The only true and wise God

Two New Testament names of God today, so even though the same truths are found in the Old Testament, the names themselves are in Greek instead of Hebrew. The first is Theos Monos Sophos - the only wise God, and it's found in the well known doxologies at the very end of the letters of Jude and Romans, and at the beginning of one of Paul's letters to Timothy.

Jude 1: 25 - To the only wise God (monos sophos theos) our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Romans 16: 27 - To the only wise God (theos monos sophos) be glory forever through Jesus Christ. Amen.

1 Timothy 1: 17 - Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God (monos sophos theos), be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen

How can we make such a claim - that our God is the only God who is wise? Quite simply, because He is the only true God. No false god can be considered wise.

The apostle John makes it clear, in 1 John 5: 20, that Jesus came to give us understanding, so that we could know and live in fellowship with Theos Alethinos - the True God. In view of the truth that there is only one real God, we realise that Theos Monos Sophos could equally be translated, "the wise, only God." One of the Spanish Bible translations, the RVR60, actually translates it this way: al único y sabio Dios - to the only and wise God.

So, what do we mean when we say that the only true God is wise? James 3: 17 tells us that heavenly wisdom is pure, peace-loving, gentle, considerate, merciful, producing good fruit, sincere, and free of favouritism or hypocrisy. What an example for us to follow.