01.06. Divine Wisdom Versus Worldly Wisdom
Divine Wisdom Versus Worldly Wisdom
These riches of God’s wisdom are intended for those who love Him, for the children of God. They are not intended for the world, which has alienated itself from God, but rather for those who have been brought near to Him. As Christians we have been brought to God, and it is God Himself who enables us to understand the secrets of His heart.
True enough, the world too has its wisdom, but this wisdom is foolishness in the sight of God. Compared to God’s wisdom it is just nothing. The wisdom of this world is idle and useless, because it does not originate in God’s heart but in a creation which was subjected to futility because of man’s fall. Moreover, it is not only the wisdom of the created cosmos, a groaning creation, which is subject to transiency. It is also the wisdom of this present evil age, i.e. the world in its present order under the dominion of Satan, God’s adversary, the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4; Galatians 1:4). So it is not surprising to find a huge contrast between divine and worldy wisdom. The wisdom of this world and its rulers is marked by the thinking of the ruler of this world. This was highlighted at the cross, when the rulers of this world - under the influence of Satan - abused their God-given authority by crucifying the Lord of glory. At that moment it became perfectly clear that the world and its ruler were in overt rebellion against God and His Christ. Within the framework of the wisdom of this world it was justifiable to nail Christ, in whom all God’s wisdom was revealed, to the cross of shame. But in doing so it was really disgracing itself. God - in His wisdom - used the cross to triumph over the world and its ruler, and to set aside the wisdom of this world completely.
Here in 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 we find several important contrasts between divine and worldly wisdom. First of all, we see how these forms of wisdom differ in character:
The wisdom of this world is transient: it belongs to the present age, and will come to nothing like the rulers of this age (1 Corinthians 2:6; cf. 1 Corinthians 1:19).
The wisdom of God, however, dating from before the ages, has as its object an eternal, incorruptible glory for the objects of God’s love: it originates in His eternal will and finds its consummation in His eternal glory (1 Corinthians 2:7).
So worldly wisdom is limited by time and transience, whereas divine wisdom is from eternity and will last for all eternity. The wisdom of this world will disappear, but God’s counsel will stand. In 1 Corinthians 2:7 God’s wisdom is related to His election. It is a wisdom "which God ordained before the ages for our glory", a wisdom which God, so to speak, especially devised for His elect. In Romans 8:29 we see that the saints themselves are predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s Son. Here in 1 Corinthians 2:7 we see that not only persons are predestined, but that there is also a predestined wisdom with regard to them. Therefore this wisdom too, is eternal in its character. It is based on God’s eternal purpose.
Now what is the goal of this eternal wisdom? It aims at "our glory". Its objective is to bring the objects of God’s love to the glory for which He has predestined them. It grants the objects of God’s love a place in the eternal glory of God’s Son. Therefore Paul calls Him the "Lord of glory" (1 Corinthians 2:8). He is the second Man from heaven. Having come down from glory He has, as Man, acquired this glory in order to share it with men. He has been glorified in heaven in virtue of His finished work. It is His legitimate portion (John 17:1-5). But He does not want to be alone in the glory, His desire is to have His companions with Him. This is also the purpose of God the Father, who grants His children a place in the glory of His Son. The next major difference between divine and wordly wisdom is the method of observation, the way in which wisdom is obtained. 1 Corinthians 2:9 first of all mentions the three main fields of human knowledge:
Things that the eye sees: this refers to the major part of the wisdom of this world, which is acquired through sensory perception, notably that of the eye.
Things that the ear hears: the field of history, those things that we know from oral or written tradition.
Things that enter into the heart of man: the field of philosophy, of man’s thinking about things visible and invisible.
Divine wisdom, however, is the opposite of this worldly wisdom, for it embraces the things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man; the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.That which man was unable to observe with the eye or the ear, or to grasp with his limited mind, God has prepared for those who love Him. The wisdom of God far exceeds human wisdom. It is immeasurably higher than human wisdom, because it grants the new man in Christ a place in God’s glory. It is infinitely older than all human knowledge, because it is based on God’s eternal purpose with regard to the objects of His love. Dating from eternity, it will last eternally. It is the lasting, unchanging wisdom of God, which surpasses all human thinking - true wisdom from above, which does not originate in this world but in the heart of God.
God has prepared this wisdom for those who love Him. He has laid out the mysteries of His wisdom for those who, in and through Christ, have been brought into a special relationship of love with Him.