A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Whether you've got a big decision to make or need some direction, we all need God's wisdom in our daily walk. And the good news is, the Lord wants to give it to us. Today, on A Daily Walk, Pastor John Randall contrasts the wisdom that comes from below with the one that comes from above. Obviously, the greater of the two is the wisdom that comes from God. And so that's the one we'll spend the bulk of our time talking about, as we continue our pursuit through the book of James. Turn if you would to chapter three.

John Randall: Let's open our Bibles now to the book of James, chapter three, this evening, picking up in verse 13 tonight with a message entitled, "Wisdom from Above." Oh, how we need that. Wisdom from Above. Beginning in verse 13, James chapter three, James asks the question: "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom doesn't ascend from above, but that's earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that's from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

It was at the beginning of his epistle that James exhorted the believers in chapter one, verse five, that if any of you lacks wisdom, to ask of God, who gives to all liberally without reproach, and it will be given to him. If you are in need of wisdom, you can ask in faith and the Lord will provide the wisdom that you need. Asking for wisdom is one thing, but it's also important to walk in wisdom.

Now keep in mind that James, throughout this letter up to this point, has been presenting a series of tests whereby you can know or discern whether a person is saved. What are some of the things that are visible of a person who is truly born again? Is it simply what they say, or should it be seen in the way that they live? Well, James makes it clear, it's not just in what they say, but it's also by how they live.

In chapter one, James talked about our response to trials. A Christian confronts or is confronted by difficulties of life. What does he do? A Christian clings to the Lord. A Christian leans upon Jesus. The reason is because there is a knowledge that all of these things are working together for good in his life. The world sees our response to trials and to difficulties and they don't know what to make of it. What is the reason for it? It's Jesus in us that enables us to go through what we do as he is with us.

But also, James pointed out how a believer responds to temptation. When temptation comes, a Christian is not to give into temptation or run after temptation or blame God for the temptation, but instead we're to run away from temptation, take the way of escape that the Lord provides. Then finally in chapter one, we looked at how a believer responds to the word of God. A genuine born-again believer is not one who seeks just to hear the word of God, but also seeks to be a doer of the word of God.

Then in chapter two, we studied about how we live our lives without showing partiality to one particular group over another group. Also, James wrote in chapter two about those who have a claim of saving faith, but their life is a complete contradiction to the faith that they claim to have. True saving faith alters the way a person lives. James pointed out one of the evidences was that of good works. Good works are a natural byproduct of genuine faith. Faith is active in the Christian's life, not dormant.

We don't work to be saved. We are saved and thus our response, motivated by love, is to serve the Lord. The works just follow naturally. Then last week in chapter three, we came to that most convicting chapter on the danger of the tongue. Maybe you skipped that week. Go back and listen to it and be encouraged. Whatever is coming out of our mouth is typically an indication of what's going on in our hearts.

But now in chapter three, James points out that the character of a true believer is seen by the wisdom with which they govern their life. The Bible points out the importance of having Godly wisdom. Proverbs chapter 16, verse 16 says, "How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver." The Bible urges us to actually seek after wisdom, to pursue it.

Again, citing Proverbs chapter two, in verse two, it says, "Incline your ear to wisdom, apply your heart to understanding. If you cry out for discernment, lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and you'll find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom. From His mouth comes knowledge and understanding."

Seeking out wisdom, again Proverbs this time chapter four, verse seven. It says, "Wisdom is the principal thing, and therefore get wisdom. In all your getting, get understanding." The Bible points out the importance of wisdom and seeking for wisdom, but it also gives us a clear indication that there is a distinct difference between worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom. In first Corinthians 3:19, the apostle Paul said, "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight."

You may observe a person today who has knowledge about a particular subject. They may be an expert in their field. But when you look at their life, it's obvious it's not governed by wisdom. They have knowledge, but you look at the mess of their life and you think there's no wisdom involved there. There's some disconnect. The apostle Paul pointed to this fact in the book of Romans when he cited that there are those who may be extremely intelligent and yet at the same time deny the existence of God, whose invisible attributes are clearly seen in His creation. Paul said concerning them in Romans 1:22, "Professing to be wise, they became as fools."

The Bible says in the Psalms, "The fool has said in his heart there is no God." So it doesn't matter how many pieces of paper that hang on your wall and how many initials or letters you have behind your name that apparently prove that you are intelligent. You may be intelligent, but if you deny the existence of God, God says you're actually a fool. And that's what God says, and it's true.

One man put it this way: "Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one, have oftentimes no connection in a person's life." But Godly wisdom comes from God, God's word, and it honors God. Godly wisdom starts with the fear of God and results in a holy life. The Bible says in Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Godly wisdom begins for the believer with a reverential fear or in awe of the living God.

Worldly wisdom, on the other hand, isn't concerned with honoring God, but rather in pleasing oneself. Its main focus is on what is temporal, where Godly wisdom enables us to prepare ourselves for eternity. As we seek to apply the knowledge of God's word to our lives, we find wisdom from the Lord that affects how we live our life. How I live out my faith in this world is directly connected to the wisdom from God that shows me how to live out my Christian life in this world.

It was in first Corinthians in chapter one that the apostle Paul said this. He said, "But of Him, that is of the Lord, you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, that as it is written, he who glories let him glory in the Lord." Wisdom, true Godly wisdom, is found in God's word and growing in a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. This is how we learn to walk in wisdom. He is for us wisdom. I really need wisdom. Where do I find it? In Jesus. In Christ. He is our wisdom.

What James highlights for us here in the following verses is a stark contrast between those two types of wisdom: worldly and Godly. The first thing I want to point out to you is the foundation of wisdom. As you begin to consider the foundation of wisdom, again you see that there are two types, and because there are two types, they have two separate foundations. Worldly wisdom built on this foundation, Godly wisdom built on this foundation. Completely separate.

Now the first I want to point to is in verse 15, chapter three, verse 15, and it says this: "This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic." The wisdom of this world is characterized in the following way: earthly, sensual, and James adds it's demonic or devilish. It has the appearance of true wisdom, but it's actually false wisdom. Now don't misunderstand. There is a difference between the world's wisdom and the world's knowledge.

There are many things we can learn from this world by the way of knowledge, but there's a great lack of wisdom, and they are different from one another. But the foundation of this worldly wisdom, it says it's from below. It's earthly. It's of the earth, which suggests a perspective that fails to consider God's realm and God's will. It's just straight, it's earthly. It's all earthly. There's no consideration of God, no need for God. There's no thought of one's eternal destiny.

The humanist, for example, has this kind of worldly wisdom. His outlook and system of thought attaches itself primarily to the importance of human rather than divine or supernatural matters. You think of the relativist lives by this worldly wisdom. States that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, historical context, and there are no absolutes, which by the way is an absolute statement.

Then there's the liberalist that we know much about. Lives according to worldly wisdom. It's earthly. You can see it. You can see it in front of you and you see the fruit of it, and we'll talk about that in a minute. But Psalm 10, verse 4 says this: "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God. God is in none of his thoughts." He's thinking. He's got some knowledge up here, but it's worldly wisdom. There's no thought of God.

Some of us, before we walked with God, before we had a relationship with God, that's how we lived. We lived with worldly wisdom. No thought of God. God's out there somewhere. He's in everything. We had these thoughts, or we didn't think about them at all. We certainly didn't think we were going to be held accountable by God or that we'd stand before Him in judgment one day. We had no thought of it until Jesus came into our lives and changed our perspective. Suddenly we began to have wisdom that we never knew anything about because it was worldly and earthly before that.

The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians concerning those who were enemies of the cross of Christ, and he highlighted the characteristics concerning them. Look at what it says in Philippians 3:18. They are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. Those who are governed by worldly wisdom have one thought and it's earthly. It's temporal. It's all right here, right now. Nothing eternal or divine.

Those who are worldly wise mind earthly things, not eternal things, and there is no serious thought of God in their minds. But not only is it earthly, but James adds this worldly wisdom is sensual. The word "sensual" is a word that means here in this context natural. Natural as opposed to spiritual. It has to do with the part of man where human feeling and human reason reign supreme.

Again, the apostle Paul wrote concerning this to the Corinthians who were very familiar with man's wisdom, and he said in first Corinthians chapter two, he defined this kind of wisdom that is sensual. He said, "The natural man, there he is, the natural man doesn't receive the things of the spirit of God because they are foolishness to him. Nor can he know them because they're spiritually discerned."

He's got the wrong mentality. So you present it to him and he doesn't discern that. He doesn't pick up on that. Why? Because he's still living with worldly wisdom. There's no concept of what you're presenting until the spirit of God breaks through and convicts him of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come. He's just operating in the natural, in the sensual, in the earthly, in the worldly wisdom.

The man or woman who depends and relies upon human reason as their supreme guide in their life knows nothing of the wisdom of God, which often defies human reason and rationale. If you've walked with the Lord, you know what I'm talking about. They only know of the wisdom of this world. And so when you do something that is contrary to the wisdom of the world, they think you're nuts. You're thinking, actually you think the opposite, because you're seeing things and discerning things that they're not discerning. Because they can't see it.

Wisdom of the world is earthly, sensual, but then James adds here, it's also demonic. Demonic. Worldly wisdom is the ultimate source of all that is opposed to God. In worldly wisdom, I don't see my need for God. That's demonic. That's from the devil. You don't need God. And you definitely don't need salvation. And Jesus is just a story and the resurrection is not true. That's the wisdom of the world. That's straight from the pit of hell, keeping people from heaven.

A wisdom that has no thought of God is devilish in its foundation. The devil has been lying to people for years declaring by every means possible there is no God. And even if there was a God, he really couldn't be that powerful or loving because of all that's going on in the world. So he doesn't exist. You know in the book of Ezekiel in chapter 28 and verse 12, it alludes to the fact that before the devil became what he is at the present time, it says concerning him he was full of wisdom. Interesting. Full of wisdom.

So he knows how to twist it and distort it and lie. Man's wisdom apart from God is satanic in its foundation, in its origin. It's from the devil himself. This is a wisdom that's from below. It's earthly, sensual, satanic. But James revealed, hey, there's another wisdom I want to tell you about tonight. And it's the antithesis, the complete polar opposite of worldly wisdom. It's Godly wisdom.

Look at verse 17, what it says concerning this wisdom. It says, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." Let me see: satanic or peaceable? Demonic or fruitful? It's the exact opposite.

The wisdom for the believer in Jesus isn't found in the philosophies of man, but in the person of Christ. In writing to the Colossians, emphasizing the preeminence of Jesus, which is the theme of that epistle, Paul said concerning Jesus in Colossians 2:3, I love this: "In Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Oh, in Proverbs it says search for wisdom like treasure, and here in the New Testament it says in Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It's found in Christ, guys.

In order to apply Godly wisdom from above, we have to have a personal relationship with Christ. That's the place to begin. And not only is Jesus our wisdom, but His word also provides us with wisdom. It says in second Timothy chapter three, verse 15, Paul writing to Timothy prior to his martyrdom, his last letter, second Timothy, Paul said this in chapter three, verse 15, that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Jesus has all the treasures of wisdom that's from above and His word provides us and helps us to be wise through faith.

But also, we also have the Holy Spirit who provides us with wisdom into the deep things of God. The deep things. Well, look at what it says, first Corinthians 2:10. God has revealed them to us through His spirit, for the spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, searches all things, yes the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of man except the spirit of man which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God.

And we have received not the spirit of the world, not the worldly wisdom, but the spirit who is from God that we might know the things that we have been freely given or freely given to us by God. Are you catching that? Do you understand what that says? There's wisdom in Jesus. There's wisdom in His word and the Holy Spirit leads us into the deep things of God and reveals to us, helps us to know things that have freely been given to us.

The wisdom that I need. You say, man, I really have some decisions to make. I'm not really sure what to do or what road to take or should I go this way or that. Listen, the Lord says I have the wisdom if you'd like to know. Seek me and I'll reveal it to you. I'll give you clear direction.

Guest (Male): Pastor John Randall will be right back with more here on A Daily Walk. His message today is called "Wisdom From Above", something we all desperately need, I might add. To catch a replay of today's message from Pastor John Randall simply go online to adailywalk.org. You can also listen to studies from John on our free mobile app. Do a search for Calvary South OC in the App Store or Google Play.

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John Randall: This is the foundation: two types of wisdom. One is worldly from below and one is Godly and it's from above. But the second thing that James describes for us concerning the features of these two types of wisdom are some of the qualities or characteristics that actually manifest themselves when either form of wisdom is in operation or on display.

This is the byproduct. This is what this kind of wisdom will produce and this is what this kind of wisdom will produce. See which one you prefer. Look at verse 14. Still talking about the wisdom that's from below. What does that look like? If you have bitter envy, self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

James says if you have this going on, and actually it implies that the wisdom from below that was sensual and satanic was actually existent in the church at that time. James is writing since this is going on, as if he had heard some of that was making its way through the church. He points out this is how you recognize it: there are elements of jealousy, self-seeking, bitterness, arrogance, deception.

This is all a byproduct of the wisdom that is from below. This is how it manifests itself in this kind of behavior and there is nothing in this description that looks remotely like Jesus. Nothing. This is the exact opposite of Jesus.

Guest (Male): We'll finish up this discussion on wisdom for our daily walk tomorrow on A Daily Walk with John Randall.