Times have changed and the way we live now is much different than it used to be one year ago. How are we to adapt to changes that man is trying to put into place without having to contradict God’s way of life?
Michael Link
What is meant by the fools and foolish of this world?
The word fool is defined as a person who acts unwisely or imprudently. The Bible has an added significance to this word as someone who disregards God’s Word.
Several Scriptures that describe such a person, often contrasting him- or herself with one who is wise and/or righteous, can be found in Ecclesiastes 10:2-3. A fool’s heart continually goes towards foolishness (Proverbs 26:4-12). Fools do not learn their lesson from their mistakes and they continue on with them, doing the same foolish things over and over again, leading to their own destruction (Isaiah 32:6).
The book of Proverbs lists quite a few more characteristics of fools in contrast to the wise: They don’t care about understanding (Proverbs 18:2, 6-7); they hate knowledge (Proverbs 1:22); they love doing evil (Proverbs 10:23); they broadcast folly or stupidity (Proverbs 12:23); they speak perversity (Proverbs 19:1); they are quick-tempered (Proverbs 12:16); they are deceitful and mock sin (Proverbs 14:8-9); they reject discipline and bring grief to their parents (Proverbs 15:5, 20; 17:25; 19:13); and they give in to sexual immorality through lustful behavior (Proverbs 6:32; 7:7-23).
There certainly are many characteristics of a fool but the ultimate description of a fool is one who says in his or her heart that there is no God (compare Psalms 14:1-3). And the Bible warns us that we should not associate with these types of people (Proverbs 14:6-7; 13:20).
Fools have the opportunity to become wise when seeking wise counsel and also applying it in their lives (Proverbs 8:5-11; 21:11).
In Matthew 5:22, Jesus gives a warning to those who call someone a fool. The term Raca, when spoken from a heart of contempt, seems to imply utter worthlessness. It was a very strong expression. But Jesus wasn’t saying that we can’t call the choices of another foolish. We say in our Q&A on Matthew 5:21-22, stating from The Nelson Study Bible, which gives the following explanation:
“‘You have heard’ refers to the teaching of various rabbis rather than to that of Moses. Jesus was questioning the interpretation of the Jewish scholars, not the Old Testament itself. The scribes and Pharisees said that a person who referred to another as Raca, meaning empty head, was in danger of being sued for libel before the council (or the Sanhedrin). On the other hand, Jesus said that whoever calls another a fool will have to answer to God. That is not to say that calling someone a fool will condemn a believer to eternal punishment in hell. Rather Jesus was saying that to utter such words is to place oneself in a worse condition at the time of judgment (see 1 Cor. 3:12-15).”
We do not have the power or the right to condemn anyone to “hell” or the lake of fire. That position of judgment belongs only to God which is further revealed through Christ’s warning in Matthew 12:36-37, “But I say to you that for every idle (careless, thoughtless, useless) word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, in their Commentary on the Whole Bible, provide this further explanation:
“To understand why it is so serious to call a brother a ‘fool’–the meaning of which might include a ‘child of hell’ or an ‘effeminate,’ that is, a sexually abnormal person–is because it is the fate of those kinds of people to end up in the lake of fire, unless they repent (compare Revelation 21:8; 22:15). It is a serious matter to falsely call a brother or a sister in Christ a sexually immoral person or a ‘dog,’ i.e., a homosexual. This is not to say that we must blind our eyes to true facts. Paul was not afraid to point out that some, including in the church, were–or had been–sexually ‘abnormal’ (compare 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 5:9-13). However, Christ warned us not to make incorrect charges of immoral conduct against others, and especially our brethren, because of motivation of hate and malice.”
The Broadman Bible Commentary says this:
“Jesus traced sin back to disposition, attitude, or intention. The overt act of murder has its root in anger, hostility or contempt for another. Jesus cited anger…, insulting one’s brother… and calling another fool… as being crimes for which one is [or should be] brought before the court (local court of 23 persons), the Sanhedrin (highest ruling body of the Jews), or for which he is liable to Gehenna. No court seeks to convict a person on the grounds of feeling or attitude, but feelings of anger or contempt are as dangerous as are the outward crimes for which one is brought into the courts or considered liable to hell [i.e. Gehenna fire–that is, ultimate extinction]. Jesus’ words… are to be understood as radical protests and warnings against wrong feelings toward another… That Jesus had his own community in mind is reflected in the recurrence of ‘his brother,’ a term reserved in Matthew for a Christian brother. Anger and contempt are not only self-destructive but destroy the fellowship of the church.”
What does the Bible say about foolishness?
A fool uses his reasoning skills to make wrong decisions, and foolishness is a result of a person misusing the intelligence or even the understanding that God has given him. As we already explained earlier, denying God’s existence is the most basic type of foolishness.
Foolishness is associated with a quick temper (Proverbs 14:16-17); perverse speech; and disobedience to parents; and it is counterproductive (Proverbs 19:3). Foolishness can also contribute to the unsuccessful efforts of the household (Proverbs 14:1). The contrast is stated in Matthew 7:24-26, describing the well-grounded wise man building his house on the rock, as opposed to the unstable foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Jesus lists all the evil things that come out of the heart of men in Mark 7:20-23, which defiles a man. As we can see, foolishness is breaking God’s Law and can most certainly lead to it, which is sin, and sin is lawlessness.
God’s way is foolishness to the fool, especially to those who don’t have the understanding but may think that they do, yet they are fooled and give in to foolishness (compare 1 Corinthians 1:18-25). God’s Truth is considered foolishness to the vast majority of the world because they don’t understand what the true Gospel is all about, and it doesn’t make sense to them (3:18-23). For that reason, they put their foolish trust into worthless things like idolatry (compare Jeremiah 10:8, 14-15). They may also put their trust into their leaders of this world (compare Job 12:23-25; 17:4). Paul warns the Galatians at that time for acting foolishly but this also coincides accurately with what is happening today (compare Galatians 3:1-9).
What does it mean when Paul talks about the foolish things of the world in 1 Corinthians 1:27? To whom is he referring?
We read in verse 26 of 1 Corinthians 1: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” As Paul was speaking to the Church of God in Corinth, he implies that they should be glad that not many were wise according to the flesh or mighty or noble. Such things often keep people from the sense of need that leads to salvation. If more of them had been wise, mighty, or noble, it is likely that many of them would not have been saved. Why?
Verses 27-28 say: “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.”
God is not looking for millionaires, famous entertainers and athletes, politicians, all those considered great in the eyes of men, to save and to do His Work. This is not to say that He couldn’t call rich and famous people because He most certainly can do that and has done so. This could certainly be a distraction and God knows that, just like the example of the rich ruler who “wanted to follow Christ” but his riches were more important to him. The very things that put the “wise of this world” ahead in the world may actually put them behind with God. They have everything they need and want, living the life. They think that they don’t need God to help them. But God looks at the heart and He calls certain people for His specific purpose. His design is not by accident. In human thinking, strength is strength, weakness is weakness, and intelligence is intelligence. But to God, some of the seemingly strongest things are the weakest, some of the weakest things are the strongest, and some of the wisest things are the most foolish.
A simple, uneducated, untalented, and “clumsy” believer who trusts and believes in Jesus Christ and God the Father, and who faithfully and humbly follows Him and keeps His laws is immeasurably wiser than the brilliant Ph.D. who scoffs at God’s Law, who knows nothing beyond his books, his own mind, and his own experience. He sees nothing beyond this life, and he cannot be considered anything but foolish.
Barnes’ Notes of the Bible Commentary states that “the foolish things are the things esteemed foolish among people. The expression here refers to those who were destitute of learning, rank, wealth, and power, and who were esteemed as fools, and were despised by the rich and the great.
“To bring to shame; or that he might make them ashamed; that is, humble them by showing them how little he regarded their wisdom; and how little their wisdom contributed to the success of his cause. By thus overlooking them, and bestowing his favors on the humble and the poor; by choosing his people from the ranks which they despised, and bestowing on them the exalted privilege of being called the sons of God, he had poured dishonor on the rich and the great, and overwhelmed them, and their schemes of wisdom, with shame. It is also true, that those who are regarded as fools by the wise men of the world are able often to confound those who boast of their wisdom; and that the arguments of plain people, though unlearned except in the school of Christ; of people of sound common sense under the influence of Christian principles, have a force which the learning and talent of the people of this world cannot resist. They have truth on their side; and truth, though dressed in a humble garb, is more mighty than error, though clothed with the brilliancy of imagination, the pomp of declamation, and the cunning of sophistry.
“And the weak things are those esteemed weak by the people of the world. The mighty are the great; the noble; the learned.”
It is more than just believing in Christ, as action is also required. We need to recognize that God has given us righteousness when we are willing to give up what the world has to offer (1 Peter 2:1-4). We are to have the mind of Christ as it says in 1 Corinthians 2:16.
We should be able to decipher between what is right and what is wrong, between righteousness and unrighteousness, between the Truth of God and the lies and deception that clouds this world we live in. If we rely on God and put our trust, faith and confidence in Him, then we can reject foolishness through the power of His Holy Spirit. Our thoughts can please God; our righteous decisions can glorify God; and our lives can be enriched, not just for ourselves but also the lives of those around us (compare Philippians 4:8-9).
When it comes to our eternal salvation, one is either a fool, meaning he rejects God’s Way of Life after knowing the Truth, or one is wise, meaning he continues to believe in Christ and God’s Law and commits his life to Him. Soon, all who have not yet been called will have the opportunity to discover that God’s Way of Life—what the world thought was foolishness—is, in reality, the wisdom of God offering them eternal salvation.
Lead Writer: Michael Link
Suffer for Salvation
It is expected that we all go through trials which may also include sicknesses in various forms. What is the purpose of these sufferings and what can we learn from the examples of individuals who went through sicknesses?
Has It Begun?
Throughout the years we have written many articles and have given many messages about what we can expect in the upcoming year. We conclude the current year with a summary and review of what we all witnessed around the world and then we ask the question on what we can expect for the “new year.” We make mention to the fact that Christ will return soon and that we need to be prepared for that, watching what is going on in the world in relation to biblical prophecy. We have articles that were written over 10 years ago alluding to these statements, along with warnings of what the very near future is going to bring.
Even though these end-time prophecies revealed in the Bible haven’t come to pass, and we don’t know exactly when they will occur, we get more of an idea of how much closer we really are getting based on the situation we are currently in, and we can EXPECT things to get much worse. We can see just how quickly time has passed in 10 years and we can see just how quickly the world has changed in just one year. In just one year the livelihood of every individual around the globe has been affected and negatively impacted by just one virus.
The beginning of sorrows which Christ talks about in Matthew 24:4-8 is what we will be going through very shortly, yet the majority of the world doesn’t even realize it, or they do not understand what is really going to happen. We have already experienced a small taste of what is described here with deception, false prophets, wars and rumors of wars, famines, diseases, and earthquakes in various places, but this is only the beginning. Many do expect and believe that there will be an “end of the world” but how are they really preparing for it? Are they preparing like God’s people are supposed to be? I dare to say that not even 1% of the entire population in the world has any understanding of what is going to come.
That which is certain is the fact that we do not know exactly when Christ will return (Matthew 24:36). God says that a thousand years is like one day to Him as stated in 2 Peter 3:8, so imagine what only 10 years is like in God’s eyes. What we do know is that the time is going to come when God has had enough, His patience will end and Christ’s coming will not be delayed anymore, and the horrible things that are prophesied in the Bible will begin to take place.
There are so many events that still need to come to pass before Christ’s return and we are certainly witnessing at this very moment the beginning stages of sorrows. Things can develop so quickly and catch everyone off guard, which is why we can’t be slack in our responsibility to keep watching and being spiritually prepared (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4; Revelation 3:3).
We have just scratched the surface of what is imminent. So again, we ask the question, what can we expect for this upcoming year? Will it get better? Based on what we are going through presently with man’s speculative measures in “controlling” the current pandemic, it would be extremely difficult to imagine that things will go back to “normal.” This is NOT what the Bible reveals. We KNOW what is going to come and we had better make sure that we are on God’s side for OUR lives are in HIS hands.
That Which is Certain
In these times of uncertainty, it is difficult to predict what exactly will occur and how much time we in fact have left. However, God is very clear about what He promises and what will certainly come to pass in the near future, which is why it is vital that we remain close to God.
Shining in a Dark World
God tells us that we are to abstain from pagan customs and we are not to associate with darkness, but rather be lights in this world. How can we in fact be a light when there is so much darkness all around us?
God’s Doing
Realizing that our lives are in God’s hands and what the outcome is going to be as God sees fit is hard to grasp at times because we are always put to the challenge whether we allow Him to guide and direct our paths, as opposed to doing things strictly ourselves. But do we realize just how much our lives are in God’s hands? Or do we sometimes forget, not necessarily in an intentional manner, but our minds can get clouded as all kinds of distractions can set in, causing us to lose our focus? When we are affected by a trial, we should be able to see that God has a hand in that situation, directly or indirectly, which is necessary for our road to perfection. We may not think that at the moment a trial has set in, but hopefully we will be able to determine that at some point and realize that there had been a reason for it, which is why God tells us to test ourselves and examine ourselves at ALL times, making sure that we are counted worthy, making sure that our faith is strong enough (2 Corinthians 13:5).
God also has a hand in what is going on in the world. Yes, Satan is the “god of this world” but he does not control everything. And yes, God does allow Satan to do things but God still has the final word. We can see this in the upcoming elections. God will determine what the outcome will be, and we will see what the future will bring. We already know what the future will be like, and NO man can alter the fate of this nation and what it will bring about. No matter how one looks at this, the outcome, as we know it, looks dreadful. This nation will never dig its way out of the hole it has dug. That is until Christ returns to put a stop to all of this, as we read about in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation.
This is no surprise to those who actually understand what the Bible is saying, what the Bible has prophesied for a long time, about the fate of this country, the UK and the commonwealth nations. The current state that this nation is in is the result of a selfish attitude to put matters in their own hands and ignorantly giving into Satan instead of looking to God for help and how we are supposed to obey Him.
What we must understand is that God is in control of this entire situation. He is in control of our individual lives. God is the One who places certain individuals in power to FULFILL His purpose (Daniel 2:21; 4:17) or Who allows Satan to do so (Luke 4:5-6). God is very clear in the book of Hosea, in 13:9-11, as to who is in ultimate control as to who rules a nation. But God does not take pity on those who rebel against His Law, as it says in Hosea 8:1: “Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD, Because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law.”
Just as God has a specific plan for you and me, He also has predetermined His plan and purpose for all nations, as we read in Acts 17:26: “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” Today, the leaders of this world are not in search of the one true God, to have God fight their battles, yet they look to their own reasoning and resources. What about us? Do we look to God in EVERY situation we are faced with?
God the Father has given some of His authority to the “god of this world”, allowing him to rule this earth until Christ returns, but Satan can only do what God allows. The leaders of this world have unknowingly followed Satan instead of the one true God (Revelation 13:4-5). And so have many of the people we may know, including close friends of ours, that have been deceived by keeping the things that God prohibits and thereby not keeping the things that God commands. God’s plan for this nation is quite evident and clearly prophesied. Since we are aware of it, we have to be extra vigilant that we don’t slip up and “forget” His plan and purpose. We still live in this world, and we are surrounded by a corrupt society where we need to be vigilant and not sway into false concepts devised by Satan who wants nothing more than to see us struggle and fail.
Situations will become more severe, and we will have to stand up for what is right despite what politicians and leaders insist on what is “ok,” but which is contrary to God’s Law. We must NEVER leave Him out of the picture, but put matters into His hands (Jeremiah 17:5-8). This is very difficult to do at times, especially in the heat of the moment. We must keep our heads high and look to God for help. It’s not going to get easier for this nation but it’s necessary in light of prophecy and God’s plan, for He states in Jeremiah 27:5: “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me.” Satan may have his glory here on earth, but it is only temporary, for God is in complete control and the end result will be fulfilled victoriously, according to HIS plan.
LGD: The Right Choice
What choices do we make throughout our lives when we are faced with two or more possibilities? Will we choose the right way or will we choose the wrong way? What does the Bible have to say about what is wrong and right?
FOT: Relentless Sins
We all sin for we are not perfect. What about recurring sins? What can we do to conquer them? The Bible gives us valuable advice, including examples of those who struggled with this very issue and how they overcame.
FOT: The Joy of the Feast
There are several reasons why the command to keep the Feast of Tabernacles is so important and why there is so much positivity associated with it.