1 Corinthians 1:18-19 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.“

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

In I Corinthians 1:18-31 the Holy Spirit reveals the supremacy of God’s wisdom, in the gospel of Jesus Christ—uncovers the faulty nature of the wisdom of men—makes clear the nature of God’s wisdom—and finally makes a remarkable statement about God’s wisdom being personally present with us…

“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God”

With intention the Holy Spirit brings forth a comparison between God’s wisdom and that of the wisdom of man. Paul was embroiled in a battle against those who were operating in the wisdom of man, against the wisdom of God, in the Corinthian Church.

Of the two letters, to the Corinthians church, contained in the New Testament, Paul is fighting against specific cultural, religious, and theological elements, in the manner of the wisdom of men masquerading as the ways of God. This deception was causing damage to Christ’s bride and His testimony in that pagan city.

Therefore, the apostle, inspired by the Holy Spirit, brings the wisdom of God to focus in the cross of Jesus Christ. In the cross, which is wisdom personified in Christ, we read “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

In verse 18 the word of God reveals “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing”. Who are those who are perishing, who believe the preaching of the cross to be foolish? Well, those wise in the wisdom of men.

1 Corinthians 1:20 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?

From where does the wisdom of men (the world) come from?

ORIGIN OF THE WISDOM OF MEN
The wisdom of men is not actually the wisdom of men, but the wisdom given to men from fallen angels, beginning with Satan. The wisdom of men is to believe the LIE of Satan and its deceptions against YHWH the One True God. Consider the fall of man in the Garden.

Prior to their temptation at the hand of the enemy, Adam and Eve had nothing to distrust the Lord about, in fact they enjoyed face to face fellowship with God and were satisfied in Him and His provision.

He commanded them from love, and they obeyed. His command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was a command of love, not a command holding them back.

Yet Satan, lies to them, suggesting that God is lying to them…

Genesis 3:4-5 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

Satan then lies in suggesting that God, in His commands, is holding them back from knowledge that will make them freer and happier…

Genesis 3:5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Therefore, the wisdom of men, is based on the satanic lie that disobeying God’s commands brings freedom, happiness and sovereignty over one’s own life. Man’s wisdom is to pursue one’s desire apart from God, and Satan has an entire world system to aid men to do so (I John 2:15-17). The only problem is it is the LIE, which brings the men into bondage of death.

Man’s wisdom, which is inherent in the world and the flesh, was created and is stoked by Satan’s minions through cultural, political, religious and academic systems; and it touches every part of human life. It can be seen first in the tower of Babel.

Remember that after the flood, the Lord commanded Noah and his sons to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Yet, only a short time after this command, Nimrod (the first antichrist son of Satan) said “Nah, let’s all gather in one place and keep one religion” (Genesis 10 and 11).

What many do not understand is that Nimrod’s vision was from the wisdom men gain from Satan, where the tower was a place of pagan ritualistic sacrifice to false god’s, who are the fallen angels of Genesis 6. The tower served as a giant middle finger to God, where they would build so high, no flood could overcome it.

At Babel, all of man’s accumulated wisdom was married in an unholy trinity of one world-wide government, religion, and economy, where a multiplicity of gods would stand against The One True GOD YHWH. But the LORD God said NO!

In confusing the languages, and dispersing the people throughout the world, we can see this system has spread worldwide, and is held together, through systems of deities, where the names change by nation, but are the same fallen angels masquerading as gods.

Whereas the cross magnifies the wisdom of God, the religions of the word, which are the backbone of men’s wisdom, seeks to elevate the creature above the Creator. The only problem is that the creature being elevated is not man, but those Satan, as he manipulates man to do his bidding against the LORD God.

Romans 1:21-25 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Remember those creatures being worshipped, the fallen angels, are interchangeable gods, from pantheon to pantheon around the world.

Yet rather than be like Immanuel, God with us, who is God dwelling with us (Isaiah 9:6), they hang out at the top of the tower, on their Mt. Olympus, and pass man’s wisdom on to those lucky enough (or not so lucky) to be enlightened.

Consider the horrible religion of Hinduism, which wrecks billions in India. In that false system the priestly class tells all others who is approved and not approved, in a system of tiers, where only a few can have it all. Most must work religiously, in service of man’s wisdom to get an opportunity to die and come back a higher tier. In this demonic system humans work for a multiplicity of gods, with no hope of moving up

This is not different than the Roman or Greek pantheon.

Look at the two billion suffering in Roman Catholicism, with more false deities, exacting religious duties for salvation. Romans Catholicism has allowed the false gods to masquerade as saints to be prayed to. Remember that the Mary of Catholicism is not the woman who carried the Christ, as a virgin, but a counterfeit Mary who is the pagan Queen of heaven mentioned in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The Queen of Heaven is none other than Semiramis, wife of Nimrod, and false goddess.

In this system an enlightened priestly class has the market cornered on man’s wisdom and seeks to make null and void the effectual nature of Christ’s death and resurrection, as it calls men to trust the Roman Catholic church as its means to salvation.

Even atheists and materialists, who would deny the supernatural, worship and serve the creature, and have enlightened priest of their false religion, called experts and professors. Remember it was these great minds (sarcasm for sure) which commanded the world shut down for covid-19, only to be proven wrong and caught lying about pretty much everything. This is the wisdom of men (the world).

And the wisdom of men is coming together religiously (COEXIST anyone?), governmentally and economically, in these last days. At that time, we will see how the wisdom of men demands allegiance, which means men must become its slaves or die.

Be warned, both letters to the Corinthian Church reveal an encroaching man’s wisdom, that was threatening the church of Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 11:1-15). Make no mistake, this intrusion is still a danger today.

GOD’S WISDOM
Remember that our passage declares that God’s wisdom makes foolish the wisdom of man, because God’s wisdom is seen in the cross of Christ. In his cross we see the fullness of Immanuel “God with us” to its fullest extent. Yes, the Living word of God, who is God, became flesh and dwelt among us, but to such a degree that He walked in all our lives and struggles personally, suffering all our temptations as we, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:14-16). He fully identified with us.

In his death, Christ so identified with us that He who knew no sin, became sin as our sin were written into His body with torture, so we, by faith in His life, death and resurrection, would become the righteousness of God in Him (II Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:14-15).

Man’s wisdom says we can elevate ourselves above God’s throne, God’s wisdom says Christ, who has risen from the dead, humbles Himself to make our heart His throne… Immanuel, God with us.

This is distinct for the fallen deities of man’s wisdom, do not desire to live with us, but use us in their failed war against God. God’s wisdom shames man’s wisdom, for there is no elevation, only God condescending to be with humanity, which He made in His image.

God’s wisdom exposes the wisdom of men, because it is an outward pursuit of self-elevation to personal sovereignty, whereas God’s wisdom is known inwardly, by those who walk with He who is Wisdom.

Remember that our passage declares “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God”. Remember that Adam had wisdom present with him, so long as God was materially present with Him, but Adam did not have wisdom in His heart, inwardly present at all times.

For the Christian, who has truly repented and has placed their faith in Christ, wisdom is present, by the residency of the Holy Spirit dwelling with us.

This squares with the word of God, as the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ and Christ is wisdom personified.

Check out Proverbs 8 is a revelation of God’s wisdom, and quite literally reveals Christ, the Living Word, as Creator and Wisdom.

Proverbs 8:22-36 “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth; while as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, or the primal dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there, when He drew a circle on the face of the deep, When He established the clouds above, when He strengthened the fountains of the deep, when He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in His inhabited world, and my delight was with the sons of men. 32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways. 33Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.”

Christ has become for us wisdom present and powerful

Next time, we will investigate how the wisdom of God, shames the wisdom of men, from accounts in the Bible.