Choosing to be foolish

In my self-focus, I’ve sometimes concluded a passage from the Bible was all about me because I didn’t pay attention to the context. One such passage is 1 Corinthians 3 where Paul warns his readers to be careful how we build on the foundation God has given us. In thinking that meant me, I assumed that my works could be precious or useless and I needed to be careful that I didn’t deceive myself. As some sermons, these are “good thoughts, but from the wrong text.”

1 Corinthians 3 is about building the church, not my Christian life. In Warren Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament, his explanation sums up those conclusions:

This section is one of the most misunderstood passages in all the Bible. The Roman Catholics use it to “prove” their doctrine of purgatory, that fire will purify people in the next life and make them fit for heaven; the modernists use it to “prove” salvation by good works; and many evangelical Christians interpret this section as applying to the judgment of individual Christians rather than the building of the local church. While this passage teaches that there will be a judgment of believers’ works at the judgment seat of Christ, the basic application is to workers and pastors of the local churches. The local church is compared to a building, or a temple, and the pastor is a builder whose responsibility is to keep the materials in the temple at their very best. Paul was the builder God used to lay the foundation at Corinth, and that foundation was Christ as preached in the Gospel. Along came Apollos, who built upon that foundation, and other pastors followed him. “Each one should be careful how he builds” is Paul’s warning. He then describes three kinds of Christian workers. . . .

When Wiersbe says that the local church is compared to a building, he means that the church is not a building but the people of God. Each one of us is a brick, as it were, in God’s temple, even though each one is also an individual dwelling place of God.

In the building of the local church, some leaders will use good materials and some will attempt the work with useless methods. Others may even try to destroy the church and its work of making it grow, reproduce and become that which glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 18 warns about the danger of using worldly methods for church development. “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.”

One church-building methodology is rooted in the bigger-better-more idea. This supposition assumes that a well-built local church is large to the point of monstrous. While a large church could fit into the plan of God, size isn’t a major focus.

Other methodologies include adopting modern business procedures, sticking to only one version of the Bible, focusing on a particular doctrine to single out themselves, making their pastor a media star, using goodies as bribes to encourage attendance, and a whole host of other ideas that are not based on anything in the Bible, but are contrary to biblical principles.

This is where verse 18 comes in. One commentary says that some church members have no idea that a local church cannot be managed the same way as a business. While we need to follow good business principles, the operation is not the same. The world depends on promotion, prestige, and the influence of money and important people. These things may seem to succeed, but will eventually turn to ashes under the judgment of Christ.

In contrast, the church depends on prayer, the power of the Spirit, humility, sacrifice, and service. The early church owned no property, had no influence in government and had no treasury. Their leaders were ordinary men without special education in the accepted schools. They held no attendance contests, did not bring in celebrities, and yet they turned the world upside down. All this might seem foolish in the eyes of the world, but this is the plan of God and because it works, Christians need to be willing to carry the label of fools.

Deception can be quite basic, as in me thinking these verses were only about me. However, deception can also be gross and destructive and take entire congregations off on a fruitless tangent. Those who pick up on what only seems to be wise may flourish for a little while, but as the Bible says, worldly wisdom is futile because it never accomplishes the purposes of God.

As I think about this, these verses do say something to me personally. I have a responsibility in ministry in my local church to do the very best I can, and to uphold and encourage a high standard in my pastor and in those of my congregation. When any of us seem to be lured by the wisdom of the world, all of us need to heed the words of 2 Corinthians 3:18 and become fools that we might be wise.