1 Corinthians 1:26-31

                                                         1 Corinthians 1:26-31

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

 

The glory for our salvation and all that we have become belongs to the Lord.  He takes the week and foolish and transforms them into faithful followers of Christ.  It is such a joy to experience His transforming power through the Gospel.  He gives us purpose, hope, and an eternal motive for which to live.  One of the inherent dangers associated with fallen men experiencing supernatural transformation is the sin of pride.  God’s blessings can easily lead to self-promotion.  This was one of the pitfalls seen in Israel.  Paul gives us advice as to how to avoid this sin in our own walk with the Lord.

 

CONSIDER YOUR CALLING: The first step in combating pride in our lives is to look back on who we were when Christ called us to Himself.  Nobody can say that the reason they were called into the family of God was because they had achieved some sort of elite status.  None of us were called into the family of God because of our own righteousness.  If fact, all who come to Christ must do so by admitting that they are unworthy of salvation and unable to save themselves.  In fact, Paul points out that even by the world’s standards almost everyone is seen as unsuccessful.  God does not save us because of our wisdom, power, or birthright.  His grace is the only reason behind salvation.  Those who depend on grace should walk in humility.

 

HUMBLE YOUR HEART: As we look at God’s workings in the world, we see that He is constantly using the humble of heart to accomplish His work.  The hates pride because it robs Christ of the glory that belongs to Him alone.  For that reason, He seeks to use the foolish so that those who consider themselves to be wise will be made to look foolish.  He uses the weak so that the strong will understand their need to depend on Him. He reaches out to those who have been rejected in the world to be His followers.  Jesus demonstrated His love for the rejected of society and set His heart on Gentile nations that were despised by the Jewish peoples.

 

LOVE YOUR LORD: All our affection should be directed at Christ.  He is the one who brought about our righteousness through redemption and sanctification and then allows us to walk in wisdom as we are directed by the Spirit of God.  His work for us and in us should forever eliminate all boasting from our lives.  He is the source of our salvation, hope and usefulness in the world.  We cannot respond in pride to the One who has brought about our holiness and grace.  He is only reason we are saved.  The proper response is to love Him as we are reminded that He loved us when we were unlovely.

 

APPLICATION: Don’t forget about who we were when God called us to Himself through Christ.  Fight off pride by humbling ourselves before the Lord.  Eliminate all boasting from our lives.  Focus on the unconditional and unmerited love of Christ for us.  Respond to that love with love for Him.

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