"it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe."

Believing on our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ isn't simply calling oneself  Christian and attaching the name of Jesus to the end of each prayer point after fasting and donating to receive from God who gives us all things FREELY with Christ (Romans 8:32.) 

It does not entail going to deliverance services after fasting and such in order to break curses that Christ has redeemed all who believe from (Galatians 3:13.) It is not thinking that our good deeds count for anything in making us righteous or deserving of God's blessings. All of these things are big shows of unbelief in Christ and His finished work.

Jesus is not in the business of saving those who think "I have done my best to be good. Jesus will see that I have tried and consider me." Salvation is by grace and not by works. If our salvation has to do with the tiniest atom of our own effort at being righteous, it is no longer grace. See Romans 11:6-

"And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work."

Absolute righteousness is required of people who think that it is their law-keeping and obedience that puts them in God's good books. Romans 3:10 says "As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;" but some feel that they still have some good in them. This is the height of self-righteousness and hypocrisy. Paul said in Romans 7:18-

"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not."

Believing in Christ entails believing what His word says: that in Christ, all who believe are made righteous by His obedience, not by our good deeds or law-keeping. Romans 5:19 - "For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous."

His righteousness is a gift to all who believe.See Romans 5:17- "For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)"

He took our place on the cross and bore the fiery judgment for our sins on His body. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Because the Lord is our Righteousness and not what we do or don't do, there is therefore now no condemnation for you in Him (Romans 8:1). 

God hates sin because of what it does to His people. Don't fret about our Saviour Jesus cutting you off if you are still held down by some sinful habits. This is why He came, to "redeem us from every lawless deed." See Titus 2:14. As it was with the woman caught in adultery, our Lord's gift of no condemnation makes us go and sin no more. He came and died for us all to redeem us (buy us back) from the sins that hold us captive.(Titus 2:14)

Because you believe in Jesus, there is no generational or any other curse hanging over your head, even though people tell you differently: Galatians 3- 13 

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

When you believe that there is still some curse hanging over your head and you start doing things to break these curses or get right with God on the directive of devilish or just plain unenlightened leaders who are yet to see the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are denying that Christ has already set you free from the curse and make Christ of no effect in your life! Galatians 5:4-

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace."

We do things that please God because we are saved - it's automatic for true believers. We don't do them in order to be saved. We do them BECAUSE we are saved. If you're doing them in order to be righteous in the sight of God and earn His favour, you will always fall short - and Christ is become of no effect unto you. His grace is not a license to sin. It is the Way out of a sinful lifestyle. When you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (not your own righteousness,) all these things shall be added unto you, including grace to live right. You will live in triumph over sin. (Romans 5:17)

Believers, because of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus, we are already in right-standing with our Lord God. Our Saviour Jesus made sure of this by overpaying the penalty for our sins! He died our death and it was a once for all time payment. In Him, God does not remember our sins. See Hebrews 10:

12 "but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them

After those days, says the Lord:

I will put My laws upon their heart,

And on their mind I will write them,”

He then says,

17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds

I will remember no more.”

18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin."

Nothing we do or don't do can change this position of favour that we are in in Christ because we didn't earn it to begin with! His righteousness is a gift to all who believe. It is our Saviour's "Neither do I condemn you" that makes us "go and sin no more."

Believe the Word of Christ and not human reasoning. The bible says in Romans 6:14- 

"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

But somehow, many in the church today have this verse backwards saying grace will cause "other people" to wallow in sin; other people but surely not them! Believers, let's not be found here, 

"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." 1 Corinthians 1:21.

The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.

Believe Right and you will Live Right!