The Limitations/Irony Of Worldly Wisdom-2

The LIMITATIONS/Irony Of WORLDLY WISDOM-II—1Corinthians 1:18-25

Attention:

My work at Skidaway Institute of Oceanography—Brilliant minds at work there. Their work was recognized around the globe. Yet it all left me empty. I needed God & for all their wisdom, there was no fulfillment beyond their momentary absorption.

Paul related the irony of worldly wisdom to the Corinthians believers.

True wisdom resides in God’s seeming ‘foolishness’ regarding the cross-work of Christ.

The irony of (prevailing/popular)worldly wisdom is in its being relegated to foolishness.

What is the irony in (prevailing/popular)worldly wisdom?

OR Rather...

How is (prevailing/popular)worldly wisdom limited?

7 ironies of (prevailing/popular)worldly wisdom.

Last time we found that Worldly wisdom is limited by...

1. The CROSS(:18)

2—Worldly wisdom is also limited by...

The SCRIPTURE(:19)

Explanation:(:19)

:19—“For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.””

“For it is written” signifies a reference to the Scriptures either directly or conceptually. This has been determined thru millennia by God’s people of every generation. It is not as if our generation just decided that this particular train of thought(biblical) produced the best form of government or the best citizens. This written word is the culmination of God’s revelation of Himself to mankind. It is has been vouched for & scrutinized & determined by every generation of believers since Moses recorded the first of it by the instruction of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore:

2Tim. 3:14-17—“But you[Timothy] must continue in the things which you have learned & been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, & that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

“The Bible is not a collection of the wisdom & insights of men, even of godly men. It is God’s truth, His own Word in His own words.”—John MacArthur

Baptist Faith & Message states:

‘The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired & is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, & truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true & trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, & therefore is, & will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, & the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, & religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.’

God Himself will “destroy” the “wisdom” of seemingly “wise” men thru the message of the cross(:18). This was declared to be so, many centuries before per Isa. 29:14; Jer. 8:9.

Isa. 29:14—“Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work & a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.””

Jer. 8:9—“The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed & taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; So what wisdom do they have?”

‘Prudent’—English definition—‘1.)Wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense; 2.) Careful in regard to one's own interests; provident; 3.) Careful about one's conduct; circumspect.’

Secular “prudence” looks at things with a naturally hindered circumspection. Such ‘circumspection’ is only accomplished within the narrowed & limiting realm of sight rather than in the true & all-encompassing circumspection of faith.

God will “bring to nothing/set aside”(not utilize/bypass) man’s cleverness. The mind of man is so crippled thru a rejection of God in Christ, that such worldly “understanding” will be made—by Christ— utterly futile in its being “brought to nothing.”

The ‘great’ “understanding” of the “prudent” so respected by the world of men, is destined to utter failure due to the fact that it is in actuality “foolishness” apart from God’s power in the Gospel of Christ.

We must interpret the Bible with the Bible

We must also interpret life by the Bible.

“Destroy”(See :18)—apollumi—1) To destroy—1a) To put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to ruin, 1b) Render useless, 1c) To kill, 1d) To declare that one must be put to death, 1e) metaph. To devote or give over to eternal misery in hell, 1f) To perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed; 2) To destroy—2a) To lose. Strong—To destroy fully, reflexively--To perish, or lose), literally or figuratively.

“Wise”(See :20, 25, 26)—sofov—Adj.—1) Wise—1a) Skilled, expert: of artificers, 1b) Wise, skilled in letters, cultivated, learned—1b1) of the Greek philosophers & orators, 1b2) of Jewish theologians, 1b3) of Christian teachers, 1c) Forming the best plans & using the best means for their execution. Strong—wise(in a most general application).