Why do people think God's plan of salvation is foolish?
People consider God's plan of salvation foolish because, in man's eyes, it seems absurd that God can rescue someone from the most utter, gutter-level existence and transform that person into a saint. This contradicts human wisdom, which prizes earthly intelligence over the wisdom that comes from God.
Les explains that Paul grounds everything in preaching Christ crucified. The called—whether Jew or Greek—are the elect, saints, and believers, and Christ is both the power of God and the wisdom of God. Les notes that a commentator he read said the main theme of 1 Corinthians is wisdom: the wisdom of God set apart from the wisdom of men. Paul stresses that earthly wisdom does not matter; only the wisdom from God makes someone usable. Then in verse 25, Paul asks why, because of the foolishness of God. Les asks, 'In whose eyes?' It is in man's eyes. Man thinks God is foolish when He says He can save a person from the most utter, gutter-type existence and make him a saint. What Scripture calls wisdom, mankind calls foolishness.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.