Wisdom as a Spiritual Gift, in Contrast to Being Wise

In Corinth some people had received the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge as spiritual gifts. Solomon also received this as a spiritual gift. There was no one on earth as wise as he. When he was young, he was full of power, and his wisdom was like a mighty river. When he became old, he sur­rendered his power to women. He too, corrupted his wisdom for the sake of his splendor. If someone begins to exalt him­self because of what he has received, he has taken the first step away from God’s wisdom.

There are wise people who can give wise counsel, but who, nevertheless, cannot understand how to help themselves. That is how it was in Corinth. They spoke well, and what they said was correct, but they didn’t have wisdom, because they didn’t understand to practice the things they spoke so cor­rectly about. They lacked the most essential thing for putting it into practice—namely, love. That is why Paul says: “But ear­nestly desire the best gifts. And yet, I show you a more excel­lent way.” 1 Cor. 12:31. The more excellent way is not con­trary to the gifts; it is a better way to receive the gifts. The more excellent way is love. All of the gifts can be received by faith. But many people destroy their gifts through their weak­ness for the honor of man. When I am seeking wisdom and I have love in my heart, then I take heed to myself and to the doctrine. That means that I put into practice the things I un­derstand and have knowledge about. Then wisdom is mani­fested in my body, and the life I live becomes a light for men and confirms the words I proclaim. Even if a person speaks correctly, he is nevertheless a false prophet if he does not live what he speaks!

“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” Rev. 2:4-5. You must repent from living before men and receiving honor from them. A person has really had a horrible fall if he, like Satan, is cast down to the ground so that people might gaze upon him. This is the way many revivals have run aground, especially when God blesses these people and they become great and blessed. Then a person can easily be tempted to receive honor from men. If you give in on this point, you will lose your connection with God.

“And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judg­ment and by the spirit of burning, then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her as­semblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flam­ing fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a cover­ing.” Is. 4:3-5. Everyone who enjoys carnal glory will find it difficult to get contact with us. We remain outside of estab­lished religious life, and that is where we should be, because outside the camp we meet the Spirit of judgment and burning, the Spirit of cleansing, so that we can go out to meet Jesus and see Him as He is. Many use their knowledge and wisdom to try to discover the day and hour of Jesus’ return. Yet they don’t have the wisdom to make themselves ready for that day. What help is it to know the day of Jesus’ return if we aren’t ready to go out to meet Him? The wisdom to make ourself ready is hidden from the wise of this earth.

The church was born on the cross, and it can only remain alive through the Spirit of judgment and burning—that Spirit which continues to keep the church crucified with Him. If God’s Word is to continue to work in the church, it is abso­lutely vital that we keep the sign of circumcision. Through this sign that God gave Abraham, the Jews have been kept as God’s people right until our day. Now it is our time. And that means quite simply that our hearts must be circumcised 360 degrees so that Satan has no bridge into our hearts through the visible world. Then God will open our eyes to the invisible world and its wisdom, a wisdom that far surpasses the wis­dom from below. God is able to entrust His Word to such people. The wisdom from below is sensual, earthly and de­monic. Yet people desire it because it gives them advantages in this world. God watches this very closely. He knows the hidden things of a man, and He never makes a mistake here.

“He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. He who has re­ceived His testimony has certified that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.” John 3:31-34.

He who has received the word of wisdom as a spiritual gift has not necessarily been entrusted with the Word of God. Here God tests people again and again, especially in their re­lationship to honor and their desire to please people. “But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gos­pel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.” 1 Thess. 2:4. God counted Paul faithful and placed him in the ministry. We must constantly be reminded of these things. Because of the weakness of the flesh, we have a tendency to go astray. “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.” Heb. 2:1. That’s why we need Jesus’ fervent exhortation to His disciples and to all of us: “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” Mark 13:35-37.