Our carnal nature attracts us to appearances. When we go looking for wisdom we should be aware of our propensity to judge by appearances. Even though our desire for wisdom is God instilled, God doesn’t force true wisdom on us. Just like Adam and Eve, where we go to get wise is our choice. Beware of appearances!
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make {one} wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6
For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no {stately} form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
Isaiah 53:2
See how the two trees stand in stark contrast? One stands visually appealing; the other has no stately form or majesty. When we stop to consider the Tree of Life, it is not our carnal appetite that is at work. Our carnal nature would glance at and then walk right past the Tree of Life. This is the Father’s way and a profound mystery not to be second-guessed by our knowledge of good and evil or worse, tampered with.
When we are called to share the Gospel of Christ, we must allow the Tree of Life to appear as God has willed. Let us not use man’s carnal “wisdom” to make Him more appealing. If God Himself does not stoop to make Himself appealing to our carnal nature, what do we think we gain when we try to dress up the Gospel?
In regards to the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, the apostle Paul was given revelation about the deceptive nature of appearances. As a result, Paul refused to tamper with the appearance of the gospel. Whereas Satan promised wisdom through the knowledge of good and evil, Paul preached wisdom through the foolishness of the gospel of Christ.
For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not {come to} know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. 1:18-24
Paul continues this doctrine:
And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 1 Cor. 2:1-5
How can a gospel that appears rooted in foolishness, in weakness, in fear and in trembling, a stumbling block, be successful? How can such a gospel accomplish anything? This is the Father’s way and cannot be understood by using our knowledge of good and evil.
Presently, the Tree of Life is hiding Himself in the foolish weakness of earthen vessels, “…we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;” (2 Cor. 4:7) Just as in the garden, Christ within us will not attract the wise of this age. Only those the Father calls will see and embrace the Tree of Life within us.
Let us therefore lay down the wardrobe we use to “dress up” Christ. Let us cease to develop evangelistic programs based on carnal appetites. God-filled vessels have nothing to pour forth outside of His filling. Vessels filled with anything other than the Tree of Life are empty.