The Message Of The Cross

1 Corinthians   1:18-25

"For the message of the cross is foolishness 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 bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.' Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishnes of the message (of the cross) preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom; but WE preach Christ crucified: to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks, foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

The initial nine verses of the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul rejoices in what God has made available to the church, there and everywhere. Without question, they have been set apart in Christ Jesus, "called to be saints". The initial four verses of the third chapter, while calling them brethren, Paul upbraids them as babes in Christ and carnal, not able to receive solid food. Babies, given too solid a food, will void that food, producing no benefit to their bodies nutrition.

The message of the cross of Jesus Christ, Him crucified THEN exalted on high next to His Father, will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Jesus Christ completed it in front of the foundation of the world. Now, through Paul, God awakens the church to it. If we speak this very same thing, having a uniform testimony, carnality will be swallowed by spirituality in Christ Jesus. We will be "of the brethren who have the testimony of Jesus". Not babes but mature, becoming complete. I would say that this is the definition of praising Jesus to the glory of God!