Real Wisdom vs. Counterfeit Wisdom

Series: "Being Real in an Automated World"

"Real Wisdom vs. Counterfeit Wisdom"

13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.

15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

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

INTRODUCTION:

Being real in an automated world begins with acquiring and operating in real wisdom.

There are two kinds of wisdom:

* Real wisdom and counterfeit wisdom.

How can we know the difference? The Word of God has the answer.

14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.

15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

A- Counterfeit Wisdom's Signature Traits:

Cambridge Greek Testament: Greek Text Chapter 3

14 εἰ δὲ ζῆλον πικρὸν ἔχετε καὶ ἐριθείαν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν, μὴ κατακαυχᾶσθε καὶ ψεύδεσθε κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας.

1- Bitter Jealousy ( ζῆλον πικρὸν)

ζῆλον πικρὸν

2- Bitterness

Descriptions of Jealousy:

• Envy is rebellion against God’s leading in the lives of his children. It’s saying that God has no right to bless someone else more than you.—Erwin Lutzer

• [Envy is] one of the most cancerous and soul-destroying vices there is.… It is terribly potent, for it feeds and is fed by pride, the taproot of our fallen nature.—J. I. Packer*

2- Selfish ambition (ἐριθείαν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν)

• Envy can ruin reputations, split churches, and cause murders. Envy can shrink our circle of friends, ruin our business, and dwarf our souls.… I have seen hundreds cursed by it.—Billy Graham

• Criticism is often nothing more than low-grade envy.

• One of the major causes of stress is combative competition—more accurately, envy. Rooted in a lack of self-esteem, it grows in the soul-soil of comparisons and blossoms in noxious thorns of desire for what others have or achieve.—Lloyd John Ogilvie

ἐριθείαν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν

• The envious man feels other’s fortunes are his misfortunes; their profit, his loss; their blessing, his bane; their health, his illness; their promotion, his demotion; their success, his failure.—Leslie Flynn

• Jealousy, the jaundice of the soul.—John Dryden, quoted by Coach Pat Riley* 2- Selfish ambition (ἐριθείαν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν)

3- Boasting Arrogance ( μὴ κατακαυχᾶσθε )

μὴ κατακαυχᾶσθε καὶ ψεύδεσθε κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας.

• Criticism is often nothing more than low-grade envy.

4- Deception (καὶ ψεύδεσθε κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας.)

B- Counterfeit Wisdom's Source:

Cambridge Greek Testament: Greek Text Chapter 3

15 οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη, ἀλλὰ ἐπίγειος, ψυχική, δαιμονιώδης.

1- Earthly (ἐπιγειος= Old adjective, on earth)

ἐπιγειος)

Old adjective, on earth)

1 Corinthians 3:1–4 NLT

Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?

2- Unspiritual (ψυχικη= the sensuous or animal life)

ψυχικη

the sensuous or animal life

()

1 Corinthians 3:1–4 NLT

Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?

3- Demonic (δαιμονιωδης)= demoniacal or demon-like)

δαιμονιωδης

demoniacal or demon-like

()

John 8:44 NLT

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

C- Counterfeit Wisdom's Sinful End

Cambridge Greek Testament: Greek Text Chapter 3

16 ὅπου γὰρ ζῆλος καὶ ἐριθεία, ἐκεῖ ἀκαταστασία καὶ πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα.

1- Disorder (ἀκαταστασια= “instability,” (a, negative, kata, “down,” stasis, “a standing”), denotes “a state of disorder, disturbance, confusion, tumult,”)

ἀκαταστασια

a state of disorder

“instability,” (a, negative, kata, “down,” stasis, “a standing”), denotes “a state of disorder, disturbance, confusion, tumult,”)

2- Evil of every Kind (πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα= every kind of evil)

πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα

• Envy can ruin reputations, split churches, and cause murders. Envy can shrink our circle of friends, ruin our business, and dwarf our souls.… I have seen hundreds cursed by it.—Billy Graham

3- A universal rule:

a- Where jealousy and selfishness are present, sin and

destruction will follow.

• [Envy is] one of the most cancerous and soul-destroying vices there is.… It is terribly potent, for it feeds and is fed by pride, the taproot of our fallen nature.—J. I. Packer*

13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

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

Cambridge Greek Testament: Greek Text Chapter 3

13 Τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων ἐν ὑμῖν; δειξάτω ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας.

Cambridge Greek Testament: Greek Text Chapter 3

17 ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία πρῶτον μὲν ἁγνή ἐστιν, ἔπειτα εἰρηνική, ἐπιεικής, εὐπειθής, μεστὴ ἐλέους καὶ καρπῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἀδιάκριτος, ἀνυπόκριτος. 18 καρπὸς δὲ δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην.

A- The Source of Real Wisdom:

1- It is from above (heaven). (Vs. 17a).

(ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία= but the wisdom from above)

2- It is from God (vs. 13a) (If you are wise and understand God’s ways)

B- The Signature Traits of Real Wisdom:

17 ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία πρῶτον μὲν ἁγνή ἐστιν, ἔπειτα εἰρηνική, ἐπιεικής, εὐπειθής, μεστὴ ἐλέους καὶ καρπῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἀδιάκριτος, ἀνυπόκριτος. 18 καρπὸς δὲ δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην.

1- pure (ἁγνή= pure, without defect) (vs. 17)

()

1 John 3:3 NLT

And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.

2- Peace-loving (εἰρηνική) (Vs. 17)

()

Romans 12:18 NLT

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

3- gentle and kind (ἐπιεικής= gracious, forbearing, not quarrelsome) (vs. 17)

4- Reasonable (εὐπειθής= open to reason) (vs. 17) [willing to yield to others]

5- merciful (μεστὴ ἐλέους= completely full of mercy) (vs. 17).

6- Displays the fruit of good deeds (καρπῶν ἀγαθῶν= good fruit) ( (Vs. 17)

()

Matthew 7:17 NLT

A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.

7- fair-minded (ἀδιάκριτος= impartial, free from prejudice)

8- Sincere (ἀνυπόκριτος= genuine, sincere, lacking in pretense or show)

9- Humility (vs. 13) (ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας= in the meekness [humility] of wisdom)

C- The Sublime End of Real Wisdom ().

1- Real wisdom is godly seed sown throughout life's journey.

a- The idea is consistent sowing of the seeds of godly

wisdom.

1) notice:

(a) "Living and honorable life" (vs. 13)

(b) gentle "at all times" (vs. 17)

(c) "always" sincere (vs. 17)

2- Real wisdom yields a harvest of righteousness and peace.

a- With God

b- with other people.

CONCLUSION:

Real Wisdom vs. Counterfeit Wisdom

I- COUNTERFEIT WIDSOM ().

II- REAL WISDOM (,,).