Reflections on 1 Corinthians 1:30–31
“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God, that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:30–31, NIV)
The Remedy gives Paul’s last line a fresh turn: “If you want to brag and promote something, then brag about the Lord and promote the truth about Him.” Paul has spent a whole chapter showing that nothing we have is our own doing. So if we boast at all, it can only be in Him.
Everything we have and are comes out of the sacrifice Christ made for all humanity. He gave everything up and emptied Himself of all He was (Philippians 2:7), so that He could become a human being in our fallen world, as helpless as we are. But He overcame in the strength of His Father, and that same strength is available to us. We may draw on it freely.
The Fires of Truth and Love flowing from the Father are flooding into every dark place in this world. Our only hope is to remove our self-imposed blinders and let them burn through everything in us that is not of Him. This is done by choice: our will placed on the side of our choice, choosing with our minds, our hearts, and our actions. Then we have the strength to carry it through.
Weakness comes when we have not truly chosen. Our mind may say, “This is what I should do, what I want to do,” but we have not engaged our will. Then we are as weak as water; our good intentions last only until the first breeze of opposition. Without the strength of the Lord, we have no ability to follow through on our good choice.
So engage your heart’s will, and move forward in your choice. Set your world up to reach your goal while you are in the strength of the morning. As the day wears on, the precautions you put in place will give you a chance to stop the old habits and begin forming new ones.
The Lord and every angel in heaven are waiting for you to reach out in your weakness. They are here to hold you up and give you every encouragement to reach your goal. We have already won the victory. Now we are in a time of re-learning, undoing the hurtful habits we leaned on in our sin-sick lives. Let them go and find new habits, one choice at a time. Build up your mind, build up your body, and be strong in the Lord. Every choice counts.
Today is a new day, a new beginning. Life moves forward today, one choice at a time.
