31. So it is often with man today, not only in doctrinal controversy
but in private affairs and in official capacity. He is prone to
stumble and to fail in understanding when not watchful of his
purposes and motives, to see how they accord with the wisdom of God's
Word. Particularly is his understanding unreliable when the devil
moves him to wrath, impatience, dejection, melancholy, or when he is
otherwise tempted. Often they who have been well exercised with
trials become bewildered in small temptations and uncertain what
course to take. Here must one be watchful and not go by his reason or
his feelings, but remember God's Word--or ascertain if he does not
know what it is--and be guided thereby. When tempted man cannot judge
aright by the dictates of reason. Therefore he ought not to follow
his own natural intelligence nor to act from hasty conclusions. Let
him be suspicious of all his reasoning and beware the cunning of the
devil, who seeks either to allure or to intimidate us by his specious
arguments. First of all let man call upon the understanding born of
his wisdom in the Gospel, what his faith, love, hope and patience
counsel, in fact, what God's will eloquently teaches everywhere and
in all circumstances if only one strive, labor and pray to be filled
with such knowledge.
32. Paul uses the expression, "spiritual wisdom and understanding,"
because it represents that which makes us wise and prudent to oppose
the devil and his assaults and temptations, or wiles as Paul calls
them in Ephesians 6, 11; which governs and guides, shepherds and
leads, teaches and keeps us, and enables us to fare well
spiritually--in faith and a good conscience toward God--and also in
the temporal affairs of life when reason fails as a counselor or
teacher. Paul further says:
"To walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in
every good work; and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened
with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all
patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the Father,
who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light."
33. What is meant by "walking worthily of the Lord" we have heard in
other epistles, namely to believe, and to confess the faith by
doctrine and life, as people worthy of the Lord and of whom the Lord
can triumphantly say: "These are my people--Christians who live and
abide in what they have been taught by the Word, who know my will and
obediently do and suffer for it."
34. Our wisdom and understanding of the knowledge of God should serve
to make us characters that are an honor and praise to God, in whom he
may be glorified, and who live to God unto all pleasing, that is,
please him in every way, according to his Word. And because of such
wisdom and knowledge, we should, in our lives, in our stations and
appointed work, not be unfruitful nor harmful hypocrites and
unbelievers, as false Christians are, but doers of much good, useful
characters to the honor of God's kingdom. All the time we are to make
constant growth and progress in the knowledge of God, that we may not
be seduced or driven from it by the cunning of the devil, who at all
times and in all places assails Christians and strenuously seeks to
effect their fall from the Word and from God's will, even as in the
beginning he did with Adam and Eve in paradise.