New Life Bible Fellowship Church
2/1/2026

      • Psalm 92:12–15KJV1900

  • My Hope Is In The Lord
  • Jesus Strong and Kind

      • Proverbs 10KJV1900

  • Doxology

  • Introduction:

    We have been journeying through Paul's letter to the Corinthians, and for three weeks we have heard some hard truths.
    In week one, Paul reminded us who we are: saints, sanctified, enriched, sustained by a faithful God. That was encouraging.
    In week two, the tone changed. Paul confronted the Corinthians—and us—with the sin of division. "I follow Paul," "I follow Apollos," "I follow Cephas." The church was fracturing into personality cults, and Paul asked his piercing questions: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
    In week three, Paul went deep into theology. He explained why division over human leaders is so serious. It's not just that division hurts feelings or damages fellowship—though it does. It's that division over human wisdom and impressiveness empties the cross. The message of the cross is foolishness to the world but the power of God to those being saved. God has deliberately chosen a "foolish" method to save—so that no one can boast in human achievement.
    But here's the question that might be lingering: Is this just theology? Just abstract argument? Where's the evidence that God really works this way?
    Today, Paul answers that question. And his answer is as simple as it is devastating: Look at yourselves.
    "Consider your calling, brothers," Paul writes. Think about who you were when God called you. Not many of you were wise by worldly standards. Not many were powerful. Not many were of noble birth.
    In other words: You are the proof. Your very existence as a church demonstrates that God does not operate by human standards. If God valued wisdom, power, and status, most of us would not be here. The fact that we are here—saved, sanctified, sealed—proves that God chooses the unlikely.
    And why does God do this? Paul tells us plainly: "So that no human being might boast in the presence of God."
    This is where the theological rubber meets the reality road. We are not just learning ideas; we are being confronted with our own story. And the question for each of us is this: What are we boasting in? What is the ground of our confidence? What do we think makes us acceptable?
    If it's anything other than Christ crucified, you've missed the point of our own calling.
    Let's look at 1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

    Text: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

    1 Corinthians 1:26–31 ESV
    26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

    Main Idea: God deliberately chooses the weak and lowly to shame the strong, so that all boasting is in Christ alone.

    Background:

    Paul's argument in 1:26-31 draws on deep roots in redemptive history and directly confronts the social realities of Roman Corinth.
    Throughout Scripture, God consistently chose the unlikely—Jacob over Esau, the youngest son David over his impressive brothers, tiny Israel over the great nations, stammering Moses as His spokesman, Gideon's reduced army of 300—always to demonstrate that salvation is His work, not human achievement. Paul echoes Jeremiah 9:23-24, where the prophet warned against boasting in wisdom, might, or riches, and redirected all glory to knowing the Lord.
    The Corinthians lived in an honor/shame culture where status, eloquence, and noble birth determined one's social worth, and where crucifixion represented the ultimate disgrace. Roman patronage networks structured society around reciprocal relationships between social superiors and inferiors, and these dynamics likely fueled the Corinthian factions as members attached themselves to impressive teachers for reflected honor.
    When Paul says God chose "the things that are not" (τὰ μὴ ὄντα), he uses philosophical language for the socially invisible—slaves, the destitute, those who registered as nothing on the social radar—and declares that God is creating a new humanity from the world's nobodies, shaming the somebodies and nullifying their claims to superiority.
    The fourfold description of Christ as wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (v. 30) comprehensively addresses every human need—our ignorance, guilt, defilement, and bondage—so that in Christ we lack nothing and have no grounds for boasting in anything but Him.

    I. Consider Your Calling (26-28)

    26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
    For Once again, γάρ connects this verse to what precedes. Paul has argued that:
    God chose the foolishness of preaching to save believers (v. 21)
    God's foolishness is wiser than men; God's weakness is stronger than men (v. 25)
    Now he says: "For consider your calling..." The Corinthians' own experience confirms the theological argument. They are the evidence.
    consider (Blepete [pre, act, imp])- This is a command. Paul is not offering a casual observation but demanding that the Corinthians examine their own situation. The present imperative suggests ongoing or careful attention: "Keep looking at this. Reflect on it. Let it sink in."
    your calling - The noun κλῆσις ("calling") is cognate with the verb καλέω ("to call") and the adjective κλητός ("called"). It refers to God's effectual summons—the divine act by which people are brought from unbelief to faith, from death to life.
    Paul is saying: Think about who you were when God called you. Think about the kind of people who make up this church. That will tell you something about how God operates.
    not many - This phrase is repeated three times, creating a rhythmic emphasis. Paul does not say "not any" (οὐδείς)—there were some wise, powerful, and noble among them. The exceptions prove the rule:
    Crispus was a synagogue ruler
    Erastus was the city treasurer
    Gaius had a house large enough to host the whole church
    But these were exceptions. The majority of Corinthian Christians did not fit the categories of worldly success.
    were wise according to worldly standards - "wise by human standards," "wise as the world measures wisdom." The phrase qualifies what kind of wisdom Paul is denying—not wisdom per se, but wisdom "according to the flesh," wisdom as the unredeemed world evaluates it.
    were powerful - This adjective means "powerful, able, capable, influential." It could refer to:
    Political power (holding office, having governmental influence)
    Social power (being a patron, having a network of clients)
    Economic power (having wealth that translates to influence)
    In Roman Corinth, these overlapped considerably. The dynatoi were the movers and shakers—the people who got things done, who had connections, who could make things happen, and most of Corinthian Christians were not in this category.
    were of noble birth - This adjective combines εὖ ("well") and γένος ("birth, family, race"). It means "well-born, of noble family, of high pedigree."
    In Roman society, birth was destiny. You could acquire wealth, but you could not acquire gens (family lineage). A freedman who became rich was still a freedman. A person of noble birth who lost everything was still noble.
    The εὐγενεῖς were the aristocracy—people whose family trees mattered, whose ancestors had held office, whose names carried weight.
    Most Corinthian Christians were not eugeneis. They were common people—freedmen, slaves, artisans, laborers. People whose family names meant nothing.
    The Rhetorical Force
    Paul is holding up a mirror. "Look at yourselves," he says. "What do you see? A gathering of philosophers? A meeting of the city council? An assembly of aristocrats? No. You see ordinary people—people the world overlooks."
    This is both humbling and encouraging:
    Humbling: You have nothing to boast about. You didn't earn your place here.
    Encouraging: God chose you anyway. Your lack of credentials didn't disqualify you.
    The Corinthians had been evaluating teachers by worldly standards (who is more eloquent? more impressive? more prestigious?). Paul says: God didn't use those standards when He chose you. Why are you using them now?
    27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
    But - The strong adversative conjunction marks a sharp contrast with verse 26:
    Verse 27 has a parallel structure, with two parallel statements:
    God chose - ἐξελέξατο (exelexato) This is the aorist middle indicative of ἐκλέγομαι ("to choose, select, elect").
    The aorist tense views the action as a whole—a decisive, completed act. God made His choice. It is done.
    The middle voice suggests personal involvement: "God chose for Himself." This is not arbitrary selection but purposeful claiming.
    This is election vocabulary. The verb ἐκλέγομαι and its cognates (ἐκλογή, ἐκλεκτός) are the standard biblical terms for God's sovereign choice of His people.
    Three-fold repetition (vv. 27-28) in Hebrew rhetoric indicates completeness and emphasis. This is the heart of the passage: God chose.
    what is foolish in the world - God chose "foolishness" as a category, embodied in actual people. This connects to verses 18, 21, and 25, where Paul has been playing on μωρία ("foolishness"). The world considers the cross foolish; now Paul says God deliberately chose people the world considers foolish. In order to shame the wise
    what is weak in the world - Again, God chose—"the weak things"—in the world, as a category, to shame the strong
    The Logic of Divine Shaming - Why does God shame the wise and strong? What is the purpose?The shaming demonstrates:
    The bankruptcy of human resources: If the wise and strong cannot find God, then wisdom and strength are useless for salvation.
    The sufficiency of grace: If the foolish and weak are saved, then salvation requires nothing but God's choice.
    The reversal of human values: The world's hierarchy is overturned. What the world prizes, God bypasses. What the world despises, God chooses.
    The nature of the gospel: A gospel that saves by human achievement would favor the achievers. The gospel of the cross humbles all.
    28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
    God chose
    what is low ("without birth, low-born, base")
    The ἀγενής is the person with no pedigree, no family name worth mentioning, no distinguished ancestors. In Roman society, this was a permanent stain. You could not acquire noble birth; you either had it or you didn't.
    God chose the agenē—the people whose family trees were nothing, whose lineage was unremarkable, whose names carried no weight.
    despised in the world - these are people who have been despised and remain despised. This is not a momentary slight but their ongoing social condition. They are the permanently marginalized—the people everyone looks down on.
    Who were the "despised" in Corinth?
    Slaves (treated as property, not persons)
    Former slaves (freedmen bore the stigma of servile origin)
    Manual laborers (working with hands was considered degrading)
    The poor (lack of resources meant lack of honor)
    Foreigners and immigrants (outsiders to the citizen body)
    The disabled or chronically ill
    These were the people you didn't notice, didn't invite to your dinner party, didn't consider worthy of respect.
    even things that are not - To say someone is among τὰ μὴ ὄντα is to say they are socially nonexistent—the invisible people, the nobodies, those who don't register on the social radar. They "are not" in the sense that they count for nothing in the eyes of the world.
    The Depths of Grace
    Paul has descended to the bottom of the social ladder—and then kept going. Below the despised, there are the non-existent. These are not even despised (to be despised, you have to be noticed). They are simply nothing.
    But God chose them.
    This is the radical depth of grace. God does not merely help the disadvantaged; He creates a people out of nothing. He brings into being those who had no being.
    to bring to nothing things that are, - The "things that are" are those who do register—the important people, the influential, the socially significant.
    The meaning here: God's purpose in choosing the nobodies is to nullify the somebodies—to render their status meaningless, to demonstrate that their "being" counts for nothing in His economy.
    How does this happen? By the existence of a church full of nobodies who possess what the somebodies lack:
    Salvation
    Knowledge of God
    Eternal life
    True wisdom
    The socially nonexistent have become spiritually existent. The socially existent are shown to be spiritually bankrupt. The tables are turned. This is why he says in 2Corinthians 5:17:
    2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
    17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

    II. The Purpose of God's Choice (29)

    29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
    so that - The conjunction ὅπως with μή and the subjunctive expresses negative purpose: "in order that... not," "so that... not." This verse states the ultimate purpose of God's choosing the unlikely. Everything Paul has described—choosing the foolish, weak, low, despised, nonexistent—was aimed at this goal.
    no human being - πᾶσα σάρξ (pasa sarx) — "All flesh", this is a Hebraism (כָּל־בָּשָׂר, kol-basar) meaning "all humanity," "all mortal beings," "every human creature."
    The term "flesh" (σάρξ) emphasizes:
    Creatureliness (we are made of flesh, finite, mortal)
    Weakness (flesh is frail, limited, dependent)
    Contrast with God (who is Spirit, eternal, self-sufficient)
    "All flesh" encompasses every human being without exception—Jew and Greek, wise and foolish, powerful and weak, noble and base. No one may boast.
    might boast - Boasting is not merely verbal bragging; it is the internal posture of self-reliance and self-congratulation.
    The Problem with Boasting
    Boasting is fundamentally anti-God. It:
    Takes credit that belongs to God
    Assumes autonomy from the Creator
    Places self at the center rather than God
    Claims merit where only grace exists
    The fall itself was an act of boasting—Adam and Eve seeking to be "like God," autonomous, self-determining (Gen 3:5).
    The Middle Voice
    The middle voice of καυχάομαι may suggest self-involvement: "boast for oneself," "take pride in oneself." Boasting is inherently reflexive—it curves back on the self.
    in the presence of God - The preposition ἐνώπιον means "before, in the presence of, in the sight of."
    This specifies the location where boasting is prohibited: before God. In His presence, in His sight, at His tribunal.
    The phrase implies judgment. God is the evaluator, the judge. Before Him, all human credentials are exposed as worthless. The wise are shown to be foolish. The powerful are shown to be weak. The somebodies are shown to be nobodies.
    In the presence of God, only one posture is appropriate: humble dependence, grateful receiving, joyful boasting in the Lord.

    III. Our Position in Christ (30-31)

    30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
    And because of him - The preposition ἐκ/ἐξ with the genitive indicates source or cause: "out of him," "from him," "because of him."
    The "him" (αὐτοῦ) refers to God (the subject of verses 27-28). Paul is emphasizing that the Corinthians' position in Christ is from God—it originates with God, is caused by God, depends entirely on God.
    This reinforces verse 29: no boasting. You are in Christ not because of your wisdom, effort, or merit, but because of Him—God.
    you are in Christ Jesus - ὑμεῖς (hymeis) — "You", the pronoun is emphatic by its presence. Paul is pointing directly at the Corinthians: "You—the foolish, weak, low-born, despised ones—ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ (en Christō Iēsou) you are in Christ Jesus."
    This is one of Paul's most characteristic phrases, appearing over 80 times in his letters. It expresses:
    Union with Christ: Believers are united to Christ—spiritually joined to Him, participating in His life, death, and resurrection.
    Corporate solidarity: To be "in Christ" is to be part of the new humanity He represents. As humanity was "in Adam" and fell with him, believers are "in Christ" and are raised with Him.
    The sphere of salvation: "In Christ" is where all the blessings of salvation are found. Outside of Christ, there is nothing; in Him, there is everything.
    The Corinthians' location "in Christ" is not their achievement. It is God's doing (ἐξ αὐτοῦ). They did not find Christ; God placed them in Christ.
    who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption - Here we see the fourfold description of what it means to be in Christ:
    who became to us wisdom from God - The relative pronoun ὅς introduces a description of Christ. The verb γίνομαι means "to become, to come to be." The aorist tense points to a decisive event—likely the incarnation and crucifixion, when Christ "became" all these things for us. God the Father made Christ to be wisdom for us.
    After an entire passage critiquing worldly wisdom and proclaiming the foolishness of the cross, Paul now says Christ is wisdom—wisdom from God.
    This is the resolution of the tension. The Corinthians wanted wisdom. They sought impressive rhetoric and philosophical sophistication. Paul says: You have something far better. You have Christ. And He is wisdom—not the world's counterfeit wisdom but genuine wisdom from God.
    righteousness and sanctification and redemption
    δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosynē) — "Righteousness"
    This is the language of justification—being declared righteous, having right standing before God, being acquitted at the divine tribunal.
    The human problem: We lack righteousness. We have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Rom 3:23). We cannot establish our own righteousness (Rom 10:3).
    The divine solution: Christ became righteousness for us. His righteous life and atoning death are credited to our account. We are declared righteous not because of what we are but because of who He is.
    This is "alien righteousness"—a righteousness not our own but received from another. Luther emphasized this: we are righteous not by what we do but by what Christ has done for us.
    2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
    21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
    ἁγιασμός (hagiasmos) — "Sanctification"
    This noun refers to the process or state of being made holy, set apart, consecrated to God.
    The human problem: We are defiled by sin. We are unholy, unclean, unfit for God's presence.
    The divine solution: Christ became sanctification for us. We are set apart because we belong to Him. We are holy because we are "in Christ."
    Scripture teaches, sanctification has:
    A positional aspect: We are sanctified (already set apart for God)
    A progressive aspect: We are being sanctified (growing in holiness)
    Here, the positional sense is primary. Christ is the basis of our holiness. We were "sanctified in Christ Jesus" (1:2)—this was established at conversion.
    ἀπολύτρωσις (apolytrōsis) — "Redemption", this noun refers to release by payment of a ransom, liberation from bondage.
    The word's background:
    ἀπολύτρωσις comes from ἀπολυτρόω ("to release by ransom")
    It was used for the freeing of slaves and prisoners of war
    In biblical theology, it echoes the Exodus—God redeeming Israel from slavery in Egypt
    The human problem: We are enslaved—to sin, to death, to the law, to the powers of this age. We cannot free ourselves.
    The divine solution: Christ became redemption for us. He paid the price. He secured our release.
    Ephesians 1:7 ESV
    7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
    Redemption looks both backward (we have been redeemed from slavery) and forward (we await the "redemption of our bodies," Rom 8:23).
    Romans 8:23 ESV
    23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
    Everything we need, Christ is. Every dimension of our problem, He addresses. We lack nothing in Him.
    This is why boasting is absurd. If Christ is our wisdom, we cannot boast in our intellect. If Christ is our righteousness, we cannot boast in our morality. If Christ is our sanctification, we cannot boast in our holiness. If Christ is our redemption, we cannot boast in our freedom. Everything is received. Everything is from God. Everything is in Christ.
    31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” The Original Context is from in Jeremiah 9:23-24:
    Jeremiah 9:23–24 ESV
    23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
    Jeremiah critiques three objects of boasting:
    Wisdom
    Might
    Riches
    And redirects boasting to one proper object: knowing the LORD.
    Paul has echoed the critique (vv. 26-28) and now cites the conclusion (v. 31). The argument is complete: do not boast in human credentials; boast in the Lord.
    The Content of Boasting in the Lord - What does it mean to "boast in the Lord"?
    It means:
    Celebrating what God has done, not what we have done
    Finding our identity in Christ, not in our achievements
    Glorying in the cross, not in our wisdom
    Taking pride in grace, not in merit
    Exulting in Christ's righteousness, sanctification, and redemption
    It does not mean:
    Self-abasement that refuses to rejoice in anything
    False humility that pretends we have nothing
    Passive resignation
    We have much to boast about—but it is all "in the Lord." The gifts are real. The salvation is real. The blessings are real. But the source is God, not ourselves.
    Summary
    Consider your calling (v. 26): Not many wise, powerful, or noble were among you.
    God deliberately chose the unlikely (vv. 27-28): The foolish, weak, low, despised, nonexistent—to shame the wise, strong, and existent.
    The purpose: no boasting (v. 29): So that no human being may boast in God's presence.
    The provision: Christ our everything (v. 30): He became wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption.
    The proper response: boast in the Lord (v. 31): The Jeremiah quotation redirects all boasting to its proper object.

    So What?

    Do we understand that we must constantly examine the grounds of your confidence, and stop evaluating ourselves by worldly standards?
    What are you trusting in? Education? Career success? Moral achievement? Family heritage? Ministry accomplishments? All of these are "flesh"—and no flesh may boast before God.
    The Corinthians were dividing over teachers based on eloquence and prestige. We do the same—impressed by charisma, platform, credentials. God is not impressed. Neither should we be.
    Do we understand that we must remember our calling and find our sufficiency in Christ alone?
    Think about who you were when God saved you. Did you deserve it? Did you earn it? Were you seeking Him, or was He seeking you? Remembering our calling produces humility.
    Whatever you lack—wisdom, righteousness, holiness, freedom—Christ is. Stop trying to produce these things yourself. Receive them from Him.
    Do we understand that with all that we have received we must redirect our boasting to glory in Christ?
    You were made to glory in something. Don't suppress the impulse; redirect it. Glory in the cross. Glory in grace. Glory in Christ. "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

      • 1 Corinthians 1:26–31ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:26–28ESV

      • 2 Corinthians 5:17ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:29ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:30ESV

      • 2 Corinthians 5:21ESV

      • Ephesians 1:7ESV

      • Romans 8:23ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 1:31ESV

      • Jeremiah 9:23–24ESV

  • There Is A Redeemer
New Life Bible Fellowship Church
dick.bickings@gmail.com
(302) 945-8145
https://newlifebfcde.org
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