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Believing In Something Foolish
No one would encourage you to believe in something foolish. They would probably suggest you avoid it at all costs. If you were to believe in something foolish, you risk being mocked and labeled as illiterate or deceived.
1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.” Although the intellectually arrogant might see the power of the cross as unrealistic imagery, it is the only means of repairing the relationship of man with God because of his sin.
There is no greater wisdom available to us than the wisdom of God’s will. This is not foolish. This power is “wiser than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). The worst tragedy would be to dismiss God’s wisdom as “foolishness”. Therefore, the more diligent and sober we are, the more sense we will see in words like Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
With prejudice, pride, and pleasure making up much of the intellectual landscape in Corinth and today, it is no surprise people view the cross as foolishness. How can a human sacrifice on a cross and his resurrection bring hope to a spiritually dying world? Is that not unusual? Impossible? The difference is in knowing you need help and in knowing you can do it all on your own (1 Corinthians 1:29,20; James 4:6).
