The Cross is Foolishness?

Once upon a time, I used to think that all churches just wanted your money.  Years before I found God, I was fond of saying detrimental things about congregations and pastors.  Whenever someone would invite me to a service, I would respond by saying something like, "all they are going to do is pass the plate and shake me down for cash."  During that time in my life - by and large - I thought that religious things were foolish.  It is an embarrassing time for me to think about, but only because God has brought me so much further along in my faith walk.  The truth is that many people today think that organized religion and church contain nothing of value.  

1 Corinthians 1:18 encapsulates this very topic.  It says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."  What an odd statement to make at first glance.  Wouldn't foolishness be a universal trait to recognize?  What does it matter whether or not you have God in order to ascertain if something is silly or not, right?  It turns out there is more to this issue than first meets the eye.    

The first sentence of that passage gives me pause, as it mentions that people who don't respond to the message of the cross are 'perishing.'  This changes things a little bit.  It doesn't say that the unbeliever is simply wrong without any real consequences.  But rather, there seems to be an eternal weight pertaining to whether or not we consider the work of Jesus Christ as empowering or foolish.  

Was I in the process of perishing all those years ago when I used to make fun of going to church?  Apparently so.  I knew of God, but there was no personal relationship with Jesus, and probably very little fruit of the spirit.  I was quick to anger, often full of self, and occasionally downright nasty I suspect.  

By contrast, the second half of the Scripture makes certain that we understand this truth: those who are born again (or saved), have had their eyes opened.  We  begin to see things in a spiritual way, and with a redeemed heart.  Things that once seemed foolish to us begin to make perfect sense in the context of what God is doing in the world.  As the axiom goes: I was blind, but now I see.  

It belies the concept that there really exists two different sets of values - at least that I have noticed here in the United States.  There is a worldly (or secular) system of morality … and then there is a Christian value system.  Occasionally there may be points where these two ideologies match up, but for the most part, I think they are well at odds with each other.

Let us begin by tackling the secular view - that set of morals and values that may commonly be considered as important to the unbelieving crowd.  This value system espouses things like money, power, and importance of self and the ego.  Lives can be built up around a system like this, such that working your way up the status ladder and amassing wealth is of utmost importance.  Prayer may have little or no sway for these people, and regular church attendance might be seen as a waste of time (or something worse).  

Now take as an opposing example, the Christian mindset.  Money matters of course, but it isn't our God.  It is placed rightly where it should be; as a neutral tool which allows us to get through life while serving the real God.  As for power and status, we look to what Jesus said about the workers in the vineyard in the Gospel of Matthew.  Chapter 20:16 states, "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."  Talk about turning the tables on things!  Ask a secular leader what they consider as appropriate for their role, and typically you will not get the answer "putting myself last."  This sort of talk is typically reserved for the mature Christian I suspect (at least it is supposed to be).  As members of this spiritual worldview, we tend to cherish things like servant leadership, humility, and strong faith.  Concepts that are often foreign or foolish to those not acquainted with the work of the cross.

I believe that God's goodness and His heart are offered as a gift to those who are being saved.  This type of grace is bestowed upon the born again man or woman in such a way as to change their value system.  It replaces the gods of money and power with the cornerstones of faith and hope.  At this stage of the game, the work of the cross is no longer foolishness anymore.  It is instead, the very work that God had ordained ahead of time, for the saving of the world from sin and eternal separation from Himself.  

I want to add one additional thought here.  After reading the book 'Tactics' by Christian philosopher and apologist Greg Koukl, I have noticed two things.  First, he says that the unbeliever will often espouse and empathize with the idea that churches are too judgmental.  Second, stating that a church is judgmental is in and of itself … a judgment.  And furthermore, it is a judgement that some will make in the midst of God's transcendent goodness being performed all around them.  They are missing it. 

Take this quote from Koukl on page 181: "In a very real sense, every person who denies God is living on borrowed capitol.  He enjoys living as if the world is filled with morality, meaning, order, and beauty, yet he denies the God whose existence makes such things possible."  In other words, it's like making fun of the cross while denying the impact that the crucifixion and resurrection had on the Judeo-Christian value system.  This value system is predominant in our culture today.  You cannot make fun of your parents, and then expect to go home to their house every night and enjoy pleasant dinner conversation at the same time.  Something about that equation doesn't add up.  We cannot take God for granted one moment, and then revel in the beauty of His natural world the next.  There is no divorcing goodness from God.  

God sent His one and only Son Jesus as a sin offering and sacrifice for you and I.  We may not think we need His help, but we really do.  I don't believe there is any way to achieve the type of humility and redeemed heart that God possesses, other than allowing Him to transmit it to us supernaturally.  We won't ever get there on our own steam … especially if we are making fun of His church at the same time.  The cross is only foolishness to those who are perishing.  Instead, see it for what it really is - a symbol of redemption and hope.  

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