The Wise Evangelist Has A Wise God

What we believe about God determines how we witness for God. Critical to the beginning of our evangelism then is not what we will teach others about God, but what we ourselves already know about God. As the commencement point for evangelism then, I find it necessary that disciples begin by understanding the character of God. Certainly, the list of His attributes is extensive; however, to focus our attention, I want to consider the wisdom of God.

So extensive is the Lord’s knowledge and wisdom that Paul writes to the Romans, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33). While a complete understanding of his knowledge and wisdom may be beyond the boundaries of our abilities, it does not mean that we cannot at least apprehend them in part. Therefore, we should not content ourselves with no knowledge of our God but seek appreciation for who He is.

As Lord, God possesses all knowledge about all things. In fact, he not only knows all things as they are, but he knows all possibilities about all things. The Lord’s complete wisdom guides the manner in which God executes His knowledge. This combination of character generates tremendous implications in substitution, in sanctification, and in suffering.

• In Substitution: It was the Lord’s wisdom that compelled the substitutionary atonement of Christ on the cross. Had the Lord not contrived this as part of His plan, each of us would be left to languish in sin without hope of deliverance and reconciliation.
• In Sanctification: We talk of the Christian life as one of growth into the image of Christ. Left to our own devices, our sanctification would be stagnant. Yet, with his knowledge of human disposition towards sin, the Lord wisely does not leave his children unattended but provides His own Spirit.
• In Suffering: Finally, if the Lord is all-knowing, then he knows more about us and our circumstances than we do. Thus, he knows our hearts and minds, and with his wisdom, he will provide exactly what it is that we need in order to draw closer to Him, even if that means the use of suffering to engage us (cf. James 1:2-12).

The Lord as an all-knowing, all-wise God is increasingly relevant to our lives as His disciples.

However, the ramifications extend beyond just our lives, but they advance into the lives of unbelievers as well. In knowing all about an individual, by His wisdom, the Lord acts strategically, piercing the hearts of unbelievers in a way to generate the most significant impact and response. In that way, not only is a wise God relevant to witnessing about God, but it becomes increasingly personal to the unbeliever because it means that the Lord is at work in the most calculated way possible. Such truth impacts our obedience to evangelism in several ways:

• First, we evangelize with an understanding that the Lord is at work strategically according to His will for the most remarkable effectiveness. Therefore, we have no reason to act cowardly but confidently when we proclaim the Lord's saving truth.
• Second, because the Lord is working in a specific manner, we trust that by calling us to witness, it is part of His plan to influence our hearts and impact others according to His will.
• Finally, if the Lord is all-wise (and He is!), then in our witness for Him, we may confidently point the unbeliever to the Lord's wisdom in all His work, both in delight and distress.

The Lord works with precision, using each moment to its fullest potential to accomplish His goal. An all-knowing, all-wise God is a tremendous confidence to the witnessing believer.

If we genuinely believe that the Lord is all-knowing, all-wise, let our evangelism reflect that belief. May it cause us to witness more fervently and more willingly. Let it cause us to rely upon the Lord's wisdom rather than our own knowledge when we encounter the unbeliever. May our evangelism reflect our own belief in our Lord!

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