For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:17,18
As I attemempt to analyze these statements i begin to realize that the true witness of the cross is not the words we sometime speak or preach. Neither is it the symbolism that accompanies relegious dogmas or tradition. The witness of the cross is realized and proclaimed by the heart as it dies to the nature of the world and becomes alive in the power of the Holy Spirit. As a living testimony of God's resurrection power we begin to come alive by the three virtues of the cross which begin with death, then the burial, and of course the resurrection. These three powerful acts of the cross is foolish to the natural world because it is contrary to what the world believes. The apostle Paul presents a very valid point when he emphasized in his writing that it is foolishness (ill-considered; unwise)
to them that are perishing. ( 1 Corinthians 1: 18) Try to explain to someone that Jesus Christ is the son of God to someone who is bent on believing that He is not is like teaching an aligator to speak Latin. With words and actions it is impossible. To illustrate to them that the trinity exist is like pulling teeth from a great white shark. I believe the only way you can succesfully pull teeth from a great white is to kill it. Get my point. So in other words the words that we speak sometimes as believers do not effectively translate or present a witness to the unbelievers who are challenged by traditon, religion and wordly wisdom.
In order for an effective witness to live in the realm of these umbelivers we have to illustrate the Love of God not only with words but with our living example. For myself it is accomplished with a daily communication with God through prayer, meditation, faith , fellowship and by the word of God. as we grow in these area's our witness to the Lord Jesus the Christ becomes more powerful and effective. We have to go into those places where the spirit of God is dead and become a witness to the light of the world by shinning brightly in those areas. But remember in order for our light to shine we have to have oil(exodus 25:6) for the lamp. (Revelation)
As we move closer to the coming of our Lord Jesus the Christ lets realize that in some of those instances were we witness the Spirit Of God has already preceeded us. (Acts 18:9) It is by our witness weather the spirit of God that was presented either lives or dies. As Christians we are to be a living witness to the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus the Christ. This means that the ways of the world need to die in us, the nonsense and wisdom of the world needs to be burried with us, and the resurrection power of God should lives in us through our Lord Jesus the Christ. That resurrection power is demonstrated through Love. (John 3:16) There should be healings, deliverance,transformations and testimonies to the miraculous power demonstrated in each witness. As I close there is one scripture that presents a powerful promise of God as we bear witness in these truths .It says; Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.(Romans 10:11)
Take the Holy Spirit with you today and allow Him to live in every area of your life
Amen
