isn’t it that way today still. A church that is plugging along and serving the Lord, doing the things the Lord has called His church to do, can easily begin to lean on the latest fad in ministry or culture and the veer away from their calling all the while thinking they are doing something really spiritual because it seems wise.

Human wisdom is egocentric. It’s all about us. It’s focused on what builds up for life here and does not focus on what comes after. It misses the point.

A. The wisdom of people = egocentric

It misses the point because it focuses on how knowledgeable, or prolific, or productive we are and neglects where the source of true power and strength come from.

B. The wisdom of God = eternal

In comparison with the wisdom of man that is finite.

II. The product of God’s wisdom.

A. Response to God’s wisdom.

B. Results of God’s wisdom.

1. Destroys worldly wisdom

2. Delivers repenting sinners

C. Reason for God’s wisdom

- Why did God chose the cross to save people?

Conclusion:

The