This post is written by Jeremy Writebol and is published as a companion to Unit 12, Session 3 of The Gospel Project for Adults Vol. 4 (Summer 2022): From Unity to Division.

Is there good news for people like Solomon?

You might laugh and say, “Wait—Solomon had it all; there’s no one like Solomon.” He was the wisest, wealthiest, most-famous human being of his time. He was the favored son of King David and the architect of the greatest building program in the ancient world. His structures literally brought the glory of God down to earth. No one had it as good or had as much as Solomon did.

But he faltered and needed good news. Because, yes, he started with the blessing of God, built great things for God, but he had a divided heart that abandoned God. He tried to serve two masters and only God deserves our worship.

Is that you, too? Perhaps that is you, but you just don’t realize it. Are you a Solomon?

Characteristics of Today’s Solomon

Today’s Solomon would be the person that grew up in the church. From being rocked in the nursery, to giving his life to Jesus at Vacation Bible School, to winning the highest award at the church mid-week Bible memory club. Today’s Solomon would have all the right church experiences. Perhaps after attending summer camp and rededicating his life to God (again), this individual would have gone on the high school mission trip and finally received that call to ministry that validated his entire Christian upbringing. Mom would be so proud. Today’s Solomon would have done a lot for Jesus in those early years, with a lot of passion and zeal, but less than half of the wisdom and faithful conviction.

Because then, somewhere along the early college years or perhaps right after, the things of this world became really appealing. Today’s Solomon’s would have found the pursuit of a career enticing. Wealth would be offered that could hardly be passed up. Maybe it would have just been the good-old American Dream of a sound income, a beautiful marriage, and happy family. It didn’t have to be a spectacular rebellion. Just enough enticement for that person to turn his heart from the first love that he had in Jesus, knocking Him down a few pegs, to pursue a life of chasing money, pleasure, popularity, and his own kingdom and glory. Does that sound like you? Or some parts of you?

Is there good news for today’s Solomon who threw away all the advantages of God’s blessing and favor later in life for the things of this world? Is there good news for the person who was so biblically head smart but so foolish he let the pursuit of pleasure lead his life farther away from God’s will? Is there good news for fools like you and me?

Jesus says yes.

Good News of the Cross

The good news for today’s Solomon is the utter foolishness of the cross. It’s the good news that Jesus, who had all the advantages, all the glory, power, wealth, and delight of heaven, humbled Himself and set it all aside to become a man and suffer the agony of temptation, persecution, and, ultimately, death. The good news for Solomons of today is that Jesus faced against the offers of pleasure, power, possessions, and prominence and determined His heart would not be swayed from devotion and obedience to the Father. And then He went and did the most foolish thing imaginable—He gave His life up for foolish people like you and me. His death was horrific, but it is good news for fools like us.

Jesus’s perfect, sinless life and sacrificial death was rewarded with the resurrection, with new life. Now, anyone—absolutely anyone—who puts their hope and trust in Jesus will not be turned away as a fool, but will be credited with Jesus’s righteousness (as if it was their own!), gifted God’s grace (even though they don’t deserve it!), and guaranteed eternal life. And it’s all a free gift. Simply come and believe.

Today’s Solomon—you know, the kids that grew up in the church and then turned to their own ways and rebelled and now are wondering if God will have them back—if they believe the story that God loves them enough to give “his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), they will be forgiven and welcomed home. The good news for today’s Solomon is that you don’t have to be a fool forever, you can always repent and return to Jesus. And once you do, you’ll never be that fool again.

Jeremy Writebol is the Lead Campus Pastor at Woodside Bible Church in Plymouth, Michigan. He is also the Executive Director of Gospel-Centered Discipleship (GCD). He has served in pastoral ministry full- time for over twenty years and is the author of several books. He is married to Stephanie and is the father of Allison and Ethan.