26 Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position.
27 But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something,
29 so that no one can boast in his presence.
30 He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31 so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
V. 26 - “Think about the circumstances of your call” - Look through the Gospels in the New Testament. Note how many times Jesus sought out the kings, governors, and religious leaders. Did He go to the Roman rulers? Did he make a plea to the king in Jerusalem? No. Jesus went to the working men and women. He talked to women! He talked to a Samaritan woman! She was truly the ‘underclass’, so despised by other Samaritans she was forced to get water from the well when no one else was there. Do you think fishermen like Peter, James and John were upperclass? He talked with lepers (maybe even lower than Samaritans). He talked with beggars, and the lame, and the sick. He came to seek and save the lost! (See: Luke 19:5-10)
The church of believers in Jesus Christ is aimed at all who would believe. The rich, the famous, the powerful often do not see the need for salvation. The offer is there just as for the poor, or just plain folks, but the rich, famous, and powerful cannot see their own need. They have the money they need to buy what they want; they are known by everyone, perhaps their fame counts with God; their power gets them what they want when they want it. Blinded by self-aggrandizement, their absolute failure to meet God’s standard blows by them like a 100 mph fastball. They are blinded by themselves, and cannot see their need.
Perhaps that is one of the weaknesses of the church in the United States. We are a rich nation, many of us do not know the need for salvation - we have it all!
V. 27-28 - “God chose...” - The way of God, the way of Jesus, forces you and me to recognize we are helpless in face of God’s glory and righteousness. We are as useful as dirty rags in cleansing ourselves to be presented to God. It must be done for us. It has been done for us. Praise God that Jesus died for my sin. That I cannot work for my salvation is ‘foolish’. What is it worth then, if I have not earned it? How can this faith be worth much if its leader/founder was executed as a criminal and could not save Himself from that humiliation?
Look at this list: God chose: foolish, weak, base, and despised things. The world looks at these things and judges them useless for salvation.
V. 29 - “so that no one can boast in his presence.” - This is the key, no one can say, “I did this!”
V. 30 - “He is the reason” - The NASB version translates it as “by His doing you are in Christ Jesus”. Everything that is needed by us, those who are saved, who would be saved, is completely supplied, provided, and empowered by our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been transferred from the “domain of darkness” (Col 1:12).
“Wisdom... righteousness... sanctification... redemption” - The wisdom of God has been fully covered in the previous verses. (See verses 26-29 above) The next three words, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, all have distinctly religious implications. ( Not exclusively, of course, but primarily.)
Righteousness - Being set apart as holy and pure - having a pure heart, a pure life, living and doing what is right before God. It is part of God’s divine nature - his holiness, his absolute perfection. Christ also demonstrates this characteristic.
Sanctification - The dominant idea is separation from the secular and sinful, and setting apart for a sacred purpose. In the OT, things, places, times, people were sanctified, i.e., consecrated to holy purposes - usually only in a ceremonial and legal sense, to remind the Jews of the need for spiritual cleansing and the grace of God. In the NT, people are called to consecrate themselves to God, that is the inward cleansing work of God and Holy Spirit.
Redemption - The idea is to purchase an item or person. A slave could be redeemed by a family member - a purchase price was paid. A home or land could be redeemed - again purchase price is paid. God gave the Jews the formula for the redeeming price, based on Sabbath year, or Jubilee year. God has stepped into our lives to save us. Jesus paid the price for our salvation by dying on the cross. The price was deemed acceptable because God raised Him from the dead to live forever - which we get to share. The advantages of redemption by God is that it is freely offered to all; however it works only for those to choose to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
V. 31 - “Let the one who boasts...” - This is a quote from Jeremiah, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the LORD.” (Jer. 9:23-24)
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