Ever have those thoughts that you just dwell on? I’ve been chewing on something on and off for years, but it has become a big focus of mine as of late. I started the year out with a firm desire to walk in what the Bible states is mine through Jesus’ sacrifice. Even through a tough time, I was able to recognize that the giants I face are there to feed my faith – Bon appetitt! I firmly believe that God’s Word is true, and I trust that God keeps His promises that are for me in this life as well as the promise of eternity with Him.
I recognize that there are times to share revelations on this platform and other times that I need to share with only specific people. Some revelations are given and need time to ruminate before being shared. But God doesn’t speak to us because He wants to keep secrets from others. He gives certain gifts to some and others He imparts other gifts (Romans 12:6-8, I Corinthians 12). But there are certain things that we have through our salvation and relationship with Jesus aside from our physical healing (Isaiah 53:4-5, Psalm 103:1-12, I Peter 2:20-24, Romans 8:5-14, Proverbs 4, John 10:10, Psalm 107:19-22, Matthew 4:23-24, Deuteronomy 7:9-15, and Psalm 91-92), and one of them needs to be shared.
How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain than fine gold. She is more precious than jewels; and nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Proverbs 3:13-16 NASB
As I was reading this scripture that was the focus of my daily devotional a while back, I couldn’t help but see how it pointed to Jesus. I know, I know… Jesus isn’t mentioned once in this passage. Or is He?
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. I Corinthians 1:30 NASB
Jesus became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. What are these things that are gifts to us from God? It’s unfortunate that so many have a misunderstanding of righteousness (as well as the others). I asked our 10 year old what she thought righteousness was and she answered with the typical response of our being good. Well, it’s clearly taught from scripture that no one is good, or good enough, to be considered righteous.
Righteousness means, in our human ability to define things, the quality of being morally right and justifiable. The biblical definition however tells us something a little different. Righteousness is being in right standing with God, but it is also defined as God’s faithfulness as the Lord of the covenant. Quite often, righteousness and salvation are interchangeable in scripture. And we’re told that through Jesus, we are the righteousness of God (I Corinthians 5:21). I am in right standing with God! That’s really good news!
Sanctification is listed next in this verse. Now y’all know that I love words, but this is not one that I use outside of studying through scripture. It’s basic definition is the action of making or declaring something holy. It is also defined as being set apart for the proper use by its designer. Not sure about you, but Psalm 139:1-18 gives me chills. I was designed by God to be in relationship with Him, to bring Him honor and glory. I’m not to be like the world. I’m supposed to be different from them – set apart.
Redemption. There’s a scripture that comes to mind when I try to imagine all that this one word encompasses.
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25 NIV
Redemption means to buy back, it means deliverance from evil by payment of a price, the purchase back of something that was lost, and other like ways of saying it. Redemption comes with salvation and includes the whole man. Not the spirit without the soul and body. Not the soul without the spirit and the body – the whole. Our redemption was completed on the cross so that we can have confidence on judgment day, and so that we can be like Jesus in this world (I John 4:17). Galatians 3:13 says we’ve been redeemed from the curse of the law. That’s a lot to be redeemed from – have you read through the curses under the old covenant?
Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (I John 2:2). This means that anyone who accepts His free gift of salvation is made righteous, is being sanctified, is redeemed – they are made whole! God loved the world so much that He saw it to be worth His own Son’s life (John 3:16). God isn’t mad at you. His wrath was satisfied at the cross (I John 4:9-10) and He made a new covenant with us – a covenant of peace (Isaiah 54:9-10). That’s really, really good news!
But wait, there’s more! Wisdom, something that is far better than riches, is ours for the asking.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 NIV
When I recently read Proverbs 3:13-16, I immediately thought of I Corinthians 1:30 – Jesus became to us wisdom from God. As I chewed on it for a few days, I couldn’t help but recall that Jesus is at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34). Nothing against left-handed people, y’all have your own super powers, but the right hand is significant. It represents power, strength, and capability.
The Bible tells us, through Proverbs 3:16. that a person who has wisdom will have length of days as well as riches and honor. In a perfect, non-fallen, sinless world, then sure. We do live in a fallen world, but a child of God isn’t fallen, are they? The moment we accept Jesus, we’re marked with a seal (Ephesians 1:13-14). We’ve been redeemed from the curse of the law (seriously, read the curses in Deuteronomy 28:15-68), we’re set apart from this world, and we’re in right standing with God. That’s so stinkin’ good!
But we’re talking about wisdom. Anyone who embraces wisdom will be blessed (Proverbs 3:18). Wisdom protects, exalts, and gives honor to all who value her (Proverbs 4:5-9). Wisdom walks in the way of righteousness and bestows wealth on those who love her (Proverbs 8:17-21). I could go on.
Wisdom is defined as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. That’s the way the world defines it. We’re not of this world, are we? In biblical terms, wisdom is defined as loving God, loving His Word, and loving His ways. The biblical definition takes out the bit about knowledge. You can be the most educated person in the world and still not have wisdom.
I’m not sure who coined this – and it’s not verbatim, but it’s stuck with me: Wisdom is seeing a situation as God does, acting on it according to the nudges of the Holy Spirit, and learning from it so as not to stumble on it later.
Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption – none of it is our doing. But all of it is offered to us, paid for in full, by our Father. Saying that He’s a good, good Father falls so infinitely short on accuracy, but it’s a needed reminder at times of just how much we don’t give Him credit for.
I’m seeking wisdom and trying to wrap my human mind around the magnitude of all that Jesus accomplished on the cross. I hope and pray that you’ll ruminate on this for a while, chew on it, and seek it. All of it is life!