’Know Your Wisdom

STUDY: #676-Church in the Houses FROM: March 22-28, 2011 TOPIC: ’’Know Your Wisdom” James 3:13-14

Wisdom that comes from above is not merely a knowledge that someone has. Although some people speak and try to demonstrate that they have a great deal of knowledge, we cannot say that they are full of God if their lives say the contrary by means of their acts. In these verses we will be able to see the difference between the true and the false wisdom. The true wisdom is what can be seen through good deeds and good conduct each day. It is not only the possession of knowledge what counts but an appropriate application. A truly wise person is the Christian that lives in the Lord (I Co 1:30). Christ is the incarnate wisdom. The person that manifests the life of Christ daily is a truly wise person. Those who make evident the fruit of the Spirit in their daily lives are wise. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control…" Galatians 5:22, 23 If all this is in a person, the Lord is also there and the wisdom manifested. There are some so called believers who live with a worldly wisdom. Such persons act according to the principles of this world. They have all the movements of an impious person. They lie, steal, hate, contend, etc. Their conduct does not give any evidence of a divine life within them. Like the impious they present themselves as great persons and there is a great deal of lying. The wisdom of God is not of this century. Nothing in us could be of this century neither of the princes of this century who perish. Those who are wise and understanding will let it show with their good conduct together with a humble spirit that proceeds from the same wisdom. Jesus is the incarnation of true wisdom. In Jesus there was no pride, arrogance, He was meek and humble of heart (Mathew 11:29). It is just the opposite of those who are called the great ones of this century but who end in shame. It is to know that all those who are truly wise will have the mark of genuine humility. All those who have been born again will show it thru their conduct, because they have wise meekness. If some Christians are divided here and there it is because in them there is not wise meekness. "Bitter jealousy." The characteristics of men with worldly wisdom are the following: they are jealous, envious, bitter, selfish and ambitious in their hearts. That is why they want greatness, power and want to be known with titles that were never given to them (Hebrew 5:1-4). They desire to be pastors, leaders, musicians, etc., because of the ambition of their heart and not for the service to God and to the brothers. The great passion of their lives is always to favor their own interests. This Christian with human wisdom is jealous of others who he sees as a competitor and is therefore cruel with them. They feel well thinking that their wisdom has given them success. But, James lets us see that there is no such wisdom in these persons, but only vain boast. A truly wise person who has believed in Christ is a humble person.

Those with earthly wisdom seek outstanding positions for themselves. The wise of this century seek positions in the churches, when they do not obtain it they get upset and leave. We must be on guard so that these worldly principles will not guide us in the spiritual matters. This false wisdom is earthly, natural, sensual and demonic. It is wisdom not from heaven but from this world. The natural or sensual are not fruits of the Holy Spirit but of the inferior nature of men. The diabolic, the devilish is what reduces to actions that are more similar to the devil’s conduct than to that of men. There is jealousy and disputes. Where there is jealousy and rivalry there will surely be disturbance, many disagreements and perverse work. We can see the world in the present that is full of worries because it has rejected the true wisdom and men act according to their so-called intelligence. They have not relied on God in their lives. The Wisdom of God is primarily pure. Is pure in thoughts, in words, in actions, it is clean. It is not contaminated in spirit and body, in doctrine and in the practice, in faith and moral, it is peaceable and clean. A wise man loves peace and does everything he can to maintain peace without sacrificing purity.

The wise are kind, patient and courteous. A wise person is a respectful gentleman toward the feelings of others. Someone said: "The rude ways, sarcastic, the cutting answers, the hostile scorn, all this has nothing in common with the gentile teachings of the Comforter". They are kind; conciliators, willing to reason, willing to yield when the truth demands it. They are full of mercy and of good fruits. There is a desire to help others who are in a wrong path so that they can find the right road. A wise Christian is compassionate, gentile, not revengeful. There is no preference in him. He lives without hypocrisy; the person who possesses true wisdom is a lover of peace. Our climate is peace, our crop is justice. One cannot live in an environment of quarrel. Peace is a manifestation of our wisdom in our daily lives. Who do you admire more, the arrogant or the humble whether famous or unknown? Do you serve others without mattering who receives the prize or the credit? Do you use doubtful means to obtain good results? Are you guilty of trying to be seen as someone great to influence upon others? Do you harbor resentment in your heart, use sarcasm and make bitter observations? Are you pure in your thoughts, in the way you speak, in your morality? These are questions that we need to ask ourselves if we want to know how our wisdom is, if it is worldly and diabolic or is it wisdom from above that comes from God. We must learn from the book of James and choose to live according to the correct wisdom and then we will live. Amen.