The foolishness of the Cross

Yes we carry that Cross today as well, in the midst of people just like their were in the Day of the Lord.
If we don't are we just like others just standing by like a dumb schmuck.

1 Corinthians 1:
[sup]18[/sup] 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.
[sup]19[/sup] For it is written: “ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

This is the starting point ... believing the message of the cross (Jesus' gospel).

"Take up your cross and follow me."

1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

Such a simple statement, but such deep meaning.

The principle idea is that the stauros represents to us the death of our flesh (the carnal man). And it is therein that we begin to live not by empowerment of our flesh any longer, but by the power of God.

This is also exactly why it is foolishness to them that perish. So long as they are slaves dependent upon their flesh, they cannot grasp that the thing which they trust for success in life is the very thing that deprives them of that success.

You are here focusing on probably the most important key we need to learn to use.

How do we use it?

We keep the thought closely in mind as we read in the NT (especially in the life and example of Paul), to see how those foundation stones in Christ used it.

Once we have truly grasped this key we then are able to understand why focusing on what God may or may not do in His maneuvering of the fleshly visible nations holds little value for us. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Once we have truly grasped this key we then are able to understand that we truly do not war against the flesh. (2 Corinthians 10:3) We see that if one man of flesh died then all died. (2 Corinthians 5:14) And we know that to war against the flesh and to worry about what is being done with that flesh is as a subtle denial that the flesh did die. It is as trying to keep that flesh alive. (Galatians 2:18-21) And we see then that is the deeper connotation of Jesus having said the following:

Matthew 23:27-30 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets."

These Pharisees focused on the flesh and their motivations and every move that they made was based upon traditions developed in observance of that flesh. Jesus warned the Samaritan woman who worshiped in that same way: John 4:22-24 "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." Her judgments were based upon what she had observed of the flesh. She saw that God used a fleshly nation of men to bring salvation to men. Now she needed only to get her eyes off of that flesh so that she might begin to truly see.

This is an excellent place to begin discussing the examples we see in Paul's life of this principle in motion.

I would begin at the first chapter of his letter to the Galatians.

I thank God for grace, and that my sins are covered with the blood of Christ.

I walk by faith, not by sight... No man can see the holyness that is in me.

Smile..... You have a nice day, Prentis.

Prentis said:

Excellent post, Vengle!!!!!

To carnal man, it is foolishness to think we must die to self. The thing is, babes in Christ who are still carnal will react the same way. A fearful thing that I see today is many people who have built a doctrine and a way of thinking that is designed to make them REMAIN carnal... Or maybe someone designed it for them!

To them it remains foolishness, and they thereby make themselves enemies of the cross, because they oppose it's work, to put to death the deeds of the flesh.

If we will crucify the deeds of the flesh, and submit to God, then we will walk in the life and power of God. We must be 'deplugged' from our original power source and plugged into God's spirit.

Click to expand...

I like that; "We must be 'deplugged' from our original power source and plugged into God's spirit."

That is truly beautiful!!!

In the first chapter of Galatians we see Paul alludes to his days of fervent zeal in Judaism.

Galatians 1:11 "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers."

We have but to compare Paul's words in Galatians chapter 4 to this and to recall the exclamations concerning Jerusalem by David in the Psalms to know that they clearly saw their flesh and blood holy city Jerusalem as being wed to God and appointed as the caretaker of God's Law. And she was as a mother toward them, forming and nourishing them to God in her womb.

What Paul meant at Galatians 1:15 was that he was a late born separation from that fleshly Jerusalem's womb. (1 Corinthians 15:3-10) That as we see from 1 Corinthians happened while Paul was on the road to Damascus. (see Acts chapters 9 and 12)

Isaiah 66:10-11 "Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory."

Proverbs 1:8 "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:"

Before we begin discussing this it would be good for all to meditate on the Proverbs from that aspect; that the father is God and the mother, Jerusalem intrusted as the guardian of his Law.

Be aware also that often when the Psalmists speak of Zion they often mean Jerusalem as the mountain of God's chief representative. (Psalms 51:18)

Ponder these things so that we might talk about how they relate to the subject being discussed in this thread. Then we can discuss the differences in his approach from that time forward.