Superficial vs. Spiritual Wisdom...Continued from page 4

Paul is making some assertions that have huge implications for you and me. In the time that's left, let's look at these specific assertions.

Assertion One: There are two kinds of wisdom.

One is "temporal wisdom." It is the wisdom of this age. It is the wisdom of the rulers of this age. It is a wisdom that has limited horizons. It is propelled forward by the spiritual powers of darkness. It has a satanic dimension to it. And it is doomed to pass away.

What would be some examples of this temporal wisdom?

There are many labels we could throw around.

Naturalism tells us that we live in a closed universe of cause and effect. What we experience through our senses is all that there is.

Secular Humanism places us as human beings at the center of all reality, leaving no place for the word of the cross. We should be good to each other. It's wrong to be bad, but there's no clear definition of what is good and what is bad. It is a one-dimensional effort to somehow figure out how human beings can live together without any notion of divine or any kind of higher power. This so quickly becomes a lifestyle determined by "political correctness."

Hedonism declares a universe that has no real meaning, so "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die."

New Age Mysticism informs us that reality is found within ourselves and, with intense meditation, we will come to a greater awareness of who we are and how to function in relationship to others.

Materialism stimulates our inquisitive nature, promising that wealth and power is the purpose of living. "The one with the most toys wins."

Apostate Christianity belittles the historic biblical doctrines of the faith, yet still claims to be Christian. Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong ran a full-page ad in the September 6, 2005, issue of Christian Century belittling historic biblical truth and the very fact that, after the Bible is read, we declare, "This is the word of the Lord." He writes:

In many of its details, the Bible is simply wrong! Epilepsy is not caused by demon possession. David did not write the Psalms. The earth is not the center of the universe. On other issues of great public concern, the Bible is no longer even regarded as moral. Its verses have been used to affirm war, slavery, segregation and apartheid. It defines women as inferior creatures and suggests that homosexual persons be put to death.

Church people try to ignore or suppress these biblical deficiencies, but when the Scriptures are read to a listening congregation the response is increasing incredulity. They still respond, "This is the word of the Lord."

Outside the church, this presumed authority of Scripture is generally ignored. Secular people live in a post-religious world where the idea that a literary work, written between 1000 B.C.E. and 135 C.E., can be "the Word of God," is simply too far-fetched to believe. This obvious ecclesiastical power play is no longer even passively accepted as benign. One has only to chart the evil and pain that many people have endured in history because someone regarded the Bible as the "Word of God." That claim is no longer regarded as valid.