Wisdom; Demonic Influence -{James 3;13-16}

 Worldly Wisdom Is Earthly, Natural And Demonic.

 ^“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.”-{James 3:13-16}

Here we see three words that describe a False wisdom.

Paul tells them this type of wisdom is not from God nor reflect Him. At best it is…

“‘Earthly.” – It comes from this world and not God. It’s rooted in the values and goals of this world value system. This wisdom is earthly, and has a humanistic approach. It is earth bound, having all to do with the “here and now.” Paul speaks of it in 1 Corinthians 15:32″If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me?  If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

” You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool,but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago. The Lord, the Lord Almighty, called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth. But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! “Let us eat and drink,” you say, “for tomorrow we die!” – {Isaiah 22:11-13}

“And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive.And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’  But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ “-{Luke 12:16-20}

Wisdom From Below; It is the “best” of sinful people whose minds are spiritually darkened and devoid of concern or counsel from God. A person is locked in as it were to this sphere never able to break out from it. Confined to this world’s system devoid of the personal knowledge of God in a saving relationship. It is like someone born and brought up living in a darkened cave who has never seen the lights of sun, moon or stars outside the cave and grappling and groping in darkness unaware of the light outside!

It is  to be bound in its own value system promoting materialism, educational, human philosophy trying to solve a persons spiritual problems it fails for it is not of God. This earth bound system promotes sports, academic, materialism as the ultimate aim and goal of “having arrived,..,you made it!’ You are now a “somebody!” This wisdom boasts of self sufficiency but like the best society could do at the time was chain up the demoniac, so today people are left in different types of chains but nevertheless still in spiritual bondage through human wisdom. For its limitations are due to the “best’ of mankind which is devoid of the knowledge, insight and power of God to illumine their darkened and spiritual dead souls {Read Eph 3:1-3}

“Natural” – “psuchik’- fleshly.  It is used in 1 Cor 2:14 -“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. ”

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world…” IT’S UN-SPIRITUAL. It is used negatively in the New Testament, as opposed to “spiritual” – {Read 1 Cor. 2:14; 15:44, 46; Jude 19.} It’s a wisdom that is a product of a person without a relationship with the LORD Jesus.”sensual.” Un-spiritual. Opposite of what the Holy Spirit produces.

The natural person in all their human frailties, who cannot understand the things of God and indeed consider as foolishness to them as they view everything from a natural perspective and so their view of life is from that fallen nature and cannot help people with spiritual problems that set them free. For they view life from a humanistic, fallen view. They do not have the wisdom to help someone spiritually. Un-spiritual. No interest in spiritual things, in God, the LORD Jesus, Heaven, Hell.

“Demonic” – “demoniacal. That is the adjective really from the term “demon.” It is the only place in the whole New Testament where it appears in an adjective form. And it means demoniacal. And that is to say that human wisdom, though it is all that man can spawn out of his own mind and is locked into his own earthly existence, is really generated by what source? Demons who have been made captive to the same kind of evil system of which man also is a captive. It’s just what Paul said in writing to Timothy when he said that false teachers are really teaching doctrines of demons generated by seducing spirits. So earthly wisdom – now mark this – earthly wisdom is spawned by demons. It is reflective of sensual feeling, and it goes no further than the fallenness of mankind. That is earthbound, sensual, demonic wisdom, and that’s the way most people live. But Satan calls it wisdom. Hey, when Eve was in the garden in chapter 3, verse 6, she looked on the fruit because she heard that the tree was able to make one wise.That was a lie. Satan always promises wisdom and he always promises that you will know and be in the know and understand, be erudite and be educated. But the wisdom of the world proceeds from evil spirits. It proceeds from fallen angels. It proceeds from demons. It proceeds from Satan and his agents who are disguised as ministers of light when in fact they are ministers of darkness. The thing that makes human wickedness so devastating is that man is smart and man is wicked and the combination is deadly. Demonic, natural, earthbound wisdom – mark it – never touches God. It never touches God. ” -{MacArthur}

How is demonic wisdom manifested?

We think of demonic influences and though we see some of it in Scripture there is a manifestation that people would be surprised at that does not mean people doing crazed or frightening things, indeed the most respectable person in your street, or the school teacher, the priest or poet, the lads down at the pub, the college professor, the sports fan, the mom at the school gate, the dad on the factory floor. It can be seen, heard, recognized in all walks of life. It is an ideology,a system of ideas and beliefs  that is adopted and repeated as though it is true, factual, wisdom from above. It’s a teaching… it’s a way of thinking that shapes a life. But not towards God and the LORD Jesus the true source of wisdom. – {Read Col 2;2-3}.

And Followers of Jesus Christ are not immune as Paul shows in Colossians 2;8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. ” Seeking to displace Christ, His sufficiency, His Word, as though He is not enough in and of Himself to save a soul or satisfy. Paul answers this demonic humanistic lie when he tells the believers they are “Complete in Him.” The word “complete” means “no deficiency.” No deficiency in their salvation, their forgiveness, or in their Savior.-{Read Col 2:11-14}. They had all they needed in Christ. The humanistic teaching says He nor His Word nor message was enough. Therefore the believers needed something more! Lie. This type of  wisdom of the world  still exists today attacking the credibility of Jesus Christ and the believers salvation in Him! Becoming a follower of Christ does not make a person immune from the tentacles of false wisdom- the wisdom of this world who do not know Him whom all wisdom is contained!

So where does this type of THINKING come from? Hell! And  how is it manifested?  It is manifested through speech in the “wisdom” we speak and embrace and live by and tell others through our opinions, counsel!  And note there are RESULTS, FRUIT from such influence, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exists, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” In James 1:18 it is the same word- unstable. That instability that comes forth as a result of such “wisdom.” The evil one hates order, God is a God of order, the evil one works in chaos, confusion, disorder, instability, through chaos, appealing to making life all about you and adopting his “wisdom” as your wisdom in thinking, viewing and pursuing life as thought the here and now is all there is. Get as much as you can, by any means you can, so you can be all you can! But like the rich man who built the barn found out- there is an accountability with God and there is a future destination!

Demonic is where the source of this ‘wisdom’ is coming from ultimately. It is an ideology that is pumped out in various forms, through many religions, non religions nevertheless an ideology and way of thinking that is sinful and is opposes God, His Will, His Word. It is destructive, deceptive and divides people, destroying relationships and dishonors God!

“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. “ – {2 Cor 4;4 NLT}

Note from this verse what satan has done and which people are incapable of understanding. It is tragic. The demonic deception is because satan has blinded their minds… they are unable… they don’t understand…”  and so this blinded generation to God and the truth of the Gospel perpetrates the wisdom that ultimately has it’s origin in Hell into the thinking, affections of people, it is a Hellish wisdom we as society have embraced and is revealed, manifested the passages tells us with bitterness, jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogance, and lie’s against the true wisdom which comes from God!

The “thief comes to kill, steal and destroy.” That is the end goal, destruction of the individual and using one individual against another to destroy! This earthly, natural wisdom is delusional, it thinks it is true wisdom, but it is not. It is delusional, demonic. The evil one wants to keep people from God, turning them away from God and deceiving them with delusions of self sufficiency. Paul warns believers, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”- {Col 2;8} Paul warns against the “doctrines of demons.” Teachings… -“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth…“-{1 Tim 4;1-3}. Teaching that is influence by demons that is opposed to God and what He has provided and calls good!

The demonic wisdom is accepted by people and passed on and they value everything by worldly standards and make selfish ends their highest goal.

The demonic influenced wisdom is on display all around in a world drunk on selfishness which shows forth in bitterness, jealousy, selfish ambition, pride, lies!

Flee to Jesus, submit to Him, giving yourself and sin to Him to save you from it’s eternal consequences and He will begin a new work in you and impart to you spiritual sight to know Him and understand the things of God and give you the wisdom from above, which is…”is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”-{James 3:17-18}

To those of us who know Him, we need to renew our minds in His Word so we may prove what the good , acceptable  well pleasing will of God is -{Read Romans 12:2}… so  that we may not fall into the trap of drinking once again from a system that is demonic in it’s origin and teaching, whose value system is self and not the Savior!

The difference in the two wisdom’s in James 3:13-18  is known by what is SHOWN from a life.

 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”- {James 3;13}

 God’s wisdom is known by it’s behavior based and shaped by it’s value of  God’s Word!

Wisdom is a Lifestyle.