The Wisdom of God is Not Relative

Problem

We live in a society that believes that absolute truth does not exist. Truth is considered to be relative, and each person is encouraged to come to their own conclusions and hold a version of truth that is true for them.  

What should be our perspective when it comes to the Bible?  

Solution

These ideas are not new.  We can see from the first letter to the Corinthians that different groups of people wanted their own version of truth.  The Jews required a sign and the Greeks sought after wisdom (1 Cor 1:22).  Each group wanted something slightly different to the other, and yet what both groups needed was the same, that is God’s salvation provided in His Son:

unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God

1 Corinthians 1:24

This section of the letter to the Corinthians shows the conflict that exists between mankind’s wisdom and God’s wisdom; the chasm that lies between man’s words and God’s words.  

And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:4, 5

It is clear therefore that the wisdom of God is the power of God, which is the word of God.  This is what God offers to every generation.  It does not change.  It is not relative. It is not affected by our background, our culture, or the age in which we live. Had the “princes of the world” – the Jew and Gentile rulers of Christ’s day – known the wisdom of God, then they would not have crucified the Lord of glory!  (1 Cor 2:8).

When we read these words, we are reading the Word of God. This is not Paul’s opinion on the matter.  He was not an excellent orator.  We are not seeing the benefit of his vast education being poured out on paper, nor are we getting a glimpse into the inner workings of his legal mind. The apostle Paul declared the testimony of God, “not with excellency of speech or of wisdom” (1 Cor 2:1) but “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Cor 2:3)

The apostle Paul was clear about the source of the words of his preaching:

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13

Remember, Paul wrote his letters “according to the wisdom given unto him” ( 2 Pet 3:15) by God (1 Cor 12:8).

We learn from this that the Gospel message of salvation in Christ is the power and wisdom of God.  This is the eternal truth that spans generations, cultures, and backgrounds.  It is not relative.  It does not adapt to fit the society in which we live.  Instead, we have the choice of whether or not to believe it and to adapt our lives accordingly.  God’s truth does not change, but we must.

The Bible is the Word of God

Problem

The Bible claims to be the word of God and therefore the only source of Truth.  

Sometimes people say that because the Bible was written a long time ago, in ancient languages and to ancient peoples, it was therefore not written to us or for us.

How do we know that we can have confidence in the Bible, and that its message is still relevant for us?

Solution

We need to remind ourselves of three of the Bible’s claims about itself:

1. The Bible is of God

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Tim 3:16, 17

All “scripture” (that which is scribed or written down) is inspired (God breathed).  We can think of the different writers of scripture over time as being scribes who God selected to write down His word.

2. God’s word is truth and it is without error

There is a helpful sequence of three short passages in the gospel through John which helps to explain what we mean by this:

In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

John 1:1

Here, the word of God is equated with God.  The Bible is an expression of God Himself.

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?  If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

John 10:34-36

Although the broader context of this verse is significant in terms of how to interpret scripture, it does not change the clarity of the Lord Jesus’ statement: “the scripture cannot be broken”.

Jesus says to God in prayer “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

John 17:17

Jesus testified to the truth of God’s word.  Despite what others might claim, words do convey truth!  Elsewhere, Jesus states plainly that the words that he spoke and the gospel that he preached were not his own words but God’s (John 8:26, 14:10).

These themes of God’s word and truth are consistent with Old Testament scriptures such as Psalm 119:160:

Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

Psalm 119:160

“Truth” cannot be ambiguous.  God’s truth is not relative.  Put simply, God’s truth does not change because God does not change.  

3. God’s word is timeless

The Bible is clear that it was written for all ages of mankind, so it is equally relevant for every generation that lives.  The only question is whether we will choose to read it and take its claim of Truth seriously.  

God has not left His word to chance.   

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.  Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

Psalm 12:6-7

Although it was written a long time ago and in ancient languages, it has survived against all the odds – but that is no accident.  God has preserved His word on record, but for whose benefit? 

The believers in Rome were told that “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”

Romans 15:4

If those things, written long before the ecclesia in Rome existed, were of benefit to them as well as the original audience, it stands to reason that God’s words will be of equal benefit to us too.  In fact, the idea that the word of God was primarily written for the people who first heard it is categorically denied by the next passage:

Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:  searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”

1 Peter 1:10-12

God did choose His prophets to speak His word and He chose them to write it down for Him, but it was not all for their benefit; furthermore, the prophets did not even always fully understand what God had caused them to speak and write.

From these three claims that the Bible makes about itself, we conclude that the Bible truly is the word of God.  It uniquely is true, and it alone is powerful for every generation.  The word of God abides forever.

Disagreement with the Bible

Problem

What are we to do when the writings of mankind disagree with what the Bible says?

Solution 

If we are to believe what the Bible says, then we must also humbly accept the Bible’s perspective about itself.  

The Bible claims to be the word of God and is therefore the only source of Truth.

There are no other books that are its equal.  There is no other field of study, nor a single academic paper on any subject, that is as accurate or as truthful as the Bible, simply because the Bible alone is the work of God, and all other writings are human in origin.

Where the writings of man agree with what the Bible says, then they have spoken the Truth.

Where there is disagreement or conflict with the word of God, then those human writings have either misunderstood the Truth, or they are not speaking the Truth. So for example, it should not concern us unduly if there is no archeological evidence of Israel in Egypt. The archaeologists may be looking in the wrong place, or their timelines may be wrong.  

Conflict is especially prominent in the study of origins. As believers, we can sometimes question ourselves when we are presented with mountains of evidence that appear to contradict what the Bible says.  

The Genesis record is one example of this kind of conflict:

• Some claim that the human race not descended from a literal Adam and Eve
• Others point out that humans can’t have lived as long as the Bible says they did before the flood
• Others offer reasons why there can never have been a worldwide flood

There are two possible solutions to such conflict:

1. We reinterpret our understanding what the Bible says so that we can accept the scientific evidence that has been put before us.  This will include us changing what the Bible says.
2. Or we shift our perspective and choose to disregard the work of human writers, and instead accept what the Bible says, because it alone is the source of Truth (as it claims to be).  

If we search the scriptures, we will find the Genesis record endorsed time and again by the word of God (see Appendix)

• 76 quotations in the New Testament from the first 11 chapters of Genesis
• 42 quotations in the New Testament from the first 3 chapters of Genesis
• 10 NT passages which endorse the whole of the creation record
• 17 NT passages which teach the creation of the first man Adam and the first woman Eve
• 6 NT passages which confirm the Genesis Flood record

It is clear from the scriptures that because Jesus and the apostles believed the Genesis record, then so must we.

Appendix

No	NT PASSAGE	QUOTING	EXTENT	QUOTE	COMMENTS	CHARACTERS
1	Mark 13:19	Gen.1v1-31urt	Ten passages which endorse the whole of the creation record in Genesis 1.	The creation which God created	Jesus endorses Gen.1 – creation of the world.
2	Rom.1:19–20	Gen.1v1-31	The invisible things of him from the creation of the world…the things which are made	The world (kosmos) created by God
3	Eph.3:9	Gen.1v1-31	Which from the beginning of the world (aion) …God created all things…	All things created by God
4	Col.1v16	Gen.1v1-31	For by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth…	All things created by God
5	Acts 4v24	Gen.1v1-31	Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:	All things created by God
6	Acts 14:15	Gen.1v1-31	The living God which made heaven and earth and the sea, and all things that are therin	Paul confirms the creation record of Genesis 1 – “all things”.
7	Acts 17:24	Gen.1v1-31	God that made the world and all things therein	Paul confirms the creation record of Genesis 1 – “all things”.
8	Rev.14v7	Gen.1v1-31	Worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea & the fountains of waters	The gospel of the millennial age which will be preached to all nations begins with creation.
9	Heb.11:3	Gen.1v1-31	Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.	All which can be seen was made in accordance with God’s word.
10	Rev.10:6	Gen.1v1-31	Him that liveth for ever and ever who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein.	An angel swore that God created the heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them
11	2 Cor.4:6	Gen.1v3	1st Prophecy	God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness
12	1 Cor.15v38	Gen.1v11-12	Individual creation	To every seed his own body	Each plant species created unique
13	Mt.19:4	Gen.1v27	17 passages teaching the creation of the first man Adam & the first woman Eve “in the beginning”.	He which made them at the beginning made them male and female.	Jesus quotes & endorses Gen.1v1/27
14	Mk.10:6	Gen.1v27	But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.	Jesus quotes & endorses Gen.1v1/27
15	1 Cor.11:7	Gen.1v27	Man is the image of and glory of God.	Endorses man made in the image of God
16	Col.1v15	Gen.1v27	Who is the image of the invisible God
17	Jas.3v9	Gen.1v27	Made after the similitude of God	Man in the image of God
18	Mk.12:17	Gen.1v28	And to God the things which are God’s.	Man in the image of God
19	Mt.22:21	Gen.1v28	And unto God the things which are God’s.	Man in the image of God
20	Lk.20:25	Gen.1v28	And unto God the things which be God’s.	Man in the image of God
21	1 Tim.4:3–5	Gen.1v31	For every creature of God is good.	Endorsing the goodness of all things created.
22	1 Tim.2:13–14	Gen.2v7/22	For Adam was first formed, then Eve.		Adam, Eve
23	1 Cor.15:45	Gen.2v7	The first man Adam was made a living soul	Endorses Adam as the first man	Adam
24	1 Cor.15:47	Gen.2v7	The first man is of the earth.
25	Rev.2v7	Gen.2v9	The tree of life…in the midst of the paradise of God
26	1 Cor.11:9	Gen.2v18/22	The woman [created] for the man.
27	1 Cor.11:8	Gen.2v22	The woman is of the man
28	Mt.19:5	Gen.2v24	And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh.	Jesus quotes Gen.2v24
29	Mk.10:7-8	Gen.2v24	For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh.	Jesus quotes Gen.2v24
30	1 Cor.6:16	Gen.2v24	For two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
31	Eph.5:31	Gen.2v24	For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and they two shall be one flesh.
32	Heb.4:4	Gen.2v2		And God did rest the seventh day from all his works	The work of the 6 days Creation was a finished work
33	Mt.10v16	Gen.3v1	7 endorsements of the details of Genesis 3	Wise as serpents	Endorses the wisdom of the serpent
34	2 Cor.11:3	Gen.3v1	The serpent…his subtilty	Endorses the wisdom of the serpent	Serpent
35	Col.2v21	Gen.3v3	Touch not taste not	Eve’s response to the serpent
36	2 Cor.11:3	Gen.3v13	The serpent beguiled Eve	Confirms the Genesis account	Eve
37	Col.2v4	Gen.3v13	Lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
38	1 Tim.2:14	Gen.3v13	The woman, being deceived.	Confirms the Genesis account
39	Rom.5:12–21	Gen.3v17-19	Death came upon all men because of Adam’s sin	Confirms the origin of death	Adam
40	1 Cor.15:21–22	Gen.3v17-19	For since by man came death…for as in Adam all die…	Confirms the origin of death	Adam
41	Rev.22v1-3	Gen.2 / 3		River, tree of life, the curse
42	Rev.22v14	Gen.2 / 3		Access to the tree of life
43	Jude 11	Gen.4	7 passages confirming the Genesis account of Cain & Abel.	The way of Cain	The way of Cain	Cain
44	Mt.23:35	Gen.4v4	The blood of righteous Abel	Jesus confirms the existence of Abel & accounts him righteous.	Abel
45	Heb.11v4	Gen.4v4	By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain	The apostle confirms that Abel offered more than Cain.	Abel, Cain
46	1 Jn.3:11–12	Gen.4v8	Not as Cain who…slew his brother	Cain killed (Gr butchered) Abel	Cain
47	Lk.11:51	Gen.4v8	From the blood of Abel	Abel the first slain prophet	Abel
48	Heb.12:24	Gen.4v8	The blood of Abel	Endorsement of the murder of Abel	Abel
49	Lk.3v38	Gen.4v25	Seth the son of Adam		Adam, Seth
50	Mt.1v1	Gen.5v1		The book of the generations of		Adam
51	Acts 17:26	Gen.5 & 10		And hath made of one blood all nations of men	All nations descended from one man & made by God.
52	Lk.3v38	Gen.5v6		Enos the son of Seth	Jesus is a descendent of Adam	Seth, Enos
53	Jude 14	Gen.5v18f		Enoch the seventh from Adam	Enoch the seventh from Adam	Enoch, Adam
54	Heb.11:5	Gen.5v24		And was not found, because God had translated him	Translation of Enoch	Enoch
55	Lk.3v37	Gen.5v9		Cainan the son of Enos		Cainan, Enos
56	Lk.3v37	Gen.5v12		Mahaleel the son of Cainan		Mahaleel, Cainan
57	Lk.3v37	Gen.5v15		Jared the son of Mahaleel		Jared, Mahaleel
58	Lk.3v37	Gen.5v18		Enoch the son of Jared		Enoch, Jared
59	Lk.3v37	Gen.5v21		Methuselah the son of Enoch		Methuselah, Enoch
60	Lk.3v37-36	Gen.5v25		Lamech the son of Methuselah		Lamech, Methuselah
61	Lk.3v36	Gen.5v28-29		Noah the son of Lamech		Noah, Lamech
62	Lk.3v36	Gen.5v32		Shem the son of Noah		Shem, Noah
63	Heb.11:7	Gen.6	6 passages confirming the Genesis Flood record	Noah…prepared an ark	Noah building the ark	Noah
64	Mt.24:38	Gen.7v7	The day that Noe entered into the ark	Jesus confirms the existence of Noah & the fact of the ark.	Noah
65	Lk.17:26–27	Gen.6-7	The days of Noah		Noah
66	1 Pet.2v5	Gen.6-7	God saved Noah…bringing in a flood
67	1 Pet.3:20	Gen.7	Eight souls were saved by water	Confirms the detail in Genesis that 8 were saved in the ark
68	2 Pet.3:5–6	Gen.1 & 7	Earth formed out of and destroyed by water
69	Rev.18v5	Gen.11v4		Reached unto heaven
70	Lk.3v36	Gen.11v11		Arphaxad the son of Shem		Arphaxad, Shem
71	Lk.3v35	Gen.11v14		Eber the son of Salah		Eber, Salah
72	Lk.3v35	Gen.11v17		Peleg the son of Eber		Peleg, Eber
73	Lk.3v35	Gen.11v18		Reu the son of Peleg		Reu, Peleg
74	Lk.3v35	Gen.11v20		Serug the son of Reu		Serug, Reu
75	Lk.3v34	Gen.11v22		Nahor the son of Serug		Nahor, Serug
76	Lk.3v34	Gen.11v24		Terah the son of Nahor		Terah, Nahor
77	Lk.3v34	Gen.11v26		Abraham the son of Terah		Abraham, Terah
78	Acts 7v3	Gen.12v1		Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred…the land that I shall shew thee.
79	Gal.3:8	Gen.12v3		In thee shall all nations be blessed	Paul quotes Gen.12 as a written Scripture existing in the time of Abram.	Abram
80	Gal.3:16	Gen 12v7 13v15 22v17-18 24v7		Thy seed	Paul refers to the “seed” references in Genesis.
81	Heb.5:1–10	Gen.14v18-20		Order of Melchizedek	Priesthood of Melchizedek	Melchizedek
82	Heb.6:20–7:17	Gen.14v18-20		Order of Melchizedek	Priesthood of Melchizedek	Melchizedek
83	Rom.4v3	Gen.15v6		It was counted to him for righteousness		Abraham
84	Rom.4v22	Gen.15v6		It was imputed to him for righteousness		Abraham
85	Gal.3:6	Gen.15v6		It was accounted to him for righteousness		Abraham
86	Jas.2v23	Gen.15v6		It was imputed unto him for righteousness		Abraham
87	Rom.4v17	Gen.17v5		I have made thee a father of many nations.		Abraham
88	1 Pet.3:6	Gen.18v12		My lord being old also	Endorsement of Sarah’s attitude to Abraham	Sarah
89	Gal.4:22–31	Gen.16-21		Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Isaac		Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael, Isaac
90	Jn.7:22	Gen.17		Circumcision…is…of the fathers	Circumcision came from the patriarchs
91	Phil.3v5	Gen.17v12		Circumcision on the 8th day.
92	Mt.10v15	Gen.19		Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.	People of Sodom & Gomorrah will be judged
93	Mt.11:23–24	Gen.19		Sodom X2	Jesus endorses Gen.19 – destruction of Sodom.
94	Mk.6v11	Gen.19		Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
95	Lk.17:28–29	Gen.19		But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstonefrom heaven and destroyed them all.	Jesus confirms the fiery destruction of Sodom	Lot
96	Lk.17:32	Gen.19v26		Remember Lot’s wife	Jesus confirms the warning of Lot’s wife.	Lot’s wife
97	Lk.10:12	Gen.19		Sodom	More tolerable for Sodom in the judgment
98	2 Pet.2:6–8	Gen.19		Sodom and Gomorrah punished and Lot saved	Sodom and Gomorrah punished and Lot saved
99	Jude 7	Gen.19		Sodom and Gomorrah…fire	Sodom & Gomorrah destroyed by fire
100	Rev.11v8	Gen.19		city…Sodom
101	Mt.1v2	Gen.21v2		Abraham begat Isaac		Abraham, Isaac
102	Lk.3v34	Gen.21v2		Isaac the son of Abraham		Isaac, Abraham
103	Gal.4v30	Gen.21v10		Cast out this bondwoman and her son		Hagar, Ishmael
104	Heb.11:17–22	Gen.22		Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac and the seed	Endorsement of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac	Abraham, Isaac
105	Jas.2:21–23	Gen.22		Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac	Endorsement of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac + Q of Gen.15v6	Abraham, Isaac
106	Heb.6:14	Gen.22v17		Blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.	Endorses God’s blessing of Abraham
107	Acts 7:2–14	Gen.12-50		History of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph		Abraham, Isaac, Jacob & Joseph
108	Lk.1v73	Gen.22v16		God’s oath to Abraham
109	Mt.1v2	Gen.25v26		Isaac begat Jacob		Isaac & Jacob
110	Lk.3v34	Gen.25v26		Jacob the son of Isaac		Jacob, Isaac
111	Heb.12:16	Gen.25v33		Who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright	Endorsement of the character of Esau	Esau
112	Heb.12:16–17	Gen.27v34–38		When he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected.		Esau
113	Jn.1:51	Gen.28		The angels of God ascending and desending.	Jesus alludes to Jacob’s vision
114	Mt.1v2	Gen.29-30		Jacob begat Judas and his brethren		Jacob, Judah & his brothers
115	Lk.3v33-34	Gen.29v35		Judah the son of Jacob		Judah, Jacob
116	Acts 7v8	Gen.29-30		And Jacob begat the twelve partriarchs		Jacob’s 12 sons
117	Lk.1v35	Gen.30v23		Elisabeth quotes the words of Rachel.
118	Acts 7v9	Gen.37v26-28		And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt.	History of Joseph	Joseph
119	Mt.1v3	Gen.38v27-30		Judas begat Pharez & Zarah of Tamar		Pharez, Zarah, Tamar
120	Lk.3v33	Gen.38v27-30		Pharez the son of Judah		Pharez, Judah
121	Acts 7v10	Gen.41v41		Pharaoh king of Egypt…made him governor over Egypt.
122	Acts 7v11	Gen.41v54		Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan
123	Acts 7v12	Gen.42v1-2		But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
124	Acts 7v13	Gen.45v3		And at the second time Joseph was made known unto his brethren.
125	Acts 7v13	Gen.47v1-10		And Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh
126	Rev.5:5	Gen.49v9		Lion of Judah		Judah
127	Rev.7v14	Gen.49v11		And have washed their robes…in blood