Those seeking wisdom must distinguish between the wisdom from God and that which is from man. Consider a few examples of the difference between the two to see how far removed worldly “wisdom” is from the truth.
The Bible:
The world may teach: The Bible originated from the minds of men no less fallible than you or I.
But God says: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Tim. 3:16). While men physically took pen to paper, the words they wrote that comprise the Bible do not teach any man’s wisdom, but God’s.
The Scriptures’ Authority:
The world may teach: The commands God gives us need not be heeded if they are “outdated” or do not “make sense.” But God says: The truth is never outdated (1 Pet. 1:25). God’s ways and thoughts are far superior to ours (Isa. 55:9), so it’s not surprising that some commands don’t make sense to the world. The answer is not to change His Word. Instead, we must simply trust and obey (Gen. 22:1-12).
The Church:
The world may teach: The church is a man-made institution that must meet the public’s demands to attract numbers. But God says: The church was built by Jesus (Matt. 16:18). The Lord determines who is added to His church contingent on one’s obedience (Acts 2:47). Individuals in close proximity who have been added to the Lord’s church join together to worship God and edify one another. These individuals form local churches of saints (cf. Eph. 1:1). There are no commands given to local churches to increase numbers by a certain “quota.” The church should, though, seek to convert as many souls as possible, while not compromising truth to do so. The church must be the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15), and grow spiritually (Eph. 4:13-16).
Pride:
The world may teach: To be successful individuals, we must become proud.
But God says: Pride goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18). God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
While pride is a surefire way to fall (2 Chron. 26:16; Dan. 4:28-33), those who are humble will be lifted up by God (Luke 18:14; 1 Pet. 5:6).
Life’s Purpose:
The world may teach: Life is about “advancing” oneself by seeking to “fulfill one’s dreams.” But God says: Life’s purpose is bringing glory to God by serving Him to the best of our ability (Rom. 12:1). What is far more important than education, careers, money, or fame is whether or not we are pleasing God.
– Michael Hickox