Being Wise as a Serpent II
a child's father
I have had the pleasure of watching my husband father our children. Truly, it is the most beautiful thing I've seen. While I have had a father until the age of 17, I was emotionally, fatherless. this is not to say that my father was a horrible parent. Oddly, he was very generous of his time and in his compassion to others, it just wasn't directed towards his family as we needed him to be. As an adult, I see the deliberate direction from the Lord in my childhood. One in which I can rejoice in, looking back. My physical father wasn't there in the way I needed him to be, but my Father in heaven was. It made it much easier for me to"look to Him" as I was searching for someone to look to. My children, absorb every word from their father's mouth. They lap it up as truth, and I can see the process of integrity, character and understanding budding in their very young years. While they are very normal as children, they are quite unusual in character, displaying love and compassion, I'm hard-pressed to find in other children their ages. Yes, a child's father is TRUTH to them, as my spiritual Father is to me. As He should be to those who claim to be His children.
the foolishness of god
If God considers the wisdom of the world foolishness, how much more are WE to consider the world and it's intellect?? (1 Corinthians 3:19) I'm not excluding anything "intellectual", (neither is scripture) from this category. I'm speaking of your own personal, human (outside of the Holy Spirit) wisdom to pastoral wisdom, to scientific wisdom. We as a Christian culture, are far to taken with one's credentials and titles (such as bible scholars, Reverend etc.) and neglect scriptural warnings of "false prophets", scriptural encouragement to "try the spirits" (1 John 4:1-3), and the scriptural decree that the Holy Spirit is our primary teacher (1 John 2:27; John 16:13-14). We have sent an engraved invitation to deception to partake in our daily meals with us. We have defined the validity of God's Word by human standards, measured in name titles.
"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty" -- 1 Corinthians 1:25-27
Yet, continually we choose to rest our faith upon things "deemed" wise in our own eyes. Bear with me while I reiterate further on this point. I commented on an article in a post a few days ago called A "worship renewal" of Apostasy. It was in regards to a new worship routines in which Evangelists have incorporated Catholic traditions in their services as a way to "get closer to God". A comment was left on that post from a person who lives those beliefs, in support of it, stated that "it's 1000 closer than what is seen in 99.99999% of "churches." I cannot tell you how many times I have heard various shades of this statement from various beliefs I have interacted with in the past 13-15 years of my life! While this sentiment may seem wise, listen to the Word of the Living God:
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein." -- Hebrews 13:8-9
How fascinating is the above scripture? For me it says it all..."it is GOOD that the heart be established with GRACE; not with meats" (legalism, works, yes that includes WORSHIP CEREMONIES)
Why??
Because it does not "profit them that have been occupied therein" ! If Christ is the same and has not changed, then I will adhere to sound doctrine (teaching) of the Word and the Spirit, "which is truth and is no lie". 1 John 2:27 Give me the "foolishness of God" as my foundation in ANY capacity!
A cynic by cause
We must become cynics towards the wisdom of man if one has hopes to avoid being deceived in a deceitful world. If our faith in Him is genuine in any form or fashion, we know that He will not withhold the Spirit of Truth, which guides us into all understanding from us (John 16:13). We know if we lack wisdom we may ask of Him, "that giveth to all men liberally and upbraidth not" (James 1:5-7)
When we become cynics towards the wisdom of man we receive the recognition that God is a Spirit and we that worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) We, thus, separate the physical (what's "pleasant to the eyes") from the spiritual (FAITH). When we do this we replace our credence, which is truly our faith, in the Word of the living God, rather than doctrines and credentials that are based upon the flawed wisdom of man.
"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." - 1 Corinthians 3:18-20
Far too many professing Christians have been swayed by the "wisdom of this world". A true indicator of where their walk is...by sight (physical, human knowledge of any origin), instead of by faith.
"(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)" 2 Corinthians 5:7
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" Romans 1:17
If we, are enslaved by our physical parameters (the five senses), then we truly have not set free by the power of Christ, for our faith has proven to be in vain. If we are defined by our five senses, we then seek wisdom according to those senses as opposed to seeking God-given wisdom in accordance to our faith. We can then say, we walk NOT after the SPIRIT but after the flesh.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" -- Romans 8:1-2"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" -- Romans 8:5-8
(This sentiment will be continued in the next post, part III, but will not be named "Being Wise as a Serpent")
Sometimes I find it hard to distinguish between my own version of wisdom and the wisdom that comes to my spirit by God's Spirit that is within me. I guess that's where discernment and Godly counsel comes in. I kept on reading, in between your passages from 1 Corinthians 1 and 3. I also love what 1 Corinth. 2 says about wisdom. The whole chapter is good, but these verses seems to say it best: And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (vv.4,5)
ReplyDeleteI can tell you that Paul is my favorite (aside from Christ of course :) person in scripture.
ReplyDeleteHis love for truth and Christ is unparalleled in today's society.
SoulandSubstance,
as long as you hold on to your Faith that He will guide you and reveal to you the truth as He knows it.
James 1:5-6
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed"
It will become more and more obvious what is your wisdom and what is His.
Making mistakes (and going through trials) is (what I've learned) one of the best teachers, as long as you are willing to learn from them, what He has for you to learn and understand, it will become apparent to you.
When you make a choice to do something, a consequence will always follow, be it good or bad. For me, I always had to evaluate the consequence, good or bad, to understand the pattern, or reason for my choice, and whether I based it on my own understanding or on His.
It is a process, a divine race in which we are called to run with endurance! Hold fast to sound doctrine, He will never let you down!
Hebrews 10:22-23
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)"
Revelations 2:24-25 (Christ's words)
"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
But that which ye have already hold fast till I come."
I have been blessed with a faith that has not waivered, even if my walk occasionally falters. I have been saved for about 8 years now and God led me to a wise, Godly man, who became my husband. His faith has been a rock for my own to lean on. I am very thankful.
ReplyDeleteWonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt appears as if we do share some similarities despite the fact that I (we, my husband and I) have removed myself (ourselves) from mainstream Christianity :)
God Bless you!