Join us as we explore Steven Charnock's insights into the wisdom of God, drawn from chapter nine of "The Existence and Attributes of God." This episode dives into the ways we often undermine God's wisdom, and how we can instead embrace and live by it. We'll examine the various ways that humans disrespect God's wisdom, and then explore the transformative power of aligning ourselves with His divine understanding.

We begin by looking at the ways in which sin attacks God's wisdom. First, sin defaces the image of God within us, which is a masterpiece of His wisdom. Second, we disregard His laws, essentially placing our own reason above God's. The episode outlines seven distinct expressions of rejecting God's wisdom. These include inventing our own forms of worship, neglecting prayer and the Lord's Supper, criticizing God's revelations, trying to dictate God's actions, and murmuring with impatience. We also reject God's wisdom through pride and arrogance by trying to elevate ourselves above others, and by distrusting His promises, choosing to rely on worldly systems instead.

Next, we shift to exploring what it looks like to embrace and honor God's wisdom in our daily lives. This starts with cultivating a deep reverence for God’s wisdom that permeates our entire being, going beyond mere outward rituals. We can cultivate this through immersing ourselves in God's word, gaining insight into his character, purposes, and ways. We also can see the natural world as a testament to God's wisdom, which helps us understand spiritual truths. We should invite God into every aspect of our lives, bringing our burdens and questions to Him in prayer. Even when we make mistakes, God's grace guides us back to the right path.

Finally, we discuss how to discern between God's wisdom and the wisdom of the world. Worldly wisdom leads to strife, envy, and brokenness, while God's wisdom produces peace, joy, and unity. We must be intentional about what we allow into our minds and hearts, being discerning about the books we read, the shows we watch, and the people we spend time with. We are also called to surround ourselves with others who are seeking God's wisdom. We will examine how God's wisdom guides our relationships, informing our approach to work, and shaping our decision-making processes. We are encouraged to approach relationships with humility and selflessness. We will learn to see our work as an expression of our God-given gifts and talents, used to serve both God and others, not merely a way to earn a paycheck. We need to seek God’s will through prayer and scripture in all decisions, trusting that God is sovereign and will work all things together for good.

This episode offers a compelling look at how God's wisdom is not just an abstract idea, but a practical guide for everyday life. We discover how to recognize the subtle ways we reject God's wisdom, and how to intentionally seek and embrace it instead, to transform our lives.

Join us as we explore Steven Charnock's insights on God's wisdom, specifically focusing on Chapter 9 of "The Existence and Attributes of God". This episode delves into the profound ways God's wisdom is revealed through the plan of redemption. We'll uncover how God's wisdom is not just a concept, but a dynamic force that shapes all of reality.

We will examine how Christ's life and death satisfy the demands of the law, covering both our obligation to obey and the punishment for sin. We'll discuss how Christ's perfect life meets the law's demand for righteousness, while His death on the cross takes care of the penalty our sin deserves. Through faith, Christ's righteousness is credited to us, making us right with God, not because of anything we've done, but because of what Christ has done. This doesn't give us a license to sin, but rather, it’s about being made right with God, even though we don't deserve it.

The discussion will also tackle the seeming paradox of how God can hate sin with a fiery passion and yet love the sinner. We'll explore the examples of God's judgment, such as the punishment of Satan and Adam's expulsion from paradise, that reveal God's intense hatred for sin. We will also discuss how God's sacrifice of his own son is the ultimate demonstration of God's hatred for sin. This is a love that offers a way back to God and a path to a joy greater than what Adam and Eve had in the garden.

Furthermore, we will see how God's wisdom is displayed in how He uses Satan's schemes to bring about his own defeat. Although Satan thought he had won by orchestrating Jesus' crucifixion, this was exactly what God had planned all along. The tools Satan thought would seal his victory become the very instruments of his defeat, illustrating how the foolishness of God is wiser than men. We'll discuss why God chose faith as the condition for experiencing redemption, as opposed to perfect obedience or intellectual knowledge of theological facts. True faith is a heartfelt trust and reliance on God’s promises.

We'll also consider how God gradually revealed His plan throughout history, starting with the promise to Abraham and continuing through the prophets, covenants, and the structure of the Jewish nation. The sacrificial system and other rituals in the Old Testament are discussed as tangible representations foreshadowing Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. We'll look at how God chose ordinary people, not the elite, to spread the message, showcasing His divine power. The impact these individuals had could only be attributed to supernatural help.

Finally, we'll explore how persecution, intended to stop the early church, actually helped spread the message, and how those challenges refined the faith of believers. We will also consider how the accuracy of prophecy shows how God is the author of history and that His plan is unfolding exactly as He intended. We will examine the interconnectedness of the types and ceremonies within the Old Testament, as visual aids to understand God's plan. We conclude by considering the power of paradox and how we can trust that God is working everything together for good, even when we can't see the whole picture. We'll discuss how God can use our weaknesses and limitations if we are willing to surrender to Him, drawing upon the example of how God used the seemingly unqualified apostles to turn the world upside down.

Join us as we delve into Steven Charnock's profound exploration of God's wisdom from his work "The Existence and Attributes of God," specifically Chapter 9. This episode explores the seemingly paradoxical idea of how God can use sin and affliction for good. We examine how God uses our missteps as opportunities to move us toward holiness, taking the broken pieces of our lives and creating a mosaic of grace.

One key aspect we unpack is how God uses sin to reveal even more sin within us. Using the example of King David, we discuss how God exposes our hypocrisy, like fire revealing hidden smoke. This exposure, while painful, brings us to a place of self-abhorrence, a crucial first step towards spiritual growth. We also explore how our mistakes lead to greater watchfulness, as seen in David's hyper-awareness of his own weakness after his fall, which caused him to refuse even seemingly harmless things.

Further, we discuss how God uses sin to "mortify by sin," a concept illustrated by the analogy of a wild beast being put down. This idea suggests that sometimes God allows sin to erupt in our lives, forcing us to confront it head-on, which ultimately leads to its destruction. The struggle against sin can even be a sign of spiritual strength, as illustrated by Peter's denial of Christ leading to a deeper commitment and resilient faith. Additionally, we'll explore how God uses sin to promote sanctification, likening it to a fall into the mud that prompts us to clean not just the new stain but also other ignored ones. This is a process of spiritual spring cleaning, where one big mess leads to a closer look at everything.

The episode also examines how God may allow a decrease in grace, leading to sin, to ultimately increase our habitual grace. The pain and brokenness caused by sin drive us to resist it more fervently, fueling our desire for holiness. Humility also plays a key role in this process, making us more receptive to God's grace. The more we acknowledge our need for God, the more He pours into our lives. Furthermore, we discuss how God often chooses the weak and foolish to build His kingdom to demonstrate that it is not our strength but His power working through us. God's timing is also a key point, using Paul's conversion as an illustration. Finally, we discuss that God's grace always works in accordance with our nature, gently drawing us to himself without forcing, and even in disciplinary actions, God's wisdom shines through with punishments tailored to the individual. We conclude by noting that even in suffering, God is working all things together for our good, refining us and shaping us into the people He wants us to be. God's wisdom is transformative, changing how we see everything, offering hope, peace, and the reminder that His ways are higher than ours. We discuss that we are to cooperate with God in the process of transformation, allowing His grace to shape us into the image of Christ.