Do I Really Gain Wisdom by Reading Scripture?

And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15)

Today’s big question: do I really gain wisdom by reading Scripture?

When writing to Timothy, the apostle Paul reminded him of the Scriptures that were taught to him by his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5). He claimed that these Scriptures would make Timothy wise for salvation. Wisdom is a great treasure (Colossians 2:3). It is the one thing that King Solomon desired so that he might serve God well—and when he was given this one great request, King Solomon then wrote about the true origin of wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7).

If you have ever desired to be wise or knowledgeable, King Solomon advises you to begin with God. And in 1 Corinthians 1:25, the apostle Paul advises the same, saying that the foolishness of God is wiser than men. God is omniscient (unlimited in knowledge) and as Creator, He is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. If we want to be wise, we must start by fearing God. The simplicity of this concept has been a stumbling block for many academics.

Our verse today does not just stop at telling us that Scriptures will make us wise, but that they will make us wise for salvation through faith, which is in Jesus Christ. The simple gospel message in God’s Word is the essential wisdom for all mankind. Through an understanding of this message we know our Creator, our sinful position, our eternal destiny, our Savior and Redeemer, and the need for repentance and faith. Academics around the world, in search of wisdom and knowledge, have rejected the profound simplicity found in the gospel of Christ—and in doing so, they have become the ultimate fools. It is the message of the Scriptures that can convert the heart of foolishness into a heart made wise unto salvation.

Yes, there is a powerful simplicity in the message of the cross, and one does not have to be a rocket scientist to understand it. In an amazing way, God has made His wisdom for salvation easily accessible. The Scriptures were accessible to young Timothy, taught by His mother and grandmother, and they are accessible to you to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Today’s big idea: don’t over-complicate God’s perfect wisdom.

What to pray: pray that God would help you seek Him to understand salvation.