70. Power and Wisdom of God
1 Corinthians 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Christ is the power and wisdom of God. We believe in Christ; we are identified with Christ; we are one with Christ; we have Christ. Thus the power and wisdom of God are ours; they are with us and useful for us. Believers are those who are called: we are called by the Gospel. We now have power and wisdom, but it is not our power, for we are weak, and it is not our wisdom, for we are ignorant. It is the power and wisdom of God. Better than using our own power and wisdom is using the power and wisdom of God, which is Christ in us. He is so much stronger and wiser than we are.
It is awesome to imagine how Christ uses the power of God for our benefit and our salvation. His power absolutely crushes the Enemies that work against us and against our good. Jesus’ innocent suffering and death definitively removed the authority of Sin, Death, and the Devil. His bodily resurrection is the violent overthrow of these Enemies. That very violent resurrection power can be used to overcome the debilitating problems and challenges that seek to steal and kill and destroy. We exercise that power by speaking the word of the gospel with the authority and conviction of faith. We can never repeat that Good News often enough: we can never hear it enough because we get distracted quickly and easily and slip into the weakness of forgetfulness and unbelief. Remind yourself of this promise of power as often as you can take the time to listen.
It is wonderful to think about how Christ uses the wisdom of God for our good. The wisdom of the world sounds wise to us, but it is really foolishness and stupidity. Worldly humans would sooner believe what is visible and provable instead of the Word of God, the Eternal Truth, which is Jesus Christ. The wisdom and the power of God is primarily evidenced in showing mercy. Mercy looks like weakness and the cross looks like foolishness. But faith sees and receives Mercy, which is the power and wisdom of God. ”God is so weak and so unwise that He has mercy on the sinner;” however, that is the power and wisdom of God. We need that promise. Thank God for mercy.