Is God Foolish?
Without the Spirit of God, those with closed eyes are influenced by the sinful nature within us all, and are prone to view God’s truth as foolishness. However, the Holy Spirit is far from idle with those who have not accepted God’s way. We learn His role concerning such people in John 16:7-11,
“I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9“of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10“of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11“of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
Such people are far from God, and yet may still be considered wise in the world’s eyes. However, God would have them consider their thoughts from His point of view. Paul gives us such a perspective in 1Corinthians 3:18-20,
“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”
Lacking the Holy Spirit, the world contends with God. For, they are just as we were before we knew the Lord, as Paul explains in 1Corinthians 2:14,
“the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Thus, spiritual discernment is a precious gift we receive from the Holy Spirit. We could never rightfully distinguish the word of Truth without Him or His gifts.
