GRACE GAZETTE
Volume XXIssue15
/Published occasionally for mourners in Zion/
/Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble
knees;And make straight pathsfor your feet, lest that which is lame
be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.Hebrews 12::12-13/
THE ABSURDITY OF GOD//
//
/Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the /
/weakness of God is stronger than men.I Corinthians 1:25/
//
The LORD blessed Solomon with earthly wisdom which was above that of
all of the inhabitants of the Earth in which he lived.The Queen of
Sheba upon visiting him and setting forth many questions, said of
him, /“It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy
acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I
came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told
me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.”
(1Kings 10:6-7/)Yet as wise as Solomon was in the ways of the world
and in the measure of wisdom which the LORD gave him, he nonetheless
demonstrated that the natural wisdom of men cannot deliver a man
from his own innate corruption.For we see Solomon, in his later
years, falling victim to idolatry and blatant disobedience to the
Law of the LORD.He fulfilled the prophecy of his own lips: “/The
words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; _but the lips of a fool
will swallow up himself_. The beginning of the words of his mouth is
foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. A fool
also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what
shall be after him, who can tell him?” (Eccl 10:12-14/) The wise man
of the world showed himself to be foolish.
Thus the LORD points out the folly of the men of this world who will
not submit themselves unto HIMSELF as the WISDOM of GOD, when HE
speaks of the quest of the “/Queen of the South /(i.e.; Sheba)” to
hear Solomon’s wisdom, /“The queen of the south shall rise up in the
judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came
from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.” (Mat 12:42)/If she
sought wisdom (albeit earthly) from the lips of a flawed king, how
much more ought men to seek the WISDOM of HIM who has been sent into
the world to rule and reign over HIS righteous kingdom, forever.
Paul describes the natural folly of men and their inability to grasp
the TRUTH of GOD apart from DIVINE grace in opening their eyes./“But
the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for
they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned.” (1Cor 2:14/) That man who is not
“/born again/” (i.e.; the natural man) cannot “/see the Kingdom of
GOD/”.Thus, Paul sets forth the contrast between those who are given
grace to “hear” the gospel of the glory of the blessed GOD, and
those who are not.“/For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish /(i.e.; those who will not and cannot believe) /foolishness;
but unto us which are saved (/i.e.; those who are born again being
the heirs of salvation according to the purpose of GOD), /it is the
power of God.” (/not of works lest any man should boast)/(1Cor 1:18/)
The LORD demonstrates HIS glory when HE hides the TRUTH from the
“/wise and prudent.”/(i.e.; those who think themselves to have no
need of GOD’s WISDOM, being satisfied with their own)./“For it is
written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to
nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where
is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God
made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1Cor 1:19-20/) The LORD
will destroy the “wise men” of the world according to their own
corrupt hearts which will not seek HIM.HE will manifest their folly
as they despise the very means whereby HE is pleased to bring “/LIFE
and IMMORTALITY to LIGHT/.” (see II Tim.1:10)/“For after that in
_the wisdom of God_ the world by wisdom (/i.e.; the reason of
natural men/) knew not God (/i.e.; lacking the ability),/it pleased
God by _the foolishness of preaching_ to save them that believe.”
(1Cor 1:21/)
The “preaching of the gospel”, seems a quaint and rather useless
endeavor to the natural man, most especially to the moralistic
religionists who consider that practical teaching, moral platitudes,
and psychological counseling are of much greater value.They are
completely opposed to the clear and singular declaration of a
sovereign GOD who has demonstrated HIS particular love for HIS elect
bride in purchasing her eternal redemption by HIS sacrifice on
Calvary.They much prefer (in their own wisdom) a “gospel” (so
called) which is an _offer_ of salvation which all men are able to
accept or reject, to the true gospel which declares that the LORD
has an elect people (HIS sheep) which HE will seek and save, losing
none of those whom the FATHER has given HIM.
In their “wisdom” they much prefer a god who must wait and see what
men will do.They find it to be “unbalanced” to declare the glory of
HIM who says, “/I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no
God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That
they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that
there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I
form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil:
I the LORD do all these things.” (Isa 45:5-7/)In their wisdom, they
think that they can aid HIM, thwart HIS plans, and overturn HIS
purpose by their own free will.
Paul would preach no other “gospel” (for there is but one true
gospel) than that which declares the finished work of CHRIST as the
HOPE of those who are saved.“/But _we preach Christ crucified_, unto
the Jews/(i.e.; those who love religion) /a stumblingblock, and unto
the Greeks foolishness./(i.e.; those who revel in their intellect)”
/(1Cor 1:23/)Paul did not declare CHRIST _plus_ some endeavor of
man, nor did he give men any reason to hope in anything _less_ than
that work of CHRIST wherein HE “/hath obtained eternal
redemption.”/HE has not made salvation merely possible, but rather
certain by that which HE alone has performed in the behalf of those
sinners which HE has loved with an everlasting love, and will
manifest in the Earth as those who call upon HIS NAME and believe on
HIM.
That man who is not born again, by the work of the SPIRIT of GOD
upon him, must regard the TRUTH of the Gospel as “absurd” or
“foolish”.Thus, he would consider such to be the “/foolishness of
GOD./”The TRUE and LIVING GOD does not appeal to either the
intellect or the religious fancy of men, nor does HE ever endeavor
to convince them through those means.For that which they consider
“foolish” is in reality much “wiser” than either their intellect or
their religious fancy.
David declared it in this fashion, /“But our God is in the heavens:
he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” (Psa 115:3) /HE has no
limitations nor any parameters which HE has left for men to decide
upon.HE does not show mercy to the upright but rather to sinners.HE
does not call the righteous but rather the ungodly.HE does not
reward men according to their endeavors, but all of the blessings
which HE bestows are given to CHRIST who gives gifts according to
HIS sovereign pleasure.CHRIST alone is the RIGHTEOUSNESS of HIS
people.They are not received because they “accept” HIM but rather
because HE accepts them.“/We love HIM because HE first loved us/.”
The strength of CHRIST was demonstrated in HIS “weakess”, as HE
poured out HIS soul unto death in the behalf of those who had no
strength, triumphing over all of HIS enemies./“And I looked, and
there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to
uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my
fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger,
and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength
to the earth.” (Isa 63:5-6/)
“/For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for
the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet
peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, _while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us_. Much more then, being now justified by his
blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Rom 5:6-9/)Can
there be anything more “absurd” to the natural thinking of men, than
this gospel?Who is sufficient for such things?Who has known the mind
of the LORD or been HIS counsellor?Do you consider yourself wise or
a fool for CHRIST’s sake”?mam
