Verse 18 says, “For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The little word “for” at the beginning of this verse indicates that verse 18 is an explanation of verse 17. In verse 17 Paul declares, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in wisdom of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void.” The cross of Christ is the center in the accomplishment of God’s New Testament economy, which is to have a church produced through the redemption of Christ. Paul preached Christ crucified (v. 23; 2:2; Gal. 3:1) and boasted in the cross of Christ (Gal. 6:14), not the law with circumcision, which the Jews and some of the Jewish believers fought for (Gal. 3:11; 5:11; 6:12-13), nor the philosophy which was promoted by the Greeks and some of the Gentile believers (Col. 2:8, 20). The cross of Christ abolished the ordinances of the law (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14), and we the believers have died to philosophy, an element of the world (Col. 2:20). But Satan instigated the Judaizers and philosophers to preach their isms of worldly wisdom that the cross of Christ might be made void. The Apostle Paul was alert in this matter. In dealing with the division among the Corinthian believers, which came mostly from the background of Jewish religion and Greek philosophy, the apostle stressed Christ and His cross. When Christ is taken to replace religious opinions and philosophical wisdom, and His cross is working to deal with the flesh attached to any background, divisions will be terminated. The exaltation of natural preference and human wisdom cannot stand before Christ and His cross.
Paul did not want the cross of Christ to be made void through preaching in wisdom of speech, that is, in philosophical speculations. Christ did not send Paul to preach the gospel in the wisdom of speech. Paul refused to indulge in philosophical speculations. He was concerned lest the cross of Christ be made void. He realized that the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. They regard the word of the cross as too simple and consider it foolishness.
The Greek term rendered word in this verse is the same as that translated expression in 1:5. The word of the cross is the expression, the speech, the preaching, of the cross. Such preaching is despised and considered foolishness by those who are perishing, but honored and received as the power of God by us who are being saved. Paul, in his ministry, stressed the cross as the center of God’s salvation (Gal. 2:20; 3:1; 5:11, 24; 6:14; Eph. 2:15; Phil. 2:8; 3:18; Col. 2:14).
Many professors and educated people today treat the word of the cross as if it were foolishness. To them, it is folly to speak about a Christ who was despised, rejected, and crucified. They do not want to hear of a Christ who was killed without reacting in His own defense. When presented with a word concerning the crucified Christ, they would say, “This is foolishness, and don’t talk to me about it. If anyone despises me, I will react against him. If anyone rejects me, I will fight. Furthermore, should someone try to kill me, I will protect myself and strike him down first. Even the law of the land assures me of the right of self-protection. Don’t tell me about a Christ who was crucified.” Thus, the word of the cross is still foolishness to those who are perishing, especially the philosophical people.
In verse 18 Paul speaks of “us who are being saved.” I appreciate the expression “being saved.” If someone asks you if you are saved, you may wish to reply, “I am in the process of being saved. I have been saved partially, saved to a certain extent. However, I have not yet been saved to the full extent. But I am being saved.” To us who are in the process of being saved, the word of the cross is the power of God.