According to 1 Corinthians, how do we gain wisdom?
According to 1 Corinthians, wisdom is gained by becoming a fool in this world's eyes and embracing the preaching of the cross—that Christ died, was buried, and rose again. What lost people consider foolishness is God's power, and through that gospel, God pours out His wisdom on the saved.
Les explains that 1 Corinthians 3 says if any man seems wise in this world, he must become a fool so he can really become wise. This connects back to 1 Corinthians 1:18, where the preaching of the cross—that Christ died, was buried, and rose from the dead—is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to the saved it is the power of God. The unbeliever must recognize that he should go into what he thinks is foolishness, and out of that foolishness he can receive the wisdom of God. We gain wisdom by going to what lost people consider foolishness—the gospel—and then the power of God is poured out on us as His wisdom. Les also notes verse 19: the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, including all its great philosophy, literature, and works of art.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
More Questions
How do we gain wisdom according to this passage?
We gain wisdom by going to what we think is lost people's foolishness, the gospel, and then the power of God is poured out on us as His wisdom as well.