The Wisdom of God - March 28

Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 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; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”

Reflect

Who is the wisest person you’ve ever known? What was it about them that made them so wise?

According to the Bible, who is the wisest man who ever lived? Many people might say King Solomon based on 1 Kings 3:5-12. Solomon wisely asked God for wisdom and He responded: “...behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I will give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before and none like you shall arise after you” (v. 12). Solomon was indeed a very wise man because his wisdom came from God! But, we know from studying his life that he was not a perfect man. Sadly, Solomon was an extremely wise man who ended up acting extremely foolishly.

When we go back to the Bible, we read that there is One greater than King Solomon in the wisdom department—Jesus Christ! Now, you might be thinking that was a trick question because I asked “who is the wisest man who ever lived?” Jesus, of course, is fully man but He is also fully God. So, maybe it was a bit tricky of me.

In Luke 11:31, Jesus referred back to the account of the queen of Sheba traveling a long distance just to experience Solomon’s wisdom in person: “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” Jesus is far wiser than King Solomon because Jesus doesn’t just have access to God’s wisdom. No, God’s wisdom is Jesus’ wisdom. Colossians 2:3 says that all of the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ. Jesus is the wisdom from God.

Thankfully, we can know the wisdom of God. Not merely by memorizing His Word but by knowing Christ. Today’s passage makes it clear that we are not saved because we are smart, well-educated, and intelligent. Our brains do not save us anymore than our works save us.

Commenting on this verse, John MacArthur wrote: “God disdained human wisdom, not only by disallowing it as a means to knowing Him, but also by choosing to save the lowly. He does not call to salvation many whom the world would call wise, mighty, and noble. God’s wisdom is revealed to the foolish, weak, and common, i.e., those considered nothing by the elite, who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. God clearly received all the credit and the glory for causing such lowly ones to know Him and the eternal truths of His heavenly kingdom. No saved sinner can boast that he has achieved salvation by his intellect.”

Remember from Proverbs 1:7 that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord? The wisest thing that we can do is trust in Jesus Christ as Savior because He is the Lord and in Him we find all of the hidden wisdom of God!

Respond

Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself to us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. In Your wisdom, not the world’s, You chose to save those who put their faith in You, no matter how lowly. Help me now to live a wise and godly life that glorifies You alone. Amen.

Reveal

This week, pray for someone who hasn’t accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Then, share the Gospel with them.