DCLM Daily Manna 20 October 2026: Nothing But Christ Crucified
KEY VERSE: “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 2:1–5
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
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Every day, we need to pause and pray that the Lord will strip away our tendencies to promote ourselves in ministry, and the inclination to depend on ourselves, our words, and other gimmicks that we think will make people accept the gospel. The faith of people who are won by human ingenuity rests on men’s wisdom rather than God’s power. Such faith, built on arguments, often focuses on personalities and is fragile. A faith born of the Spirit is enduring. Even so, we must lean on the Holy Spirit and keep our eyes fixed on the cross so that our lives can echo Paul’s words: nothing but Christ crucified.
The city of Corinth was a melting pot of cultures, philosophies, and religious ideas. Within such intellectual pluralism, rhetoric and human wisdom were highly valued. Orators dazzled their audiences with polished speeches and clever arguments, much like modern-day motivational speakers and influencers who persuade with style more than substance. Paul, however, chose a radically different path in presenting the gospel. He came not as a philosopher or rhetorician but as a witness whose message was centred solely on the crucified Christ.
Paul’s determination not to know anything among his hearers, except “Jesus Christ, and him crucified”, summarises his entire theology and approach to ministry. It is both a declaration of his personal resolve and a lesson on how the gospel is to be proclaimed and received, not with human eloquence, but through the Spirit’s power. Paul’s resolve wasn’t born from a lack of intellect, given that he was one of the most learned men of his time. But he knew something deeper: Christ’s cross doesn’t need decoration. It stands in its own radiant, humbling power. So, Paul came not with confidence in himself but with trembling reliance on God. Why? Because saving faith isn’t birthed by human wisdom; rather, it springs from the power of the Spirit. The gospel is God’s power unto salvation. Its power is not enhanced by human logic but is revealed through the Spirit to hearts that are humble enough to receive it.
As believers preaching the gospel to others, we must present the message in a clear and logical order. However, Paul reminds us that it’s not our eloquence or wisdom that carries eternal weight. It’s Christ. Just Christ. And Him crucified. Jesus Christ refers to the person, the eternal Son of God incarnate; “him crucified” refers to the work he came to accomplish. These two elements are inseparable and form the cornerstone of salvation. Any message that elevates Jesus as a mere prophet or a figure of moral instruction while ignoring the cross is no Gospel at all.
The Bible in One Year: Revelation 21–22.
Thought for the Day:
Christ and His cross underpins the enduring gospel message.
DCLM Daily Manna 20 October 2026
