The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing

1 Corinthians 1: 18-31:  18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  (The Text continues at the bottom of the page.)

The Message of the Cross is...

foolishness...

Foolishness means senseless, weakness, or lack of judgment. The message of the cross is foolishness ...

to those perishing...

Those perishing are not convinced of their depravity and its consequences before God--if they even believe in a God at all--and are enslaved to the assumptions of their basic philosophies of life.

They will reason that human wisdom and achievement are what really matters.

There are those who become convinced of their depravity and the eternal consequences, but they may not have yet come to understand and believe God's way of salvation from sin. Therefore, it is not necessary to conclude one must first be 'born again" or "quickened" before they can believe the message of the cross; but one must be convinced of their depravity beforehand, and this is the work of the Holy Spirit through the godly lives of believers and the Word of God.

the power of God...

Power is ability: It is what God uses to save us from sin and its penalty.

to those being saved...

These know it is not of man’s wisdom but God’s wisdom.

It is believing what God says that saves us.

The righteous basis is the cross. The means is faith in the message.

For Jews request a sign...Greeks seek after wisdom…

The message of the cross is not what they naturally seek, particularly those who are not convinced of their depravity and its consequences before God.

The message and the miracles Jesus worked were sign enough of who He was and that He and his words were from God.

...a stumbling block...foolishness…

Jesus didn’t fit the mold of what they (Jews and Greeks) expected or wanted.

to those who are called...Christ the power...wisdom of God

But of those Jews and Greeks who believed...they understand the wisdom of God in the work of the Cross of Christ, for it is the means by which God saves the sinner from the penalty of his sins.

that no flesh should glory in God’s presence…

Status (in the world) is not a factor; it is more of a hindrance.

Paul is saying that if human achievement is so important, then why are there so few (among the "brethren") of such worldly status or achievement?

You are in Christ Jesus…

The believer’s connection is Christ: He is “in Christ.”

In connection with Christ, the believer, through the work of the cross, has salvation from sin.

Who became for us wisdom from God…

That wisdom being righteousness, sanctification, redemption

These are 3 terms or aspects of salvation from sin, because of the satisfaction of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Righteousness speaks of that conferral of a status of acceptance with God: God justly declares the believing sinner to be what he is truly not--righteous; this is what we call "justification."

Sanctification speaks of being set apart onto God; all believers are rightly called "Saints."

Redemption here speaks of both the price being paid for our sins and the release from their obligation: this is also called the "remission of sins" (Eph 1.7; Col 1.14).

 “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord”…

Our salvation is accomplished on the grounds of the work of the cross and received through believing the word of God concerning 1) what Christ did on the cross for us: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and 2) the promise of salvation through Him: Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3.16)

It is not by means of human achievement by means of good works or personal righteousness or cultural status or superior intellect.

Therefore, on the basis of the work of the cross and with reference to salvation from sin, the Glory goes to God and not man.

19  For it is written:  "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,  And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."  20  Where [is] the wise? Where [is] the scribe? Where [is] the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  21  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  22  For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;  23  but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,  24  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  26  For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are] [called].  27  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;  28  and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,  29  that no flesh should glory in His presence.  30  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--  31  that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."