The Wisdom of Man versus the Power of God

 

Nobody in their right mind would want to return to life around the time Jesus was born. Infant mortality was exceptionally high, although exactly how high is anybody’s guess. Only 5-percent of the population could read or write, so 95-percent of the population could only communicate through speaking. Unless you were counted as the privileged few, life on a day-to-day basis back in the 1^st century consisted of household chores or tending your farm; and this is what you did every day, day after day. Mostly you were just barely eking out an existence. I do recall reading somewhere that one’s life expectancy wasn’t much past 35-years-old. But again, there is no way to really know.

The political system was corrupt beyond measure. You remember in the Christmas story where Herod had all the 2-year-olds in Bethlehem killed. That was a good day for King Herod. He also had his last three wives killed (he had ten of them, so there was some left to spare), and their children because he thought they were trying to usurp his throne.

There were no modern conveniences like indoor plumbing or central heating. Your wardrobe consisted of pretty much what you had on that day. Maybe an extra set of clothes to keep one set clean. Just to survive day to day took a lot of wisdom.

There is a difference between being smart and being “wise.”

Smart people have a lot of knowledge. Wise people have knowledge too, but they know what is true, useful and what is of little use.  

Consider the Apostle Paul, from the New Testament. To this day, he is arguably the greatest theologian to walk the earth. He did have some really good training, but that only led him to be very angry with God. (See Acts chapter 7-9)

Jesus came along and got a hold of him and that changed his knowledge to preaching the power of God to overcome a person’s sin. He is the best example of someone with too much knowledge getting converted to knowing how best to serve God, which is true wisdom.

Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 3:18-20: (NASB)

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; 20 and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.” 

What Paul is saying is that many “smart” people think they are doing well and pleasing God, but God will show them the error of their ways.

Paul’s later life was spent dodging people who wanted him dead illegally. That is why he ended up in a prison in Rome. Only God’s power kept him alive, not any intellectual mind-set on his part.

Sin is sin and has been the problem since Adam and Eve got kicked out of the garden. Sin has had different manifestations throughout time, but sexual sin, for instance, was a big problem in Paul’s day, as it is today. Some things never change, so in the sin sense, we have the same problem as everyone else throughout history. Sin is the root cause from which wars and civil unrest springs.

That is why Jesus came to save us from our sin. We have progressed, you could say, as modern society is somewhat more just and the political system isn’t quite as corrupt as it used to be. But if you live by “the wisdom of men” instead of the power of God, well, ultimately your sin makes you a slave. It really doesn’t matter what century you lived in.

Every day you are alive is a day to serve the Holy Spirit and glorify God with your life. If you do that, it really doesn’t matter what century you lived in because God knows how best to bless that individual.

Living by the Fruits of the Spirit

 

So, don’t unbelievers also show the “fruits of the spirit.” In other words, don’t they do good, kind things. Have joy and a positive attitude towards other people?

Is that what the Apostle Paul is really talking about in the “fruits of the Spirit” passage.

Well, let’s have a look. Galatians 5:22-23: (NASB)

¹⁶ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, ²⁰ idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

So, in its context, Paul is comparing and contrasting the “deeds of the flesh,” and the “fruits of the Spirit.”

People who live for their fleshly appetites think that that is the way God created them and there is really nothing that can be done about it. That is the history of God’s people, Israel, found in the Old Testament. They could not give up their idolatrous ways.

And just any single “deeds of the flesh” can be present and a person will be considered ungodly in the eyes of God.

The point, however, is that Believers do not live under the law. In other words, this has nothing to do with works or behavior. It has everything to do with living by the Spirit. Jesus Himself is now directing our behavior.

The presence of the Spirit is the only difference between a Believer and one who lives for their appetites.

So, for instance, a “fleshly person” can certainly show kindness, or joy, or be good to other people. But it is all for one gain: to satisfy their fleshly lusts.

Paul calls them the “fruits” of the Spirit. In other words, they need to be cultivated, like strawberries. Once we become “led by the Spirit” through faith in Jesus, then our kindness, or goodness or positive moral behavior isn’t about ourselves, but about bringing glory to God.

But this takes time, like cultivating a strawberry patch. We only slowly leave behind our fleshly desires; and some good Christians really struggle in this area, never really knowing how to live for God and not for themselves.  

When a gardener cultivates something, God has a big part in it. Although, the person also must remember to plant, water and pull the weeds. It’s an ongoing process really.

It is an ongoing process to leave behind our fleshly lusts and live by the Spirit of God’s truth.

This is so no one can boast that he is better at being good, or joyful, or whatever positive trait you think pleases God. We were not saved for better works, but that God may be glorified. See Ephesians 2:8-10.

The Cost of Misrepresenting God, Prophets and Poetic Language cont.

 

The Old Testament prophets can be difficult to understand. They use a lot of metaphors, similes and figures of speech, otherwise known as poetic language. To understand this type of poetry, it is important to look at the context in which it resides.

The Old Testament's historical context is that God is having some serious problems with His people. Israel is worshipping false gods taken from the nations around them. God is zealous for His reputation; and the people of God, Israel, must represent God properly.

The problem that often arises in the prophets is that Israel is not representing God properly. Let’s take chapter 59 for example. God explains the problem He is having with Israel in the first couple of verses: (NASB)

59 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear.
² But your wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God,
And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

Don't miss the context. Yes, there is nothing God cannot save or redeem. "But" Israel's idol worship have caused separation from the living God. It is oft repeated in the prophets. And, I would add, a very unpopular notion in today’s church that God would hide His face and not hear someone’s prayers. Yet, there it is.

This theme goes on in chapter 59 of Isaiah, until verse 15, and that is where we pick it up: (NASB)

¹⁵ Truth is lacking,
And one who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey.
Now the Lord saw,
And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.
¹⁶ And He saw that there was no one,
And was amazed that there was not one to intercede;
Then His own arm brought salvation to Him,
And His righteousness upheld Him.
¹⁷ He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak.
¹⁸ According to their deeds, so will He repay:
Wrath to His adversaries, retribution to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will deal retribution.
¹⁹ So they will fear the name of the Lord from the west
And His glory from the rising of the sun,
For He will come like a rushing stream
Which the wind of the Lord drives.

Verse 16 is the key idea. There was no one to intercede between a sinful people and a Holy God. So God made a way, where there seemed to be no other way.

But, as the context goes on, there will still be “retribution to His enemies.” Because Israel had adopted the neighboring nations’ false gods, they were now included as part of God’s enemies.

So, God made a way by sending Jesus, as these are Messianic verses from the Old Testament.

However, this will not dissuade God’s eventual “retribution.” And indeed, the people Israel were overtaken by their enemies and put into exile for their idol worship. An entire generation was left in exile. That is their history.

Those are the metaphors in the last part of verse 19. God’s judgment is swift and complete, but to those who believe, God makes a way out of His judgment.

So, those who are saved from God’s judgment will fear His name; and give Him the glory He deserves from the rising of the sun to its setting; for God’s deliverance, as His judgment, is like a rushing stream which the wind of the Lord drives before Him.

Yes, the poetic themes in the Prophets are a bit confusing at times, but well worth the time it can take to understand them.