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THE PRINCIPAL THING

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 16, 1901

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 78, No. 29.

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THE PRINCIPAL THING.

By E. K. Slade

E. K. SLADE.
(Ann Arbor, Mich.)
ONE who sees and knows all things, One whose understanding is perfect, and who beholds the good and the evil in all the universe and in all time and eternity, is highly qualified to appeal to man and point out to him the best thing for him to have. This, the Giver of all good gifts, has done in saying, “Wisdom is the principal thing.” And because it is the principal thing, the all-essential thing for the child of God, He invites us to “get wisdom; and with all thy getting get understanding.”
We are living in a time of great knowledge, and, at the same time, great misunderstanding. While this seems to be a contradictory statement, its truthfulness will be more evident when we carefully consider the conditions of our time.
“Knowledge shall increase,” is the word of the prophet concerning this time. But knowledge in this instance does not mean a knowledge of truth and of God. The word “knowledge” in this scripture is translated from the same word, and has the same meaning, as the word “knowledge” in Gen. 2:17, where reference is made to the tree of knowledge, and means cunning or subtlety, rather than a knowledge allied to wisdom.
The word “knowledge” in the promise, “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea,” is translated from another word, and signifies true knowledge, or knowledge of truth, which is a knowledge of God. The same knowledge is referred to in the words, “They shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.” This kind of knowledge prepares men for the kingdom of God, where all will know the Lord. It is not the kind of knowledge that will prevail upon the earth in the time when it is true that not any “pleadeth for truth; they trust in vanity, and speak lies.” All who know God will be commandment-keepers, and have eternal life. John 17:3; 1 John 2:4. This is not the knowledge referred to in Dan. 12:4.
“Through faith we understand.” Without faith there can be but little true understanding, and in the last days there will be but little faith upon the earth. There will be a great many things known, and of course a great deal of truth taught, but it will all be permeated with misunderstanding. The only correct understanding of anything is to know it as God teaches it, and all His children will be taught of Him. “If any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” The wisdom of this world does not come from above, and consequently is not “pure.” Pure wisdom and a true understanding can come by faith only; and without faith, misunderstanding will increase as knowledge increases. This kind of wisdom, though thought by the world to be the highest and best, in fact, the “principal thing,” is called foolishness by the Lord.
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.” Almost daily we meet that form of knowledge which leads men away from God as a teacher, and away from His word as the truth. By incorrect premises and false reasoning, it is concluded that all things are self-existent and self-created; that there is no God outside of the creature. Creation is said to be a process of development from a lower to a higher stage of existence, called evolution. Thus the creature is worshiped more than the Creator, until, ultimately, the Creator is believed not to exist at all. Through this reasoning they come to a misunderstanding of God and of truth,—a misunderstanding that is eternal in its results, even eternal nothingness and eternal know-nothingnessYes; “the fool hath said in his heart, There is no God;” and “fools die for want of wisdom.”
“But the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.” “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.” “Shame and everlasting contempt” is their only reward, and they shall be “ashamed before Him at His coming.” “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.”
Truly, “wisdom is the principal thing,” and “happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.”