All such doctrines are but anticipations of the appalling lawlessness which will

characterize the last days. What is solemn issue for the wisdom of this world. Let us not

forget that the wisdom of this world, in its ignorance of the hidden wisdom of God,

crucified the Lord of glory (I Cor. 2: 7, 8).

Let us hold fast to the truth revealed for all time in the words of Prov. 1: 7:

We have frequently reiterated in this series the fact that revealed truth differs

essentially from every philosophical system, in that it presents all truth concerning both

God and man in a Person. Ears have heard, eyes have seen, hands have handled "the

Word of Life". In the history of philosophy the "personal" comes into play for the first

time in the teaching of Socrates. His system is essentially a biography. In this, so far as

method is concerned, Socrates approached more nearly to the Scriptures than any other

uninspired thinker. The Scriptures not only teach the doctrine of justification by faith, for

example, but exhibit it in the life story of Abraham (Rom. 4:; James 2:, etc.). It was

not possible, however, for any merely human being to fill out the measure of truth; this

was true of One, and One only--the Son of God.

Socrates was born in B.C.469.  His manner of giving instruction was easy and

conversational, and employed the things of common life as examples and illustrations. In

this respect his teaching was a great contrast to the "show of wisdom" and high-flown

rhetoric of the Sophists.  Socrates invented the name "philosopher", or "lover of

wisdom", in opposition to the vaunting claim of the "Sophists" to be "The Wise".

The "Socratic method"--the method of teaching by skilful questioning--is proverbial.

Socrates was uninterruptedly employed in trying to find the "what" of everything.

Aristotle says that the two things which constitute the foundation of science, namely the

method of induction, and logical definition, were both due to Socrates. He took up the

teaching of the Sophists that each man is the judge of what is right and wrong, but

showed that every thinking being has the consciousness that what he holds to be right and

good, is not merely so to him, but that it is also to every rational being. This led to his

great enquiry into what constitutes virtue.

"Virtue", said Socrates, "is knowledge, and vice ignorance". The Sophists regarded

self-pleasing as an end in life. Socrates taught that rational satisfaction comes only from

conduct which accords with the dictates of reason. All men, he argued, seek happiness,

and therefore, since virtue is the only true means of happiness, all men would be virtuous,