“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” — 1 Corinthians 1:18
Most of us know that not everything powerful looks powerful. Take a seed, for example. It looks small and insignificant, yet as its roots go down and the plant begins to grow, it can become strong enough to crack concrete. A key looks ordinary, but the right key has the power to open a locked door. Medicine may look unimpressive, yet the right medicine can bring healing to someone who is seriously ill.
Paul tells us something similar about the cross. On the surface, the cross does not look powerful. It looks like weakness, shame, defeat, and death. A crucified man does not look victorious. A dying Savior does not look powerful.
Yet Paul says, “the word of the cross” is the power of God.
The Cross confronts our pride. The message of the cross is difficult for the world because it tells us something we don’t naturally want to hear: we cannot save ourselves. We like to think we can somehow earn God’s approval. If we are good enough, religious enough, generous enough, or work hard enough, surely God will accept us.
But the cross tears all of that down. The cross says our sin is so serious that nothing less than the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His shed blood could deal with it. We don’t simply need advice about how to become better people. We need a Savior.
That is why Paul says the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. It isn’t because the cross lacks wisdom or power. It is because human pride does not want grace.
The Cross changes our viewpoint. Paul then says something to consider: “…but to us who are being saved…” The cross hasn’t changed. Jesus hasn’t changed. The Gospel hasn’t changed. What changes is the heart of the person looking at it. When we come to Christ, we begin to see beauty where we once saw death, power where we saw weakness, wisdom where we saw foolishness, life where we once saw blood, and hope where we saw defeat.
I especially like Paul’s words, “being saved.” There was a definite time when I trusted Christ and was saved, but God wasn’t finished with me that night. He is still working in me today. I have been saved from the guilt of sin, I am being saved from its destructive power in my daily life, and one day I will be completely free from the very presence of sin.
We never outgrow the cross and the shedding of Christ’s blood. We never graduate from grace. Every day we still need the same Savior, the same mercy, and the same grace.
The Cross is still the power of God for those being saved. At Calvary, what looked like defeat was actually victory. What looked like weakness was actually power. What looked like shame was actually glory.
Through the cross, sin is forgiven, guilt is removed, sinners are reconciled to God, chains are broken, hope is given, and death is defeated.
No philosophy can do that.
No political system can do that.
No amount of human effort can do that.
Only the blood of Jesus can do that. When guilt weighs you down, look to the cross. When you struggle with sin, look to the cross. When suffering makes you wonder whether God still loves you, look to the cross. When you face death itself, look to the cross.
Yes, the Cross is still the power of God. I know that personally. When I came to know Jesus at 31 years old, I was a proud man. I thought I was doing all the right things to be considered a Christian. I worked hard believing somehow God would accept me.
But that night I came to the cross. There I met Jesus Christ, who had already offered the complete sacrifice for my sins. My pride was broken. I realized there was nothing I could do to save myself. God showed me mercy and grace, and the guilt of my sin was laid upon Jesus Christ at Calvary.
I have discovered the chains of sin were broken. That doesn’t mean I’ve lived perfectly since then. Far from it. I still stumble. I still fail. I still need grace. But after all these years, the power of the cross is still working in me. God is still conforming me to the likeness of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it seems like a very long journey, but when I fall, I can almost hear Jesus saying:
“PK, I love you. Walk with Me. Keep your eyes on Me and My strength, not your own.”
Maybe that is where you are today. Is it folly or power? If you have never trusted Jesus Christ, don’t reject the cross because it seems too simple. Come to Him. You don’t have to clean yourself up first. You need a Savior.
And if you already belong to Christ, don’t drift away from the cross and the blood of Christ shed for you, looking for something greater. There is nothing greater.
What the world calls foolishness, God has made our hope. The message of the cross is still the power of God.
