Don't Be Fooled By Wisdom! Pt.2

I was fourteen, I finished installing the electric fence around our yard, plugged it in, tested it with the electric meter and it showed good, then i reached down to touch the wire. NOTHING! Didn’t feel right. Tried to figure it out but just couldn’t. Called my dad. He asked if the meter showed a current. It did. He said well it is working then. I did not trust him or the tool in my hand. So my dad preceded to teach me a lesson… stick your finger in the ground, put the phone down, and touch the wire. LESSON LEARNED!!!

Following the wisdom of the Lord seems contradictory, we don’t feel wise

Listen to your tools and listen to the wiser and more experienced (Remember says we should know the who and know you)

Contrast of Origins of Wisdom

Wisdom from Above

Wisdom from Below

Earthly, Natural, Demonic

Contrast of Outcomes of Wisdom

gives a clear example that what is produced directly relates back to what something is…

James 3:11–12 NASB95

11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

There is cultivation that needs to occur in ones life… That which is cultivated will determine what is produced.

Earthly wisdom is from Satan. Plain and simple.

Satan is very skilled at making it look good

James 3:15–16 NASB95

15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

Worldly wisdom produces produces false wisdom:

Jealousy

Selfish ambition

These lead to Disorder and every evil thing!!!

Satan continues to attack the same way as when he did in the garden. He uses what looks good and is desirable to us… NOT GOD!

I will speak about the verses as i go through

I will discuss the verses as i go

Genesis 3:1–6 NASB95

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Jealous for what God had

Selfish ambition to make oneself wise… worldly wisdom(Demonic)

Satan knows how to use scripture even to fool one but the outcome bites

God has given us His tool for us to know, God’s Word, yet we often believe what we hear from the world more than what is stated clearly in scripture.

WHAT IF?

Let’s take time to focus on what true wisdom is…

We know it comes from above…

Proverbs states it begins with “Fear of the Lord”

Consider what James says about such wisdom in

Leave verse up until I begin to define the words...

James 3:17

James 3:17 NASB95

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

James is giving us a list

“First” is going to indicate to us not only is this a list but it is a list given in importance! Let’s take a few moments to look over each thing that should be produced in our life from true wisdom from above.

Pure

Pertaining to being without moral defect or blemish and hence pure—‘pure, without defect.’ Being not only morally pure but that also of pure motive.

It has the root meaning of Holy… wisdom from above is pure because the One who gives it is. He is Holy.

Being not only morally pure but that also of pure motive.

When we seek wisdom from above a holy lifestyle will begin to be produced

Peaceable

Free from worry. At peace with those around you.

Second in importance is peaceable!!!

There is a comfort knowing you are in the Lord’s will, no matter how crazy life is around you.

(Daniel in the Lions den, David before Goliath, Paul before his accusers, Moses before Pharaoh)

This is against human nature isn't it! … This is why it comes from above.

Gentle

Not the gentleness we spoke of last week (power under control)

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 88.63 ἐπιεικής, ές

pertaining to being gracious and forbearing—‘gentle, gracious, forbearing.’ μηδένα βλασφημεῖν, ἀμάχους εἶναι, ἐπιεικεῖς ‘not to speak evil of anyone, nor to be quarrelsome, but to be forbearing

(3) The true wisdom is epieikēs. Of all Greek words in the New Testament, this is one of the most untranslatable. Aristotle defined it as that ‘which is just beyond the written law’ and as ‘justice and better than justice’ and as that ‘which steps in to correct things when the law itself becomes unjust’. The person who is epieikēs is someone who knows when it is actually wrong to apply the strict letter of the law. Such a person knows how to forgive when strict justice dictates that there is a perfect right to condemn. Such a person knows how to make allowances, when not to stand upon individual rights, and how to soften justice with mercy, and always remembers that there are greater things in the world than rules and regulations. It is impossible to find an English word to translate this quality. The poet Matthew Arnold called it ‘sweet reasonableness’, and it is the ability to extend to others the kindly consideration we would wish to receive ourselves. Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters of James and Peter (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, pp. 110–111). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

Reasonable

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 33.305 εὐπειθής, ές

pertaining to being easily persuaded, with the implication of being open to reason or willing to listen

This in the context of “Gentle” is even more so when you have the right to demand something…

Consider “Abraham and Lot” ;

“ is

Genesis 13:1–2 NASB95

1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him. 2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold.

Genesis 13:1–9 NASB95

1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, he and his wife and all that belonged to him, and Lot with him. 2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. 3 He went on his journeys from the Negev as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. 5 Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. 9 “Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.”

Genesis 13:5–9 NASB95

5 Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. 6 And the land could not sustain them while dwelling together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. 7 And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land. 8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers. 9 “Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me; if to the left, then I will go to the right; or if to the right, then I will go to the left.”

All of this in order to keep peace!

Mercy and Good Fruits

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 88.76 ἐλεάω or ἐλεέω; ἔλεος, ους

to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 88.76 ἐλεάω or ἐλεέω; ἔλεος, ους

to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need

Mercy is our attitude and it plays our in our actions “good fruits”

Christian pity is not merely an emotion; it is action. We can never say that we have truly pitied anyone until we have given our help. Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters of James and Peter (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, p. 112). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

This is harder to demonstrate in our lives when we see people who deserve the situation they are in.

Unwavering, Without Hypocrisy

Consistent, no matter the surroundings. Not being two faced about something. The opposite of the double-minded man.

James is saying this is what we should see in the man or woman who is seeking wisdom from above!!!

James 3:18 NASB95

18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

james 3:18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.*

New Living Translation … And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.*

Tyndale House Publishers. (2013). Holy Bible: (). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

Don’t Be Fooled By Wisdom!

Notice the contrast… Verse 15 and 16 compared to verse 17.

God has given us His TOOL the bible for us to follow His Wisdom vs the wisdom of the world.

God’s Wisdom brings about righteousness and peace… horizontal peace.

The fool looks to the wisdom of God and scoffs at it… not realizing that it will lead to disorder and EVERY Evil thing!

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