"…If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all others. " 1 Corinthians 15:19

 

This morning part of my reading included 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 and it struck me how often we are reminded of how foolish our faith can appear. I say how foolish it can "appear" because in fact our faith is not foolish at all but rather the grasping of the true reality of this world. That being said though the scriptures remind us that those outside of the faith would naturally view us as absolute fools (as Saint Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

 

I remember when Jesse Ventura became governor of Minnesota and said at one point that Christianity was a crutch for weak people. I wholeheartedly agreed with this statement in the sense that in our weakness God’s strength is perfected. Also the reality is that humnity demonstrates its weakness on an almost minute by minute basis…in every war, in every expression of personal or corporate brokeness, in every starving and diseased nation that exists at the same time as nations of unprecedented wealth…in all of these things our weakness is demonstrated.

 

What I find interesting is the amount of effort Christians put into outrage and surprise when non-Christians call them foolish. While I understand the point of apolegetics as to be able to give a reason for our faith in all times I also understand what it is not to be – a passionate, emotional debate to the death.

 

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" 1 Peter 3:15

 

Notice the words "with gentleness and respect"? This is rarely our response…more often then not we meet force simply with an equal and opposite response and can be just as obnoxious as our detractors. This is clearly not how we are called to speak about our faith.

 

When listening to and hearing from people outside of the community of Christ we must always hold before us the reality that to them we are indefensibly foolish. God himself points this out to us again and again. In our effort to give reason for our faith we would do well to stick close to scripture and avoid non-scriptural defenses as much as possible. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote "do not try to make the Bible relevant. Its relevance is axiomatic…Do not defend God’s Word, but testify to it…Trust to the Word." Translation: Allow for the reality that the Holy Spirit works in the heart that hears the Word…trust in the fact that God has asked us to be vehicles of his Word but not drivers. To do all of this requires deep trust in who God is and a deep love for those who will no doubt be antogonistic to Christ. If yo chafe at this idea remember the words of Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:23 "but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles…"

 

Back to the opening verse from Corinthians what do we hear? Not only do we hear a reminder that the world considers us foolish but also a warning to not slip into the same mindset. It is possible to come to secretly believe one’s own faith is of no worth…that in fact we come to live as the verse from Corinthians suggests – people who would live as though Christ is only of value to us in this life…as a wise human with great moral instruction but not as the resurrected Lord of all creation. In this sense then apolgetics/defending one’s faith serves the apologist as much (or more) than the world because it reminds us of the eternal nature of our faith and of Christ.

 

In short, our faith is the height foolishness and in light of this we must never despair but remember the words of 1 Corinthians 1:25 – "For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."