God Only Wise, The Only Wise God

God Only Wise, The Only Wise God I. There is an attribute of God that particularly comforts and encourages me as a Christian and as a pastor and it also has an excellent practical application. It is the wisdom of our God. A. There is much in this life concerning which we don’t understand the whys and the wherefores, yet we are commanded to “...have faith in God” (MAR 11:22). B. We are to trust in God with all our heart rather than lean unto our own understanding. PRO 3:5-6. C. As a pastor, there are many things that I cannot explain, fully understand, or give an easy answer as to why they happen, and can only trust in God to know what He is doing and direct others to do the same. D. Our stability and strength as saints comes from our faith in God. 1. Our faith in God is based on the character and attributes of God as revealed in His word. 2. Wisdom is a most important attribute of God to encourage us in our faith. II. There are various gods in this world vying for man’s faith and devotion, but the God we worship is revealed and magnified in His word as both “God only wise” (ROM 16:27) and “the only wise God” (1TI 1:17; JUDE 1:25). He is also the “only true God” (JOH 17:3). A. God only wise means our God is solely and exclusively wise. There is no real wisdom apart from Him. B. Our God being the only wise God tells us that He exists alone amongst all that are called gods as truly being wise. C. Of course, He is also the only true God. JOH 17:3. D. That makes all other competing gods fools (one who acts or behaves stupidly) and shams. 1. It is not wise to worship a fool or a fake and or to put your trust in him. 2. I draw great comfort from the fact that we serve and worship the only true God Who is also a wise God. E. We should make it a point to honor and magnify our God for his wisdom. It is most Scriptural and will be a theme in glory. REV 7:12. F. wise: Having or exercising sound judgment or discernment; capable of judging truly concerning what is right or fitting, and disposed to act accordingly; having the ability to perceive and adopt the best means for accomplishing an end; characterized by good sense and prudence. Opp. to foolish. 2. Having practical ability and understanding, skilful, clever, skilled, expert. 3. Having knowledge, well informed, instructed, learned. G. wisdom: The capacity of judging rightly in matters relating to life and conduct, soundness of judgment in the choice of means and of ends. 2. Knowledge. H. prudence: Ability to discern the most suitable, politic, or profitable course of action, esp. as it regards conduct, practical wisdom, discretion. (Note PRO 8:12) I. It is comforting to know that God is also so wise that His wisdom cannot be thwarted or overthrown. PRO 21:30. III. Our God is also mighty in power, but might without wisdom does not inspire trust or confidence. Note how Scripture combines these attributes of God. JOB 9:4; 36:1-5; DAN 2:20. A. Wisdom without power is ineffectual and power without wisdom is destructive and abusive. B. Power exercised with wisdom promotes justice, righteousness and prosperity. PRO 8:15-21. God Only Wise 12-9-12 Page 1 of 3 C. Power exercised without wisdom promotes injustice, unrighteousness, destruction of prosperity along with fear and instability. IV. How wise is God? Ans. Incomprehensibly wise. The greatness and the wisdom of God exceeds our knowledge. ROM 11:33-36. A. The wisdom of one man compared to another can be searched out and comprehended and may be measured, but what is there to compare with God, the source of all wisdom? ISA 46:5. B. We cannot comprehend all that God knows, all His reasons, all His purposes, all His works, or why God chooses the means He does to accomplish His ends. JOB 9:10; ISA 40:28. C. We cannot know all that God knows and from which He exercises His sound judgment and wisdom because only God has infinite knowledge and understanding. PSA 147:5. D. We have a tendency sometimes to question the wisdom of God in the affairs of men and from our limited viewpoint. E. “It is a foolish thing to question that which we cannot comprehend; we should adore it instead of disputing against it, and take it for granted that God would not order anything, were it not agreeable to the sovereignty of His wisdom as well as that of His will.” (Stephen Charnock) F. We are not God’s counselors to give him advice. God manages just fine by Himself. ISA 40:13-14. 1. He is the only wise God and God only wise. 2. Unlike us, He has always been wise. PRO 8:22-23. G. Paul concludes Romans 11, “For of Him and through Him and to him are all things: to whom be glory forever.” There is no “us” in there. All was created for His pleasure. REV 4:11. 1. God created all things (COL 1:16), God maintains all that He created. COL 1:17; HEB 1:3; 2PE 3:7. 2. In the end all things will have served His purpose, and rather than questioning or doubting God’s wisdom, we should magnify and praise Him with Paul. V. Even though we cannot plumb the depths of the riches of God’s wisdom, there are three primary ways in which God’s wisdom is made manifest unto men. Briefly, A. In creation. PRO 3:19-20; 8:22-31 c/w JER 10:11-12. 1. That which comes from wisdom will manifest and display that wisdom. PSA 19:1-3. 2. When you observe the variety of animals and plants and all else that God has placed in and on this earth, you are seeing the wisdom of God in His manifold (many and various) works. PSA 104:24. 3. The innate wisdom seen in the animal world displays the wisdom of God. JOB 39:26, 13-17. a. God even gives us an example of a foolish bird to contrast with the innate wisdom He has put in the others. b. The contrast just magnifies the wisdom of God. 4. The beauty and order of creation underscores how it is so perfectly designed and functions to support and provide for its many life forms. GEN 1: 31. 5. The sun, moon and stars, their order, and how they function in relation to life on earth, and how useful they are to man placed just where they are (signs, seasons, days, years, light in both day and night, navigation). GEN 1:14-18. God Only Wise 12-9-12 Page 2 of 3 6. Our own selves show this wisdom. PSA 139:14; ROM 1:19-20. 7. Intelligent design by a wise being, or chance? Wisdom is justified of her children. 8. What kind of wisdom does it take to create and sustain a universe? In God’s government and laws for men. DEU 4:5-8; PSA 19:7-8; 119:98, 104. 1. God’s wisdom is displayed when His laws are applied in a nation and individually. DEU 4:5-8; PSA 19:7-8. 2. When you are obeying the word of God you are actually practicing wisdom and will partake of its benefits. PRO 8:32-36 c/w 10-11, 18-21. 3. God's laws are not unjust, oppressive, and cruel as man’s laws can be but are suited for the happiness and benefit of man. God’s laws are perfective of man’s nature, conferring wisdom upon him and are designed for the good of human society. 4. Those that reject the laws of God are rejecting the wisdom of God and in essence stating that they are wiser than God. Are you in any way living as if you are wiser than God by not obeying the clear teaching of the word of God? PRO 3:7 c/w PRO 9:10. In our redemption. EPH 1:3-9. 1. From eternity past in the counsel of God His wisdom and prudence was active as He planned for our salvation, choosing us, predestinating us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, planning our redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ and He has in these last times made known unto us the greatness of his wisdom toward us. 2. The gospel of Christ is the declaration of God’s wisdom and prudence. 1CO 1:17-24. a. The preaching of the cross which is foolishness to the unsaved, is to the saved the declaration of the power and the wisdom of God. vs. 18, 24. b. In the person and work of Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God become manifest together. c. Wisdom and power working together inspire great trust and confidence. 3. We preach salvation by Jesus Christ and Him crucified that our faith might stand in the power and wisdom of God (1CO 2:1-8). God hid this manifestation of His wisdom until our salvation was accomplished lest the rulers of this world should foil it. 4. Our salvation is based on the sound judgment of God in choosing the means and ends that would satisfy His justice and yet allow Him to display His mercy. 5. God’s wisdom and prudence discerned and devised for us a profitable course of action that delivered us from destruction and saved us to eternal glory. 6. Salvation by grace through the work of Jesus Christ is the best means for accomplishing and securing the salvation of sinners and gives all the glory to God. 7. Paul understood this when he wrote of his own salvation and the mercy he was shown. 1TI 1:12-17. 8. Let us magnify the only wise God and our Savior. JUDE 1:25. B. C.