Competence – a trait highly valued by man.

We want someone who can do the job right, someone who will ‘get it done’. 

Competence entails more than just talent; it is the coming together of talent and work ethic and understanding of the task.  We take pride in competence.

There is nothing wrong with competence, unless

• it becomes an end in itself, prized above service;
• it replaces God’s wisdom in my life;
• it causes a superior attitude to develop; or
• it gives me the illusion of self-sufficiency.

God is clear that man’s wisdom is limited at best (I Corinthians 2:4).  True wisdom comes only from God and is available to me through His Word and His Spirit in me (James 3:17).

Saving faith is not a well thought out conclusion, although it will certainly stand in the light of discourse and research.  Saving faith is the power of God working in my heart.

I am responsible for studying to understand what God has for me (II Timothy 2:15) and for doing all of my work heartily for His glory (Colossians 3:23). Faith will lead me to seek to be competent in the work that God calls me to, but competence will never surpass my need of God and the end result will always be dependent on Him.

I Corinthians 2 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. ² For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³ And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, ⁴ and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (ESV)