Our own wisdom, righteousness, and strength'

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"Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of 
you thinks he is wise by the standards of 
this age, he should become a "fool" so 
that he may become wise." 1 Cor. 3:18

The fruit and effect of divine teaching is—to 
cut in pieces, and root up all our fleshly . . .
wisdom,
strength, and
righteousness. 

God never means to patch a new piece upon 
an old garment. All our wisdom, our strength, 
our righteousness must be torn to pieces!
It must all be plucked up by the roots—that 
a new wisdom, a new strength, and a new
righteousness may arise upon its ruins.

But until the Lord is pleased to teach us—we 
never can part with our own righteousness, 
never give up our own wisdom, never abandon 
our own strength. These things are a part and 
parcel of ourselves—so ingrained within us—so 
innate in us—so growing with our growth—that 
we cannot willingly part with an atom of them 
until the Lord Himself breaks them up, and 
plucks them away. 

Then, as He brings into our souls some spiritual 
knowledge of our own dreadful corruptions and 
horrible wickedness—our righteousness crumbles 
away at the divine touch.

As He leads us to see and feel our ignorance and 
folly in a thousand instances—and how unable we 
are to understand anything aright but by divine 
teaching—our wisdom fades away.

As He shows us our inability to resist temptation 
and overcome sin, by any exertion of our own—
our strength gradually departs—and we become 
like Samson, when his locks were cut off. 

Upon the ruins, then, of our own wisdom, 
righteousness, and strength, does God build 
up Christ's wisdom, Christ's righteousness, and 
Christ's strength.

But only so far as we are favoured with this special
teaching are we brought to pass a solemn sentence 
of condemnation upon our own wisdom, strength, 
and righteousness—and sincerely seek after the Lord's.

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