“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 does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is 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.”
JAMES 3:13-18 (nkjv)
This passage in James 3 is a little intense, but it’s very loving. And I want to always speak the truth in love. It’s such a big deal.
So James is talking about two different kinds of wisdom. We are raised with a “wisdom” that is earthly, sensual, and demonic. Why? Because we’re not just born in sin, but we’re raised in it too. We’re cultivated by the very enemy of God himself. And as Proverbs 14:12 tells us, it’s called “the way that seems right to a man.” This truth is so very often hidden from the Body of Christ. We tend to focus more on other things. But if this isn’t an area that is tended to as a foundational part of our walk with Christ, then we never get free from old mindsets, and those old mindsets are the framework through which we will filter the Word of God and our relationship with God.
If the Bible says that I’m not to be conformed to this world (Romans 12:2), then the wisdom of man that is conforming to the world, conforming to culture, conforming to society, and conforming to feelings is by no means godly. The world teaches that if “this feels good, then it is good to me.” But when we meet Jesus, we learn that we don’t live by feelings — we walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7).
When that seed of faith comes in, and the revelation that Jesus Christ is Lord comes — and I know that He was crucified and resurrected for me — I am now at the beginning platform of my Christian life. As Paul expressed in 1 Corinthians 2, I must build on this solid foundation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and I dare not talk about anything except that.
Now, Paul was a genius and knew everything. But he said, “I dare not boast in anything but this.” And Paul went back to Christ and Him crucified. Why was it such a big deal? Why was it so important? Paul’s a scholar, a genius, and the Pharisee of Pharisees. He could teach anything, but he brought it back to righteousness and the blood of Jesus, and to what the blood of Jesus has done, is doing, and will keep on doing. It’s amazing.
But we overcomplicate things. We become scholars so we can figure out everything. But it all goes back to seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). Are you with me? I feel like it’s kind of absent in a lot of Bible colleges, and I’m not against any Bible colleges; obviously, I have a ministry school. However, if we neglect the foundation and the meat and potatoes of the Scriptures, and we don’t keep the first things first, we will puff up our minds and snuff out the fire of God within us.
I just believe that if we’re not being led by the Spirit, we can read anything in the Bible and “anything can go” in our minds. The carnal mind picks and chooses. But when we’re being led by the Spirit of God, the Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit points to Jesus and reveals Jesus. If we don’t connect with Him in our relationship with God, intimacy won’t be priority. And if intimacy isn’t priority, then we fall into the trap of wrongly thinking that God’s Word — the truth — is negotiable.
Intimacy with God must remain our priority, and we must choose to accept God’s Word as the authority in our lives and our fountain of wisdom so that we can live faithful, victorious Christian lives!
Challenge for Today
Identify which wisdom has been shaping your decisions lately — the wisdom that feels right, or the wisdom that comes from above? Ask the Holy Spirit to realign your thinking back to faith, not feelings.
Prayer
Father, I want the wisdom that comes from You. I don’t want to be conformed to culture, emotions, or the way that seems right to a man. I want to walk by faith. Build my life on Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and uproot every old mindset that doesn’t belong. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Running with you,
Todd White