God Outsmarts the Smartest People You Know | 1 Corinthians 3:18-20

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Our text today is 1 Corinthians 3:18-20.

We like to think we’re pretty wise. We read. We listen. We follow people who sound smart. We post things that feel deep.

But Paul says: Be careful, the moment you think you’re wise, you might already be a fool.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” — 1 Corinthians 3:18–20

Paul’s point? Human “wisdom” without God isn’t just wrong — it’s laughable.

We act like the world is full of genius thinkers.
God looks at our best ideas and raises an eyebrow.

We build systems to “fix ourselves.”
We redefine truth to fit our preferences.
We elevate experts who sound impressive but haven’t solved a single heart-level problem.

And God calls all of it futile.

Paul uses sarcasm to land the punch.

He’s basically saying: “Do you want to see how brilliant humanity is? They crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:8)

If human wisdom were truly that great, the smartest leaders of the age wouldn’t have handed over the Messiah they were supposedly waiting for or crucified him, because that played right into God's plan.

That’s how "wise" we are. We crucified the only One who could save us. And by crucifying him He saved us.

That’s Paul’s whole point in this section: Human brilliance is no substitute for divine truth.

God is so much wiser, so much higher, so far beyond our thought processes that even His “foolishness” (if such a thing existed) would outsmart the brightest minds on earth.

This is why Paul says, “If you think you're wise, try again.”
Not by becoming anti-intellectual, but by trading the world’s angle for God’s mind.

Because the wisdom of this age is just recycled folly with better marketing.

And the wisdom of God is the kind that saves, restores, convicts, heals, guides, humbles, and transforms.

Humans guess. God knows.
Humans posture. God reveals.
Humans killed Jesus. God raises Jesus from the dead.

That is the difference. And that is why trusting God’s wisdom will always be smarter than trusting your own.

DO THIS:

Write down one place where you’ve been relying on your own “wisdom.” Pray: “God, replace my thinking with Yours.”

ASK THIS:

1. Where have I trusted cultural wisdom more than God’s truth?
2. What “smart” ideas in my life are actually foolish in God’s eyes?
3. How does remembering the cross humble my confidence in human wisdom?

PRAY THIS:

God, Your wisdom exposes my pride. Teach me to think with Your mind, trust Your truth, and reject the false wisdom of this age. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

“God I Look To You”