We'll open up with a word of prayer. Father, we thank you for another Lord's Day and we thank you for bringing us together again as Christ's body, as your people. We pray that you would bless our time of study in Sunday school this morning as we try to study your word through our confession. We pray that you would help us to grow in our knowledge and love for you. and we pray that we would respond accordingly to that. And Father, we pray also that you would be with us as we move into the formal time of worship, that you would help us to put aside the cares and concerns of this world for the time we're here and to focus exclusively on worshiping you and help us to do so in spirit and in truth. We pray all this in Jesus' name, amen. All right, so we are still in chapter two, section one of the confession. And I'm gonna start off by just reading that section. It says, the Lord our God is one, the only living and true God. He is self-existent and infinite and being in perfection. His essence cannot be understood by anyone but Him. He is a perfectly pure spirit. He is invisible and has no body, parts, or changeable emotions or passions. He alone has immortality dwelling in light that no one can approach. He is unchangeable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, In every way infinite, absolutely holy, perfectly wise, wholly free, completely absolute. He works all things according to the counsel of His own unchangeable and completely righteous will for His own glory. He is most loving, gracious, merciful, and patient. He overflows with goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. He rewards those who seek Him diligently. At the same time, He is perfectly just and terrifying in His judgments. He hates all sin and will certainly not clear the guilty. So last week we covered the omnipotence or the almightiness of God. This week I'm going to pick up with the infinity of God. He's in every way infinite. I only want to make a passing comment about the infinity of God because His infinity is clearly seen through His other attributes. I think even the way that it's worded here in the confession kind of shows that because it says, in every way He's infinite. What I want to make clear is that in agreement with what I said last week, God is infinite within the bounds of logic. There is no nonsense in the mind or in the being of the Almighty. Well-meaning Christians sometimes say things in an attempt to glorify God, which actually demean Him. For example, I have heard a brother, a brother that I have a very high regard for, okay, but I've heard a brother try to answer our dilemma from last week about whether God could create a certain object too powerful for him by saying that God could in fact create an object so big that he could not lift it. He wrongly thought saying the contrary would mean that God was unnecessarily limited. I think we handled that objection last week. No, God cannot create such a thing, because such a thing is illogical. Or another example is something that has recently become popular due to a particular contemporary Christian song. This is that we talk about God's reckless love for people. I believe the intent of the song is to honor God for the deep depth of His love for His people, but the actual result is dishonoring to Him. Why am I saying that? Because there is absolutely nothing reckless about God or His love, and to say otherwise is to impugn His character. Our God is a God of order, not chaos and recklessness. Everything he does is with purpose and intent. This concept of God being rational will be important when we come into the doctrine of the Trinity. Because one of the primary arguments, it's probably the primary argument you guys have heard, one of the primary arguments from opponents of the doctrine of the Trinity is that it is irrational. So, keep that in mind when we finally do make it to section 3 of this chapter, when we cover that doctrine. I'm not going to go into that today. Before I go on to the next one, that's all I had to say about the infinity of God. Does anybody have any questions or comments on that? Go ahead. You were talking about how God made something that he couldn't live. I mean, God is not a God of foolishness. He wouldn't even think of doing something like that. Yes. Well, and just on the face of it, it's absurd. How could something ever be more powerful than he who is almighty? Right. All right. Any other comments or questions? No? Okay. The next attribute that's mentioned in the Confession is the holiness of God. I believe in our culture that this is the least understood attribute of God, but it should be the most understood. We live in a time and culture when people take a very casual approach to God. In the extreme cases, God the Father is viewed as our daddy God, and Jesus is our homeboy. You've seen the t-shirts. Don't look at me like you've never I know you guys have seen these things. And I'm sure we could think of other catchy slogans like that, but those are just the ones that came to my mind. But we see these, you know, people got to sell their t-shirts, but we see these catchy slogans referring to God, right? And usually the people that are wearing them actually do think that they're doing something good. They're saying something good about God, but they're really being dishonoring, to put it nicely. Nevertheless, I don't think most people within the church are that oblivious most of the time, but there's still a tendency to approach God with less than the reverence due to His holy name, even if it's not that flagrant. A.W. Pink once wrote, The God, which the vast majority of professing Christians love, is looked upon very much like an indulgent old man, who himself has no relish for folly, but leniently winks at the indiscretions of youth." So, the God from all the cartoons we watched growing up, right? The word holy means to set apart from what is common. Biblically, it has two primary meanings. It refers to God's otherness, or His being unlike anything created, or maybe we would even say His separateness above. Part of His holiness is He's above all of the other beings. And It refers to moral perfection. While the language of the modernized version of the confession is accurate, conveying the idea that God is absolutely or completely holy, I prefer the original language because I think the divines were trying to convey a different concept. They said God is most holy. This language shows that more than anyone or anything in creation, God is wholly set apart. He transcends all creation and is the standard for moral perfection. Puritan John Howe rightly identified this attribute as the attribute of attributes. Another Puritan, Stephen Charnock, described the concept as follows. As it seems to challenge an excellency above all his other perfections, so it is the glory of all the rest. As it is the glory of the Godhead, so it is the glory of every perfection in the Godhead. As his power is the strength of them, so his holiness is the beauty of them. As all would be weak without all mightiness to back them, so all would be uncomely without holiness to adorn them. Should this be sullied, and all the rest would lose their honor, as at the same instant the sun should lose its light, it would lose its heat, its strength, its generative and quickening virtue. As sincerely is the luster of every grace in a Christian, so is purity the splendor of every attribute in the Godhead. His justice is a holy justice. His wisdom, a holy wisdom. His arm of power, a holy arm. His truth or promise, a holy promise. His name, which signifies all his attributes in conjunction, is holy. The holiness of God is the basis upon which we can know that God is a just lawgiver and judge, and that he will never break his gracious promises. Pink identified three ways in which God's holiness of character is displayed. Number one, God's holiness is manifested in His works. So I have two verses I want to read on that. God's holiness is manifested in His works. So this first one is Genesis chapter 1 verse 31. Genesis chapter 1 verse 31 it says, God saw all that he had made and behold it was very good and there was evening and there was morning the sixth day. And then Psalm 145 verse 17 Psalm 145 verse 17, the Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his deeds. And then pink identifies two other ways in which this is manifest. Number two, God's holiness is manifested in his law and his hatred for sin. And we could come up with a whole host of verses for that. And then finally, God's holiness is manifested at the cross. I'm paraphrasing here, I don't have the exact quote, but it was James White who said something to the effect of, if you don't see the absolute holiness and justice of God in the cross, then you don't really see the love of God in the cross either. God poured out His holy wrath, or we say holy justice, that was due to us for our sin, and He poured that out on Jesus. I'm gonna pause right here. Does anybody have any comments or questions on the holiness of God thus far? Go ahead. Right. Yes. Yes. One, two, as far as So of course we know that God's law is holy because it is a reflection of His holy character. But I keep thinking back to the verse in Romans 13 that tells us explicitly that love is the fulfilling of the law toward our neighbor. So God's justice and His love, it's not as if there's any way we could separate these things. God's love is manifest through His law and also through His grace in fulfilling that law. I guess I'd be more specific. His grace in fulfilling that law on our behalf. So even the grace that is shown can't be We can distinguish, but we can't separate these two things. Any other questions or comments on that so far? The holiness of God, or anything else for that matter? Go ahead. You mentioned the concept of God being a benevolent grandfather or an indulgent. And I think that's kind of what we see in our culture. Yes. The parenting style and the grandparenting style. Mm-hmm. That they want to just throw justice out because love is bad. Right. No, right. And two, the mention of that, I think that's most often how we demean God as opposed to those really egregious, Jesus is my homeboy type things, more so in the way that we think of God, the way that we treat God and then there consequently treat His image bearers around us, whatever our relationship to them may be. I think that's really where we don't honor Him as holy in a more practical way. I also agree that the idea, and this is one of the reasons I try to mention this. I think that the idea that there's just an absolute opposition between law and gospel, right? Like we have somehow got this ingrained into our culture and it's led to a very egregious form of antinomianism. And such is not biblical, because, like I've already said, you can't separate, you can distinguish, yes, and we must distinguish between law and grace. But you can't separate law and grace, because even the grace that is shown is in accordance with the law. It's the fulfilling of, as far as our salvation is concerned, it's the fulfilling of the law on our behalf. So, it's not done completely separate. And, on top of that, so that would be justifying grace, but then if we get into sanctifying and glorifying grace, then that sort of grace is grace that helps us to live in accordance with the law. So, even in our personal lives, in our personal behavior following justification, Even grace that is given to us then is so that we will be more in conformity to God's law, more and more. I think we do demean God and we preach, at best, a weak gospel, if we could really even call it a gospel at all, when we hold up this idea that God took care of that law stuff and so now we're under grace and we can do whatever we want now. We are free in Christ, yes, but we're told that we're not to use our freedom as a cloak for evil. So, anyway, I've probably rambled enough. Does anybody have anything else? Thank you. Does anybody else have anything to add or any questions? Okay. Well, I'm gonna carry on. This brings us then to God's holiness with respect to His being. Now, we are primarily covering God's holiness by looking at all His other attributes. But I do want us to look at a few passages which are specifically about His holiness as it respects His being. So let's look at Psalm 86 first. Psalm 86, and this will be verses 8 through 10. All right, Psalm 86, verses 8 through 10, it says, there is no one like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours, all nations. whom you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord." Just as an aside, remember we talked about there are scholars that try to say this is a henotheistic book. That doesn't sound henotheistic to me. God made all nations, and all nations shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and they shall glorify your name, for you are great and do wondrous deeds. You alone are God. Okay, now let's look at Isaiah 37. Isaiah 37, verse 16. Isaiah 37 verse 16 it says Oh Lord of hosts the God of Israel who is enthroned above the cherubim You are the God You alone of all the kingdoms of the earth You have made heaven and earth And then we're gonna flip backwards back to the Psalms now Psalm 148 Sorry, I should have told you that so you could have held your place. Psalm 148, verse 13. Psalm 148, verse 13. Let them praise the name. of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted. His glory is above earth and heaven." On that note, A.W. Pink identified what our response should be to God's holiness. He said, quote, Because God is holy, the utmost reverence becomes our approaches unto Him. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all about him, Psalm 89, 7. Then, exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool. He is holy, Psalm 99, 5. Yes, at his footstool, in the lowest posture of humility, prostrate before him. When Moses would approach unto the burning bush, God said, put off thy shoes from off thy feet. He is to be served with fear of Israel. His demand was, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. Leviticus 10.3. The more our hearts are awed by his ineffable holiness, the more acceptable will be our approaches unto him. End quote. And finally, the inherent holiness of God should give God's people a desire to see his name properly regarded as such throughout all the created order. Consider this question and answer from the catechism for young boys and girls. Question, what is the first petition of the Lord's prayer? The answer, hallowed be your name. This is just another way of praying, Lord, make your name holy. Besides prayer, what is our role in the accomplishment of this task that God's name would be made holy? I'm sure we could come up with many more things, but I've listed two. And so, to see these, I want us to actually look in the Scripture, so you'll see these are God's ways we do this, not Jonathan's ways we do this. So first, let's look at 2 Peter chapter 1. We're really gonna be focusing in on verses 13 through 16, but I'm actually going to back up and start at verse 10. It says, as to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the spirit of Christ within them was indicating as he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, that is you the church. And these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. Therefore, prepare your minds for action. Keep sober in spirit. Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children. See, we're already children, right? So as obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior, because it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. So we are to be holy in our conduct, because we are children of our father, and to be the son of a father is to be like the father. Another way that we carry this out, Matthew 28. The cultural mandate in Genesis was that we want basically to summarize. It was that we wanted to fill all of the earth with God's images. It was be fruitful, multiply, take dominion, right? But the idea behind that is fill the world with God's images. And then Adam fell, and we fell in him, and the image was distorted. And then the second, or rather I should even say the last Adam came, and he conquered where the first Adam fell to. He took dominion where the first Adam fell to. And so those who are now in him are restored images. We bear the image of Christ, and we are restored images of God. And so the mandate to fill the earth with God's image is renewed here. Matthew 28 verses 18 through 20, our resurrected Lord is the one speaking. It says, and Jesus came up and spoke to them saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. And understand that is all authority has been given to him as the God man. So it was as man. This is him, again, accomplishing what Adam failed to. This is what Adam was supposed to do, was to attain to this authority. But Jesus successfully does it. So He says, "...all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth, Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. So, the fulfilling of the Great Commission, filling the earth with God's renewed images, that honors His name as holy. All right. That's all I have in my notes on this attribute. Does anybody have anything else to add on the holiness of God? I look at it, but I always should look at God, whether it says, fear the Lord, And I don't think he means for us to be terrified of him. I think what he means is for us to have the utmost respect for him and live that you have that respect for him all the time. It's hard to do. It's the idea of we fear, fear in the sense of the fear that a child has for a loving father who disciplines them. Of course, it's not perfectly analogous because our earthly fathers sin, and sometimes they get it, because of that they get it wrong, we get it wrong, but God's perfect, God's perfectly holy father, and so We fear Him, we reverence Him in that way. But we don't have to fear Him as judge. We don't fear His justice because His justice has been satisfied at the cross. We'd rather fear His loving discipline, which is different. You can even ask my kids, I will tell them, I don't punish you, I discipline you. Because what I'm doing for you is not to carry out justice. What I'm doing for you is to discipline you so that you'll be better. It is not about justice. It's about you being changed. All right, anything else? Go ahead. Today in the catechism, we're going to be doing number nine, and it's very false witness. And that's the essence of our mandate to not bear false witness against God to our neighbor. So we have to speak and use our lips and speak by being a faithful witness. Absolutely. So I just like the way that kind of summarizes. But it reads, again, we shouldn't bear false witness against our neighbor. But the first tab, the first table is the beginning. He's the faithful witness, and we shouldn't be bearing false witness against him. That's right. Well, in fact, to tie that in to what I was just talking about, that was part of Adam's sin. Adam was supposed to be, well he was, not just supposed to be, he was the image of God. But when he sinned, he projected a false image. And so, by his sin, he bore false witness about God. And so now what we're supposed, and in fact, it's not just Adam. Anytime we as image bearers sin, we do the same thing, okay? It's not just, I'm not just trying to dump this off on Adam. We do it too. But that's part of what we're now, that's part of the reason that a mandate to carry the gospel to the nations is necessary, right? Because we're so corrupted and messed up apart from Christ that The image that's all over the world is a corrupted image. So we're trying to reverse that. And of course, Christ is the one who ultimately reverses that, but he works through his church. So we don't do it. We do it in the sense that the tools build the building, right? I mean, if the master builder doesn't come pick the tools up, the tools aren't building anything. So I don't want to give us too much credit. But at the same time, we are the tools in the master's hand. He does use us and work through us. And that's our mandate. All right, I'm going to move on now to the next attribute. And this is the next attribute listed in the confession is God is perfectly or most wise. God is omniscient or all-knowing. Wayne Grudem uses this definition of God's omniscience. Quote, God fully knows himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act." God fully knows himself. This is a marvelous thought when you consider that God is infinite in being. As Grudem points out, of course, only he who is infinite can fully know himself in every detail. Only he who is infinite could fully know that which is infinite. 1 Corinthians 2 verses 10 through 11 speaks to this. 1 Corinthians 2 verses 10 and 11. It says, For to us God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the Spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. God also exhaustively knows all things which He has actually brought into existence, and all things He could have possibly brought into existence, but chose not to do so. We need to understand that the wisdom of God is not a mere reference to His omniscience, Knowledge is a necessary prerequisite to wisdom, and perfect knowledge is a necessary prerequisite to perfect wisdom. However, the possession of mere knowledge does not necessitate that one also possesses wisdom. You can have a head full of facts, and it never does anybody any good. For example, I can memorize every single word in the Bible from in the beginning to amen without deriving a single bit of wisdom from it. In such a case, I would have knowledge about the Bible, but I would lack the wisdom imparted by it. Wisdom requires that we possess knowledge and then know what to do with that knowledge. It also requires that we possess righteous motives and endeavor to use our knowledge to achieve righteous ends. So there are both intellectual and moral components to wisdom. In his systematic theology, Louis Burkhoff says the following regarding the wisdom of God. The wisdom of God may be regarded as a particular aspect of His knowledge. It is quite evident that knowledge and wisdom are not the same, though they are closely related. They do not always accompany each other. An uneducated man may be superior to a scholar in wisdom. Knowledge is acquired by study, but wisdom results from an intuitive insight into things. The former is theoretical while the latter is practical, making knowledge subservient to some specific purpose. Both are imperfect in man. But in God, they are characterized by absolute perfection. God's wisdom is His intelligence as manifested in the adaptation of means to ends. It points to the fact that He always strives for the best ends and chooses the best means for the realization of His purposes. H.B. Smith defines the divine wisdom as that attribute of God whereby He produces the best possible results with the best possible means. We may be a little more specific and call it that perfection of God whereby He applies His knowledge to the attainment of His ends in a way which glorifies Him most. It implies a final end to which all secondary ends are subordinate, and according to Scripture, this final end is the glory of God. Put simply, God has perfect knowledge and perfect wisdom. He exhaustively knows all things and puts that knowledge to work to achieve His purposes, which ultimately achieve His ultimate purpose namely His own glory. And with that, I would like us to look at a few passages about the wisdom of God, and notice in several of these how God's wisdom necessarily results in His glory. So let's start with Psalm 104. Bear with me, I realize this is not one of the shorter Psalms, but we're going to read the entire Psalm. It's Psalm 104. It says, Bless the Lord, O my soul. Oh Lord, my God, you are very great. You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a cloak, stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. He lays the beams of his upper chambers in the waters. He makes the clouds his chariot. He walks upon the wings of the wind. He makes the winds his messengers, flaming fire his ministers. He established the earth upon its foundations so that it will not totter forever and ever. You cover it with the deep as with a garment. The waters were standing above the mountains. At your rebuke they fled. At the sound of your thunder they hurried away. The mountains rose, the valleys sank to the place where you established for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass over, so that they will not return to cover the earth. He sends forth springs in the valleys. They flow between the mountains. They give drink to every beast of the field. The wild donkeys quench their thirst. Besides them, the birds of the heavens dwell. They lift up their voices among the branches. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers. The earth is satisfied with the fruit of his work. he causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the labor of man, so that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine, which makes man's heart glad, so that he may make his face glisten with oil, and food, which sustains man's heart. The trees of the Lord drink their fill, the cedars of Lebanon, which he planted, where the birds build their nests, and the stork whose home is the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats. The cliffs are a refuge for the sheffanim. He made the moon for the seasons. The sun knows the place of its setting. You appoint darkness and it becomes night in which all the beasts of the forest prowl about. The young lions roar after their prey and seek their food from God. When the sun rises, they withdraw and lie down in their dens. Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until evening. O Lord, how many are your works! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your possessions." Or that could be translated creatures. There is the sea, great and broad, in which are swarms without number, animals both small and great. There the ships move along, and Leviathan, which you have formed to sport in it. They all wait for you to give them their food in due season. You give them, they gather it up. You open your hand, they are satisfied with good. You hide your face, they are dismayed. You take away their spirit, they expire, and return to their dust. You send forth your spirit, They are created. And you renew the face of the ground. Let the glory of the Lord endure forever. Let the Lord be glad in His works. He looks at the earth and it trembles. He touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. Let my meditation be pleasing to him. As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord. So we see God's wisdom is shown in creation, and this should result in our praises to him, which glorifies him. Now, let's turn next to Proverbs 8. So this is wisdom personified. And way back long ago when we were in John and didn't have a pause there, we talked about how wisdom personified is actually the Logos. It's the pre-incarnate Christ. So, let's pick up in verse 12 for the sake of time. The whole chapter is about this, but let's just pick up in verse 12 for the sake of time. "...I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth. I hate. Counsel is mine and sound wisdom. I am understanding. Power is mine. By me kings reign and rulers decree justice." Wisdom is according to justice. By me, prince's rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly. I love those who love me, and those who diligently seek me will find me." Look at that. Justice and love. I love those who love me. Anyway. Rich is an honor with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, and my yield better than choice of silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, to endow those who love me with wealth, that I may fill their treasuries. The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old. From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth. When there were no depths, I was brought forth. When there were no springs abounding with water, before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I was brought forth. While he had not yet made the earth and the fields, nor the first dust of the world, when he established the heavens, I was there. When he inscribed a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when the springs of the deep became fixed, when he set for the sea its boundary, so that the water would not transgress his command. When he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him as a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him, rejoicing in the world, his earth, and having my delight in the sons of men. Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Heed instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. But he who sins against me injures himself. All those who hate me love death. Alright, just a few more. We're going to look in Romans now, and actually the next three things we're going to read are going to be in Romans. So let's start with Romans 8, verses 28 through 30. Romans 8, verses 28 through 30. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. So, in His wisdom, He knows what He needs to do for all things to work together for good. We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. to those who are called according to His purpose. See, again, that's intention. That's intentionality. He has a purpose. He's not reckless. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. And these whom He predestined, He also called, and these whom He called, He also justified, and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Now, Go to chapter 11, Romans chapter 11, at the very end of the chapter, verses 33 through 36. So Romans 11, verses 33 through 36, it says, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. See, these are separate things, wisdom and knowledge. But the depth of the riches of both for God, the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. And then Romans 16 now. Romans 16, 25 through 27. It's the very end of the epistle. It says, Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now has manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith, to the only wise God. through Jesus Christ be the glory forever. Amen. See how this wisdom thing just keeps resulting in praise. Two more. I've only got two more. I'm trying to wrap it up because I know we need to go get coffee real quick. First Corinthians 1 verses 18 through 31. This has to be included in any discussion of God's wisdom. This one right here, you can't skip this one. 1 Corinthians 1, 18-31, For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed, Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom. By the way, that is a really good verse to memorize because it actually affects our approach to these different people groups when we try to evangelize. The Jews would share a common foundation, the Scriptures. The Greeks, not so much. Anyway, that's just an aside. But we preach Christ crucified to Jews, a stumbling block, And to Gentiles, foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. And the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are. So that no man may boast before God, but by his doing you are in Christ Jesus. who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." This is the wisdom of God on ultimate display. That He conquers by death. He conquers by service. He conquers by humility. He brings together the church, displaying His manifold wisdom, right? His multicolored wisdom. Okay, one more passage and then we'll stop for today. Ephesians 1, verses 3 through 14. Ephesians 1, verses 3 through 14. It says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose, which means it was intentional. He wasn't reckless. He intentionally did something here. Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before Him, in love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, that forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished on us. in all wisdom and insight. He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention, which He purposed in Him, with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. And Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose, who works all things after the counsel of His will." to the end, so he's got means and an end, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. And Him you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance with a view to the redemption of God's own possession to the praise of His glory. So throughout this passage we see there's purpose, there's means which accomplish an end, and all of this, because it circles around multiple times in here, all of this circles back around to the praise of His glory. See? So all of this, it shows exactly what we saw in those earlier quotations that God uses means to achieve His ends, and all of this to His glory. Does anybody have anything else on that? You have like ten minutes for coffee, so. Does anybody else have anything to add? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Good example. All right. Anything else? All right. Maybe I'll hold it a little short next week because I've gone over today. But then again, next week, if we keep going through the confession, I don't do that DVD series next week, we're gonna be coming to the freedom of God. So that's a hotly debated topic. Anyway, all right, we'll close with a prayer. Father, again, we're so thankful for all of the things that we've been able to discuss this morning. We pray that we would honor you as holy And that we would marvel at your wisdom. It's too deep for us, in truth. Nevertheless, we do see many of the outcomes of that wisdom, and especially as manifested in the church of Jesus Christ. And so, we thank you for these things, and we pray that you would help us to respond appropriately by giving praise and glory to your holy name. And it is in the name of our Lord Jesus that we pray. Amen.