Yes—the unsaved person becomes truly wise by believing the preaching of the cross, even though the world counts it as foolishness.
The Bible says the preaching of the cross is foolishness to them that perish, but it is the power of God to those who are saved (1 Corinthians 1:18). The world by its wisdom did not know God, so God chose to save those who believe through the foolishness of preaching (1 Corinthians 1:21). Les Feldick teaches that the person who seems wise in this world must become a fool in the world's eyes—receiving what he once called foolishness—so that he may be truly wise (1 Corinthians 3:18).
1 Corinthians 1:18 — This is the central verse Les repeats: the cross is foolishness to perishing people and the power of God to those who are saved.
1 Corinthians 3:18 — This verse directly tells the person who seems wise to become a fool so that he may be wise.
The Bible distinguishes between the world's wisdom and God's wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 1:18 Paul writes, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." He then quotes the Old Testament: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent" (1 Corinthians 1:19). The wise, the scribe, and the disputer of this world are all brought to nothing because God has made foolish the wisdom of this world (1 Corinthians 1:20). Paul explains why this is so: "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21). The cross message appears foolish, yet it is God's chosen instrument. 1 Corinthians 1:25 states, "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." First Corinthians 3:18 applies this to the individual: "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." The mental attitude needed is to stop relying on worldly wisdom and believe the gospel of the cross.
Les Feldick emphasizes the constant refrain of 1 Corinthians 1:18: "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." He repeatedly points out that the world cannot comprehend how something that happened 2,000 years ago has any effect on us today. But he says it has everything to do with us, because it was the eternal God who was on the cross (Clips 6-7). Les explains that the world's wisdom—human philosophy, education, and reasoning—did not bring the world to God. As Paul wrote, "the world by wisdom knew not God." The world pushed God out of its existence, so God chose to save people by the foolishness of preaching—not by human degrees or religious rituals, but by believing (Clip 5). Les also shows from 1 Corinthians 3:18 that the person who appears wise in this world must become a fool in the eyes of the world in order to be genuinely wise. That does not mean abandoning truth; it means being willing to receive the gospel even though the lost person initially dismisses it as foolishness. Only when he receives what he once considered foolish does he receive God's wisdom and the power of God.
According to Paul, the preaching of the cross is foolishness to them that perish (1 Corinthians 1:18). Les Feldick explains that lost people simply reject, ridicule, and scorn the cross because they cannot see what someone who died 2,000 years ago has to do with them today. To them it is foolishness, but to those who are saved it is the power of God.
In 1 Corinthians 1:21 Paul says the world by wisdom knew not God; so it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Les emphasizes that this is not by human degrees, repentance and baptism, or mere clichés; it is by believing that Christ died for you personally. The power to save cannot be released until we believe the gospel that Christ died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again.
Paul warns, "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise" (1 Corinthians 3:18). In man's eyes, God's way is foolishness—He says He can save a person from the most utter, gutter-type existence and make him a saint. Becoming a fool in the world's eyes means being willing to receive the gospel that the world dismisses as foolish; in receiving it, a person receives God's wisdom and power.
Let No Man Deceive Himself
Les introduces 1 Corinthians 3:18, the verse that tells the person who seems wise to become a fool in order to be wise.
God Destroys the Wisdom of the Wise
Les teaches that God destroys the wisdom of the wise and brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent, because the world by wisdom did not know God.
The Cross Is Foolishness to the Perishing
Les explains that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to the unbelieving world, but to those who are saved it is the power of God that sets them free from sin.
The Foolishness of God in Man's Eyes
Les teaches that in man's eyes God is foolish because He says He can save someone from a gutter existence and make him a saint; that is the foolishness of God to mankind.
Cross Preaching Is Foolishness to the Lost
Les shows that people cannot comprehend how something done 2,000 years ago has any effect today, yet the preaching of the cross becomes the power of God to those who are saved.
Saved by the Foolishness of Preaching Through Belief
Les stresses that the world by wisdom did not know God and pushed Him out of existence, so God chose to save those who believe—not by degrees or rituals—through the preaching of the cross.
True Wisdom Is the Power of God
Les emphasizes that good works never save anybody; the preaching of the cross is foolishness to lost people but the power of God to those who are made righteous.
The Eternal God Was on the Cross
Les teaches that people who reject and ridicule the cross ask what a man who died 2,000 years ago has to do with them, but it has everything to do with them because the eternal God was on that cross.
1 Corinthians 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
This is the key verse showing that the cross is viewed as foolishness by the lost but is the power of God to the saved.
1 Corinthians 1:19: For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
God declares that human wisdom and prudence will be brought to nothing.
1 Corinthians 1:20: Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
This verse shows that God has made the world's wisdom foolish.
1 Corinthians 1:21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
The world could not know God through its own wisdom, so God chose preaching and believing to save sinners.
1 Corinthians 1:25: Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
What man calls God's foolishness is actually wiser than human wisdom.
1 Corinthians 3:18: Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
This is the direct instruction to the person who appears wise: become a fool in the world's eyes in order to be truly wise.
The Bible says the unsaved person becomes wise by believing the preaching of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18). The world calls this foolishness, but it is God's power to those who are saved. First Corinthians 3:18 says anyone who seems wise in this world must become a fool in the world's eyes in order to be wise.
Les Feldick explains that people reject and ridicule the cross because they cannot see what someone who died 2,000 years ago has to do with them today. But because it was the eternal God who was on the cross, it has everything to do with them. To those who are perishing it is foolishness; to those who are saved it is the power of God.
Paul is not telling people to abandon truth. He is saying that when a person seems wise by the world's standards, he must be willing to receive what the world considers foolish—the gospel of the cross. In man's eyes God is foolish for claiming He can save someone from a gutter existence and make him a saint, but that is exactly the wisdom of God.
Watch the Teaching: Your Body Is God's Temple — What 1 Corinthians 3 Really Means