In this chapter we will consider our experience of Christ as the reality as revealed in 1 Corinthians. This Epistle addresses many problems in the church life. The unique solution to these problems is Christ as the reality. Problems in the church life may be likened to physical illnesses that may occur when a person does not eat the proper food for a period of time. The way to solve such problems is to eat nourishing food. Christ is our rich food. Problems arise when the church lacks Christ. To save the church from problems, we need the rich experience and enjoyment of Christ. In 1 Corinthians Christ is presented as at least eighteen items.
In 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 Paul says, “Jews require signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” Religious people, such as the Jews, desire to see signs. Philosophical people, such as the Greeks, prefer to exercise their mind to obtain wisdom. Miraculous signs require power, and philosophy requires wisdom. Christ is both power and wisdom to us.
In order to run a corporation, both power and wisdom are needed. If a businessman has the capital, he has the financial power to start a corporation, but without the necessary wisdom he will lose everything. Our life may be likened to a corporation. Christ is our spiritual capital; He is the power we need. Christ is also the wisdom; He is our way. The power and wisdom we need to live our life is Christ.
Without wisdom, our way to do anything is not excellent. The excellent way is produced from wisdom. Cleverness is not the same as wisdom. Whereas cleverness is superficial and comes mainly from the human mind, wisdom comes from God and is higher than human cleverness. We need Christ as our power and our wisdom.
Verse 30 says, “Of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God: both righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” We are in Christ because we have been baptized into Him. Christ is a sphere, a realm, and a kind of situation or condition into which we have been baptized. Romans 6:3 and Galatians 3:27 both show that when we are baptized into the water, we are baptized into Christ. The water of baptism signifies not only the death of Christ but also Christ Himself. Christ, into whom we have been baptized, became wisdom to us from God as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
To be righteous is to do things in the way that God has ordained. Whatever God does is not only righteous but also righteousness. Righteousness means to be right with God and with man. The only one who can be righteous is Christ. Therefore, He is the power for us to be righteous. Christ is also the wisdom, the way, to be righteous. With Christ, we have both the power and the wisdom to be right with God and with man. Before we were saved, we were unrighteous, but when we received the Lord, we received the power and the wisdom to live righteously. There is no need for someone to teach us, for Christ speaks to us from within.
When I became a believer as a young person, my living spontaneously changed. Before my younger brother and I were saved as teenagers, our mother could not control us. We were like two wild horses. After we were saved, however, we loved to read the Bible and pray. The horses became lambs. Our mother was shocked and wondered what had happened to us. Christ as the power and the wisdom of God entered into our being. We did not need anyone to teach us, because we had Christ in us as the power and the wisdom to behave properly. Many saints have a similar testimony. Others, especially our parents, may wonder what causes this great change in our living since we are not outwardly taught or regulated. The change in our living is a result not of religion but of our receiving Christ, a living person, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This person is righteousness. Therefore, after receiving Him, we spontaneously become righteous. Once we receive the Lord, we have Him within us as the power and the wisdom to behave in a proper way and are thus spontaneously righteous in everything. We are right with God, our parents, our siblings, and everyone. When Christ is the reality of our life, our life is a righteous life.