Our brief study has in mind the definition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism – “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.” It has been attributed to the Rev George Gillespie (1613-1648) as the words he used in an opening prayer of a committee of the Westminster Assembly as it was about to prepare its Catechism on the subject in hand.

You may have noticed that in answer to Question 4 “wisdom” is given pride of place in the order of what has been termed God’s “communicable attributes (or properties)”. Likewise the “incommunicable attributes” of infinite, eternal and unchangeable precede “Wisdom etc.”; and provide their own qualification of each of them. Therefore, it is nothing less than infinite, eternal, unchangeable wisdom that is herein said to pertain to the nature of God. And that means, in turn, that God’s Nature is, for finite creatures, ultimately “incomprehensible”, as the Larger Catechism itself states in Question 7.

Creation reveals wisdom at work in the Six Days where, out of nothing, a home is prepared in respect of this Earth for living creatures – “The heavens by the word of God did their beginning take; And by the breathing of his mouth he all their hosts did make.” (Ps 33:6). Hosts of insects, marine life, the birds, animals, and man himself! – “the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen. 2:7) Here was found the wonder of a life in the body physically, as in common with the lower creation; but, more than that, possessed of a living soul or spirit, as in common with our Maker and God.

Crown of the creation of heaven and earth man assuredly is. But it is that very height of exaltation that, in the event, has entailed the problems that beset the race of mankind. In order to humans becoming companions to a Divine Being properties as resembling God Himself were requisite for our persons; such as wisdom but, more importantly, autonomy of will in matters of moral principle. What has to be reckoned with here is that man was in possession of an autonomous prerogative to cause his own downfall, – “for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:17b). The crass folly of our first father, Adam (where could wisdom have gone?) is – that this is precisely what he proceeded to do. Moreover, it becomes your sin and mine!

I believe it is safe to say, that the greatest challenge that wisdom will ever face was to determine what (if anything) could be done for man in his natural state of our sin and misery. Equally, however, it is our privilege to rejoice to know that the consummate wisdom of Father, Son and Holy Spirit has met the problem “head on”; so that its resolution, along with deliverance for man, has been found and acted upon. Germane to the solution of wisdom in this regard is what has come to be termed the “witty invention” of substitution. A substitute comes to take the place of the other.

Adam has already done this in the garden where the one father-parent stood for all his posterity. Adam fallen into sin, however, has now himself urgent need of this notion of a substitute. So, “What?” “Who?” is Wisdom’s choice?

Certain qualifications are necessary in that being man itself is essential. Also he must needs be innocent and sinless as Adam had been; but he requires to be much more if redemption from sin’s guilt is to be procurable. The credentials of the Deity itself must have their place here! So we are told – “The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven” (1 Cor. 15: 47).

We have to begin to think the unthinkable! One infinite becomes finite, one eternal becomes a baby of hours, days and years. The unchangeable JEHOVAH begins a journey of almost endless change – in Bethlehem’s manger – increasing in wisdom and stature in Galilee – baptized by John at Jordan – tempted by the Devil, he remains sinless – committed to the Father’s will at Gethsemane – at Calvary he expiates sin’s guilt and yields up his soul in death – body and soul go their separate ways, to the grave and the Father. – The third day they are reunited in resurrection – he meets with the women and disciples, – He has ascended into heaven – and is coming again to judgment.

All this, and more, Christ has done and does, not for himself, but only for the Church as in its room and stead. In its essence it is a “one to one” relationship always allowing for development into inclusion of “the many” (cf. Rom. 5:19). Paul says, “I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20b). It is particularly in relationship to individuals that profit is to be had in exploring the subject. For in order to the saving of even one human being Christ knew that every step on this path of his self-humiliation unto death must needs be trod by him. In other words, each sinner has need of a whole Christ for himself. I came to understand my need of this Christ for myself so that I became bold to believe in him for salvation. If the question be put, “How did you come to do this – to believe?” The answer should be simple – as being in response to the general call of Wisdom in the Gospel – “Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of Adam” (Prov. 8:4). It is the glorious right of each son and daughter of Adam to timeously hearken to this call of Christ. To the Greeks he may remain foolishness – “But unto them which are called ... Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor. 1:24). “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Tim. 2:11, 12).

The first benefit accruing from the wisdom of God’s great plan of Redemption must be in respect of the glory that it brings to God Himself as a just God and a Saviour. For man himself, however, the gain is immense in that believers are adopted into the family as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ – “unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.” (Col. 2:2, 3). (How the Apostle here excels himself in admiration!). Both Testaments speak of Solomon’s wisdom and how the Queen of Sheba associates herself with the king’s prowess by coming from the ends of the earth to witness it at first hand. But a greater than Solomon is here for the Church of God!

You may be acquainted with use of terms such as “imputing” and “Implanting” in respect of Christ’s righteousness being received by a sinner. May they not, however, be equally applicable with regard to Christ’s wisdom? By nature we may well complain with the Preacher, “I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.” (Eccl. 7:23), but now as a believer in Christ it is as possessor of His wisdom that I stand. The wonder is that the Saviour’s wisdom is being implanted within the human soul and the Church is found as in the very image of Christ Himself. As Samuel Rutherford noted how Christ is all the glory in Immanuel’s Land, so it will be for the believer in his/her very personality (cf. Acts 4:13).

To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen

Romans 16:27