21 June 2006

The Futility of Wisdom

Isaiah 1 and 2
I Corinthinians 1 and 2

I started reading Isaiah and Corinthians wondering what they could possibly have in common. After all, Isaiah is a prophetic book and the Corinthians are letters advising a church. But, as usual, God had a surprise in store for me.

I like to think that I am smart. Furthermore, I try to gain wisdom. After all, Proverbs highly recommends it. So you can imagine my dismay when I read in Isaiah that everything of man (though a prophecy concerning Israel, connections to different times can be seen) will fail. All earthly power, strength, society, culture, everything that is of man. Down the tubes. Including the wisdom of man. There will come a day when God reigns over all the Earth and all of humanity is fully dependent on Him.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul reminds us that true wisdom is from the Spirit, the very wisdom of God. Furthermore, he says that Christ is the Wisdom of God. In such, when we accept Christ, we admit that our wisdom has failed. We become fully dependent on him. When we become dependent on him, we are forgiven.

"'Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'" - Isaiah 1:18

Rock on.