“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (NAS)
A young man sat in my office wondering about the evidence of science and how to deal with all the academic theories challenging his faith. We talked about evolution, creation, dinosaurs, evidence of the flood, and scientific dating systems. His questions were good ones, thoughtful and valid for one in search of truth.
Rightly so, my young friend was more concerned about the basis of his faith than human wisdom. The Corinthian believers, however, seemed to be more concerned about oratorical skill, persuasive techniques, and scholarly theology than they were about the basis of their faith.
Simplicity is the vehicle of wisdom. Our faith is worthless if we do not understand it; if it can not be simply demonstrated; and if we can not explain it in simple terms. Academic theologizing will never convince unbelievers of Christ. Persuasive techniques will never be sufficient to persuade unbelievers to follow Christ.
One’s faith must rely on the power of God in the crucified and resurrected Christ. That power in our lives can only be demonstrated in our weaknesses, our fears, and our trembling. It is in the everyday struggles of the human experience that the spirit and power of God shines through to those in darkness. No, it is not an evangelism tool. Rather, it is God’s teaching tool. God’s spirit and power working in the midst of the believer’s routine life is a constant reminder that our faith relies solely on the power of God. Then in some mysterious manner, our steadfast faith in God demonstrates his power to the unbelievers around us.
Dear Father, thank you for your spirit and power. Deliver us from the schemes of human theory. Grant to us the strength of faith to rely solely upon your spirit and power in Christ Jesus. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in the crucified, resurrected Christ,