The Way to Spiritual Riches

The Way to Spiritual Riches

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” Rom. 11:33.

Jesus had renounced being like God in all this wisdom and glory. He became a Man, taking upon Himself the form of a servant. He humbled Himself and became obedient till death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:7-8.

It is a great mystery that it was precisely in this humiliation as a servant and slave that Jesus again partook of the whole fullness of God’s wisdom. The greatness of it is in the fact that He has shown us the way, and that He wants to help us to partake of it as much as possible. The more quickly we humbly follow Him in His humiliation, the sooner we will partake of spiritual treasures. Then we will receive grace to die to all the evil, sluggish, and human tendencies that dwell in us, and to partake of the glory of an incorruptible life and the flexible wisdom of God.

Many people would gladly be transformed into the image of the glory of Christ without first being reconciled to Him in His earthly body through death. Col. 1:22. However, this is impossible. In this humiliation—in all kinds of trials and tribulations—we see our poverty and lack of wisdom. We particularly see our poverty when it comes to serving the others in the right way. However, it is precisely through this poorness in spirit that we take God’s wisdom by force.

A scientist who looks at the star constellations to study them will constantly feel smaller and poorer as time goes on; yet he will at the same time become richer in knowledge and wisdom concerning God’s creation—more than the average person.

Paul saw his weakness and poverty in his walk before God’s face, yet it was precisely in this weakness that God revealed His power and wisdom.

In the church in Laodicea they thought they were rich, but the truth of the matter was that they were poor. In Smyrna they were poor, but Christ said they were rich. They were rich in love and in all good things. Concerning the church in Thessalonica we read so blessedly that their faith increased abundantly and that their love for one another increased in each one of them. They knew how to increase in spiritual values.

God said to the rich man, “‘You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:20-21.

The wise and faithful servant received a totally different testimony. “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” Matt. 25:21.

Both of them went into eternity, and now it is vital for us to place ourselves in the right company as quickly as possible. It takes time to prove your faithfulness, and the time is short.