A Dangerous Message!

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus and him crucified." -1 Corinthians 2:2

There is a central message in the life of a Christian. A message that communicates historical event. A message that recalls a religious history. A message that conveys a spiritual reality. The message of the cross is a message that has power to those that have embraced its spiritual reality. That God, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, would come and pay the penalty of his own wrath for the opportunity for his people to be brought back into relationship with him. This message forms the central core of all that Christianity is. Yet this message is controversial for those that are not believers and also for those that are believers.

Paul does not waste time in identifying the people he is talking to in verse 20. Where are the wise people? Where are the well read and able writers? Where are these powerful arguments? Well... where are they? In two thousand years they have managed the same tired arguments that have been put down by ample evidence and proper history. The arguments against the faith now have largely been relegated to the popular realm where men with powerful writing ability rehash the same garbage for people to pick up off of a Walmart shelf. The rest are seated in the chair for an interview on the "Wikepedia" Channel (i.e.. History Channel). Their arguments are no more the most accepted or intelligible which is why they are teaching religion at BOBO's School of Typewriter Maintenance. Of course they will continue to take the "wise" label and dispel the "fool" label but has it ever been any different?

Paul has a message to those that are believers, as well. This gospel that you so often applaud and discuss in your inner circles is a dangerous message. It cost people their lives. It cost them imprisonment. It has caused families to separate. Paul himself was beaten, imprisoned, and eventually killed for this message. In this way, the message of the cross is "foolish" and "weak." Make no mistake about it. This is why some 90-95% of Christians never share their faith with another living person. Never. Because it is dangerous. We attempt to live our lives incognito and fool our friends into thinking that we are really just like them. We are not. We are behind enemy lines and we have the only message that matters. Labels of "fool", "weak", or the favorite "Hypocrite", cannot de suede the truth. The truth is dangerous.

I am not searching for what is wise.

I am searching for what is true.

If truth costs me.

Then...so be it. Truth is worth the cost. Christ has far greater worth than someone's poor opinion of me or label of "fool."

If I would focus on the truth of Christ more, perhaps I would more often feel a bit...well...dangerous.