The Foolish and Knowledge

Fools and Their Knowledge

“The wise man built his house upon the Rock. The wise man built his house upon the Rock. The wise…”.

foolish

The knowledge of the Foolish is faulty.

It is quite likely any person reading the above words knows they are from one of the first Sunday school songs a child learns. They are based on the Biblical passage Matthew 7:24-27. In a nutshell, a wise man builds the house of his life on the Rock foundation which is Christ. The foolish man builds his house upon a foundation of sand which is the foundation of man and is not stable. When the storms of life come, the house which the foolish man built will come falling down. There is no doubt that both men had knowledge which built their houses. However, it is very evident the knowledge was not of equal value. In fact, it can be observed the information which the foolish man followed was actually harmful. Great lessons in truth can be gained from but a few Biblical passages that we share early on with our children.

The gathering of knowledge which sees an individual through his earthly life begins at birth and ends at death. Some lives end very early, others span more than 100 years. In a lifetime, fools of all ages will be encountered. There will be those who are exposed as fools by their disobedience to God, their unbridled tongue, their fits of anger, and even those whose unstable knowledge betrays them. The relationship of concern with fools and their knowledge is not age specific, nor is it in the volume of knowledge that they gather. There are some fools who have a vast amount of knowledge gathered in short or long lifetimes. The first concern regarding their knowledge is: Does the fool have the right knowledge?

Jeremiah 4:22 – For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Back and neck pain is something a large number of people have to experience. When this occurs, a chiropractor may be utilized to correct the problem and relieve the pain. The individual does not go to a psychiatrist to relieve the back pain. The psychiatrist certainly has a great deal of knowledge about the mental processes of human beings and how to deal with them, however, in regard to issues regarding the skeletal and muscular system their knowledge will not be of use. Likewise, a computer can accomplish a great number of tasks, yet, it cannot accomplish those tasks until the knowledge to achieve them is programmed into it. Similarly, the fool may have lots of knowledge about the world; however, as pointed out in the passage from Jeremiah, they lack knowledge which would contribute to salvation and doing the good works which God desires of man (Ephesians 2:10). Fools need spiritual knowledge, knowledge gained from God’s Word, the Bible. Knowledge at its basic level is being familiar with ideas, information, and truth. All healthy humans are capable of gathering knowledge, both for good and evil. They choose the types of knowledge with which they will fill their life (Philippians 4:8).

A second concern regarding the knowledge of fools relates to their use of the right knowledge when they encounter it. Fools do not engage the spiritual knowledge they have in their grasp, they lack wisdom. Wisdom is the understanding of knowledge and common sense to apply knowledge. For example, there are times furniture needing assembly is purchased. In the box in which the furniture is packed, there is often a paper with directions printed on it to aid the assembler. Such knowledge is very helpful. However, if the directions are only in Spanish and the assembler cannot read Spanish, there is a lack of understanding, a lack of wisdom.

Proverbs 8:5 – O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Proverbs 10:21 – The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

These passages make it clear that the fool lacks wisdom. However, our example of directions in Spanish doesn’t quite fit the situation of the fool. Why? Though the assembler has the knowledge in his grasp, he cannot understand and therefore cannot wisely apply it. This is not the case with Biblical knowledge. The apostle Paul established that man can understand the words given by God to direct his life (Ephesians 3:1-7). So why is it that fools lack understanding of the knowledge available to them to make them wise (outside of a lack of exposure)?


1 Corinthians 1:20 – Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

1 Corinthians 3:19 – For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

Proverbs 18:2 – A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

2 Corinthians 11:19 – For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

1 Corinthians 2:14 – But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

These verses give reasons why the fool lacks wisdom. First, the fool relies on the wisdom of the world which steers man wrong in many ways because it is based on immature and corrupt knowledge (Proverbs 16:22). Man tries to follow his own theories, emotions, experiences, and desires. This was mentioned earlier in this series. Second, fools may see themselves as wise. The apostle Paul told the Corinthians they put up with the foolish, because they saw themselves as wise rather than the fools they were. Third, the fool sees God’s wisdom as foolishness. Still, there is more:

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:22 – How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

Proverbs 15:5 – A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

Proverbs 23:9 – Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

Jeremiah 5:21 – Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

It is obvious from these verses that a fourth item which keeps a fool from wisdom is he does not want to hear it. He doesn’t have the common sense to hear it. He despises it. There are simply a great number of people in the world who get down right hostile when they are exposed to God, His son, or His Word. In some cases, it doesn’t matter if this is direct interaction with the fool (proselytizing, door knockers) or something they view indirectly (public prayer or posting of scripture). They don’t want anything to do with God. To attempt to share spiritual wisdom with them is like throwing pearls to swine (Matthew 7:6, Proverbs 26:9). Thus, from the furniture assembly example, it is as if the man received sound instructions he could read and understand, but he threw them out regardless of their wisdom.

While the Bible presents the shortcomings of fools, it does not leave those who would seek God’s wisdom without direction (Matthew 7:7).

Matthew 5:3 – Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1 Corinthians 3:18 – 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.

Proverbs 9:6 – Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

The first two passages deal with humility, ego. To avoid being deceived by his own “wisdom”, man is to put himself aside. He will become a fool in the eyes of the world (I Corinthians 4:10), but the wisdom of God he follows will see him to the kingdom of heaven. In the last passage, those who would accept true wisdom are told to stay away from the foolish. There can be no good which will come by choosing association with those who would be fools (I Corinthians 15:33). The knowledge of a fool is not Godly knowledge. The wisdom of a fool is not wisdom at all.

Psalms 111:10 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

The Final article in this series, “Are You a Fool? Part 5”, will examine “Fools and Their Consequences”.

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Socialization

Socialization

I have heard the question too many times to count. Normally parents who are considering alternative ways to educate their children pose the question. However, it has come from grandparents, elders, and even preachers: “Aren’t you worried about socialization?”

socialization

What Kind of Socialization?

I used to get a little upset when this question was posed, because it was often asked like I was withholding an essential “vitamin” from my children that would stunt their growth and development. It was usually posed in a way that questioned my ability to parent. Today I just laugh.

Even though we are called to be different from the world (Romans 12:1-2), our current Christian culture is convinced Christian young people should spend a great deal of time “socializing” with people their own age. The social skills of anyone who does not attend public schools or is not involved in group activities like sports teams, band, clubs, etc. is questioned.

It’s no secret that there have been homeschoolers who have come across as socially awkward. However, to label all children that are not enrolled in public school as socially inept is a gross generalization. (I might gently point out there are also public school students who come across as socially inept, not able to talk to adults and look them in the eye.) And so, even in the church, the question comes: “Aren’t you worried about socialization?”

Here’s what I intend to teach my children regarding socialization.

We made a rule a long time ago that we would always welcome your friends over to our house whenever they are able to visit. There are many weeks I wonder if we should rethink that rule—because rarely does a week pass by that we don’t have friends over 1-2 times per week. Add to this, we spend countless hours on the road going to various church activities, visiting shut-ins, and attending sports activities. Mix into that the dozens of friends you have collected all over the world as we travel to “Origins” seminars, and you begin to understand why your mom and I don’t worry about the “socialization” question. There are many times when I wish you were a little less social!

However, when it comes to socialization there are two important points I want to mention to you. When you look at the definition of socialize, one of the keys words that you will read is “society.” Your mom and I don’t want you to conform you to society. We don’t want you just to be “social citizens.” Our passion and life-long goal is for you to be warriors for Christ. Second, we don’t just want to rear children who are comfortable talking to their own peer group. We love watching you interact with young and old alike.

God made man to be social. In fact, one of the cruelest forms of punishment we have come up with is isolation. It is important that you develop the skills to communicate with others around you. You can’t live on an island or in a box. But just what kind of “socialization” are we really talking about? I want to peel back the curtain and allow you to see what my mind thinks when someone ask me if we are worried about you being socialized.

My immediate thought these days is:

I don’t want my children socialized into drugs and alcohol.

I don’t want my children socialized into bad language.

I don’t want my children socialized into disrespecting adults.

I don’t want my children socialized into tattoos and piercings.

I don’t want my children socialized into thinking siblings are lame.

I don’t want my children socialized into thinking they should rebel against parents.

I don’t want my children socialized into immodest clothing.

I don’t want my children socialized into sexual activity.

I don’t want my children socialized into ungodly music.

I don’t want my children socialized into pornography.

I don’t want my children socialized into an obsession of social media.

I don’t want my children socialized into the modern dating scene.

I don’t want my children socialized into things like prom and homecoming.

Life can be difficult sometimes. It is important to surround yourself with friends you can laugh and cry with. When you “socialize,” make sure it is with people who can help you get to Heaven. Paul’s words are still very valid today: “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

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John 20 – Resurrection

John 20 The Resurrection of Jesus

The resurrection of Jesus is the crowning event of the Bible. All previous history looked forward to it and all history after that point looks back upon it. And, the Apostle Paul told the Christians at Rome that Jesus “was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness,” (Rom. 1:4). He also devoted a full chapter in his first letter to the Corinthians to it. The Apostle Peter also mentioned it (1 Pet. 1:3).

Resurrection

John 20 – The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Well, as chapter 20 opens, Mary Magdalene is the first witness of the resurrection (vs. 1-2).And, she ran to report the empty tomb to Simon Peter and John. Well, they run together at the tomb, John arriving first. And, he stoops to look in the tomb and sees the linen wrappings that Jesus had been buried with. But, it was Peter who went inside the tomb and also saw the head cloth and that no body was there (vs. 3-8). The disciples had not understood the Scripture or words of Jesus that He would raise from the dead. But now John “came to believe it.”And, they returned to the place where they were staying in Jerusalem.

In vs. 11-18, is the first of many times that Jesus would be seen by his disciples. The Apostle Paul stated the fact of Jesus’ appearances after His resurrection as part of the book of Corinthians (1 Cor. 15:1-9). And so, John comes back to record that Mary Magdalene was weeping outside the tomb when she looked in and saw two angels who asked her why she was weeping. Her weeping was likely a loud lamentation typical of scenes of death in the Middle East. Mary may have thought that the angels were men as she does not seem to have made more than a typical reaction to the scene.

Even when Mary turned to see Jesus through her tears, she still did not recognize Him, thinking He was the gardener. So, this Gardener asked her why she was weeping. She asks Him if the body of Jesus has been taken elsewhere. But, when Jesus said her name, Mary, she recognized Him and cried out, “Rabboni!” And, she is clinging to Jesus as if she feared He might disappear. But, He tells Mary to go to the disciples whom He calls “brothers” and tell them that He will ascend back to the Father. And so, Mary returns to Jerusalem and reports what she has seen and heard to the disciples.

Well, for the first time Jesus appears to the disciples who were gathered in a room with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. He greeted them with “Shalom” (vs. 19). And then, to further demonstrate that He had indeed risen from the dead, He showed them the imprint of the nails and the spear. Well, this caused unspeakable joy to the disciples and is also the reason why John later wrote, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 Jn. 1:1-3).

Now, Jesus commissioned the apostles for the special work they were to do in the world (vs. 21). They were to be an ambassador or special agent. And, Jesus also promised the Holy Spirit to come upon them soon (vs. 22-23). Jesus further promised to the apostles that as they “forgave sins;” they would stand forgiven. Of course, this forgiveness rested with God as the apostles were God’s spokesmen.

Now, in vs. 24-29, Thomas, called Didymus or Twin, was not with them. And, he required indisputable proof of Jesus’ resurrection. Ironically, he has been labeled as, “doubting Thomas” even though all of the apostles found it difficult to believe that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. And so, Jesus gave Thomas the opportunity he required by having him feel the nail scars on His hands and where the spear had been thrust into His side. Jesus said: “Stop being unbelieving but a believer.” That is, don’t be in the middle about this. And so, after the evidence, Thomas’ response was, “My Lord and My God!” It Is interesting that this is the strongest confession of Jesus’ divinity in the entire Bible. The resurrection was indeed the turning point in the lives of all the apostles. And, it turned a mourner into a missionary, a penitent into a preacher, the bereaved friend into an apostle of love, timid disciples into heralds of a new movement and a skeptic into a confessor. This shows the purpose of the book of John. It was written that people would believe (commitment to Jesus in obedience to His will) and have life (being crucified with Him—Gal. 2:20).

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Heeding the Message

Give the More Earnest Heed

A former park ranger at Yellowstone National Park told the story of a ranger leading a group of hikers to a fire lookout.  The ranger was so intent on telling the hikers about the flowers and animals that he considered the message s on his two-way radio distracting and switched it off.  Nearing the tower the ranger was met by a nearly breathless lookout who asked why he hadn’t responded to the message s on his radio.  (You see, a grizzly bear had been seen stalking the group, and the authorities were trying to warn of the danger).

message

Heed the Message!

The failure to heed warnings is a common tragedy among people.  This is especially true when it comes to spiritual admonitions.   The inspired writer said, “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.  For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation…” (Heb. 2:1-3).

Any time we tune out God’s message to us, we put our souls in great danger.  Therefore, “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks.  For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven” (Heb. 12:25).  Friends, always give the more earnest heed to God’s word.

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The Division of the Earth?

Peleg, Pangaea, and Genesis 10:25

Contrary to the opinion of many people, the Bible and science are in complete harmony with each other. When an apparent conflict presents itself, one can be assured that no genuine contradiction actually exists. Once all relevant evidence has been gathered, and that evidence has been handled correctly (i.e., subjected to accurate logical reasoning), the surface tension will disappear. Unfortunately, possessing an over-zealous desire to establish the Bible’s credibility, believers sometimes allow their exegetical analyses to be colored by the pressure of scientific consensus.

Division

Continental Division in Genesis?

One example of this prejudicial influence is found in Genesis 10:25, which states that Peleg (meaning “division”) derived his name from the fact that “in his days the earth was divided.” Geologists largely believe that, at some time in the ancient past, the continents formed a single land mass called Pangaea. The “continental drift” theory (now better known as the theory of plate tectonics) postulates how this land mass subsequently fractured into several separate units and proceeded to “drift” to the positions that they presently occupy. Accordingly, some Bible commentators claim that Genesis 10:25 refers to this very phenomenon (e.g., Garton, 1991; Sewell, 1990).

It is true that the Bible does not preclude the postulation of a single land mass and a single ocean when God created land and sea at the Creation (Genesis 1:9-10). If, indeed, land was originally a single unit, one biblical explanation for the present multiple continents is the Flood of Noah’s day. The geological impact of a global deluge would have been catastrophic, dramatically reshaping and altering the surface of the Earth. Likewise, the fact that “all the fountains of the great deep were broken up” (Genesis 7:11) could have been responsible for tectonic movement. However, Genesis 10:25 most likely does not refer to the Earth’s continental divisions (see, for example: Leupold, 1950, 1:378; Whitelaw, 1950, 1:161; Clarke, n.d., 1:87; Keil and Delitzsch, 1976, 1:171). Rather, it is more likely referring to the human population of the Earth. Contextual indicators point to this latter conclusion.

First, the Hebrew term for “Earth” (‘erets) may be used figuratively to refer to the Earth’s inhabitants. In fact, two separate figures of speech employ this use: “synecdoche of the whole” and “metonymy of the subject” (Bullinger, 1968, pp. 578,638). A sampling of Old Testament verses where the figure of speech occurs just within Genesis include Genesis 6:11; 9:19; 11:1; 18:25; 19:31; 41:30,57 (Gesenius, 1979, p. 81; Bullinger, p. 578).

Second, verses both before and after Genesis 10:25 provide furtherindication that Moses was referring to a linguistic/political/human division rather than a physical division of the land mass. Earlier in the same chapter, he alluded to a separation of the peoples— “everyone according to his own language, according to their families, into their nations” (Genesis 10:5, emp. added). Later in the same chapter, Moses referred to the generational divisions of Noah’s descendants “in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood” (Genesis 10:32, emp. added).

Third, it is evident, contextually, that Moses provided a chapter of genealogical explanation (chapter nine) in order to set the stage for the Babel incident that follows immediately (chapter 11). Chapter nine functions as the link needed to bridge the account of the Flood with the next significant event of world history—the origin of humanity’s linguistic diversity (see Miller, Harrub, and Thompson, 2002). With no chapter break in the original autograph of Genesis, it is clear that “Earth” in the first verse of chapter eleven was used by Moses with the same meaning that it has in verse twenty- five of chapter ten. This conclusion is supported further by the allusions to national and linguistic separation in verses five and thirty- two of the same chapter.

Certainly, the Bible has been demonstrated repeatedly to be scientifically advanced, avoiding the blunders and inaccuracies of its literary contemporaries. This kind of accuracy stands as an eloquent witness to its divine origin. However, Christians must guard against imposing on the Bible the uncertainties and unproven assumptions of the latest scientific theories. The premature claims that often come forth from the scientific community constitute neither suitable nor unqualified controls for biblical interpretation.

Dave Miller – http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=4636

REFERENCES

Bullinger, E.W. (1968 reprint), Figures of Speech Used in the Bible (GrandRapids, MI: Baker).

Clarke, Adam (no date), Clarke’s Commentary: Genesis-Deuteronomy (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury).

Garton, Michael (1991), “Rocks and Scripture: From the Flood to Babel,”Origins, 4[11]:8-13.

Gesenius, William (1979 reprint), Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Keil, C.F. and F. Delitzsch (1976 reprint), Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Leupold, H.C. (1950 reprint), Exposition of Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Miller, Dave, Brad Harrub, and Bert Thompson (2002), “The Origin of Language and Communication,” Reason and Revelation, 22(8): 57-63, August.

Sewell, Curt (1990), “What Did Peleg See?,” Bible-Science Newsletter, 28[10]:1-2,4-5, October.

Whitelaw, Thomas (1950 reprint), “Genesis,” The Pulpit Commentary, ed. H.D.M. Spence and Joseph Exell (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

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