Sermon #9 Series: Who Is God?

Title: The Wisdom of God

Text: Romans 16:27

Reading:

Subject:

Date: Tuesday Evening - February 27, 1990

Tape #

Introduction:

I admire wisdom in man. I do not admire learning, education, or knowledge. But I do admire wisdom. I seek the counsel and advice of wise men. I take the reproof and correction of one who is wise. And I seek to profit by his wisdom. To do so is wisdom on my part. As I admire the attribute of wisdom in a man, I admire it in God. A wise God is worthy of admiration, worship, trust, and obedience.

Tonight I want to talk to you about “the only wise God.” Three times in the New Testament the Lord our God is called “the only wise God” (Rom. 16:27; I Tim. 1:17; Jude 25). Wisdom is more than knowledge. It is the proper and best use of knowledge. And the Lord our God, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient, possesses all wisdom. He is “the only wise God” (Job 12:12-13; Dan. 2:20-21).

I. WISDOM IS AN ATTRIBUTE OF GOD.

Like goodness, sovereignty, power, and holiness, wisdom is an attribute of God’s perfect, infinite Being. God is wise, perfectly wise, supremely wise, and consummately wise. And his wisdom should inspire our hearts with confidence in him and praise to him.

A. God is exclusively wise.

That is to say, incomparison with him, no one else possesses any wisdom at all. God the Father is wise. God the Son is the embodiment of wisdom. And God the Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom. But in comparison with the wisdom possessed by the infinite God, no one else ha any wisdom at all.

1. The holy angels, though they are wise and holy creatures by God’s design, when compared to him, are charged with folly (Job 4:18).

2. And man, though he would be wise and thinks himself wise, is as “a wild ass’s colt” before God.

We have very little wisdom in natural things and none in spiritual things, by nature. And if we attain any, it is by the gift of God. We are wise to do evil. But to do good, we have no knowledge. God alone is wise. Wisdom belongs to God exclusively.

B. God is all-wise.

He possesses all wisdom regarding all things. And he is wise in all his glorious Being. Everything God is is wise. And everything he does reflects his wisdom. There is no defect or lack of wisdom in him with respect to anything.

Men may be wise in somethings and foolish in others. But God is wise in everything. No man is always wise. Sometimes the wisest of men say and do foolish things, but not God. Neither his Word nor his works can be charged with folly. There is not an unwise word in all the Volume of Inspiration. And there is not an unwise action in all his works. “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all” (Psa. 104:24).

C. God is essentially wise.

Wisdom is his nature and essence. Wisdom is what God is. As God is Love, as God is Spirit, as God is Goodness, so God is Wisdom. Without wisdom, he would not be God. God is wisdom essentially and eternally. And his wisdom is underived. It is immutable wisdom. It never increases and never diminishes.

D. Moreover, God is the source and fountain of all wisdom.

Whatever wisdom there is in the universe among angels and men it comes from God. He is the Author and Giver of wisdom. The angels of heaven het their wisdom from God. The great men of the earth get their wisdom from God. All the wisdom that Adam had in innocence, or his sons have in the earth, even all the wisdom that Soloman possessed, is wisdom given, bestowed and maintained by God.

1. Wisdom is the Gift of God (James 1:5).

· Mechanical wisdom.

· Musical wisdom.

· Scientific wisdom.

· Domestic wisdom.

· Moral wisdom.

· Political wisdom.

· Economic wisdom.

· Spiritual wisdom.

Wisdom in the hidden part, the fear of God in your soul, is the gift of God. Whatever wisdom there is in any of us, God put it there.

2. He who gives wisdom to the wise is the infinitely wise God.

The wisdom of God is unsearchable. Its depth cannot be fathomed. It cannot be traced and found out to perfection (Rom. 11:33; Job 11:6-9; 28:12-23).

Though God’s wisdom cannot be found out to perfection, there are some glaring, bright, and shining, striking appearances of it which are edifying and comforting to behold.

II. THE WISDOM OF GOD IS MANIFEST IN HIS PURPOSES AND DECREES WHICH ARE HIS COUNSELS OF OLD (Isa. 25:1).

Usually, the wisest acts of men are the results of thoughtful deliberation and sober consultation. Therefore, God’s eternal decrees are called “his counsels of old.” God did not need to deliberate or consult with any about what he would do. But his decrees and purposes, being fixed by the highest wisdom are called his “counsels.”

God, in his infinite understanding of all things, knew from eternity what is best to be done. And by wisdom he decreed it according to the good pleasure of his will. He appointed the end of all things and ordained the best means to accomplish that end. In predestination, he set the proper time for the accomplishment of all things and guarded his purpose against everything that might hinder its accomplishment.

A. The end for which God ordained all things is his own glory (Prov. 16:4; Rom. 11:36).

B. The beneficiaries of God’s purposes and decrees are his own elect, whom he has predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ in everlasting salvation (Eph. 1:5-6, 11; Rom. 9:23; 11:33-36).

God’s eternal purpose of grace in election and predestination is revealed for the glorifying of his grace in saving sinners.

1. It is sovereign.

2. It is free and unconditional.

3. It is immutable and sure.

C. In order to accomplish his eternal purpose of grace, God has wisely ordained the time, season, place, and end of all things under the sun (Eccles. 3:1, 11, 14, 17).

Though there are many devices formed to overthrow God’s purpose and thwart his decree, they are all vain. God not only disappoints the devices of the crafty, he uses their devices to accomplish his own wise designs (Psa. 76:10). His counsel will stand. And he will do all his pleasure (Isa. 46:10). The thoughts of his heart, his decrees, shall be performed unto all generations.

God not only overthrows, but wisely and sovereignly uses the deeds of the wicked to accomplish his holy pleasure.

· The plot of satan.

· The insurrection of Adam.

· The selling of Joseph.

· The hardness of Pharoah.

· The kiss of Judas.

· The cowardice of Pilate.

· The crucifixion of our Lord.

· Even the failings and sins of his people.

III. THE WISDOM OF GOD IS REVEALED IN THE COVENANT OF GRACE (Heb. 8:10-12).

It was wisdom in God that devised such a covenant and moved him to make it, ordered in all things and sure, for the glory of the Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and for the everlasting salvation of his elect.

A. It is a covenant stored with all the promises and blessings of grace.

B. It is a covenant made with Christ, our Surety.

C. Every blessing of the covenant, as well as every condition of it, was placed in Christ and put upon him (Eph. 1:3; II Tim. 1:9).

IV. God’s wisdom is revealed for all to behold in his works of creation (Psa. 104:24; 136:3-5; Prov. 3:19-20; Jer. 10:12).

· In the luminous heavens above - sn - stars - moon.

· In the atmospheric heavens - clouds - rain - snow- seasons.

· In the earth - climates - vegetation - beasts - bodies of various animals - the human body (Psa. 139:14-17).

V. WE BEHOLD THE WISDOM OF GOD IN PROVIDENCE (Rom. 8:28).

God’s providential rule is:

· Universal in its scope.

· Detailed in its exercise.

· Saving in its end.

VI. BUT, ABOVE ALL ELSE THE WISDOM OF GOD IS REVEALED IN THE REDEMPTION AND SALVATION OF SINNERS BY CHRIST (Eph. 1:7-8).

Wisdom and prudence are displayed in other works of God. But all wisdom and prudence are displayed in the great works of grace by which we are saved. Behold the wisdom of God in...

A. The Person appointed to be our Redeemer - Christ.

B. The means by whch Christ came - The incarnation.

C. The people God sent his Son to redeem (Rom. 5:6-10; I Cor. 1:26-31).

D. The method by which Christ accomplished our redemption - Substitution - Blood atonement.

E. The method by which salvation is brought to sinners - Irresistible, effectual, almighty grace.

VII. THE WISDOM OF GOD SHINES FORTH BRILLIANTLY IN THE GOSPEL, THE GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION BY CHRIST (I Cor. 2:7; Eph. 3:10).

Christ is the gospel. And Christ is the wisdom of God (Prov. 8:12-31; I Cor. 1:24).

A. The doctrine of the gospel - Free justification and pardon.

B. The ordinances of the gospel.

C. The standing ministry of the gospel.

· Its messengers - Frail men.

· Its instrumentality - Faith - comfort - edification.

· Its preservation - “No weapon formed against thee shall prosper.”

· Its success.