Wisdom Belongs to God

The word, of, is used very carefully in language and Scripture. We will present the meaning in two ways:

1.      We can see this word used as a function word to indicate belonging or a possessive relationship. Example: King of Glory, or the wisdom of God. These meaning, the Glory belongs to God or true wisdom belongs to God.

2.      We can also use the word, of, to indicate the following understanding: From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author, or agent bestowing. Example: Wisdom comes from God, He is the cause, the source, the means, the author, and the one bestowing His wisdom.

Note: In order to walk in Godly wisdom, we must first understand that He is the cause, the source, the means, the author, and the one bestowing the wisdom. The word bestow indicates honor or giving. We acknowledge that true wisdom comes from God and that Jesus Christ is the embodiment of that wisdom.

We can only live in Godly wisdom when we are committed to crucifying our flesh and living in the Spirit.

Galatians 2:20- I have been crucified with Christ (that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion); it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith (by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting) in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Godly wisdom is, of course, from God and honors God. Godly wisdom starts with the fear of God and results in a holy life.

1st Corinthian 2:6-16- Yet we do speak wisdom among those spiritually mature (believers who have teachable hearts and a greater understanding); but (it is a higher) wisdom not (the wisdom) of this present age nor of the rulers and leaders of this age, who are passing away; 7 but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom once hidden (from man, but now revealed to us by God, that wisdom) which God predestined before the ages to our glory (to lift us into the glory of His presence). 8 None of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this wisdom; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; 9 but just as it is written (in Scripture),

“Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him (who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed).” 10 For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the (Holy) Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things (diligently), even (sounding and measuring) the (profound) depths of God (the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding). 11 For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the (Holy) Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the (wonderful) things freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words (for those being guided by the Holy Spirit).14 But the natural (unbelieving) man does not accept the things (the teachings and revelations) of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness (absurd and illogical) to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, (and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters). 15 But the spiritual man (the spiritually mature Christian) judges all things (questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals), yet is himself judged by no one (the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature). 16 For who has known the mind and purposes of the Lord, so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ (to be guided by His thoughts and purposes).

Note: One of the many problems that existed in the Corinthian situation was the failure of the Christians to break with human philosophy. The Corinthians were in a very, very immoral and humanly intellectual society, a world that was pretty well based upon the reason and the lusts of men; and when they became Christians they dragged this kind of immorality and this kind of rationalism into the church, and the book of Corinthians is written to try to get them to cut the cords of their former worldly life, both philosophically and in terms of moral behavior.

In verse 14 above, Paul uses the term “natural” to describe an unbeliever, because every person is born an unbeliever, and in that sense the natural state of man is to be an unbeliever. A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit. What does it mean that an unbeliever cannot accept the things of the Spirit? The things of the Spirit is the wisdom of God. Chief among them is the Gospel itself. The Gospel is a spiritual truth, spiritual wisdom. The natural man cannot accept the truth of the Gospel, as Paul explained in Chapter 1. He cannot understand them because they can only be discerned appraised or investigated spiritually.

In the moment the Gospel is presented, the Spirit must be present to impress upon the unbeliever the truth of the message, and by that work of the Spirit, the person believes and then continues to grow in spiritual wisdom. That’s why Paul says at the end of v.14 that the truths of God can only be spiritually discerned. The word discern in Greek means examined, investigated. We need the Spirit in us to explain to us the things of God, otherwise, we cannot understand them. Furthermore, in vs. 15-16, Paul says our transition from natural to spiritual is so complete, that afterward we have no need for another to reveal spiritual truth. Paul says the believer is not appraised by anyone. He means that no one can come to a believer indwelled by the Spirit and offer him additional spiritual truth. We’re not saying that we don’t benefit from teaching and teachers. Paul himself says elsewhere in Ephesians that the church has been given teachers so that we might be matured for the work of ministry. No man is an island, and we all need teachers to move us forward in our walk of faith, but there is no source of spiritual knowledge in the world that can compete with what the Spirit offers.

According to Proverbs chapter 8, we ought to seek the insight of self-discipline the leads to Godly wisdom.