A Truth to Believe

What does it mean that God is wise?

God alone is infinitely wise (Rom. 16:27) with ways infinitely above all others (Isa. 55:8-9). God's wisdom is the reality that he always knows and does what is best. To be wise means that God always ordains the best purposes, always chooses the best way to fulfill them, and always accomplishes his plans in the way that will most glorify him and be best for his people.

God's wisdom is essential to his perfect ordering and governing of all things, including our salvation. Wisdom is part of God's nature (Job 9:4) and undergirds all his actions, including creation (Ps. 104:24), providence (Rom. 11:33), and redemption (1 Cor. 1:21, 27, 29). There is no bottom to the depths of God's wisdom. 

God can also provide wisdom. The Lord gives his children wisdom when they ask (Jas. 1:5; Prov. 2:6; Ecc 2:26), teaches it in his word (Prov. 2:6), and makes wise the simple (Ps. 19:7). God desires that his people be “filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9).

Yet the wisdom of God is most fully expressed and centered in Jesus Christ. Indeed, Jesus is the wisdom of God incarnate (1 Cor 1:24, 30) and in him "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3).

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (Rom 11:33)

Something about Living

How ever profound it sounds, worldly wisdom that does not take into account the person or work of Jesus Christ is simply utter foolishness.

A Quote

“Now though the permission of sin be an act of [God’s] sovereignty, and the punishment of sin be an act of his justice, yet the ordination of sin to good is an act of his wisdom, whereby he does dispose of the evil, overrules the malice, and orders the events of it to his own purposes. Sin in itself is a disorder, and therefore God does not permit sin for itself—for in its own nature it has nothing of amiableness—but he wills it for some righteous end, which belongs to the manifestation of his glory, which is his aim in all the acts of his will. He wills it not as sin but as his wisdom can order it to some greater good than was before in the world and make it contribute to the beauty of the order he intends.”

Stephen Charnock

A Resource

We absolutely love reading aloud excellent stories together as a family.

Here are our favorite family read alouds so far.