“Saved
By The Preaching Of The Cross”
I Corinthians 1:17-21
17.
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the
gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of
none effect.
18.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the
wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20.
Where is the wise? where is
the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by
wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe.
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t is no secret that Man attempts to relate to
the spiritual through the natural. But, it should come as no surprise that it
is impossible to read and understand the Bible through human ability. After
all, the Word emanates from the Spirit and is communicated through the Spirit.
What
is “of God” is known only through the Spirit of God. However, one is easily
deceived in this World, where the one who gets heard is frequently the one who
makes the most “noise,” rather than speaks the most truth.
Many
people would probably love to know the truth, but they have a hard time
accepting it. This is because when a naturally operating man encounters the
truth, he does really hear it. The reason he does not “hear” it is that he
looks and relates that which God gives to what he already knows. You see, Man
believes that in order to understand, he must be able to compare. This is a
definite problem if you have nothing to which to compare. Therefore, if Man
would ever receive revelation, he must open himself to something new.
If
there were to be no revelation, there would be no salvation. God saves for a
purpose. That purpose may not be to be used in a spectacular way or for a
spectacular purpose. But, we can be sure that that which God has called into
existence will come to fruition.
God’s
“masterpiece” of salvation is the Man who accepts his freedom from the bondage
of flesh and sin and determines to walk in the freedom of the Spirit. That man
will consider himself blessed, indeed, to be dead to flesh and hence, saved
from sin.
Many
people have made it through salvation through their powers of persuasive
speech, alone: This day is one in which the better you talk the more people
will listen. Frequently, it is not important what is said so much as how it is
said.
The
devil counts on us having neither a hunger nor a love for His Word. This way,
it really doesn’t matter what is spoken to us or by whom. He also counts on us
remaining self-consumed all of our lives. He knows that as long as this is how
we conduct ourselves, we will remain ignorant of the Word and therefore, without
help.
The
cross “preaches” to us because of Jesus’ experience on it. In like manner, we
are “spoken to” by the experiences of others, both good and “bad.” This is why
we are given “warnings” by others who have walked before us. In their warning
us they are doing as Jesus instructs be done yet largely, seem ineffective.
Why? Because in order for a warning to be effective and avert
disaster, it must be heeded. If it is ignored, it is lost.
It is essential to the spiritual health and
general welfare of the
Through
“the preaching of the Cross” we are granted liberty—the liberty to accept
salvation and then live free. We can never take credit for any “improvement” in
our lives or for “getting our lives together” in any way.
To
be able to be “different” from what you have been; to be able to “change,”
one will have to be able to “receive.” No one will just stumble upon this
ability. If one would be “receptive” of the Lord, he will be forced to operate
outside of his flesh and his five senses. Whether it seems possible to us
or not, it is essential if we will be benefited by salvation.