Kathy and I are working on a new Salt & Light Chapter. Therefore, since I have been working on it, this week I thought that I would share it with you. As always, any comments are welcome and appreciated, especially proofing comments.
LEARNING TO BE WISE
Once we come to believe in God, we begin a journey that will last the rest of our lives. From the day we become a disciple of Christ, we begin a journey of becoming like Christ, of learning to conduct ourselves as Jesus did. And, in becoming more like Jesus, we become more like God because Jesus Christ reveals what God is like.
When the apostles thought about Christ they came to a surprising conclusion: The Jewish Rabbi, Jesus bar Joseph, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate and died a terrible death was in fact the Word (Logos), or divine reason of God made flesh—God in human form (John 1:1). This wisdom of God was not what the Jews expected. It was not merely a vindication of traditional wisdom. Instead it was a mysterious wisdom (Colossians 2:2-3). In the end, the wisdom of God was revealed in the life, teachings, sacrificial death, and resurrection of Jesus.
The Jews were familiar with the idea that, if one lived in conformity with the laws of God, one would become wise and righteous and be blessed by God. The Psalmists sang songs of this wisdom. In fact, the very first Psalm was an ode to the blessings of wisdom in following the law:
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Books like Proverbs set out this expectation in detail. Once a person had faith in God, they had grasped the first principle of wisdom. A deep respect for God (“the fear of the Lord”) opened up a way of life that issued in wisdom.
My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil (Proverbs 3:1-7).
Prophets, like Isaiah, confirmed that to live according to God’s law, or torah, brought blessings, but to disregard the law was foolish and brought with it pain, failure, and defeat.
Jesus, when he was on earth, told his disciples that he was greater than Solomon, meaning this wisdom was greater, and more important than the wisdom taught by the wise men of Israel (Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31). Paul saw that this promise of jesus was true. There was in Christ a deep wisdom, beyond human wisdom. In First Corinthians he put it this way:
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (I Cor. 1:21-24).
In Christ, wisdom and love came together in a perfection of both. There was no love greater than the love Christ showed on the Cross and no wisdom greater than the wisdom of God in Christ. For Paul, Christians should live wisely—and that wisdom was fully seen in Christ.
Almost every letter Paul writes begins by talking about Jesus and ends by talking about how we ought to live because of who God is and what God has done for us in Christ. In Ephesians 5, for example, Paul says, Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise,… (Ephesians 5:15). Just before this admonition, Paul speaks of the very same things that the wisdom writers spoke of: the need for personal morality, love, etc. Here is the entire passage:
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:8-20).
Questions for Reflection
- Paul begins by suggesting that we should try to live as children of light (often used as a symbol for wisdom). What does it mean to you to live in the light? What qualities do “Light filled people” have?
2. Paul then tells us to avoid the “fruitless deeds of darkness.” in your opinion, was kind of deeds are “deeds of darkness”?
What are some specific behaviors that Paul seems to think are deeds of darkness, not fitting for Christians to practice?
Questions for Practical Application
- In what areas of your life do you detect a kind of darkness that needs to be healed?
2. How do you think you are doing in some specific areas:
Your willingness to respect (fear) and obey God”
Your willingness to work hard”
Your ability to hold your tongue and speak wisely?
Your ability to show respect for yourself, others, and especially to behave well with members of the opposite sex?
Your ability to avoid excessive alcohol and drugs?
Your desire to become wiser and more loving day-by-day:
3. What is the one area in which you would like to change the most?
Salt and Light is a twenty-four week discipling program with three parts: Becoming a Christian, Being a Christian, and Leading others to Christ. It is broken into three eight week segments. A new version will be ready by the fall of 2016.
Copyright 2016, Chris and Kathy Scruggs, All Rights Reserved