by Kevin Rutherford

James wrote about the contrast between earthly wisdom and the wisdom from above (James 3:13-18). Earthly wisdom involves: bitter envy, self-seeking, boasting and lying against the truth. Wisdom from above involves that which is pure, peaceable, gentle, submissive to the Will of God, full of mercy, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

The wisdom that is of the earth results in confusion and every evil work. The wisdom that is from above produces fruits of righteousness and peace.

There are members of the church who possess the wisdom of the earth. Out of envy and self-seeking they hurt their brethren and divide the church. They must repent or they will be lost.

This earthly wisdom is often seen when a Christian decides to spread gossip about a fellow Christian. Bad things are often said about people, or spoken of about people that are simply not true. When other Christians hear these things they pass them on. This is from the devil. Let it not be seen in the church here.

Let us be thankful for those who show in their lives that they have wisdom from above. That wisdom will produce peace within the church. Is your wisdom from above or from below?