ICS Daily Devotions
Sophia

Wisdom ( Strong’s Greek Concordance 4678: Sophia) is “the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding .” (https://www.preceptaustin.org/pdf/61728/) Sophia is used frequently in the New Testament to describe the ability to discern and conform to God’s will.

James 3:13-18 (NKJV) 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.

The passage above differentiates earthly and heavenly wisdom for us. If wisdom is applied knowledge, then we need to have the word of God in us in order to apply biblical wisdom. The other kind of wisdom besides biblical wisdom is the spontaneous thoughts that come from God when we ask Him for wisdom as we pray. There are three kinds of wisdom, two are from God and the third which is earthly wisdom, is not.

Our true self regarding what is in our hearts will be revealed when we are caught between a rock and a hard place. James spoke about the power of the tongue and the damage it could bring in the earlier part of the above passage. What we say to advise others and whom we consult when we are stressed out are very much dependent on us. We will reap what we sow in life. If we sow time to seek after God’s wisdom in our lives, then we will reap peace and righteousness. But if we sow to the sensual wisdom of the world, then we must be ready for the consequences that come with it.

James is advising us not to be quick in teaching others especially if we are easily dictated by our emotions and the flesh. Oftentimes, we have the natural tendency to retaliate with “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” because of the natural reaction of the flesh. We will justify every word and action when we are self-seeking. In order to be more levelheaded and yield to the teaching of God, it is better to “first remove the plank from your own eye, and then we will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5 NKJV). If we do not deal with ourselves, follow God’s values and principles, then we will slip into earthly wisdom which might not be aligned with the word of God due to the weaknesses of our flesh.

Sermon Series: Earthly or Heavenly Wisdom