Dear Friends,
Not many people go to church these days, we are told that we are living in a post-Christian society. As well as living in a post-Christian society, we are also told that since the 1960s we have been living in post-modern times as well. Before that, apparently, we were living in modern times. Here then, are two conflicting outlooks: modernism and postmodernism. Modernism believes in human progress through the application of science and reason and says there is a discoverable truth and reality. The post-modernist, on the other hand, says that there is no great objective truth to be discovered. Instead, there are different truths, relative truths, even that there are competing truths that are all in some way valid.
In whatever fancy language any of these ideas are put forward we can still say that they are philosophies. They are ideas, that's all they are. When people philosophise, they are really trying to understand themselves, they are trying to find an underlying basis of truth and their relationship to the world. The word: philosophy means the 'love of wisdom.' The question is, what is wisdom?
After the Titanic sank in 1912, a committee of enquiry was held. Professor Reg Revans recalled that his father was part of that inquiry. When Revans asked his father what had been the most important lesson learned from that disaster. His father replied, 'What I learned from the Titanic inquiry was to discriminate between cleverness and wisdom.'
If we turn to the third chapter of the Book of Genesis, we will find Eve tempted to eat fruit from the tree forbidden by God. Eve, we are told, saw that the fruit was good for food, it looked good and it was very desirable. But the real motive, let's be clear, was to defy God and to be as wise as Him. This story is really about vanity, it's about pride. The Bible tells us that pride comes before a fall
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
And what is a haughty spirit if not intellectual pride? Eve allowed herself to become convinced that she would not die as a consequence of disobeying God. Once pride gets in the way there is no way that a relationship with God can be sustained. For Adam and Eve came banishment from Eden. No more would they walk with Him in the cool of the evening breeze.
We must learn to discriminate between cleverness and wisdom, of course, but spiritually speaking, we must learn to discriminate between that which is the wisdom of the world and that which is the wisdom of God. In the book of Ecclesiastes (12:12; 14) we are told there is no end to the producing or the writing of many books, but our constant engagement with philosophies is wearying, and again there is no end of it. Rather, concludes Ecclesiastes it is better to fear God and keep his commandments:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
Paul in his letter to the Corinthians said that his message of salvation, the message of the cross, was seen as foolishness to those who were on the path to destruction. Those Greek philosophers, those who were outstanding in debate and with whom Paul would contend with could not know or understand God. The wisdom of God could only come through God's Spirit. It all seemed foolish to those who could not receive such wisdom.
When Jesus spoke to the Jewish leader, Nicodemus, Jesus told him that human beings are born of the flesh, but only the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit can give spiritual life. In these post-Christian, post-modern days, it seems that many in Church leadership would rather be in step with the spirit of the times, but this seems to be a far cry from being in step with the Spirit of God. Paul in his letter to Timothy reminds us that:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work
(2 Timothy 3:16-17).
It's a message that many have forgotten, but it sounds like a good starting point.
My best wishes as always,
Bob.