1 Corinthians 3:18 - Meaning and Application

Here Paul calls for humility and a modest view of ourselves as the remedy for the disorder in the Corinthian church, especially their divisions and quarrels. “Let no one deceive himself” (1 Corinthians 3:18). Do not be drawn away from the truth and simplicity of the gospel by people who only seem wise, by impressive speech, by claims of deep learning, or by polished arguments from rabbis, speakers, or philosophers.

We are in great danger of fooling ourselves when we think too highly of human wisdom and skill. Plain and pure Christianity is often despised by people who can shape their teaching to fit the sinful tastes of their listeners and dress it up with fine language or with a show of strong reasoning. But the person who thinks he is wise must become a fool so that he may become wise. He must see his own ignorance, grieve over it, distrust his own understanding, and not lean on it. Thinking highly of our own wisdom is only self-flattery, and self-flattery soon turns into self-deception.

The road to true wisdom is to lower our opinion of ourselves to a proper level and be willing to be taught by God. A person must become a fool in his own eyes if he wants to be truly and fully wise. The one who gives up trusting his own understanding so he can follow God’s instruction is on the way to true and lasting wisdom. “The meek he will guide in justice, and the meek he will teach his way” (Psalm 25:9). The person who has a low opinion of his own knowledge and ability will accept better instruction. Such a person can be taught and helped by revelation, God’s truth made known to us. But the proud person, who is pleased with his own wisdom and understanding, will even try to correct divine wisdom itself and will prefer his shallow thinking to the teaching of unchanging truth and wisdom.

We must humble ourselves before God if we want to be truly wise or good. “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19). The wisdom that worldly people admire, such as clever policy, philosophy, and fine speech, is foolishness in God’s sight. This is true when compared with his wisdom. He charges even his angels with folly (Job 4:18), and how much more the wisest people among mankind. “His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5). There is no real comparison between his wisdom and ours, just as there is no comparison between his power and our weakness. Finite wisdom and infinite wisdom cannot be measured by the same standard.

God also treats human wisdom as foolishness when it stands against his own wisdom. How rightly he despises it, and how easily he can frustrate and confuse it! “He catches the wise in their own craftiness” (Job 5:13). He traps them in their own nets and snares. He turns their most careful, convincing, and hopeful plans against them and brings them down by their own schemes. “He knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain” (1 Corinthians 3:20; Psalm 94:11). God fully knows the thoughts of people, even the deepest thoughts of the wisest, along with their secret plans and purposes. Nothing is hidden from him, but all things are open before him (Hebrews 4:13). And he knows those thoughts to be vain.

Even the best thoughts of the wisest people have much vanity, weakness, and folly mixed in them. Before God, their wisest thoughts are still very empty when compared with his thoughts. Should not all this teach us humility, caution about ourselves, and respect for the wisdom of God? It should make us thankful for his revelation and willing to be taught by him. It should keep us from being led away by fair-sounding claims of human wisdom and skill, and from turning away from the simplicity of Christ, or from the teaching he gives from heaven. The person who truly wants to be wise must learn from God and never set his own wisdom against God’s.