Gordon H. Clark Sermon: The Holy Wisdom of God

College will give one knowledge, but not wisdom.  -- Dr. Gordon H. Clark

The Gordon H. Clark Foundation posted this sermon at their site.   The sermon was recently discovered in the Clark family archive of unpublished papers.  Here is a quote from the sermon:

Undoubtedly this passage from Job implies that the study of minerals, the study of geology, indeed all academic study is not the method of obtaining wisdom. In college young men and women may obtain knowledge; and by knowledge they can accomplish their aims in life far better than they could without knowledge. But whether their aims in life are wise or foolish, good or evil, is an entirely different matter. A man may know physics and mathematics, but no knowledge of mathematics will teach him how to make use of his mathematics. In college I learned a lot of French, but no college course taught me whether I should use it in the Folies Bergeres or in the study of theology. College will give one knowledge, but not wisdom.

The last verse of Job 28 puts us on the right track. “Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, that is understanding.”

It is therefore essential to recognize that wisdom is not to be studied like courses in college. Wisdom is a gift of God. Prov. 2:6 says, “For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.”

From:  The Holy Wisdom of God