The Friday after the Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 8, 2024 by under
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 (NKJV)
3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Devotion
As Western Civilization dies, the “wisdom” of the unbelievers becomes more and more bizarre. Darkness envelops the mind of the worldly man. He believes absurd things and denies obvious truth. He looks down on the simple-minded Christian. In the end, the Lord will reveal who is truly wise and who is truly foolish.
In a more subtle way, we must beware of false “wisdom” in the Church. It is taught by those who have new programs and ideas about how to save the Church. Unlike those in the past, they “finally understand what the church needs.” They “understand how to reach the youth of today.” Such teachers want something new and demand that the old traditions be abandoned. But they not only abandon the old traditions, they question even the Scriptures. Many often compromise on moral teachings of the faith, claiming to have a more subtle or nuanced understanding. But in reality, they are succumbing to the spirit of the time, the social pressure they feel. They don’t wish to be fools in the eyes of their neighbors and colleagues. They become “wise” and sophisticated. They are “up to date” with the latest scholarship. But in the end, they make a shipwreck of their faith and lead many others to destruction, as well.
In the Church we are faithful to Christ. Our wisdom is the Gospel of His righteousness and forgiveness, which is given to us on account of His cross. That alone is what saves the Church and guides our path.
Collect: Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy people from their offences, that from the bonds of our sins which, by reason of our frailty, we have brought upon us, we may be delivered by Thy bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
