Many years ago, I and some of my friends formed a Gospel singing group which was called "Fools For Christ". We sang in churches, and occasionally had open air concerts (which were attended mostly by few curious children and perhaps a few stray dogs at times!) Picking our name right out of Apostle Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church, chapter 4 verse 10, we felt so great spiritually ! As we were carrying our bulky musical equipments on our backs in the absence of any other modes of transport most of the time, we were often seeing ourselves as martyrs for Christ!! Many of our songs were about us being citizens of heaven whereas all others were 'of this world'! It took us some time to realize the difference between merely calling ourselves "fools for Christ" and to be a real fool for Christ!
"Foolish faith":
I often heard someone commenting about someone with a 'foolish faith'. In this age where people refused to believe anything which their five senses could not explain, it is often a challenge to talk about faith in God whom they cannot see! As they accept only the visible, physical world which could be scientifically proven and explained, it is often impossible for them to understand about faith and spiritual matters. However, the Bible very clearly tells us that this visible world is a temporary world, and there is another world which is eternal in nature. That's why "we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal". (2 Cor. 4:18) Another reason why some people could not understand spiritual things is that "the god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ". (2 Cor. 4:4) The Bible also says that "the man without the Spirit (of God) does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned". (1 Cor 2:14). Now that explains!
Believe in God, and be a 'fool'!:
Since the time of the Old Testament (of the Bible), people who had faith in God were often considered as 'foolish' or strange people. Abraham must have looked foolish when he believed that he would have a son when he was already an old man and his ninety-year-old wife was already post-menopausal! After having a son miraculously, it must have been even more strange and ridiculous, bordering insanity to see him taking his son Isaac to a mountain to offer him as a burnt offering to God! But at the end of the day, God did not call him a fool, but a 'friend', and counted his faith as righteousness! Abraham became the father of many nations!
Enok must have been criticised as a religious fanatic for having walked with God for 300 years. When he disappeared (God took him), they must have thought that he had paid the price for having been a fool! Perhaps he had been eaten by animals while he was in a state of delirious religious bliss!
Noah was another big 'fool' to have built an ark, very massive size at that, on dry land! We could still hear the laughter of his neighbours down the centuries...what a shame it would have been for his daughter-in-laws to have married to a 'family of fools'! But in the end, Noah was wise and the rest of the people perished in the flood like fools!
Moses was a 'fool' to have left the riches and pleasures of the ancient Egypt, rather choosing to suffer persecution along with the 'slaves' (Hebrews). However, Moses turned out to be the greatest leader of all times! In the same manner, Samuel, David, Daniel and all the prophets and saints of the past have chosen to believe in the LORD their God, ignoring the sneers and labels of the world around them. They do not mind being called "fools" for God!
From Peter, Paul and the early churches, down through the centuries to the present time, the situation remains the same. The world still calls those who believe in God and have faith in Christ as 'fools' and 'fanatics'. However, those who knew their God have always chose to believe God and be "fools". And I, too, would rather be a 'fool' and believe! Amen!
Where is the wise man?
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ....we preached Christ crucified;..Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser then man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength". (1 Cor. 1:20-25)
Who is actually the fool?
"The fool says in his heart, "There is no God!". (Ps 14:1; 53: 1)
Atheists and agnostics are also fools according to the Bible!
Whose fool are you?
Are you a 'fool' for Christ, or a fool for the world?
Finally,
"For the message of the cross (of Christ) is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor. 1:18).
Amen!
