Some people may debate whether God has a sense of humor. I suspect that those people have never seen a platypus, or met some of us that God saved from our sins!
Regardless, God definitely chose a plan for humanity that we would not have come up with on our own. I’m not sure if evil forces have intentionally corrupted our ideas (so that God’s plan seems counterintuitive), or if we are just too finite or too dense to fully appreciate it. Yes, some of us have started to grasp the depth of God’s love, as shown through His plan for our salvation, but I suspect that there is still more and more to learn.
In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul writes about the difference between human wisdom and God’s wisdom.
For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
1 Corinthians 1:19-21 NIV
So, what are the kinds of things that the world says are necessary for us to be successful – to achieve all that we can? What do the so-called “experts” of this world tell us are important? You may think of others, but here are a few:
- “You can be anything that you want to be.” (This is in contrast to a God who created us in a certain way, and knows our role in His perfect plan. We can – and should – be everything that God wants us to be.)
- “Get all you can get while you can, because you can’t take it with you.” (This is in contrast to God who made us for an eternity with Him. He has explained to us that this world is just temporary, while providing us with the ability to invest in what will last beyond it.)
- “The right government, laws, politicians, organizations, companies, or technology will save us.” (Nope! We’re sinners living in a fallen world, and there is nothing that we can do to save ourselves from the biggest problems that we face. Bringing people together without a foundation of God’s truth leads to things getting worse, not better.)
Now, of course I’m not saying that everyone who teaches others is a sinful phony. I’m not opposed to healthy social structures to keep things in order. After all, God uses these things for His purposes. I’m just saying that any plan that doesn’t include God and His truth is probably not from Him.
This disconnect between human wisdom and God’s wisdom isn’t new, though. The first-century Greeks had their own philosophies, and the Romans of Paul’s day had their own government and religion. As smart as some of their philosophers, mathematicians, engineers, and religious leaders were, though, those who tried to answer questions without God’s input totally missed His plan to send His Son for the salvation of the world.
Praise be to God that He took the time to explain and show His plan to us (at least, enough of His plan that we can follow along), and that He proactively offers us His wisdom when we’re not smart enough to find it on our own.
We may be living a couple thousand years later, but no matter how smart our scientists, programmers, artists, builders, and inventors are, we will never find God’s truth through mere human means. Think about that, today, especially if you are looking for truth.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for April 7, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, April 7, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 1 Corinthians, by Richard E. Oster, Jr. © 1995 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 