People are confused these days, thanks to the devil, you see religion says the Gospel is to save the lost, the perishing, but its not, the Gospel to them is foolishness scripture says 1 Cor 1:18
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
The word perish here is the greek word ἀπόλλυμι:
Its translated lost 4x or be lost 5x
those to whom it belongs to perish or to be consigned to eternal misery
So the Gospel isnt sent to them to win them, they're destiny is set to be lost, however the preaching of the Cross is to win them that are saved, or being saved passively, it is to convert, instruct, edify and feed and enlighten them
So 1 Cor 1:18 can read The teaching about the cross seems foolish to those who are lost. But to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Also in the original the lost has the definite article, they are the Lost, thats final, their destiny, so the Gospel in the purpose of God was never designed to be a word of salvation to them, because its for them to be lost, to perish.
Your interpretation fundamentally misrepresents the biblical teaching on the purpose of the Gospel and the meaning of ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi, "perish" or "be lost") in 1 Corinthians 1:18. Here’s why--
1.
The Gospel is explicitly sent to the lost
Your assertion that the Gospel is not for the lost contradicts numerous clear scriptural statements:
Luke 19:10 –
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost (ἀπολωλός, apolōlos, perfect participle of ἀπόλλυμι).” If Christ's mission was to seek and save the lost, how can it be said that the Gospel is not for them?
Mark 2:17 –
“I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The Gospel is a call to those who are perishing so that they may be saved.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 – “
For this is good and acceptable before God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
The Gospel is intended for all, including those perishing, as a call to salvation.
2. Misinterpretation of "perishing" in 1 Corinthians 1:18
ἀπόλλυμι does not denote a fixed, unchangeable state. The present participle ἀπολλυμένοις (apollymenois, "those who are perishing") indicates an ongoing process, not a finalized destiny. Paul contrasts this with τοῖς σωζομένοις (tois sōzomenois, "those who are being saved"), which is also a present participle, showing an ongoing process. The verse describes two groups:
Those who are rejecting the Gospel (perishing as an active state).
Those who are responding to it and being saved.
This does not mean those perishing are predestined to remain lost; rather, they are in the state of rejecting the Gospel.
3. The definite article does not mean their destiny is fixed
Your claim that the definite article ("the lost") means their fate is sealed is incorrect. In Greek, the definite article often functions as a way to classify a group, not to indicate an immutable state. Jesus uses the same structure in Luke 19:10 when referring to "the lost," yet He explicitly came to save them.
4. The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe
Romans 1:16 –
“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
The Gospel is not limited to an already-saved group but is God's means of saving sinners.
John 3:16 –
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish (ἀπόληται, aorist subjunctive of ἀπόλλυμι) but have everlasting life.”
Here, ἀπόλλυμι is used with a subjunctive verb, meaning perishing is a possibility, not an unchangeable decree.
Your argument presented wrongly assumes that the Gospel was never meant for the lost, directly contradicting Jesus’ mission and the apostolic teaching. The phrase “those who are perishing” in 1 Corinthians 1:18 describes their current state of unbelief, not an eternal decree of damnation.
The Gospel is indeed the power of God for salvation to all who believe, including those who were once perishing but repent and turn to Christ.
Romans 5:8
"But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:6 –
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Romans 5:10 –
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having been reconciled, we will be saved by his life.”
Ephesians 2:4-5 –
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!”
Colossians 2:13 –
“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”
1 Peter 3:18 –
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.”
Isaiah 53:5-6 –
“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
John 3:16 –
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 –
“He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we could become the righteousness of God in him.”
For the word of the cross (ho logos gar ho tou staurou). Literally, “for the preaching (with which I am concerned as the opposite of wisdom of word in 1Co_1:17) that (repeated article ho, almost demonstrative) of the cross.” “Through this incidental allusion to preaching St. Paul passes to a new subject. The discussions in the Corinthian Church are for a time forgotten, and he takes the opportunity of correcting his converts for their undue exaltation of human eloquence and wisdom” (Lightfoot).
To them that are perishing (tois men apollumenois). Dative of disadvantage (personal interest). Present middle participle is here timeless, those in the path to destruction
(not annihilation. See note on 2Th_2:10). Cf. 2Co_4:3.
Foolishness (mōria). Folly. Old word from mōros, foolish. In N.T. only in 1Co_1:18, 1Co_1:21, 1Co_1:23; 1Co_2:14; 1Co_3:19.
But unto us which are being saved (tois sōzomenois hēmin). Sharp contrast to those that are perishing and same construction with the articular participle. No reason for the change of pronouns in English. This present passive participle is again timeless. Salvation is described by Paul as a thing done in the past, “we were saved” (Rom_8:24), as a present state, “ye have been saved” (Eph_2:5), as a process, “ye are being saved” (1Co_15:2), as a future result, “thou shalt be saved” (Rom_10:9).
The power of God (dunamis theou). So in Rom_1:16. No other message has this dunamis of God (1Co_4:20). God’s power is shown in the preaching of the Cross of Christ through all the ages, now as always.
No other preaching wins men and women from sin to holiness or can save them. The judgment of Paul here is the verdict of every soul winner through all time.
RWP.
cross. FS117, +Gen_19:8, By Metalepsis "the cross" is put first for the crucifixion as an act, or for Him who was crucified thereon: and then this is put for the resulting merits of His atonement procured thereby (F/S 611). After the Fall of man in the Garden, all looked ahead as the ages were being borne along by the Spirit of God to a single point in time and space—
the cross!—the most significant event in the history of mankind!
From that point onward, all the ages of time, even from eternity, will look back to the cross! There the God-man laid down His life in bloodshed and death
for all of Adam’s fallen race!
There the great High Priest of another order offered Himself, the Sacrifice, an Offering with the efficacy to remove sin, destroy the carnal nature, make righteous in the here and now! (Cf. Heb_7:25; Heb_7:27; Heb_10:4 and notes).
The word of the cross is the heart of the Gospel, the greatest truth of the ages!
It is central to all other truth. No other truth is efficacious apart from this truth. T
Thus, it matters not on what one may be right if there is departure from Scripture here! Tragically, penal atonement is entertained almost universally among Catholics and Protestants alike. It is an unbiblical, distorted view of the Calvary event which has done more to undermine and destroy the salvation message than any other single doctrine in the history of the Christian Church. Atonement by punishment yields a sub-Christian experience on the level of the Law, "as if" righteousness, no real deliverance from sin in this life, thus stripping the word of the cross of its saving essence and transforming power! (See note at Jas_5:20).
The greatest urgency of our time is that the people of God rise up and preach the word of the cross in its Apostolic purity, purged of all man-made additives: made sin, punishment, propitiation, substitution, etc. (Cf. Rom_3:25; 2Co_5:21; Gal_3:13; 1Pe_1:19; 2Pe_2:1 and notes);
because the cross is the power of God unto deliverance from all sin in the here and now! (Cf. Rom_1:16-17 and notes) [LNT, fn d]. Gal_5:11, Php_3:18.
Do you have any good news for those who are lost? You keep making mistakes, treating Calvin’s commentaries as your primary source and Scripture as a secondary one-you still have it backwards!
J.
