“Wisdom” of Man

By Ethan Tidwell

Many people live without God, searching for meaning and purpose. In their pursuit of fulfillment, some turn to human wisdom, seeking significance through organizations or movements that cater to their need for value. Others look to philosophy or science for answers about the earth and the cosmos, and philosophy for understanding one’s sense of self and how to live. These fields offer valuable insights into humanity and come from intelligent minds who have contributed greatly to human knowledge.

However, while these teachings can help us understand the world, we must remember they cannot save our souls. No matter how wise these thinkers may be, their insights don’t address humanity's deepest need: salvation. Human wisdom, no matter how well-intentioned, falls short when it comes to eternal matters. Philosophers and scientists may help us better understand the world, but without God, their teachings cannot lead to eternal life. Our souls long for more than just intellectual understanding or moral philosophy.

Some people choose to live without religion or doctrine, believing that being morally good is enough. Many atheists hold this view—they don’t believe in divine authority but still see justice and morality as essential. They rely on government and laws to establish order and justice. However, they often overlook the truth that God is the ultimate source of justice and law. Romans 13:1-7 reminds us that all authority, whether from government or law, comes from God. As Paul writes, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” This means that even the laws they uphold are ultimately rooted in God’s plan for order. People may rely on these systems of justice, but they are ultimately built upon the foundation that God established.

1 Peter 2:13-14 further emphasizes this by saying, “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.” This passage reinforces that we should honor and obey the laws of the land, as they are ultimately established by God. Even those who reject divine authority depend on the justice God has put in place, though they may not recognize it. Their sense of morality is still rooted in a system that God governs.

Striving to be morally good is admirable and can positively impact the world, but without God, these efforts are incomplete. Good conduct alone cannot address humanity’s.

greatest need—salvation. Moral actions, separated from God, fall short of reconciling us with Him and providing the eternal purpose that only a relationship with Him can offer. While moral behavior is valuable, it is ultimately the love and grace of God that brings true meaning to our lives. Without God, all our good works and efforts fall short of the true fulfillment we seek.

Ultimately, true fulfillment comes only through God. While human philosophy and science can offer useful insights, they cannot provide salvation. Only through faith in God, through Jesus Christ, can we find the meaning and purpose that transcends our limited understanding. Without God, even the most noble efforts—morally or intellectually—are like building on a shaky foundation. They may seem stable for a time, but they will ultimately fall short in the end. True fulfillment and eternal salvation can only be found through Him. Anything else is fleeting and incomplete in comparison to the eternal life He offers.

Meditate on this:

Romans 12:1-2

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Inspiration and Memory

By Jeff Curtis

Paul told Timothy that “all Scripture is inspired by God” (2Timothy 3:16). He had a sense of his own inspiration when he wrote 1Corinthians. He said in 1Cor.2:13, “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” Because the Bible is inspired, Christians look to its words for direction in morality and doctrine. Questions of inspiration and canon have to with biblical authority. However, neither Paul nor any other writer of the Bible explained the mysterious process by which the Holy Spirit interacted with the minds of the authors in order to produce inspired documents. The nature of inspiration matters because biblical authority matters.

The apostle mentioned that he had baptized Crispus and Gaius in 1Cor.1:14 and then corrected himself to say that he had also baptized the household of Stephanus, allowing room for yet another lapse of memory in 1Cor.1:16, This shows that the Holy Spirit had not simply taken over Paul’s mind. No one would argue that the Holy Spirit has lapses of memory. Paul’s inspiration by the Holy Spirit was operative within the limitations of his own memory, the specific needs of the church, and the social and cultural setting of the world he lived in. All of this has important implications for the way we as readers today are to draw authority and guidance from 1Corinthians regarding doctrine and behavior.

Meditate on this:

1 Peter 3:15-16

¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ¹⁶ having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.