Wisdom in Christ

Wisdom can be simply explained as knowledge applied. Wisdom can come from the world or from God. Worldly wisdom does have its place in everyday life. If you have a job in the secular world you can use that to grow in the workplace. The wisdom that comes from God can be found in the pages of the Bible. The wisdom we pull from the Bible is worth infinitely more than any wisdom the world offers.

First I’ll talk more on the wisdom from this world and why we should not trust it. We can have it but trusting in it for anything of great importance is foolish. For instance I’ve been working at a place for a little over 10 years. I’ve gained wisdom from working on various machines and jobs. Wisdom that helps me to do the job well and teach others the same. But that wisdom doesn’t do anything for my salvation.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:19 KJV – For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

“He catches them in their own nets, and entangles them in their own snares.” This is what Matthew Henry said about the last part of verse 19 commentary. We tend to set ourselves up for failure when we rely on our own wisdom when it comes to Godly things. Thinking that we’ve got all the answers for everyone and don’t need God is one of the products of the fall. Pride kills. Pride is sin’s best friend, skipping along together into the lake that burns with fire.

But the wisdom that comes from God found in the Bible will lead to everlasting life with Him. This is the beginning of Godly wisdom. The wisdom we get from God’s Word is transcendent and everlasting.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Proverbs 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

So to begin to know the fear of the Lord is to read his word. Burying it in our hearts so we can recall it at a moment’s notice. So merely reading the Bible isn’t sufficient. Studying intently on the words and meditating on them is crucial. As time goes on and challenges come and go wisdom is gained if you look at those challenges through a biblical lens.

We see the foolishness of the man of the world everyday. He who despises wisdom and instruction is counted a fool. They are foolish because they think they can do it all on their own. Not submitting to any higher authority they leave room for the devil to take over and ruin their lives. The devil always gives sinful man what his sinful heart desires. God softens our hearts until we submit to his will. Only then will we become wise.