18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, [2] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being [3] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him [4] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Lately I have been pondering many things associated with God's grace and human responsibility. So often we believe that if we just have enough wisdom then we will be holy. If we simply seek the wisdom of God diligently enough, He is ready and willing, even waiting expectantly to dole it out like a Heavenly ATM machine (If we only can remember the PIN number). Somehow this is sitting heavy on my heart and mind simply because I know that my nature is so desperately weak and unable to stand up to even this smallest of responsibilities. I have realized that no matter what we try and accomplish on our own strength it will never accomplish what the grace of God does.
God isn't sitting on his throne thinking "Oh, Why won't Larissa just ask me for wisdom?"
Trust me! I probably would never think of it if I was simply left to my own devices. Just as salvation is a work of sovereign grace so is our pursuit of anything that is of God. God gives wisdom, it isn't something that we have to ask for in order to receive, just like salvation. Even Solomon when he asked for wisdom didn't call God to appear before him. God had mercy on the king and appeared to him and asked Solomon what he desired. It was then that Solomon said, "I lack sufficient wisdom." And God was pleased. But would Solomon have realized his shortcomings if God had not been proactive in the relationship with the king He had chosen. Had Solomon shown amazing wisdom or a pursuit of it prior to God's appearing in grace and glory?
Unfortunately I think we often mistake our own responsibility for an actual outpouring of His grace supplying us continually. I do not believe that Solomon thought after the fact, "Wow, Go me! I impressed the Lord and I pleased Him with my wisdom in asking for wisdom! Ain't I somethin'?!" No, Solomon gave the credit and glory to the Lord and was driven instead to worship and humility in a much deeper knowledge of Him who saves and does not withold any good thing from those who love Him(obviously sin later chocked out much of his wisdom).
I absolutely believe that the heart that should be inside us was reflected in the relationship between the Lord and his king. He was amazed and changed by the appearing of the Lord and the Lord gave him wisdom. Do we ever embrace wisdom before salvation? Is wisdom separated in anyway from an intimate knowledge of Christ? Paul in His letter to the Corinthian believers says that Christ is in actuallity the incarnation of Wisdom (v. 24). Know Christ and you will know wisdom. Therefore gaining wisdom and discernment is absolutly contingent on Christ's working in our hearts and minds, changing and redeeming us by His everlasting grace.
He takes silly and foolish human beings like me and says "It pleases Me to make this warped vessel into a vessel of usefulness and wisdom." And do I then respond, "Wow! Good thing I believed and sought after Him! I show real wisdom in my actions and my pursuit!" Are you kidding me???!!! I am broken! Humbled! Mournful! And more then a little aware that I am nothing without His grace saving me out of the pit without even the smallest effort on my own part, left to my own devices I never would pursue the things of the Lord, much less His wisdom! First He had to change my heart and bring me into His salvation, then I was able to see what true wisdom was and able to not only desire it, but through a growing and deepening relationship with the Author of my salvation I was able thereby to grow in wisdom and discernment. May all the praise be His alone!
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; Proverbs 2:6
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, [2] not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being [3] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him [4] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Lately I have been pondering many things associated with God's grace and human responsibility. So often we believe that if we just have enough wisdom then we will be holy. If we simply seek the wisdom of God diligently enough, He is ready and willing, even waiting expectantly to dole it out like a Heavenly ATM machine (If we only can remember the PIN number). Somehow this is sitting heavy on my heart and mind simply because I know that my nature is so desperately weak and unable to stand up to even this smallest of responsibilities. I have realized that no matter what we try and accomplish on our own strength it will never accomplish what the grace of God does.
God isn't sitting on his throne thinking "Oh, Why won't Larissa just ask me for wisdom?"
Trust me! I probably would never think of it if I was simply left to my own devices. Just as salvation is a work of sovereign grace so is our pursuit of anything that is of God. God gives wisdom, it isn't something that we have to ask for in order to receive, just like salvation. Even Solomon when he asked for wisdom didn't call God to appear before him. God had mercy on the king and appeared to him and asked Solomon what he desired. It was then that Solomon said, "I lack sufficient wisdom." And God was pleased. But would Solomon have realized his shortcomings if God had not been proactive in the relationship with the king He had chosen. Had Solomon shown amazing wisdom or a pursuit of it prior to God's appearing in grace and glory?
Unfortunately I think we often mistake our own responsibility for an actual outpouring of His grace supplying us continually. I do not believe that Solomon thought after the fact, "Wow, Go me! I impressed the Lord and I pleased Him with my wisdom in asking for wisdom! Ain't I somethin'?!" No, Solomon gave the credit and glory to the Lord and was driven instead to worship and humility in a much deeper knowledge of Him who saves and does not withold any good thing from those who love Him(obviously sin later chocked out much of his wisdom).
I absolutely believe that the heart that should be inside us was reflected in the relationship between the Lord and his king. He was amazed and changed by the appearing of the Lord and the Lord gave him wisdom. Do we ever embrace wisdom before salvation? Is wisdom separated in anyway from an intimate knowledge of Christ? Paul in His letter to the Corinthian believers says that Christ is in actuallity the incarnation of Wisdom (v. 24). Know Christ and you will know wisdom. Therefore gaining wisdom and discernment is absolutly contingent on Christ's working in our hearts and minds, changing and redeeming us by His everlasting grace.
He takes silly and foolish human beings like me and says "It pleases Me to make this warped vessel into a vessel of usefulness and wisdom." And do I then respond, "Wow! Good thing I believed and sought after Him! I show real wisdom in my actions and my pursuit!" Are you kidding me???!!! I am broken! Humbled! Mournful! And more then a little aware that I am nothing without His grace saving me out of the pit without even the smallest effort on my own part, left to my own devices I never would pursue the things of the Lord, much less His wisdom! First He had to change my heart and bring me into His salvation, then I was able to see what true wisdom was and able to not only desire it, but through a growing and deepening relationship with the Author of my salvation I was able thereby to grow in wisdom and discernment. May all the praise be His alone!
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; Proverbs 2:6
No comments:
Post a Comment