HIGHER WISDOM
Wisdom is defined in different dictionaries as knowledge, accumulated philosophical or scientific learning and scholarship. The Bible says. “The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:25). However, the Bible comments on both types of wisdom for improving our learning and relationship with God and humans.
HUMAN AND GOD WISDOM MERGED
Paul who became an apostle of the Lord was an example of the wisdom and power of God merged.
The Bible says God does not call many according to the world’s standard of wisdom (1Corinthians 1:26). The Apostle Paul was one of few scholars called by the Lord. Paul could boast of having studied under Gamaliel, one of the most distinguished scholars of his time; and was thoroughly trained in the law of his ancestors (Acts 23:30). After Paul meet Jesus Christ, Paul said, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31).
Jesus first appeared to Paul, when in his ignorance, he was on his way to persecute more of the people of the Lord. But after coming to know the Lord as his Savior, he became a leader in promoting the gospel of Jesus to Jews And Gentiles (Acts 9:1-30).
God added knowledge of heavenly things to Paul scholarly knowledge, equipping him as a leader in spreading the gospel. Paul said “knowledge puffs up” (I Corinthians 8:1) But he said, because of his surpassing knowledge, to keep him from becoming conceited God gave him “a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan.” The Lord told Paul, ”my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, Paul decided, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
The apostle Paul came to understand that the power of Christ in preaching the gospel was “not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4; Acts 20:7-12). When Paul was evangelizing with the gospel in Athens; he noticed that despite all the knowledge of the ancient Greeks, they were ignorant of the true God. Paul saw that one of their altars had an inscription which read: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. The apostle endeavored with the power of the Holy Spirit to teach them about the true God, with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some believed. (Acts 17:16-34).
Paul came to realize that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of man. He “decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthian 2:2).
HUMAN WISDOM GIVEN BY GOD
We recognize and thank God for the many good things God has enabled higher educated men and women to accomplish for the benefit of mankind; although these things are temporary (James 1:17) However, with such knowledge, some seem more awed by gods of human wisdom–like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Einstein and others. Being so awed, they may not notice how people are drawn away from the all-wise omnipotent eternal God, by their own philosophical rhetoric and scientific theories. But since in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached about his Son Jesus Christ to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Still if anyone hears the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, learned or unlearned, God still says to whoever is willing to recognize the error in their way of thinking and behaving: recognize that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And “Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them” (Isaiah 55:7; Romans 6:23).
GOD’S HIGHER WISDOM, POWER AND LOVE PERSONIFIED
In the Bible God’s higher power wisdom, power and love can be seen in the person of Jesus Christ:
HIGHER WISDOM
- King Solomon, whom some scholars consider the wisest man to ever live, said: “The [reverent] fear of the LORD is the beginning of [true] wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).
- But Jesus spoke of himself as “someone greater than Solomon” (Luke 11::31).
- “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
- Since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached [of Christ] to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:21.
- The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom (I Corinthians 1:25).
- Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through m” (John 14:6).
HIGHER POWER
- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-3).
- The Word [Jesus Christ] became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14; Philippians 2:6-8).
HIGHER LOVE
- For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16)..
- God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
- Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).
