In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul described his determination to avoid the “lofty speech and wisdom” so popular in the Corinth of his day.
In the book The Cross and Christian Ministry, D.A. Carson comments,
Such oratory made Paul nervous. It affords far too many temptations to pride to be safe for anyone interesting in preaching the gospel of the crucified Messiah. So Paul made a choice. He “resolved” to adopt a more restrictive course, even though he was cutting across the stream of cultural expectations. When the pressure to ‘contextualize’ the gospel jeopardizes the message of the cross… the cultural pressures must be ignored (pg 34).
In this book, Carson, in a wonderful section on “The Preacher of the Cross” (2:1-5) draws four conclusions that are worth pondering:
1. Proclaim the testimony about God
“There is nothing wrong with sharing. But something important is lost if we never speak or think of preaching and proclamation… if we focus on the powerful proclamation of the gospel, we shall be less likely to be seduced by siren calls to soften the sheer non-negotiability inhered in preaching.”
2. Focus on Christ crucified
“What he means is that all he does and teaches is tied to the cross. He cannot long talk about Christian joy, or Christian ethics, or Christian fellowship, or the Christian doctrine of God, or anything else, without finally tying it to the cross. Paul is gospel-centered; he is cross centered.”
3. Do not fear weakness, illness, or a sense of being overwhelmed
“Such experiences are often the occasions when God most greatly displays his power. As long as people are impressed by your powerful personality and impressive gifts, there is very little room for you to impress them with a crucified Savior.”
4. Strenuously avoid manipulating people
“[Paul] avoids persuasion that is manipulative… It is the truth and power of the gospel that must change people’s lives… Deal straightforwardly with the gospel.”
5. Recognize that a cross-centered ministry is characterized by the Spirit’s power and is vindicated in transformed lives
“That is what we need: unction, the anointing of the Spirit, the demonstration of the Spirit’s power. Where that power is present, people cannot help but know it, and the faith of those who turn to Christ is safely anchored in God himself.”
