The new believers in Corinth had asked Paul a set of questions. So, reading 1 Corinthians is like listening to a conversation, where only one person conversing can be heard. In this epistle, Paul gives divinely inspired advice to these spiritually gifted, yet very immature believers who had grown up knowing only the ways of worldly Corinth. Paul heard by word of mouth that some of the Corinthian believers were continuing to indulge in their cultural and societal practices that were ungodly.
In this epistle to the church in Corinth, Paul teaches that salvation from sin through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross appears foolish to the average person, however, to believers it shows God's power. God's way has always been different from that of people in general. Whether they be philosophers, scholars, or just ordinary people, people always think their schemes and ideas are full of wisdom; however, God shows them to be foolish. God, in His wisdom, saves people by way of the cross and no other. People think this way to be foolish, however, no matter how much they try to know God through their own wisdom, they will never succeed.
The Jews want miraculous signs to prove that Jesus is the mighty Messiah, however, instead, they see Him crucified. To them this shows not power, but weakness. A crucified Messiah is in their view a stumbling block, something that they will not believe and that consequently prevents them from receiving God's salvation. As for the Greeks, they consider the whole idea to be mere foolishness. To believers (Jews or Greeks) God’s wisdom is proof of His power and wisdom. The cross alone can conquer sin and bring salvation. That which the Greeks think to be foolish proves to be wiser than anything people can imagine. That which the Jews think to be weak proves to be stronger than anything people can accomplish.
So, Paul writes 1 Corinthians to correct their ungodly behavior and their mistaken beliefs by telling them:
- to heal the divisions in the church (1:10-4:21)
- not to indulge in incest (5:1-8)
- to separate from immoral believers (5:9-13)
- not to take a fellow-believers to court (6:1-11)
- not to indulge in sexual immorality (6:12-20)
- not to misuse the Lord's Supper (11:17-34)
- not to entertain false teaching about the resurrection (chapter 15)
1 Corinthians 1:18-24 (ERV): “The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise. I will confuse the understanding of the intelligent.” So, what does this say about the philosopher, the law expert, or anyone in this world who is skilled in making clever arguments? God has made the wisdom of the world look foolish. This is what God in His wisdom decided: Since the world did not find Him through its own wisdom, He used the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe it. The Jews ask for miraculous signs, and the Greeks want wisdom. But this is the message we tell everyone: Jesus Christ was killed on a cross. This message is a problem for Jews, and to other people it is nonsense. But Jesus Christ is God’s power and wisdom to the people God has chosen, both Jews and Greeks.”
1 Corinthians 1:30 (KJV): “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption…”
(ERV): "It is God who has made you part of Christ Jesus. And Christ has become for us wisdom from God. He is the reason we are right with God and pure enough to be in His presence. Christ is the one who set us free from sin."
(TPT): "For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now He is our God-given wisdom, our virtue (righteousness), our holiness, and our redemption."
Paul teaches the Corinthians that God shows His wisdom by means of the righteousness, sanctification, and redemption that we have in Jesus Christ. Each of these theological words carries a special meaning for believers:
- Righteousness has to do with our standing before God (we are made right with God).
- We are justified: God declares us righteous in Jesus Christ.
- We are also sanctified (made holy), set apart to belong to God and to serve Him.
- Our redemption emphasizes the fact that we are set free because Jesus Christ paid the price for us on the cross. This will lead to complete redemption when Jesus Christ returns.
Romans 8:23 (NLT2): “And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as His adopted children, including the new bodies He has promised us."
“But because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who has become wisdom from God for us: righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” {1 Corinthians 1:30 (KJV)}.
"But because of Him:” Paul comes to the heart of the matter by reminding the Corinthians of their salvation in Jesus Christ; they are believers, not unbelievers. In this epistle, Paul points to God as the author of salvation. God sent His Son to save His people, to cleanse them from sin, and to bring them into His glorious fellowship. Paul can rightly say "because of Him," for God is the reason why every committed believer can have the assurance and the privilege of being in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 1:21 (GW): “She will give birth to a son, and you will name Him Jesus [He Saves], because He will save His people from their sins.”
1 John 2:2 (NLT2): “He Himself (Jesus Christ) is the sacrifice that atones for our sins and not only our sins but the sins of all the world."
John 1:14 (CEV): “The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw His true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From Him the complete gifts of undeserved grace and truth have come down to us.”
1 Timothy 1:15-17 (GW): “This is a statement that can be trusted and deserves complete acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the foremost sinner. However, I was treated with mercy so that Christ Jesus could use me, the foremost sinner, to demonstrate His patience. This patience serves as an example for those who would believe in Him and live forever. Worship and glory belong forever to the eternal king, the immortal, invisible, and only God. Amen."
"You are in Christ Jesus”:
This phrase “in Christ Jesus” or “in Christ” appears many times in Paul's epistles. To be in Jesus Christ means to have intimate fellowship with Him and with all other believers who are united with Him. In other words, union with Jesus Christ is a privilege and at the same time an obligation to live a life that is dedicated to Him.
God's real wisdom is Jesus Christ, His Son! God out of His nature of love and salvation has chosen us to be in Jesus Christ. It is God who saves us; we cannot save ourselves, no matter how capable we are or how much good we do.
