The Foolishness of Christ

The Foolishness of Christ
Friday, February 27, 2026 by Dr. James W. Walraven

Categories: Apologetics / Contemporary issues / God’s sovereignty / Scripture discussion / Spiritual deception / The church / Thought for Today / Truth telling

As we’ve seen, real change is possible, but that change comes only through faith in Jesus Christ, an answer most find utterly repugnant. Why?

1 Corinthians 1:18, 21–23 (NAU): “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God…. For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness.”

Consider, how does the world’s various religions, and the world in general, pursue salvation, right-standing with, or becoming one with, a god, gods, the universe or whatever spiritual force or power may or may not exist? Perhaps a more accurate way of phrasing the question is: How does the world pursue spirituality?

Spirituality is pursued through one’s works, whether outward “good works” or physical and spiritual disciplines. Our works determine our salvation, or whether we become united with the cosmos, or whatever the ultimate spiritual goal is. We see this particularly in Islam, where one cannot be in a personal relationship with Allah, but where one must live in rigid submission. Christ crucified? Not a chance. I must work out my own salvation. My works determine my fate and my future. God dying on the cross for my sins? How utterly ridiculous! I will change, I will work it all out (even though we’ve just seen that our vows to change result in failure). Soberingly, our vows of “I will” mimic Satan’s own vows to be like God.

What about those with a more “spiritual” orientation? Signs are everything. Signs in the heavens, signs on the earth, inner feelings and signs; perhaps a warming sensation in our bosom—to cite one sign Mormons claim as a confirmation for their religion. Perhaps the sign is contacting supposed extraterrestrials, or some sort of spirit-beings. Christ crucified? How quaint, how shallow, how counter-intuitive. God dying for us? Nope. Even the idea of God dying is seen as preposterous.

Thus, most refuse God’s offer of salvation. Most prefer to stay with the illusion that they are in charge, to insist that they alone determine their destiny. Another growing idea is that even if someone’s own ideas about spirituality prove to be wrong, God is all-forgiving, and everyone will ultimately end up with Him in heaven. Everyone is ultimately saved; some even include Satan among the saved. Biblically, that too, is a lie.

The truth is that salvation is found through Christ alone, through placing faith in Christ alone, through His death on the cross for our sins, through His resurrection to new life. Salvation is not found in our own works, through our own efforts, through our own pursuits of spirituality, but through what Jesus has done for us.

That is the one thing the world cannot stand. That is the one thing the world insists that everyone must deny. But it is, and remains, God’s one and only way of true salvation.

Consider carefully.

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