God’s Wisdom—Man’s Wisdom

God’s Wisdom—Man’s Wisdom

Jesus is God’s wisdom; all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life; He is the Word that was with God and became flesh and dwelt among us.

He came down to earth of His own free will in order to save mankind, and in this divine love, He went about doing good, healing all kinds of ailments and infirmities among the people.

In spite of all this the clergy in those days knew no better than that He was a deceiver and someone who spread a dangerous doctrine, so He had to be removed at any price. Apparently it was God’s cause and the people’s best that the scribes and the Pharisees had in mind, claiming that Jesus deceived the people. Here we see how human wisdom leads out into darkness and causes people to become very evil. In that darkness they could not differentiate between right and wrong, asking for a robber and murderer to be freed and for Jesus to be crucified.

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Cor. 2:7-8.

We may well think that present-day clergy and Christians who understand the misdeed the Jews perpetrated against Jesus would never do a similar thing themselves. However, the great masses of worshipers have—from the days of Jesus until now— acted in the same spirit that was in the Jews and have persecuted all those who faithfully follow Jesus. And always, whenever in their life they meet a disciple of this wisdom of God, they ascertain that it is false doctrine. And even if the fruits are good and it is obvious that God is blessing them, they say the preaching has to stop! If they had known God’s wisdom, they would not have acted like that but would rather have opened the doors of their so that Jesus, God’s wisdom, could enter in and live there.

What is it that makes some people partake of Jesus’ life and mind? They believe that the Word must be lived and not just preached. Those who possess this faith are sanctified; the others stumble at the Word in unbelief.

Many of the children of Israel had to die in the wilderness because of unbelief, without having seen the Promised Land. Because of unbelief, many Christians do not overcome all sin even though the Scriptures speak clearly about it, promising victory to all who believe. They will not enter the Promised Land.

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me, and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21. “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to Him and make Our home with him.” V. 23.

The fact that Jesus reveals Himself to those who believe in Him, who love Him and keep His word, causes them to know things that others do not understand. Both the Father and the Son make their home with them, and impart Spirit and wisdom to them that is not known or understood by others.

When Jesus reveals how He, in the days of His flesh judged sin in the flesh, and it becomes living to those who keep His word, then some of God’s hidden wisdom is made known.

It turns out that it is hidden to the layman as well as to the learned. In their human wisdom they condemn what has been revealed by God because they do not comprehend it. Then is fulfilled what Jude writes in verse 10 of his letter: “But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.” And the apostle Peter writes, “To whom the gloom of darkness is reserved forever.” 2 Pet. 2:17.

All of us have been in darkness, more or less, but we are now saved from darkness by God’s light and revelation, and have been placed in the light by faith.

The apostle Paul was also an adversary of Jesus Christ and His disciples, but we have seen how God stopped him in his tracks and led him into light and the truth. That ought to encourage all of us to view these hate-filled adversaries with a forgiving heart, hoping that there could perhaps be one or two servants of the Lord among them. We have experienced something similar several times; therefore let love constrain us to work with hope and with faith.