“28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.
29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God. (2 Nephi 9)
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes referred to as Mormons, are taught that the glory of God is intelligence. God gave us our minds and instructed us to use them, but He wants us to use them wisely.
Educational institutions generally leave God out of the curriculum, as part of their plan to protect freedom of religion. Sometimes, however, they don’t leave Him out—they work instead to teach students not to believe in Him. This can lead to a lack of faith in some students with powerful educational credentials.
Wisdom and learning are not the same thing. You can be filled to the brim with book learning, and still make unwise decisions in your personal and spiritual life. True wisdom comes from God, our source of all wisdom. To be wise, one must manage to obtain an education and retain testimony and wisdom, even when the education is secular.
Education and testimony are not exclusive. God is the creator of all true knowledge, and so, if a school is teaching true facts, it is teaching truth. For instance, we know God created the laws of science and therefore, uses those laws in creating his world. A person can apply laws of science to any aspect of creation and functioning of the world, if those laws don’t contradict revealed gospel truth and if he acknowledges God’s hand in the process. For instance, God made rocks and trees stay on the ground through the laws of gravity He created, but allowed birds—and later man—to rise above the ground using laws of aerodynamics, which he also created. Learning tells us the law of gravity is real. Wisdom tells us God created the law of gravity.
Richard D. May, who was an area authority seventy in 2004, found the need to rely on faith when he was in college.
“Another common aspect of higher learning that has caused some to stumble is the theory of evolution. Some have felt they could not reconcile geological or biological evidence with the little we know about the Creation from the scriptures and the teachings of our modern prophets. I recall having had some of these questions in my early 20s. However, I distinctly recall an experience in a biochemistry class during my first year of graduate school. During a weekday lecture about the enzymatic steps involved in glycolysis (the breakdown of glucose to lactic acid), an overwhelming sense of peace came upon me with an impression from the Spirit that someday I would understand how our world came to be. The beauty and perfection of how living things operate left me little doubt of the divine origin of life. Everything I learned that semester strengthened my testimony of how beautiful (and complex) life is and how divine the Creation had to be. I have been satisfied since then that the dozens of questions I continue to have will someday be answered when I pass from this life and no longer “see through a glass, darkly” (1 Cor. 13:12). Until then, I am content to walk by faith so that the plethora of interesting and fascinating data does not cause me to doubt my faith or think I am “learned” and “wise” and need not “hearken unto the counsels of God.”” (Richard D. May, “Book of Mormon Principles: They Think They Are Wise,” Ensign, Aug 2004, 64–66)
Jacob, the brother of the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi, wrote the words that started this article. He points out one danger of getting an education without gaining or retaining wisdom. Some highly educated people take all the credit for their learning and fall into the sin of pride. They begin to feel they know so much and are so smart they are above God, and no longer need Him or believe in Him. They think their degree is all they need to get through life and eternity, if they still believe in eternity. Jacob warns his listeners that all the knowledge in the world can’t save them and they will perish, meaning they will be unable to return to God.
There may be times, as Richard D. Mays learned, when knowledge and wisdom might seem to conflict, but God has assured us we’ll understand it all someday. For now, what we need to remember is that God is in charge, and we must give Him the honor and glory, never allowing ourselves to believe we’ve become too smart to need God.
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
