When Wisdom Is Called Foolishness And Foolishness Is Called Wisdom

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do his commandments. His praise endures forever." Psalm 111:10 All are familiar with the "wisdom" of the world, all their precepts, their principles, and the ways which the world considers wise. But ...that is NOT wisdom. It's foolishness. "For the wisdom of this world is FOOLISHNESS with God." 1 Corinthians 3:19 The wisdom of this world counsels you how to become successful in the world. Its goal is prosperity and reputation. Someone who wants to become wealthy and "successful" is instructed that the way to do that is to get a "higher" education, and then make the right connections. But is that wisdom? The universities of today are nothing more than centers of "New Age" philosophies. Our youth sitting in college classes today become saturated with the principles of the world - and the scorn of the Word of God. Many of those considered the greatest teachers of this age are agnostics or atheists. Atheist college professors are militant – and they are determined to make their students see things from their perspective. It's a crime these days to teach that God created the universe, and any professor teaching that - risks losing his job. We all evolved from monkeys, they say, and they demand that you believe that too. The wisdom of this world - God calls FOOLISHNESS and after two or four years of college, it's the rare student who will come out with his faith intact. What IS true wisdom, then? God says that true wisdom begins in the fear of the Lord, and it is rare because its principles are directly opposite from the principles of the world. You can't have it both ways. You either fear the most high God and live your life in his counsel, or you live in the foolishness of the principles of the world, thinking highly of yourself for the degree in which you can succeed at that. The counsel from the Word of God is difficult to live by because we are immersed daily in the "wisdom" of the world. It's everywhere. Look at the television. Years ago, they set up a rating system designed to keep children from the immorality portrayed in television and movies. What used to be the standard in the PG rating, is now so far from decent that the words "parental guidance" have become meaningless. If you allow your children to absorb "the world" from movies and television, If you want your child to be "with it," or stylish or modern, accepted by everyone, then know that that requires their saturation in the immorality of this world. What a trade-off: to be acceptable, your child has to be corrupted - even to the point of no longer realizing that it's corruption. It starts with you, the parent, many of whose whole outlook on life - which they received from "the world" - is also corrupt and most won't even realize that. Then what chance do our children have, who have been steeped in the wisdom of the world? God's statement on this kind of wisdom: “I will DESTROY the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 1 Corinthians 18:19 So where does that leave you? Where does it leave your child? Take a look at the kind of people the Lord calls, and see a clear dividing line: vs 26-27: "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;" If you're called to walk with Jesus Christ, you more than likely will not be among the noble or the accomplished or the famous or the accepted of this world, because to become noble or accomplished, or famous or even accepted - means you most likely got there through the ways of the world - which the Lord calls "foolishness." “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." Matthew 7:15 Most believers consider this verse to be warning about religious error, and so it is. But the false prophets of our day are not only the teachers of false doctrine, but include those in "the world" who teach people how to be successful in the world; the counselors, the "experts," those in the news media slanting the news ...and especially ...teachers, not only college professors but even the educators of our young children. What they have to say may sound so good, sounds "right," - but it's foolishness portrayed as wisdom. Jesus warned about this. Note the "few," and the "many:" "Enter by the narrow gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are MANY who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are FEW who find it." Matthew 7:13-14 Wisdom is a decision. Make your choice.