What makes the message of the gospel different from other messages?

Yesterday, I wrote about how Christians can misunderstand the message of the gospel in a way that denies its power to transform lives. But what makes the wisdom that is contained in the message of the gospel so different than other messages of wisdom? As Paul continued his comments to a church in Corinth, he gives us a timeless answer to this question"

For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 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. 1 Corinthians 1:19-21


Paul quotes Isaiah 29:14, which was written over 600 years earlier, to explain that for those whose hearts are far from God, God will destroy the earthly wisdom that they were relying on. What Paul is communicating is that through the message of the gospel, God has revealed the foolishness of the world’s capacity to understand truth.

You see, throughout history, humanity has been unable to wrap their minds around the transcendent wisdom that comes from God. Philosophy, science, psychology, and religion are all disciplines in which man attempts to explain the world we live in and how we are to relate to one another. And yet all of these disciplines have been unable to explain God and how humanity is to live in relationship with Him and one another.

And because of that reality, Paul is stating that since worldly wisdom was unable to come to understand and know God, God in His transcendent wisdom considered the message of the gospel to be the means that He would choose to save those whom He desired to rescue from their selfishness and sin. Only the power of the message of the gospel is able to bring the forgiveness and healing that transform lives.

But, as I stated yesterday, when we misunderstand the message of the gospel, as follower of Jesus we can end up communicating a gospel message that denies and misrepresents its power to do what only the gospel can do.

So, where do you go when you need wisdom and guidance? What message are you relying on to guide, direct and transform your life?