1 Corinthians 2:6
Ps Paul Cheng
Dear Bethelites,
As we are focusing on the theme of the wisdom of God, let us recap what we had discussed in our last pastoral chat. The faith of the people should not rest on the wisdom of men but in the power of God. The power of God came through the wisdom of God, and this wisdom was made available in the Scriptures. Then we talked about the biblical examples of the confession of Peter and the Samaritan woman. It was God who revealed His truth and wisdom unto the people.
Today, we want to consider 1 Corinthians 2:6, Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
The word perfect can mean mature or complete. It does not mean that we speak wisdom only to those who are perfect (because none is perfect) or only to those who are spiritually mature. It is a reference to those believers who are redeemed and are completely trusting in Jesus Christ.
In other words, it means we preach true wisdom to those believers who are completely settled in Christ by faith. The believers are the children of wisdom, and they would recognise and accept the wisdom of God, while the unbelievers would find it hard to understand and accept (c.f. Job 28:28).
However, Paul said that this true wisdom was not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world (or the rulers and leaders of this world). Allow me to suggest several reasons why the world’s wisdom is not true wisdom.
- How can the world’s wisdom be true wisdom when it keeps changing? The past generations used to teach us many things, but interestingly, whatever the past generations believed in, this present generation no longer believes is true and applicable. When every generation keeps changing the things they believe in, how can that be true wisdom?
Have you ever bought a self-help book that claims to teach the best way to deal with an issue? You read it and thought it was the wisest thing you have ever read. Then five years down the road, the author came up with a new edition and added more things on to it, or another book came along and claimed to be better than the last one? How can that be true wisdom? True wisdom never changes! True wisdom abides forever!
- How can the world’s wisdom be true wisdom when it cannot deliver what it promised? Worldly wisdom has promised many things, but they cannot deliver what they promised.
Take for example, at every election of new politicians, we would hear some of those evidently persuasive politicians talking about wise plans to make great changes to the economy and living conditions. Many people believed in their “wise” speeches, and voted for them. But those promises were never delivered after they were voted into office. The princes of this world have no true wisdom!
- How can the world’s wisdom be true wisdom when it does not give you the true ultimate answer to life? Worldly wisdom has said many things about our health, wealth and possessions, and how we should live our lives, etc. But they do not give us the true ultimate answer to life, and they leave us dangling, feeling more anxious than before. They could not give us the true ultimate answer to sin, salvation, God, heaven and hell, because they do not believe in Christ.
- How can the world’s wisdom be true wisdom when it is not lasting? All that a man knows, understands, remembers and possesses can be removed in just a moment. A man may spend his entire life studying, learning and acquiring knowledge, and then all of a sudden, he does not even know his own name because of lost memory. If one claims to have wisdom and when he loses his memory, and that wisdom dies with him, then it is not true wisdom. True wisdom is lasting!
The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:20, Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer (debater) of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Notice they were not found amongst those whom God chose to lead Israel, or amongst the disciples of Christ (He chose the common fishermen and publicans instead), or amongst those who wrote the Holy Scriptures, or amongst the ministers, reformers and missionaries whom God chose to declare His Word to the world. God chose the foolish things of this world to declare the wisdom of God, and in so doing, He made foolish the wisdom of this world.
God did not say that the messengers are wise people, but He said, the message they speak is wisdom, we speak wisdom. That is why we must never exalt the messenger, but the message. Some preachers are so proud because they are fluent and eloquent, but when they start to grow old, and fumble with their words and forget their lines, they are then reminded that they are but foolish vessels that God chose to declare His wisdom to the world. There is nothing for man to be proud of!
No matter how wise man’s wisdom may seem in the eyes of the world, without the knowledge of Christ, all roads lead to ruins. Thus, the end of verse 6 affirmed that the wisdom of this world will come to nought.
With love in Christ,
Pastor Paul Cheng
(To be continued in the next pastoral chat)