1 Corinthians 3:18-20 - Homiletics

Worldly wisdom.

"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." The "wisdom" here referred to is what Paul calls elsewhere "fleshly wisdom," the "wisdom of the world," or of the age. It is the same wisdom as he refers to in 1 Corinthians 1:20 . The "wisdom of this world" may be regarded as mere intellectual knowledge, applied to secular and selfish ends; however vast and varied its attainments, it is worldly in the apostolic sense; it is "earthly," "sensual," "devilish," not like the "wisdom which is from above," which is "first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits." In relation to this wisdom three remarks are here suggested.

I. It is SELF DELUDING . "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world," etc.

1. This worldly wisdom deceives a man, inasmuch as it leads him to overrate the value of his attainments, he imagines that this kind of knowledge, "wisdom," is everything for a man. Hence the enthusiastic promotion of secular schools and colleges. But all such knowledge is of no value to man as man, and beyond his brief and uncertain earthly, life. He deceives himself in its value.

2. This worldly wisdom deceives a man, inasmuch as it leads him to overrate his own importance. He is "vainly puffed by his earthly mind," as Paul says elsewhere ( Colossians 2:18 ). Such a man imagines himself to be very great; he becomes a pedant; he "struts and stares and a' that."

II. It is SPIRITUALLY WORTHLESS . A man with this worldly wisdom must "become a fool, that he may be wise." Two things are here implied.

1. That with all his wisdom he is already really a "fool." He is a "fool;" for he looks for happiness where it is not to be found. Happiness does not spring from a man's brain, but from his heart; not from his ideas, but from his affections. Moreover, he is a "fool" because he practically ignores the chief good, which is love for, resemblance to, and fellowship with, the great God. Hence God esteems this wisdom as foolishness. "The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." The most illustrious scholar, sage, orator, who is considered by himself and by most of his contemporaries to be a man of wonderful wisdom, to the eye of God is a fool.

III. It is ULTIMATELY CONFOUNDING . "It is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness." It must confound a man sooner or later, either

"Who are the wise?

They who have govern'd with a self control

Each wild and baneful passion of the soul,

Curb'd the strong impulse of all fierce desires,

But kept alive affection's purer fires;

They who have pass'd the labyrinth of life

Without one hour of weakness or of strife,

Prepar'd each change of fortune to endure,

Humble though rich, and dignified though poor,

Skill'd in the latent movements of the heart,

Learn'd in the lore which nature can impart,

Teaching the sweet philosophy aloud

Which sees the 'silver lining' of the cloud,

Looking for good in all beneath the skies!—

These are the truly wise."

(Prince.)