Trinity Romans 11 33-36
33] O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
[34] For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?
[35] Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
[36] For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.
The Letter to the Roman congregation has often been called the “Catechism” of the New Testament, for in a single letter St. Paul lays out the principle doctrines of Christian faith. He explains how God sent His Son to redeem us from even our vilest sins, something we couldn’t do ourselves. He explains how the Holy Spirit unites us in faith to our dear Savior and gives the strength to strive for new and better lives. He explains all the wonderful blessings we enjoy as children of God, not the least of which is our precious hope of everlasting life.
When St. Paul contemplated all the wonderful things God did and still does for you and me, he ecstatically exclaimed, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” Through the infinite wisdom of God, we are the richest people in the world. Sit back and think, for a moment, how God has enriched your life and mine through the word of your Bible. While science fumbles around for some explanation as to how things began, God, in two simple chapters of Genesis, tells us how it all started, how He, merely by speaking the word, set in motion galaxies, hundreds of light years away in the sky, down to the smallest sub-atomic particles. Only the incredible wisdom of God can account for that and especially for the creation of man, the highest creature of all. Doctors and scientists constantly put the human body under severe tests and put human tissues under the most powerful electron microscopes in an effort to probe the wisdom of Him who created it. God, on the other hand, knew more about us before we were born than science will ever discover. What a blessing that you and I, through the promises of the Spirit, are led to entrust our bodies and souls into the hands of our wise Creator. He not only knows the cure for all our diseases and problems, but He also promises to heal us according to His good and gracious will.
Just as God in His infinite wisdom has enriched our bodies, so also He has enriched our soul, by taking away the burden of sin. In the beginning, man had no sins to take away; man and woman were perfect creatures. Not until they questioned the divine wisdom of God for putting them in this wonderful world, did they plunge humankind into the slavery of sin. Hate, pride, and fear took the place of love and kindness. There was no answer for this desperate situation. It took almighty God to come up with a solution. He came to our rescue with a plan that offered free forgiveness to an unforgiving world, a plan that exceeds human comprehension, a plan that has been our greatest blessing. Only divine wisdom could conceive a plan like this! “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7 Only God could love rebellious humankind so much that He would sacrifice His only Son, the second person of the Godhead, to open the doors of heaven.
Just recently, a doctor wisely announced over the radio that there was a cure for the dreaded disease, HIV, and he said that it was free. He stated that HIV could very simply be eliminated if homosexuality were eliminated, and yet man stubbornly persists in his sin. Think of the gracious wisdom of our God. Hate, lust, war, and every fruit of sin could be eliminated, free of charge, through faith in Jesus Christ, and yet the world stubbornly persists in its sin, because they consider themselves wiser than God is. Ever since the fall into sin, humankind continues to exalt itself over their Creator. They present an outward acceptance of Him, but when the Bible challenges their limited reason, they reject Him. They explain away the miracles of the Bible as natural occurrences. They reject the wisdom of God in sending of His only-begotten Son to save them from their sins, as pure foolishness. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.” 1 Corinthians 1:18, writes the apostle. They accept Jesus as a good man worth imitating, but in no way the Son of God.
How often doesn’t it happen that even children of God are tempted to resent God’s word when it doesn’t match the way they think! A parishioner one time said to me, “Pastor, everyone has his “hang up,” that is, that area of life where he thinks he knows better than God. The truth of the matter is that God always knows better than we do. The apostle asks, “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” This powerful text strips all “self-importance” away, and enables us to see how small we really are in the light of the greatness of our God.
How often hasn’t it happened in your life that you have questioned God’s wisdom? It is natural to ask, “Why devastating cyclones?” “Why fatal car crashes and aircraft crashes?” “Why human suffering and debilitating diseases?” Then there are the more personal questions like, “Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?” When we find ourselves in situations for which there seems to be no answer, when things don’t go the way we want them to go, we naturally suggest to God how it ought to come down. In response, St. Paul asks us, “Is there anything that God hasn’t thought of? Can you or I teach God something new?” God doesn’t need our advice. One time in the wilderness, when Moses was reluctant to lead God’s people, He asked God, “Well, who are You?” To this God replied, “I AM THAT I AM:” Exodus 3:14 God is the great “I am.” God doesn’t have a future or a past; He always is. He is all over the world and beyond outer space at the same time. He has the power to make a nuclear explosion seem like child’s play. He not only knows everything we do, but He also knows everything we think. Nothing in creation is hidden from God’s sight, “but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13 God is the almighty ruler of heaven and earth, beside whom there is no other.
What difference God’s wisdom makes in our lives. As children of God who place their trust in God, we don’t have to understand all the reasons why the world is the way it is. We don’t have to understand why bad things happen to seemingly good people. We don’t have to understand the specific purpose for everything and everyone that God allows in our lives. It is enough to know that His wisdom is perfect and that He understands what we will never comprehend, and that’s enough. That confidence brings renewed hope, joy, and peace, even in the midst of the fiercest difficulty and trial. How thankful we ought to be that God repeatedly forgives us our foolishness, graciously takes control, and makes things turn out far better than anything we might imagine. “He doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number” (Job 9:10), says the prophet Job.
Do you want to be wise? Do you want understanding and insight? Do you want to be able to teach our children, so that that they can develop wisdom and discernment? Do you want the wisdom to solve the problems that loom so large in your personal lives? Continue reading His Word. Pray and ask Him for wisdom, and He in turn will answer your prayer, not only with the faith to follow Jesus Christ, but also with every earthly blessing besides. Think of young Solomon’s prayer when God said to him in a dream, “Ask what I shall give thee.” Solomon said, “I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.” “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart.” To which God replied,”Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words… And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.” 1 Kings 3:5-13. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33. “ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! “
Wisdom's highest, noblest treasure,
Jesus, lies concealed in Thee;
Grant that this may still the measure
Of my will and actions be,
Humility there and simplicity reigning,
In paths of true wisdom
my steps ever training.
Oh, if I of Christ have this knowledge divine,
The fulness of heavenly wisdom is mine.