A.As modern people in a highly developed, educated, and prosperous society, we believe that we are very smart people.However, are we too smart for our own good?
B.We may have wisdom, but is it the kind of wisdom that will do us good, or is it the kind of wisdom that leads us to trust in our own understanding apart from God?
C.Let us consider the wisdom of God versus the wisdom of men.
II.THE WISDOM OF GOD VS. THE WISDOM OF MEN
A.The Scriptures declare that the wisdom of God is decidedly different from the wisdom of men.
1.Many things are universally understood to be true, such as laws of physics and facts of history.Men do not know all that can be known about these things as God does, but all honest persons can agree that there is an absolute, objective truth in these areas.
2.The conflict between God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom occurs in matters that are not as concrete in the eyes of men.Such matters are faith, theories, philosophies, and predictions about the future.In these matters, God’s wisdom directs us to take one course, while man’s wisdom commends another course.
B.To demonstrate these differences, let us consider three passages of Scripture.
1.Let us first notice 1Corinthians 1:18-31.
a.This passage contrasts the wisdom of God with the wisdom of men in the matter that is of the highest importance to us – the salvation of our souls.
i.A conflict exists between God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom regarding the cross of Christ.God’s word says the cross is the power of salvation, but men say it is foolishness.
ii.Ultimately, God’s wisdom will be proved true, and the so-called foolishness of God will be shown as wiser than the wisdom of men.Those who choose God’s wisdom will be saved, but those who choose man’s wisdom will perish.
b.Because the wisdom of God is rejected by worldly-wise men, such men are not found within the church of God.
i.Paul told the Corinthians that among them were “not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble” (v. 26).
ii.This is not a matter of intelligence but of worldly education.In fact, people with higher levels of worldly education are less likely to believe in God or follow His word.They are not smarter, but they know more of the worldly wisdom that considers the word of the cross to be foolishness.
2.Next, let us consider Jeremiah 8:4-12.
a.Notice verses 8-9 – “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us’?But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed and caught; behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, and what kind of wisdom do they have?”
b.This was a case where the wise men among the Jews had claimed that their wisdom was the wisdom of God, but in fact they had rejected God’s word.
i.The scribes had purposefully mishandled and distorted God’s law to incorporate the wisdom of man.
ii.God said the greedy prophets and priests were healing “the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace” (v. 11).Their empty messages gave comfort but were of no value.
c.Because they followed man’s wisdom, the Jews failed to heed God’s calls for repentance.They refused to return to God, and so they were severely punished by losing their land and nation.
3.Finally, notice James 3:13-18.
a.A person’s behavior gives evidence for whether he is following after God’s wisdom or man’s wisdom.
i.Religion has been the cause of many wars throughout history, but the true wisdom of God is “pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (v. 17).
ii.Conversely, the wisdom of man results in bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogance, dishonesty, disorder, and every evil thing (vv. 14-16).James wrote that such wisdom is “earthly, natural, demonic.”
b.By practicing peace, purity, gentleness, etc., a person not only follows the wisdom of God, but he also teaches it to others.
i.Our lives demonstrate to others either the wisdom of God or the wisdom of man.Whatever we choose to practice will influence someone else to do the same.
ii.Notice verse 18: “And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”The seed is God’s wisdom, the fruit is righteousness, and the sower is the one who lives according to God’s wisdom.
c.Let us understand that the struggle between God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom is not just a battle of wits, but rather it is what determines what we do, say, and think.In turn, what we do, say, and think are what determines whether we will be saved in Christ.
III.WHICH WILL YOU FOLLOW?
A.Consider some of the conflicts between God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom.
1.Origins – God’s word says that God created the universe in six days (Gen. 1), but man’s wisdom has determined that the universe has slowly evolved over eons of time.
2.Sin – God’s word says that sin is a transgression of God’s laws (1John 3:4), but man’s wisdom (humanism) says that right and wrong are relative concepts that each individual must determine for himself.
3.Salvation – God’s word says that salvation, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life are found only in Christ Jesus (John 6:35, 47, 51; Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16), but man’s wisdom says salvation is found in many ways.
a.Some say that all religions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc.) are equally effective for the soul’s salvation.
b.Some say that Christ is indeed the way to salvation, but then they reject what Christ said (Luke 6:46).
c.Some say that man has no need for salvation because he has no soul.He is just an animal that lives on earth and then passes into oblivion.
4.Church – God’s word says that Christ has one church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4), but man’s wisdom says that Christ has many churches (denominationalism).
5.Men and women – God’s word gives distinct roles for men and women (Gen. 3:16-19; Eph. 5:22-33; Tit. 2:1-8), but man’s wisdom says that these distinctions are unnecessary and unfair.
6.Children – God’s word says that children are to be raised by their fathers and mothers (Eph. 6:4; 1Tim. 5:10; Tit. 2:4), but man’s wisdom says that “it takes a village” to raise children (daycare, school, church, relatives, neighbors, etc.).
B.Is your faith in God strong enough to follow God’s wisdom?
1.If you choose the wisdom of God, then be prepared to be considered as a fool by the world.Is your faith strong enough to bear the ridicule?
2.If you choose the wisdom of God, then be prepared to be denied of some things that the world offers.Is your faith strong enough to do without them?
3.If you choose the wisdom of God, then be prepared to reap your reward later rather than sooner.Is your faith strong enough to wait?
