Wisdom of God and Wisdom of the World by MRS. LUELLA L. HARMON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 23, 1915

Wisdom of God and Wisdom of the World

By MRS. LUELLA L. HARMON

MRS. LUELLA L. HARMON

THERE is the wisdom of God, which he “ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew” (1 Cor. 2:7, 8), and there is the wisdom of the devil, which Eve in the garden of Eden chose in preference to the wisdom of God, when Satan made her to see that the forbidden tree was “a tree to be desired to make one wise.” Were Adam and Eve wiser after they had eaten?—No, a thousand times, no! They there exchanged the wisdom of God for the wisdom of Satan, or the wisdom of this world, which is foolishness with God.

The wise of this world have arrayed themselves against the true Teacher and his pupils, and call them foolish; but God says: “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.” He also says that the thoughts of these wise are vain, and that he will take them in their own craftiness. 1 Cor. 3:18-20.

With God as their daily teacher, Adam and Eve might have learned true knowledge day by day, as they walked and talked with him. He could have taught them truths concerning the worlds all about them that even to this day the wisdom of man has not searched out. He could have taught them all that man has since been seeking to find out. God tells us, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” All the things of earth are not to be compared to the true wisdom of God, which he alone can give, and will give, to all men who ask it of him in faith. Before man will ask wisdom of God, his heart must be right with God. He says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.”

God says, “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” James 3:17. Again, before we can receive the wisdom of God, which is the only true wisdom, we must have the Spirit of God, “that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth.” 1 Cor. 2:12, 13.

Again, the psalmist says, “Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies” (Ps. 119:98): but those men who have the

wisdom of the world do not believe these words. Searching God's Word to learn who are the truly wise and the really foolish, we learn that the commandments of God and the wisdom of God are close companions; that the really foolish are those who say, “There is no God,” and blaspheme his name, despising his wisdom, hating his knowledge and instruction, not obeying his word after hearing it, but living for this world. Such shall not stand before God, for their way is right in their own eyes, and they continually refuse the true wisdom of God.

Flint, Mich.