1 Corinthians 1:25,26 - Not many of you were wise

1:25

The gospel may seem like foolishness to some, but it is actually wider than all human wisdom. It deals with mankind as we are, it deals with the truth, not with a fantasy. Likewise, the cross seems like weakness, for it was the most painful and humiliating form of death invented. Yet through the cross sin was defeated, the devil was defeated, and death was defeated. The cross has not been defeated in two thousand years, and it will never be defeated.

1:26

Paul now seems to switch tact a little, but in fact it is strongly related to the matters he has just been talking about. There was a kind of celebrity culture, in which the rich, famous and eloquent were looked up to, and were idolised. And this culture was being carried into the church. The same thing happens today. If some sort of famous person becomes a Christian, then they are paraded by the church, or are considered to be of special value. There is some good motive behind this, in that the thinking is “if the world sees that this famous person believes the gospel, then more people will believe in Jesus”. However, the thinking is flawed. First it is unfair on the famous convert. He or she is a vulnerable human being just like you and me, and putting them on a pedestal can cause them harm. Secondly, it is denying that the cross is the power of the gospel, it is putting celebrity status above that of the cross. Thirdly, churches sometimes look very silly because of this. The celebrity’s faith may be very weak, or they may have a number of suspect views. Finally, it devalues the “ordinary Christian”. In essence it takes the focus off Christ. This is not to say that celebrities should never speak at “Christian events”, but that it should be done with true Biblical wisdom. Paul reminds the Corinthians that not many of them were rich, wise, influential or of noble birth. If God so greatly valued the things that the Corinthians valued, then He wouldn’t have chosen them!