Bible Thoughts

September 17, 2000

The wisdom of this world does not teach the righteousness that is required by God for one to be saved. All the master minds of any age cannot(and have not) devised a way to go to heaven. Only by divine revelation can we learn what God requires of humans to be acceptable to him and to enter eventually into heaven.

All the books written by men, all the media that has been produced by men, and all of the thoughts of men cannot come up with a plan that will save a person's soul. Only the wisdom of God can produce such.

The greatest wisdom of men tends to be flawed. How many procedures in the various disciplines of mankind have been found to be inadequate in their various fields, sometimes even harmful to those who participate. This is not to criticize or condemn those who have made discoveries that enhance our stay upon this earth. For such, we are thankful. However, all of the accumulated human knowledge through the ages cannot save a person's soul. This is exactly what Paul is teaching in the passage quoted.

Only divine revelation can supply men with the knowledge to live a righteous life and prepare one for a home in heaven. However attractive may be a message from human wisdom, only the commands set forth in the New Testament can guide one in the paths of righteousness and prepare a disciple to go to heaven.

Man's wisdom, when used in religious circles, fails to guide the sinner in the way of truth. Man's wisdom, mixed with divine wisdom, corrupts the way of truth.

Through the years, the Bible has weathered the attacks and storms of men. It is still God's book; it still teaches what is right; it will someday be the standard by which we are judged.

Let us weigh all of the wisdom of men in the light of God's word and resolve that we will accept nothing that cannot be proven by the Word of God. The "foolishness" of gospel preaching is still the message, even for our day.-jy

Toward the middle of Africa there’s a place called the Savanna, a wildlife sanctuary. A place where the wildlife depends on the annual rains; without it they would die. The rains are late one year, the bush has dried up and so the animals start to show the signs of starvation. They fight amongst themselves, a fight for survival knowing that there is not enough to go around. As the sun beats down on them they grow weak, and the young die first and then the old follow in their footsteps. The grass is gone, they grow weaker not knowing where the life giving water is.

Just as all seems lost the rain comes, filling up the dams and the rivers start to flow again, the wildlife comes to life, not concerned about their hunger but rather they dance around playing in the rain. The trees show signs of life, the flowers show their beauty, while the birds sing their sweet songs. The insects come out from hiding, and take part in the chorus, the bush is filled with sound, they all rejoice for they are saved. The Savanna was dead but the water has brought it to life again.

Just as God has given the rain to the Savanna and its wildlife for its survival, he has given us his spiritual water, and without it we are nothing, we are like the Savanna and the wildlife was: dead. He has given it freely. God has invited all to partake of it.

Still man, being above the animals does not rejoice, and does not accept it, and then there are those who want God but then does not partake of it, thinking it will always be available.

Make sure you have partaken of this life giving water, and never forget that it was God who gave it, and it is God who can take it away if you do not accept it completely.-Vaughn Botha

Today’s viewpoint, in the majority of the denominational world, of the work of the Holy Spirit is different than its recorded work in the first Century. Many denominations today believe in an “indwelling” of the Holy Spirit within their members in which the Spirit miraculously manifests itself. The beliefs range from the presumed ability to work miracles, primarily healings and sometimes acts of nature, to a warm fuzzy feeling inside of the person giving them a sense of “ought," or proving that the person is saved.

The Bible displays plainly to man the nature of the Holy Spirit. It tells us the method by which it was bestowed, as well as the reason why it was given, in addition to the nature of its manifestation.

These biblically recorded insights into the nature of the Holy Spirit and its work help us, as it does with any religious discrepancy, to find the truth of the matter and preach the word correctly. Thankfully, God has provided a standard by which we can judge whether our belief in the nature of the Holy Spirit is correct or not. All we need to do is ask ourselves a few very straightforward questions to see whether our view is correct or not.

1. What abilities, gifts, or works does we claim to be able to do or to have seen done in others? - Does this coincide with the Bible’s teaching on the nine gifts of the Spirit in 1Cor 12:7?

2. How does one obtain this power of the Spirit? - The Bible records it was through the laying on of hands and prayer by an Apostle (2 Tim 1:6; Acts 8:14ff).

These two facts concerning the nature of the Holy Spirit place some holes into the beliefs of others. It is unfortunate that not all believe as the Bible teaches, however. Possibly with our help and encouragement, maybe they can.-Joe Price