The Infinite Wisdom Of God

Temple Baptist Church - 1-23-2019

Romans 11:33-36

Introduction:

A.  Paul ends this parenthetical or trilogy of chapters, 9-11, with a doxology.  “Doxology,” in the Ancient Greek language is compound word:  from δόξα, doxa, "glory" and -λογία, -logia, "saying."

B.  I will give three types of wisdom found in the Bible before I look at this doxology.

1.  Worldly Wisdom: things that we learn over the years.  We gain knowledge and then learn how to rightly apply it.

2.  Spiritual Wisdom:  spiritual knowledge rightly applied.  Spiritual wisdom comes from God!

a.  The First Mention of wisdom in the Bible:  Exodus 28:3  And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

b.  The spirit of wisdom comes from God.  James 1:5  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.

3.  God’s Wisdom: things that only God knows and can only be gotten from Him.

C.  The Bible declares that God’s wisdom in infinite:  Psalms 147:5  Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

D.  Wisdom defined:  accumulated knowledge or enlightenment , the trait of utilizing knowledge and experience with common sense and insight, the quality of being prudent and sensible. (By my definition, wisdom is the right application of or understanding of how to use knowledge.)

E. One of the attributes of God is that of omniscience.  This is simply means “all” and “knowledge.”  The state of having infinite knowledge.  As Dr. B. R. Lakin so put it, “Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?”  God knows everything about everything!

F. There is a difference between having knowledge and having wisdom.  Many men of our times have had great intellect, extensive education, and yet have died without Christ!  That is the most foolish thing that I can think of.   “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God!”  Men like Confucius who have left behind a legacy of worldly wisdom have denied Christ, died lost, and are in hell today.

G. God not only has all knowledge, He also has all wisdom!  God’s knowledge and wisdom are far above that of the smartest and wisest of all men.

Isaiah 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  (Notice the analogy here: “as the heavens are higher than the earth.”)

H. I think important that we understand God’s wisdom as we are taught biblically to trust Him in relationship to our circumstances and needs.

1.  Our Circumstances - Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  (We are often confused, humanly speaking, by the things that happen in our lives that we cannot control.  Yet, the Bible is clear that we are to trust completely when we do not understand.)

2.  Our Needs - Matthew 6:31-34  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (32)  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  (33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  (34)  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  (In times of uncertainty, God wants our priority to be Him, not our temporal needs.  He has assured us that He knows what we need and will supply them.)

I.   Can we trust the infinite wisdom of God?

1. The Wisdom Of God Penned Down In The Bible – Proverbs 1:1-5  The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;  2  To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;  3  To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;  4  To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.  5  A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

2 Peter 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;  (There has never been a book like this one.  You can live by it and be glad you did!  You can trust it and find it true!  You can learn from it and find it both factual in its truth and perfect in its detail!  What a Bible!  What Wisdom!)

2. The Wisdom Of God Previewed In Creation - Genesis 1:31  And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Psalms 19:1-4  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  2  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  3  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.  4  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun.  (God created in wisdom!  It was and is still very good – so good that He has never had to change or correct anything in the heavens or the earth.  All was created perfectly and remains perfectly unchanged.  All of earth and space remain in perfect harmony!  What a wise God we serve!)

3. The Wisdom Of God Personified In Jesus Christ - Proverbs 8:1, 22   Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?...The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

Colossians 2:2-3  That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;  3  In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  (Jesus Christ did not have wisdom, He was Wisdom!  He never said a wrong word, did a wrong deed, think a wrong thought, or give a wrong advice!  He was all wise!)

4. The Wisdom Of God Performed In Salvation - 1 Corinthians 1:17  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

1 Corinthians 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.(God came to us in grace and mercy.  Thank the Lord for His perfectly free salvation!)

5. The Wisdom Of God Personalized In Justification - 1 Corinthians 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

1 Timothy 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.  (God knew what we were.  God knew what we needed.  God knew that we could not maintain our salvation.  It was perfected in wisdom!)

6. The Wisdom Of God Perfected In Eternity – 1 Corinthians 2:9-10  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.  10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Hebrews 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.  (A perfect place prepared for a perfected people!  I promise you, you will never be disappointed in Heaven!)