DOCTRINE: If you want to be truly wise and not deceive yourself, you must become a fool in your own eyes and go to God’s word alone for wisdom.

I. YOU MUST TAKE CARE THAT YOU ARE NOT DECEIVED, ESPECIALLY BY YOURSELF (v. 18a)

I) You have a great enemy within you which will lead you to deceive yourself—your in dwelling sin. II) Your remaining sin, if not continually recognized and mortified, will puff you up with pride and cause you to deceive yourself.

II. YOU MUST HUMBLE YOURSELF, CONSIDERING THAT YOUR OWN WISDOM IS FOOLISHNESS, SO THAT YOU MAY LEARN WISDOM FROM GOD (v. 18b)

Think of how wrong you would be if you tried to discover God’s gospel by human wisdom (Luke 19:10, 1 Timothy 1:15, Romans 5:6-8, Nahum 1:2-3, Psalm 7:11-16, Isaiah 53:5). Think of how wrong you would be if you tried to discover God’s works by human wisdom (John 16:33, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Psalm 56:8, Romans 8:28). Think of how wrong you would be if you tried to discover how to live a holy and meaningful life by human wisdom (Proverbs 26:12, Proverbs 28:26)

I) If you would truly be wise, you must become a fool—you must consider yourself a fool on your own outside of God’s revelation (Proverbs 1:7). II) If you would truly be wise, you must go to God’s Word alone for true wisdom (Isaiah 8:20, Proverbs 10:8). III) If you are truly going to be wise, the world will think you are a fool (Acts 17:18).

III. YOU MUST HUMBLE YOURSELF AND LEARN WISDOM FROM GOD BECAUSE THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD IS TRULY JUST FOOLISHNESS (v. 19a)

I) If you think you are wise, the LORD will catch you in your craftiness and expose your foolishness eventually (v. 19b). II) If you think you are wise, mark it that the LORD knows your foolishness and your wisdom according to this world is useless (v. 20).