“When the existence of God is rejected, watch mankind’s descent into all kinds of foolish, irrational thought.” – D.J. Horton
Wisdom. What should seem like a pretty straight-forward concept continues to become more cloudy day by day.
It should be easy to discern what is wise from what is foolish. It should be easy to identify what is true and what is not. However, with an ever-changing world and society, the idea of wisdom or truth seems to change with the seasons. The next crisis or hot topic issue seems to determine what is wise and what is foolish. We get lost in the world’s wisdom and stray from wisdom found in the Lord.
The Wisdom of the World
We hear catchphrases like “go with your gut,” “that’s true for you, but not for me,” or “claim your truth,” suggesting that we can somehow create our own ethical or moral system and call it “wisdom.” When we say these things, we have, in essence, positioned ourselves as the authority. We give ourselves the license to permit what is right or wrong according to standards we create or impose. But in reality, that is the furthest thing from the truth. By positioning ourselves with such authority, we are not proving our brilliance. We are proving how truly lost we can be. When Christ is not at the center of our lives, we rely on our own wisdom and authority. We become lost without Christ!
We have given into the ways of the world, suggesting that we are the experts. We have made ourselves the authority. We tend to rely on our own experiences to acquire wisdom, or we gain wisdom from those around us. At the end of it all, we rely on the wrong source for wisdom. We think we are on God’s level, being able to determine what goes and what doesn’t.
Our self-adopted or constructed wisdoms are broken, because WE are broken. We all have sinned and, when left to ourselves, fall short of God’s Glory (Romans 3:23). We all have bought into the lies of the world, deceiving ourselves (Jeremiah 17:9).
Wisdom we create will not stand the test of time. It will change many times over and eventually spoil and fade.
We long for consistency. Amidst chaos, despair, shame, suffering and death, everyone would be fooling themselves if they didn’t want some form of wisdom and truth that’s consistent.
The Wisdom of God
“The Scripture teaches us that the wisdom of God is so much deeper, richer, and more satisfying than anything this world can offer.” – D.J. Horton
But for those who follow Christ, there is hope. Hope to have wisdom. James says it this way:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
God does not desire to leave His children without hope. He desires for His children to walk in wisdom daily. He does not desire that they would be left to their own devices which, in the end, are foolish. But, because He is good, He always provides a way. God has provided a source of wisdom for us in an ever-changing world. The source of everlasting and perfect wisdom: God’s Word.
God’s Word:
- Is active and is applicable for all kinds of circumstances and situations (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Has always existed (John 1:1) and always will exist (Isaiah 40:8).
- Has been given to us so that we may have an intimate, personal relationship with Him (John 17:3) and that we would tell of who He is and what He has done (Matthew 28:18-20).
And at the epicenter of God’s Word is Jesus Christ and the cross. All of Scripture alludes to Him, the central character in the story of God and man. He holds all of creation together, ruling over it and standing in the gap between God and man (Colossians 1:15-23).
Some would say they do not understand how something this “simple” can contain such wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:20-23). Some would even call it foolish. But to those who follow Christ, it means everything (1 Corinthians 1:30). The cross is the gateway to everything you and I would ever need (2 Peter 1:3).
The cross is where God’s mercy toward humanity intersected with His justice on a sinful and wicked world. The Cross is where the grace of God was met with the punishment for sin being poured out on His Son.
It’s this intersection, the cross, that is wise. This is what will stand after the test of time. This is what bridges the gap between God and man that was created by sin. This is what gives us the gift of eternal life, the gift that won’t spoil or fade (1 Peter 1:4).
Both Jesus and the cross go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other.
Jesus, the perfect Son of God, needed to be crucified on the cross so that the payment due for the sins of humanity would be paid. He was crucified so that man would receive salvation because of Him (John 1:29, John 14:6). A Christ without a Cross is a Savior without salvation. And in order for us to be wise, we need salvation. We need Jesus and the cross.
