Bible Contradiction? Is it good to be foolish?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Is it good to be foolish?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

It is good to be foolish.

“For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21)

“Take care that no one deceives himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.” (1 Corinthians 3:18)

“We are fools on account of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are without honor!” (1 Corinthians 4:10)

It is not good to be foolish.

“The boastful will not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do injustice.” (Psalm 5:5)

“So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise,” (Ephesians 5:15)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

1. When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction.  A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time.  To put it another way, a Bible contradiction exists when there are claims within the Bible that are mutually exclusive in the same sense and at the same time.
2. One should be skeptical of whether this is a Bible contradiction given the Skeptic Annotated Bible’s track record of inaccurately handling the Bible.  See the many examples of their error which we have responded to in this post: Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions.  Of course that does not take away the need to respond to this claim of a contradiction, which is what the remainder of this post will do.  But this observation should caution us to slow down and look more closely at the passages cited by the Skeptic Annotated Bible to see if they interpreted the passages properly to support their conclusion that it is a Bible contradiction.
3. The skeptic tries to pit 1 Corinthians 1:21, 1 Corinthians 3:18 and 1 Corinthians 4:10 as affirming the claim “It is good to be foolish” against Psalm 5:5 and Ephesians 5:15 as affirming “It is not good to be foolish.”
4. Given that foolishness is contrasted with wisdom in 1 Corinthians 1:21 and 1 Corinthians 3:18 it is important that when we understand biblically what is wisdom.
5. Scripture describe two kinds of wisdom.  James 3:15-17 states “This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy.”  Note there is a wisdom from above and a worldly wisdom.  Of course what the world calls wisdom is not true wisdom just as it sees Godly wisdom as foolishness.  More importantly God sees worldly wisdom as foolishness.  We must keep this in mind.
6. One must ask if the passages does demonstrate what the skeptic claimed is taught by the verses.
7. Psalm 5:5 and Ephesians 5:15 does affirm “It is not good to be foolish.”  Note these passage talks about embracing Godly wisdom from above.
   1. Psalm 5:5 mentioned “The boastful will not stand before Your eyes.”  Obviously the boastful is seen negatively.  Being boastful is driven by selfishness and thus is worldly wisdom.  This fits the description in James 5:16 “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” which James 5:15 identify as worldly wisdom.  So in describing the boastful negatively it is reinforcing the view that it not good to be foolish.
   2. Ephesians 5:15 mentioned “be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise.”  We know that Paul in this verse has in mind to have godly wisdom because in verse 17 as part of the context describes knowing the will of the Lord is the opposite of foolishness: “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.“
8. 1 Corinthians 1:21, 1 Corinthians 3:18 and 1 Corinthians 4:10 does affirm “It is good to be foolish.”  However in the context these passage when it talks about being foolish what is meant by foolishness is the opposite of worldly wisdom so it is in actually godly wisdom.
   1. Note how when 1 Corinthians 1:21 mentioned “the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” right before it within the same verse it states “in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God.” The foolishness of the message preached isn’t foolish according to God’s wisdom since the message is actually the wisdom of God.
   2. When 1 Corinthians 3:18 states “he must become foolish” this is stated as something to do by those who think they are wise according to the world’s standards; note how the first part of the verse states: “If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age.”  Furthermore the goal to be foolish in the world’s standard has the goal of acquiring Godly wisdom since the last clause in the verse states the purpose is “so that he may become wise.“
   3. When 1 Corinthians 4:10 states “We are fools on account of Christ,” don’t forget how the previous chapter in 1 Corinthians 3 we see the context shows there’s a contrast between worldly wisdom and what the world sees as foolishness (which really is godly wisdom).  In the context 1 Corinthians 4 Paul is rebuking the Corinthians’ divisiveness which James 3 of course identify as worldly wisdom.  So the Apostles with their “foolishness” in contrast to the Corinthians’ “wisdom” is actually Godly wisdom.
9. Logically speaking the passages on being foolish here doesn’t contradict the passage about being wise since the foolishness talked about is actually godly wisdom.
10. There is no contradiction here.  Seems the skeptic needs to learn of How to Handle Bible Contradictions.
11. We shouldn’t miss that worldviews are at play even with the skeptic’s objection to Christianity.  The worldview of the author of the Skeptic Annotated Bible actually doesn’t even allow for such a thing as the law of non-contradiction to be meaningful and intelligible.  In other words for him to try to disprove the Bible by pointing out that there’s a Bible contradiction doesn’t even make sense within his own worldview.  Check out our post “Skeptic Annotated Bible Author’s Self-Defeating Worldview.”