1 Corinthians 1:18-19 - Homiletics

Two classes of gospel hearers.

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." Instead of the "preaching of the cross," the New Version reads, the "word of the cross," and the word of the cross stands in contrast to the word of worldly wisdom. How great is the contrast! We have here two classes of gospel bearers.

I. The one is gradually PERISHING , the other is gradually BEING SAVED . The perishing and the saving are gradual.

1. There is a class in every congregation, perhaps, gradually perishing. They are gradually losing moral sensibility—contracting fresh guilt, etc. They are not damned at once.

2. There is a class in every congregation, perhaps, gradually being saved. Salvation is not an instantaneous thing, as some suppose.

II. To the one class the gospel is FOOLISHNESS , to the other the POWER OF GOD .

1. It is "foolishness" to them that are perishing, because it has no meaning, no reality.

2. It is a Divine "power" to them that are being saved. Enlightening, renovating, purifying, ennobling. The power of God stands in contrast with mere philosophy and eloquence.