âA wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.â Proverbs 1:5
Who does our text consider to be the wise man? Certainly not the intellectual genius of the world! We read in I Corinthians 1:19-20, âFor it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 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?â Verse five of Proverbs one gives us our clue as to who the truly wise are. First we are told that he is a man who âWILL HEARâ. So now we can identify him specifically for in Johnâs Gospel, chapter eight, verse forty-seven, Christ Jesus said, âHe that is of God heareth Godâs words:âŚâ In the introductory text (Prov.1:5), the truly âwise manâ is the man that is âBORN OF GODâ. Notice it is followed with âand will increase learningâ, showing that the man who is truly acquainted with God by grace will âgrow in graceââŚBut grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and foreverâ (II Peter 3:18). This is also substantiated in Titus 2:11-12, âFor the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.â We would certainly have to conclude from these verses before us that there is progress in the soul of the Christian, which in turn manifests itself outwardly by good works. If no progress of the soul, then undoubtedly the soul has never received the life of God. Notice now in the third place the truly wise man is the man of understanding. âThus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lordâ (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Understanding in the believer is also spiritual judgment, âBut 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. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no manâ (I Corinthians 2:14-15). Fourthly the text describes the wise man by saying that he is a man who âattains unto wise counsels.â Blessed is the man whose counselor is the Lord. Weâre taught in the scripture that He (the Lord) is âa wonderful counselor.â