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St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).
The church has always stood apart from the world. Most Christians see no need to withdraw from participation in the world around us. Indeed, Lutherans and others consider our various types of work in the world as vocations through which we serve God and neighbor. But we do recognize that the world’s priorities and values do not always align with those to which our Lord calls us. Our way of life often looks like foolishness to those who do not understand it.
Since its beginning, the church’s relationship with the broader culture, governments, and other institutions around us has varied greatly from one place to another, and from one era to another. In some places, confessing Christ as Lord puts one at risk of death. In other places, we are fortunate to worship and live our faith freely.
Social status and ease, of course, has never been the goal of the church, or of individual Christians. Though the U.S. Constitution protects our right to freely practice our faith, Jesus himself never promised we would always be comfortable and free to live as Christians without challenges. In fact, he assumed we would likely be persecuted for the sake of the gospel. But he also promised that, when we encounter opposition, we are still blessed (Matthew 5:11-12).
In every situation, whether comfortable or painful, we can trust that Christ is present with us (Matthew 28:20) and the church is held safely in God’s hands, so that not even the gates of hell can prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
St. Paul went on to write to the Christians in Corinth: “For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25). In all we do, we proclaim Christ crucified and risen, the power and wisdom of God that enlivens our faith and gives us true life that the world can never give.
