The benefits of Godly wisdom are heralded throughout the
Bible. However, in this post-Christian and postmodern age, these benefits are
often overlooked. It is just difficult for postmoderns to get their minds
around the fact that we are being transformed through Godly wisdom, which comes
through the Word by the Spirit:
·
Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what
is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)
However, postmoderns can site several verses that seem to
denigrate wisdom, like:
·
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you
thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become
wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He
catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts
of the wise, that they are futile.” (1 Corinthians 3:18-20)
Paul did not denigrate Godly wisdom but the “wisdom of this
world.” These are often diametrically opposed, as James had written:
·
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his
good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have
bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false
to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly,
unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will
be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial
and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make
peace. (James 3:13-18)
The Book of Proverbs
makes the same distinction. Although it writes very highly of wisdom, it warns
us against our “own understanding:
·
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do
not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he
will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and
turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
When you are “wise in your own eyes,” you do not “turn away
from evil” and seek God’s wisdom. When you “lean on your own understanding,” you
are not leaning on God’s understanding. Consequently, there is nothing wrong
with true Biblical wisdom but our rejection of it in favor of our own
understanding.
***
Doesn’t wisdom make us proud, according to Paul:
·
Now concerning food offered to idols: we know
that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds
up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he
ought to know. (1 Corinthians 8:1-2)
The problem here is not with Godly wisdom, but with a “wisdom”
which is neglectful of love. Here, Paul refers to believers who correctly
understand that they have the freedom to eat foods that have even been “offered
to idols.” However, they neglect to think about how their knowledge will
adversely impact their brethren if they eat such food.
***
Our postmodern society has a low view of true wisdom and
knowledge. Instead, they tend to understand transformation in terms of
experiences and encounters with God through mystical practices. For this
reason, they tend to like Solomon’s Ecclesiastes, because he presents a mixed
portrait of wisdom:
·
I said in my heart, “I have acquired great
wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had
great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” And I applied my heart to know
wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving
after wind. For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who
increases knowledge increases sorrow. (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18)
Why did King Solomon have a disdain for wisdom? Because his
quest for wisdom would not yield the answers he so passionately sought:
·
As you do not know the path of the wind, or how
the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of
God, the Maker of all things. (Eccles. 11:5)
However, this was the very thing that he had wanted to
understand. Having an answer to God’s purposes, he would also have been able to
determine the purpose of his own life. Even though Solomon possessed more
wisdom than all others, he found that his wisdom was unable to determine that
there was life after death. Instead, he required further divine revelation,
which was only made clear in the New Testament. Consequently, he was tormented,
because he found that he was unable to answer the basic questions of life:
·
Why work if I will just leave its fruits to
another?
·
Why live a pious life if it ends with the grave?
·
Why seek wisdom of there are no ultimate answers
to be found?
However, without NT revelation, we would also be
experiencing Solomon’s torment. Therefore, Paul wrote about our riches in
revelation and understanding and the difference it makes:
- If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied…If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. (1 Cor. 15:19, 32)
We require the
wisdom that comes from above, which Solomon had lacked and which informs us
about our eternal blessedness in our Savior.
Wisdom gives us accurate feedback so essential to
successfully navigate this life. Having Godly wisdom is like having a pair of
eyes, which give us accurate knowledge of the landscape as we navigate through
busy streets. If our eyes feed us faulty data, we will crash. So too with ungodly
wisdom!
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