First Corinthians 3:18-23 - You Are Of Christ

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First Corinthians 3:18-23 - You Are Of Christ

By Skip Toomaloo
Oct. 15, 2006

“18Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 21So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, 22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” (1 Corinthians 3: 18-23)

There is deception in pride. Pride in one’s own knowledge or accomplishments have the capability of deceiving one into ignoring God’s admonishments and commands. The Apostle Paul wrote of his own age, but the reproof is as meaningful today as then. When a man believes himself wise he is actually displaying foolishness in ignoring the source of his wisdom.

I am reminded of Nebuchadnezzar in the days of the Prophet David. He created statues to himself and declared his own greatness as god. Yet he was humiliated and humbled by the true God of Heaven of whom he eventually wrote: “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” (Daniel 4: 37)

The entire Chapter of Daniel 4 is dedicated to the testimony of a human king who discovered the Real King of his life and every life. The wise are caught “in their craftiness” as the above scripture speaks. “The thoughts of the wise are futile” because much of this thought places man as the wisest of creation while ignoring the wisdom of the Creator.

All the world’s wisdom is “foolishness” to God.

You may seek salvation in all the points of man’s worldly wisdom and never find the grace you require to gain relationship with God. Millions of pages have been written from men for other men with no regard toward the LORD of all men.

Of this the Apostle writes “So then, no more boasting about men!”

Jim Jones, David Koresh, L. Ron Hubbard, Charles Manson, Adolph Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, Charles Russell, Joseph Smith and others were all honored and boasted before men as saviors and men of wisdom. Their failures not only destroyed them, but all who followed and boasted in them. There are still remnants that follow their writings and their teachings that flatly reject the true God of heaven for some other form of self-messianic delusion.

There have been men for sure whose life ministries put God before everything. Many of these men we may never know by name or by fame. They went to the world’s four corners carrying the message of hope that was brought to earth by the Son of the True God. They worked at planting and watering the field of men prepared by the Holy Spirit and churches arose in places bringing peace where no peace had existed previously.

Many of these men were martyred; never once compromising what they knew to be the truth and never backing away when confronted by the foolishness of man’s wisdom.

They brought men to Christ. They brought men into Christ. Such men stand today not in fame, but in humility of Spirit; knowing their truth in God far outweighs the so-called wisdom of worldly men.

Those “In Christ” know who they are and are secure and content that they never need to want for anything as the scripture above says plainly: “All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.”

The words of the Apostle can be trusted.

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Email Skip: skiptoomaloo@hotmail.com

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