◄ What Does 1 Corinthians 1:31 Mean? ►

Like so much of the Church today, these Christians in Corinth were not living the life of holiness and humility to which we have all been called, but had allowed the standards, morals, and attitudes of the world to infiltrate their position in Christ.

Divisions, strife, contentions, and splits within the Body had shattered their unity in the Lord Jesus. Immorality was accepted and unchecked. Spiritual pride had become pervasive as each boasted of the merits of their favoured apostle or preferred teacher, not recognising that such attitudes and actions demonstrated their foolish carnality, fleshly worldliness, and lack of true spirituality.

These believers had set at naught the wisdom and power of the Cross by boasting, rejoicing, and glorying in themselves. However, Paul takes pains to remind us all of an unchanging truth: "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord - let him who glories, glory only in the finished work of Christ."

Like so much of the Church today, these Christians in Corinth were trying to grow in grace and mature in the faith through worldly ways, not having understood that the foolishness of the simple gospel of Christ (Who died for our sins and rose again the third day, to pay the price of sin and break its power in our lives), is the only power and wisdom that is acceptable to God the Father.

Like much of Christendom today, these believers were glorying in the standards, morals, attitudes, and ways of the world, being displayed by divisions, strife, contentions, and splits - but Paul sought to remind them that the wisdom and glory of philosophical thinkers and the clever arguments of the "wise and prudent," are of non-effect to God. 

As Christians, we are all one in Christ and we must never forget that our sufficiency is in Him alone. How foolish to revel in the ungodly wisdom of the world when Christ's finished work at Calvary is all we need to live godly in Christ Jesus.

Let us never forget that the gospel of Christ is for us wisdom, power, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. And so we are called to reject the standards, morals, attitudes, and ways of the world and "boast only in the Lord."

Heavenly Father, help me to take my eyes off myself and to set the eyes of my heart firmly on the Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to recognise and reject the foolish philosophies of the ‘wise’, and the vain glories that the world may offer. God forbid that I should glory, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.