Initial Remarks

     Greetings.
     As is customary for new blogs, I would like to dedicate my first post to some opening remarks, particularly regarding the purpose of this blog.
     The name - "Wiser than Men" - is taken from the engaging first chapter of 1 Corinthians. In verse 25 we read:

"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

    This verse is one amongst others in a passage explaining one of the hardest difficulties men face when approached with the Gospel: it doesn't make sense. It's ridiculous. It's silly. Intellectually, it's disappointing. Logically, it's foolish. For the Jews at the time who held tightly to their understanding of Scripture - as well as their tradition - it only caused stumbling. The Gospel was a 'tripping hazard' in their theology. For the Greeks who were for the most part foreign to the Scriptures, it was laughable. The Gospel was a 'thinking hazard' to their philosophy.
     Regardless, the Gospel remained true. Unaffected by the disbelief of those who couldn't find it anywhere in what they trusted in most, the Gospel alone stood as wisdom from God which resulted in the salvation of "those who believe(d)" (vs. 21), not those who were intellectually convinced.
    Hence, in order to secure genuine salvation, understanding, and sanctification amongst his hearers, Paul, who wrote 1 Corinthians, taught one thing and one thing only: the gospel, as revealed to him by God. He didn't present the gospel and a logical argument. He didn't try to convince his Corinthian audience by wit. Why? So that the power at work would not be of him, but only of the Truth. To have the gospel 'and...'  would be to nullify the Truth. To accompany the Truth with anything would be to replace the Truth. If men would not be saved by the hearing of the Word of God, then they would not be saved at all. This was Paul's charge from God (vs. 17), and was his 'method' of teaching.
     That method is my desire as well. As I learn the Truth - from the Word of God, not human reason - I want to share it. As I gain knowledge and wisdom - solely from the pages of God's word, not my intellect - I desire to edify others (Eph. 4). There is only one thing that can sanctify: the Word of God, because it alone is Truth. (John 17:17) Whether heard in the sermon of a living pastor, or read in a book of a dead author, the Word of God must be exposed if anybody anywhere is ever going to grow or be saved at all. To look elsewhere or pull from another source for such an end is wasted effort. So, this space will be occupied not with a good idea I just had that morning, but what I learned from the Scripture that morning. Instead of recording the conclusions of my religious conscience and moral convictions, I desire to write only what may be found revealed by God in the pages of His Word.  I ask that if you encounter content which is contrary to what you have learned from Scripture and you see from Scripture where I am wrong, that you contact me and show me. I'm nothing special - you also own a Bible. (Proverbs 27:17)
     Pertaining to all that, I may, on occasion, post information regarding the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek). Not because they are ends in and of themselves, (although I enjoy them) but they are a means to an end. They don't sanctify you, they refine your understanding of God's word - and that sanctifies you.

To tie these thoughts off and end this post, I want to bring to mind the words of Christ found in John 17:17 -

                                     "Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth "

Sincerely,
Joshua Frederico