Now we are left with the church, a place made up of all the people to whom the Spirit has revealed that godly wisdom to and who have decided to accept that gift, who now go about exploring more of His plan and secrets.
We do life together, and all build our faith on the very same foundation. But the expression of that looks very different, just as we as humans are very different, too.
As I think about Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, on which this series on wisdom and foolishness is based (those very words are borrowed from his letter), I wonder what He would write to us? He writes the letter to the Corinthians because of divisions that are happening amongst the local church. He writes to them about issues they have asked Him about, but also tells them to do something about some other issues or practices happening in the church.
I wonder, if Paul were to write a letter to my local church today, what would he tell us? What issues would he talk about that we might be blinded against?
Furthermore, I wonder who I would have been back in Jesus’ day, and what Jesus would do would he walk around and visit our churches today?
Would the church accept Him if He would come and smash our idols? How would I react if He would start preaching about things that I might not have asked about? If He would tell me that I am not as righteous as I think I am, would I change my life? Would I be the blind person that needs to see, the bleeding woman that needs healing, and that, in all humility, “gets it”? Would I be one of the disciples, zealously leaving everything behind and following Him, or would I be the rich person who cannot give up my wealth for Him?
Jesus, back in the day, revolutionized Jewish practices and believes, and went against cultural norms.
If Jesus would live amongst our churches today, I think He would radically revolutionize our church landscape, too. He would probably do things I wouldn’t understand, reject things I have blindly accepted, and talk to people I now overlook. I think He would go against social rules, against our etiquette, and maybe even against some of what our churches teach, because He is so much bigger than all of that.
And Paul? Paul would write to us about the many different churches we have nowadays, and how much our theological nuances divide our churches. He would tell us that it doesn’t matter what preacher we listen to, they are all workers in God’s kingdom, just as He did to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3). He would talk to us about how some things we wonder about might not matter as much, like what foods we should or shouldn’t eat (1 Corinthians 6). And He would tell us about how we really need to do something about some of the things we are tolerating in our churches, because some things really do matter (1 Corinthians 5).
I know that we won’t get a letter from Paul today, nor will Jesus come and preach in our churches. We have the Holy Spirit that leads, guides and convicts us, of course. But somehow I think the very presence of God in a human body would have a very different impact on us, or finally have the impact the message of the gospel always ought to have.
In any case, I do think that sometimes, what we do in our churches, and please note that I include myself in that, is a little foolish at times.
We fight about things that really don’t matter, not realizing that the fact that we are fighting is much worse than the issues we disagree about.
We tolerate things in our churches, not realizing that some things really ought to be addressed, some people ought to be corrected and some people ought to repent, always with the highest amount of grace and love, because that is really our most important mandate.
It’s a narrow path to walk.
I won’t get a letter from Paul, but I have the Holy Spirit gently nudging me in the right direction. I know Jesus will not be born again, not walk on this planet and revolutionize my culture like He did 2000 years ago.
But He will come back again.
He won’t be birthed through the painful, bloody process of human birth, nor will He lie in a manger. Instead, He will come in all glory and holiness and everything else He is and words can’t describe. He will revolutionize this entire world and everything in it, because He will claim the victory and defeat the enemy that keeps trying to lead me astray.
In the meantime, I hope I will continue to listen to the Spirit’s revealing of godly wisdom, and to have open eyes, ears, and an open heart to what God sees in this world and the things that need revolutionizing.
That day by day, little by little, my own foolishness will be defeated by more godly wisdom that is being implemented in my life.
Until one day, the plan that has been hidden will be executed in its fullness and all of God’s wisdom will be revealed (1 Corinthians 2:6-7).
This is part three of a three-part series about foolishness and wisdom. Read part one here.
