1 Corinthians 1:26

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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians 1:26:

I Corinthians 1:26-29
Excerpted from: Passover (Part 6)

Scholars are important to the world, because people are going to them for answers to life's perplexities. They look to them for authority, to back up their arguments. They say, when they are talking, "Well, so-and-so said this. And that so-and-so is an expert. They are a scholar in that particular field." The implication is—"If so-and-so said this, I am, therefore, correct in what I am saying." We all do it. I do it. It is part of our way of life, our way of thinking, our way of expressing. We want to have authority for the things that we say.

But I think it is so intriguing that God is forming a Family, but it is a Family without very many scholars. To me, there is at least one obvious reason. It is not that God has not called them, but they have, by and large, rejected His calling—because they belong to that group of "the great of this world" who will not become converted. They feel that they have too much to lose! The sacrifice required for conversion is, for them, too great.

I said to myself, "Now, wait a minute! My Savior was a blue-collar worker. He was a carpenter. Peter, James, and John—and possibly also Andrew—were fishermen. That is blue-collar work."

Some scholars do come into the church. By this I mean people who are more gifted intellectually. And that is fine. But these people have a weakness that they need to recognize—they seem to be drawn toward what I call "esoteric twigs" that do not amount to a hill of beans as far as the Kingdom of God is concerned. Esoteric means mysterious, or some knowledge that is understood only by a few. You might be able to pick out your own areas that you have noticed within the church, where these people seem to rise. They have the idea that they kind of have something others do not have.

There is an interesting statement in I Corinthians 8, as we continue this. Once a scholar gets hold of some of this knowledge that captivates him, it tends to impact on him in three ways. (Sometimes one, sometimes two, sometimes all three.) What happens is that a form of elitism begins to develop, which tells the scholar that he is better than others are because look at what he possesses! It is called the pride of life, in I John 2:16.

The third is perhaps the most dangerous of all to the scholar, in that it begins to shift the scholar's dependence entirely towards his knowledge. I do not know whether you realize this, but this was a major factor in destroying Israel and Judah's relationship with God. You will find the prophets of God, the teachers of God, and Jesus Christ Himself saying things like: "Think not that you have Abraham as your father."

Does esoteric information, or knowledge, make us better than others? It makes us more responsible than others. They thought that they had salvation merely because they possessed this knowledge that others did not have. And so their attitude towards the Gentiles was that they were "dogs." They were "beneath them." No, it produces responsibility in God's eyes—not elitism.

But you see what happened with Israel and Judah. They put their faith (their dependence) on whom they were related to—almost as if salvation was something that came through the bloodlines, merely because Abraham was God's friend and they were descended from Abraham. But Jesus had to straighten them out, by saying, "Your father is Satan, the devil." That is quite a different perspective!

Israel did the same thing, as recorded in the book of Amos. God said the punishment was coming upon Israel and Judah because ofwho they were. He said, "You only have I made this covenant with; therefore, you shall be punished." They were relying upon the association with God through the covenant as the means of their salvation—esoteric knowledge (destructive to them in their relationship to God, because esoteric knowledge cannot stand by itself). That is what I Corinthians 8:1-3 is reminding us.

That is far more … . . .

I Corinthians 1:26
Excerpted from: Holiness (Part 1)

This psalm is intended to direct yours and my thinking toward the vastness of this God and His majesty as compared to the puny insignificance of you and me. And yet that great, awesome God has it in mind - it is His purpose - to glorify Himself in us. Yes, out of the mouths of babes and infants. This is where that principle in I Corinthians 1:26 comes from. God has called the weak of the world - to glorify Himself in. He has chosen that which is weak and foolish (by this world's standards) to come to appreciate and to respect the glory of God - the glory that is in His name.

I Corinthians 1:26-27
Excerpted from: Be Holy, as I am Holy

We are the weak. I know that I am. And He does this so we will not glory in ourselves.

There is nothing in this world. There is no power, there is no influence. We do not have anything like that. All we have is our flaws. But He still chose us.

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Are You Living the Abundant Life?
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Can We Win People For Christ?
Ecclesiastes and Christian Living (Part Eleven): Paradox, Continued
Giving Your Word
Leadership and Covenants (Part Four)
Leadership and Covenants (Part Three)
Leadership and Covenants (Part Two)
Living By Faith and God's Grace
Mercy: The Better Option
Our Spiritual Marathon of Hope
Power Belongs to God (Part One)
Prepare to Meet Your God! (Part Seven): The Prophesied Blow Falls
Preparing to Rule!
Servant of God, Act One: Going Around, Coming Around
Taking Our Lead From God
Thanksgiving
The Christian Fight (Part Six)
The Elements of Motivation (Part Five): Who We Are
The Mixed Multitude
The Sovereignty of God: Part Eight
The Sovereignty of God: Part Seven
The Sovereignty of God: Part Three
Who Are the 'Guests at the Wedding'?

Bible Studies
Biblical Symbolism
Parable of the Unjust Steward
Parables of Matthew 13 (Part Four): The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Parables of the Millstone and the Lost Sheep

Booklets
Prepare to Meet Your God! (The Book of Amos) (Part Two)

Essays
Christian Heroes
Citizens of Heaven
Deep Thinkers
Do We Remember Who We Are?
Do We See Our Calling?  (2)
Friends of the Friendless (Part One)
Hold Tightly to Revelation
Loving the Body of Christ (Part One)
Merit
Pentecost and Symbolism (Part One)
Rejection Hurts
Sanctified by Truth
Spiritual Gifts, an Overview
Thanks for Everything
The 75-Cent Screwdriver (Part Two)
The Role of the Outcasts (Part One)
The Unique Greatness of Our God (Part Five)
Truth Revealed to Babes

Sermons
God's Pearls
Our Spiritual Career
Strategies for Interfacing with Babylon Without Becoming Assimilated (Part One)
Strategies for Escaping Babylon (Part Seven)
Sacrificial Service Within the Body
Wrong Will Eventually Be Set Right
Strategies for Escaping Babylon (Part Three)
Christ's Mission Statement
Biblical Wisdom
Strategies for Escaping Babylon (Part One)
Choices and a Man After God's Own Heart: Turn, Turn, Turn
Where Do We Go From Here?
God Expects a Return on His Investment (Part Five)
Deuteronomy: Hearing
Christ's Responsibility, Resurrections, and All in All
Among the Few
Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Ten): Cultivating the Fruit of Self Control
Grace, Mercy, and Favor (Part One): To the Beaten
Faith (Part One)
Preparing to Rule (1993)
Conviction and Moses
Fall Feast Lessons
Fall Feast Lessons
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Twenty-Five)
Elements of Motivation (Part 5)
The Sovereignty of God (Part 6)
The Sovereignty of God (Part Seven)
The Sovereignty of God (Part Eight)
How Big Is God?
The Sovereignty of God (Part 11)
Be Thankful!
Studying the Bible
Of One Accord
Keeping God's Standards
God's Workmanship (Part 1)
Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 1): The Mustard Seed
Globalism and the Wisdom of Men
Prepare for Your Future Now
Reach for the Goal
What Is the Work of God Now? (Part Two)
Two Contrary Visions
God's Rest (Part 1)
Pitfalls of Scholarship
Grace, Unleavened Bread, and the Holy Spirit
Sanctification and Holiness (Part 1)
Christ Our Wisdom
Christ Our Wisdom
The Reversal of Human Will
The Christian Medal of Honor
God's Epistle
John (Part 11)
John (Part 11)
Why Are We Called To Overcome?
Why Many Do Not Understand
Our Core Business
Samson and the Christian (Part 6)
Jesus Is God
Faith and the Christian Fight (Part 3)
Themes of I Corinthians (Part 7)
Faith and the Christian Fight (Part 6)
Faith and the Christian Fight (Part 10)
Faith and the Christian Fight (Part 10)
Why We Observe Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread
All in All (Part 1)
All in All (Part 1)
What Is Your Calling Worth?
The Faithfulness of God (Part 2)
Why Are You Here?
Why Are You Here?
Darts
Wilderness Wandering (Part 3)
Wilderness Wandering (Part 3)
Mark: Stupid, Unbelieving Disciples
Wilderness Wandering (Part 4)
Rejoice in What We Are
Living Abundantly In Tough Times
Living by Faith: Humility and God's Justice
Living by Faith: God's Grace (Part 3)
Continuing on to Completion
Ecclesiastes (Part Four; B)
Ecclesiastes (Part Four; B)
A Seed of Highest Quality
God's Calling and Election
Where Do We Fit?
Reluctant Leaders
Jesus Christ's Trial (Part Three)
Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Three)
The Millennium and Union With Christ
Who Are You?
Are You Living an Abundant Life?
The Miracle of God's Calling
Matthew (Part Twenty-Seven)
Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Twenty-Three)
Where Does Righteousness Come From?
Who Are We and Where Do We Fit? (Part One)
Why Is God Doing This, This Way?
Why Is God Doing This, This Way?
Deuteronomy Opening
Leadership and the Covenants (Part Four)
His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Part Two)
His Eye is on the Sparrow (Part Three)
That No Flesh Should Glory
Leadership and Covenants (Part Seventeen)
God Works in Mysterious Ways (Part Two)
God's Real Transformation
Hebrews: Its Background (Part Three)
Facing Times of Stress: When God Is Silent (Part One)
Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen (Part One)
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Nine): Philadelphia
Preparing To Rule
Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Six): Cultivating Kindness
The Doctrine of Israel (Part Twelve): Joseph
The Ultimate Gift
Our Part in the Sanctification Process (Part Nine): Cultivating the Fruit of Gentleness

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