The Wisdom of God (Part 1)

Dear Bethelites,

In our last pastoral chat, we had considered how the Apostle Paul had explained that his preaching was not with the persuasive words of men’s wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit.  Thus, the faith of the people did not rest on the wisdom of men but in the power of God.  The power of God came through the wisdom of God, and this wisdom was made available in the Scriptures.

Can a man, by his own ability, understand God and know Him?  Let us take a moment and ponder.  God is infinitely all-powerful.  How can a man understand something or someone more complex and advanced than himself?  One theologian aptly said, “For a flea to understand a dog, it would have to be as advanced as a dog.  For a dog to understand a man, it would have to be at least as advanced as a man.  How much greater the distance is there for the creature to understand the Creator?  Men can imagine what God might be like, and people have all kinds of ideas and opinions about Him.  But men’s opinions are irrelevant because they are nothing more than speculations.  By his own ability, the creature cannot possibly comprehend his Creator.”

If a man, by his own ability, cannot know God, how did he become a believer?  Allow me to draw your attention to two biblical accounts; the confession of Peter and the Samaritan woman at the well.

The Confession of Peter

In Matthew 16:15, Jesus asked His disciples, Whom say ye that I am?  Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Jesus then answered and said four things to Peter; (1) firstly, blessed art thou, (in other words, “you are blessed, Simon Peter, for what you have declared”), (2) secondly, flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, (which means “it was not by your human understanding or intuition or opinion that you made this confession”), (3) thirdly, it is my Father which is in heaven who has revealed it to you, (4) and fourthly, I say unto you, upon this rock (this rock was Jesus Christ the Son of the living God), I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Dear friend, have you heard the gospel, believed and received it?  If you have; you are blessed, as flesh and blood did not reveal it unto you, for it is God the Father which is in heaven who has revealed it unto you, and your faith on this rock which is Christ Jesus will never be moved and the power of hell will not overcome it.

The Samaritan Woman

In John 4, the Lord met the Samaritan woman at the well and revealed Himself to her.  She ran all the way to Samaria and told all the people there that she had met a man whom she had never met before.  He was able to know everything about her and He revealed all the things she had ever done.  And she said, “Is this not the Christ?”  All the men who heard her, went to see Jesus.  John 4:39-42, And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.  So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.  And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Notice the Samaritans said to the woman that “Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”  Indeed, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).

Dear friend, we will never know Christ unless we hear Him ourselves (through His precious Word, the Bible).  As we listen to the Word, the Father which is in heaven has revealed the truth unto us that Christ is the Saviour of the world.  That is why the preaching and teaching of God’s Word is so vital and essential.

With love in Christ,

Pastor Paul Cheng

(To be continued in the next pastoral chat)