1 Corinthians 1: 1-17

If you appreciate history, literature, and knowledge of a writer and their purpose, then it’s interesting to know that the book of 1 Corinthians within the Holy Bible, is a letter from Paul to the church of God at Corinth. According to my Bible, Paul wrote this letter in 56 AD.

My brief synopsis of chapter 1, verses 1-17, which have been influenced by my recent reading of the book of Proverbs is this-

Don’t be divided, Church at Corinth, for we are all and only united in Jesus Christ. We are only ever born again through Jesus Christ. Our human wisdom before this rebirth, was foolishness. And, if we rely on that human wisdom in our preaching after our rebirth, we diminish the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross through empty words/actions. (It’s not hard to be an idiot in our words and actions, either. Just like a newborn baby who doesn’t know how to do anything for themselves, and a young toddler who might stick their finger in an electrical socket if their parents don’t protect them, followers of Christ have to rely on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit if we are to grow and sustain.)

Supporting verses that explain that our words are empty: 

Proverbs 16: 2-3: All a person’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs motives. Commit your activities to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” 

Proverbs 14:12-There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.

What are we to do then? Fear the Lord

Proverbs 1: 1-7

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;

    for understanding words of insight;

3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,

     doing what is right and just and fair;

4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,

     knowledge and discretion to the young—

5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,

     and let the discerning get guidance—

6 for understanding proverbs and parables,

     the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

     but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 14:2

Whoever lives with integrity fears the Lord, but the one who is devious in his ways despises him. (NIV)

He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. (KJV)

What does “Fear the Lord” mean? Feareth/Fear in Hebrew is יךא, when transliterated it is written, yârê’, which according to Strong’s Definition H3372: fearing; morally reverent 

Reverence is much more than being scared. It’s reverence–all that is sacred.

How do we fear the Lord, then? 

Proverbs 2:1-6, describes actions we can take to fear the Lord. We seek God’s wisdom, so that we may discover God’s knowledge. 

1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you , 2 listening closely to wisdom and directing your heart to understanding; 3 furthermore, if you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. 

1 Corinthians 1: 18-25

When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth 56 years after Christ was born, Christ had already died and was resurrected and ascended back into heaven. Christ became God’s Wisdom. Before we believed in Christ and made the choice to follow Christ, we were of the world, and we were fools. I was of the world and I was a fool. 

18 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. 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
 the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

What the world deems as foolish, or who the world deems as fools, will preach the message of God’s salvation. God calls the fools to preach God’s wisdom, because all that God IS, is more than what humans can ever understand in their non-belief. For years before Jesus Christ, Jews and Gentiles, all mankind, was not comprehending God’s wisdom and strength, so God sent Jesus to the world, so that we can comprehend God through Jesus, and be saved for eternity.

Proverbs 3: 19-20

19 The Lord founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. 20 By his knowledge the watery depths broke open and the clouds dripped with dew. 

Jesus became the dew, broke open the grave when he was resurrected, so that we can choose to believe in Him–God’s miracle and gift–and through that belief, begin seeking God’s wisdom and discovering His knowledge.

“Through our belief in Christ” we are commanded to trust him. This is the action beyond the belief. Actually, trust Jesus. Actually, trust the Lord who sent Jesus. Trust is hard, or has always been hard for me, anyways.

Proverbs 3: 1-12

1 My son, do not forget my teaching,

     but keep my commands in your heart,

2 for they will prolong your life many years

     and bring you peace and prosperity.

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

     bind them around your neck,

    write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Then you will win favor and a good name

     in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart

     and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways submit to him,

     and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

     fear the Lord and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body

    and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,

    with the firstfruits of all your crops;

10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,

    and your vats will brim over with new wine.

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,

     and do not resent his rebuke,

12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,

     as a father the son he delights in.

1 Corinthians 1: 26-31 BOAST ONLY IN THE LORD

26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Why did God choose the foolish, weak, and lowly? Because the “Rich and Poor have this in common, the Lord makes them all.” Proverbs 22:2

and,  

Ecclesiastes 3:19–For the fate of the children of Adam and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so does the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. 

Futile without GOD. Because GOD IS! No further words are needed. 

Finally, here’s the message God repeats again and again, embodying exactly what it means to “Fear the Lord”. 

1 Corinthians 2: 6-16

6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,

     what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived”—

     the things God has prepared for those who love him—

10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord

    so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

If we receive the Spirit of God, through our active belief in Jesus Christ, we are freely given the mind of Christ. How can our hands not shake and we not fall to our knees physically and mentally in complete reverence at the weight of what this statement means because of what God has given? How can we ever doubt that God is Love and that God loves us beyond our conception of wisdom and knowledge? God’s love is not past nor future tense, God’s Love is Present Tense. In our meek attempts to understand and explain all things, we will never understand. Yet, in Jesus Christ we have hope and the promise that we will receive divine wisdom and understanding. We will know our Creator’s Love. Thank you, Jesus! 

Ecclesiastes 5: 1-7

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2 Do not be quick with your mouth,

    do not be hasty in your heart

    to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven

    and you are on earth,

    so let your words be few.

3 A dream comes when there are many cares,

    and many words mark the speech of a fool.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? 7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore fear God.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, God.