Wisdom: Demonic or Divine?

In James 3:13–18, James speaks about wisdom. There are only two types of wisdom: the wisdom from below, which is from the devil, and the wisdom from above, which is from the Holy Spirit.

James asks, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” (3:13). Are wise people those who are successful in this world, those who graduate from Harvard? No. Most of those who are wise in this world are fools, because they reject Jesus Christ, who is wisdom incarnate. Ask such people one question: Do you surrender yourself to Christ? Anyone who will not confess him as Lord and Savior is a fool, as the Bible itself declares.

None of the rulers of this age understood Christ, Paul says, so they crucified the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8). That is what all people are doing if they have not surrendered to Jesus Christ, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. Paul writes, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:20–24).

Fallen human reason always opposes the triune God and the wisdom of the holy Scriptures. So Paul warns, “Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a ‘fool’ so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile’” (1 Cor. 3:18–20). Paul also tells us, “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Rom. 8:7). This is human moral inability. Every unbeliever is an enemy of God. And if you are such a person, I exhort you to flee from destruction and flee to Christ.

What does God think of the smart-alecks of the world? In Romans 1:21–23 Paul says, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.” Modern, sophisticated man says that those who believe in the Bible are fools. But I believe in the Bible and what the Bible says. Christians have the mind of Christ so that we can critique everything in the world from the lens of God’s Scripture.

Paul continues, “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Later he explains, “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done” (Rom. 1:28).

All the unbelieving rich people of the world, famous people of the world, beautiful and powerful people of the world—God calls them fools and enemies of God. The truly wise are those who truly believe in Jesus Christ by grace and by the mighty operation of the Holy Spirit. All others, according to the word of God, are fools, being outside of Christ, and they will die in their sins (John 8:24).

“Who are the wise and understanding?” James asks. The answer is, the people of God. Those who worship the Creator and Redeemer God, who revealed himself in the sacred Scriptures, are truly wise and understanding.

Are you wise in this sense? Have you repented of your sins and trusted in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ alone for your eternal salvation? If so, then grow in grace and the wisdom of God. Heed the words of Paul, who prayed in Ephesians 1:17–19 and Colossians 1:9–10 for the church, that we will become filled with wisdom and that the eyes of our understanding will be enlightened, so that we may know what the glorious gospel is all about.

Every Christian needs wisdom every day to live a godly, God-honoring life. Without wisdom, there is no godliness, and without holiness, no one shall see God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). The beatific vision is reserved for the people of God.

So there are two kinds of wisdom: wisdom from above and wisdom from below; wisdom from heaven and wisdom from hell; wisdom of the Holy Spirit and wisdom of the devil; wisdom that saves and wisdom that steals, kills and destroys; wisdom of this evil age and wisdom of the perfect age to come; wisdom revealed in the fruit of the Holy Spirit and wisdom manifested in the works of the flesh.

Of the wisdom from above Paul writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Gal. 5:22–23). Of the wisdom of the flesh he declares, “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9–11).

Modern universities do not teach the wisdom of God. Nor, sadly, do most Christian churches preach the true wisdom of the gospel of the cross. But all people are regulated and controlled either by the wisdom of God, that is, by the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, and knowledge), or by the devil, who has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Think about it. Do you claim to be wise and understanding? God is not going to be satisfied by your self-predication. He says you must demonstrate your claim by living a good life (a beautiful life, in the Greek). He is not speaking about the “good” lives of the rich, famous, and powerful unbelievers. They live ugly lives. If you are trying to ape the lifestyle of the unbelieving rich and famous, I feel sorry for you. They live wicked lives as they serve the devil. But we who serve Jesus Christ live the good life, the beautiful life, in this world and will continue to do so eternally in the world to come.

The Ugly Life of Demonic Wisdom

In verses 14–16 James describes the ugly life of demonic wisdom. He says where there is bitter envy and selfish ambition (i.e., looking after one’s own interests, looking only after number one as you climb the ladder of worldly success), there is at work the wisdom from hell. This is due to the problem of the human heart. Fallen man has been given over to a depraved mind by God in his strict judgment. By nature, man is an enemy of God. He does not submit to God, nor can he do so. He is a slave of the devil even while he is being deceived by the devil. He seeks the deceitfulness of the pleasure of sin for a little while, not the eternal joy that God gives in Jesus Christ.

Fallen man is full of deception. Prophet Jeremiah declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jer. 17:9). And look at what the brother of James, Jesus Christ, says: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander” (Matt. 15:19). No man can improve himself. Only God is able to give us a new heart that loves God.

Why do people lie? Why do they hate Jesus Christ? Because they have rotten hearts. Their minds, wills, and affections are corrupted. Only the people of God are given the freedom to do all things for the glory of God. Only they have the wisdom to love their neighbors as themselves. Only they have the power to love their neighbors better than themselves, as Paul instructs in Philippians 2:3. Only they can love as Christ loved and give their lives for their brothers, as John commands in 1 John 3:16. We must love our brothers more than ourselves and we are to die for their betterment.

James is warning the church, not the world, because there are fake Christians in the church. They pretend to be spiritual, yet they are lying. Such people get baptized and take the name of God, yet they live lives of sin. But God knows who they are.

Christians are to be governed by self-sacrificing love, not by bitter envy and selfish ambition. If you are a true Christian, you must repent of these things, for we are to conform to the image of Jesus. He showed us the way of agape, the way of sacrificial love, the way of the cross. A lifestyle of bitter envy and self-oriented ambition disproves any claim to divine wisdom.

The Bible says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and to shun evil is understanding (Job 28:28). The fear of God keeps us from sinning. A person who sins does not fear God. Jesus delighted in the fear of God, and he never sinned.

James demands proof of our claim to spirituality. He will not let us separate doctrine from godly life or faith from good works. The Bible teaches this. I remember my godly mother telling me, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:16). In other words, we must not just preach from God’s word; we must do what we preach.

So James asks, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” (Jas. 2:14). What is the answer? Absolutely not! This statement condemns most evangelicals who preach only a mental assent faith. They refuse to preach the obedience of faith. In the same chapter James says, “But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do” (Jas. 2:18). Jesus himself told us, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15).

If personal gain is our highest goal in life, we are violating the tenth commandment against coveting. The Bible says such people are greedy people, idolaters (Col. 3:5). If this describes you, I urge you to stop boasting about your spirituality, and stop lying against the truth of the gospel that commands us to love one another as Christ loved us and died for us.

A constantly sinning Christian is a phony. He does not live the gospel; he is living a lie. His wisdom is not the wisdom from above. He is not led by the Holy Spirit; rather, he is led by the lust of his heart. But note what James says about the human heart: “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to [eternal] death” (James 1:14–15). James also says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires [lusts, evil desires] that battle within you?” (Jas. 4:1). The apostle John speaks similarly: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15–17).

This is true of foolish evangelicals and charismatics who, because they want to become prominent in the world, refuse to preach the gospel. Look at the pastors of the largest churches in the world. They do not preach the gospel. But those who preach a gospel that champions health and wealth and pleasure of sin are not filled with the Holy Spirit. Additionally, they do not live the gospel; they live self-centered lives. To such preachers God is saying through James, “Stop boasting about your spirituality! Shut up! You are lying against the gospel. Your wisdom is counterfeit.”

This issue was addressed by Jesus himself. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Sovereign Lord of the universe. There is no one above him; all are under him, under his thumb, rule, and governance. He sees all that we do. He said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt. 7:21–23). Our self-predication is no good.

What are the characteristics of the “wisdom” from below?

1. This wisdom is epigeios. It is earthbound. It is fallen human reason. It is the wisdom of this world. Of such wisdom Paul writes, “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Cor. 1:20). Elsewhere he says of such worldly wise people, “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things [epigeios]” (Phil. 3:19).
2. This wisdom is psuchikos. It is carnal, unspiritual, not belonging to the Holy Spirit but to the flesh. It is sensual. In Jude 19 we read, “These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the [Holy] Spirit.”
3. This wisdom is daimoniôdês. That means, worst of all, it is demonic in its origin and unclean. Such secular wisdom opposes the true God and the knowledge of him. It is the wisdom of the god of this age, the devil. It is the wisdom of the lying spirit that inspires all false prophets of the world. Just see how this wisdom guided Judas Iscariot: “The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus” (John 13:2). But that is not all: “As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. ‘What you are about to do, do quickly,’ Jesus told him” (13:27). Judas was prompted by the devil, possessed by the devil, and did the will of the devil.

Of this wisdom James 3:16 says, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” “Every evil practice” stands for all the works of the flesh found in the vice lists we find throughout in the New Testament, such as that in Galatians 5:19–21. There Paul speaks of sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and so on. (PGM) And elsewhere he writes, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere men?” (1 Cor. 3:1–4).

Where demonic wisdom rules, there is confusion, disorder, and hell. In churches where such wisdom rules, we find enmity, fights, party spirit, and church splits. But where the Holy Spirit rules, there is unity, love, peace, and joy. Such a church is filled with the fruit of the Spirit.

The Beautiful Life of Divine Wisdom

In James 3:13, 17–18, James speaks of the wisdom from above and the beautiful life that results from it. In verse 13 he puts out a challenge: If you claim to be wise and filled with the Holy Spirit, step forward for an examination. This is not just a theological, intellectual examination, but also an examination in Christian ethics, Christian behavior. Do you live a beautiful life, a good life? Or do you simply claim to be a Christian? Do you live a holy, obedient life? Do you glorify God in everything you do?

This insistence on living a life to prove one’s claim of being a Christian is not unique to James. Peter admonishes, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Pet. 2:12). And Paul says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Eph. 5:8–9), not conforming to the world, but conforming to the image of Jesus Christ. Paul instructed Titus, “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness. . . . Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:7, 9–10). And the writer to the Hebrews tells us, “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).

James invites us to come and demonstrate our good life by our deeds. He specifies that these good works are to be done in the humility of true wisdom. Those who are truly wise will be humble because they see God by faith. This vision of God always humbles them.

Why do we sin? We do not fear God. When God came to the people of Israel in a phenomenal manner that caused everyone to shake and tremble, Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning” (Exod. 20:20). We must understand to whom we have to give an account. Understand it is to God the eternal, infinite, personal, almighty God who sees everything we think, speak, do, and do not do.

The Greeks despised meekness and humility; they prized the fallen intellect of man. But Jesus was humble. He himself said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:29). He also said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5).

Are you a wise man? Then you will also be a humble man. In Numbers 12:3 we read, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” All wise believers should be like Moses. Paul writes, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience ” (Col. 3:12). We who are Christians are clothed with the Holy Spirit, baptized in the Holy Spirit, and, therefore, clothed with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Meekness is not weakness; it is strength, under the control of the Holy Spirit. So our lifestyle must match our profession.

Proverbs 9:1 says, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars.” James gives us seven characteristics, seven pillars, of true wisdom.

1. It is agnê, which means purity. Divine wisdom is first and foremost pure, undefiled. Jesus was pure. And John tells us, “Everyone who has this hope [in the coming of Jesus Christ] in him purifies himself, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). We are to be like Jesus, having moral integrity. This is the inner, essential characteristic of divine wisdom. It is its overarching attribute. The Holy Spirit, he who is the very wisdom of God, makes us holy. So throughout the Old Testament we find this declaration: “I am the Lord who sanctifies you,” in other words, “who makes you holy.”
2. It is eirênikos, peace-loving. Truly wise people are not troublemakers, but peacemakers. The wisdom from above makes and promotes peace. It stops fights and brings about reconciliation. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God” (Matt. 5:9). This does not mean peace at all costs. Paul says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Rom. 12:18). Notice the conditions. We cannot compromise the Bible, the truth, Jesus Christ, his divinity, his atonement, and so on. Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God. He made peace between God and man, and man and man. He is our peace. He preaches peace now through his holy ministers. The Bible says, “There is no peace for the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). But where there is heavenly wisdom, there is also the fruit of the Spirit, including love, joy, and peace. God’s wisdom brings estranged people into holy fellowship with him and others. So we read “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. . . . All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had” (Acts 2:42, 4:32).
3. It is epieikês, that is, a wisdom that is characterized by sweet reasonableness. It speaks of a person who is gentle, courteous, considerate, and willing to yield (1 Pet. 2:23).
4. It is eupeithês, that is, the wisdom of one who eagerly submits to God’s will.
5. It is mestê eleous kai karpôn agathôn, that is, a wisdom that is full of mercy and good fruits. The Bible says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matt. 5:7). James himself tells us, “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (Jas 2:13). Thank God for mercy! Our God is rich in mercy (Eph. 2:4), and we are saved by God’s mercy that flows from the cross of Christ. Therefore, we are to show mercy in practical terms, as the Good Samaritan did, and as John the Baptist demanded: “John answered, ‘The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.’ Tax collectors also came to be baptized. ‘Teacher,’ they asked, ‘what should we do?’ ‘Don’t collect any more than you are required to,’ he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, ‘And what should we do?’ He replied, ‘Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay’” (Luke 3:12–14). We need God’s mercy daily.
6. It is adiakritos, that is, a wisdom that keeps covenants. It is undivided, not wavering in its covenant loyalty. Those who have divine wisdom must keep their oaths and promises. We must not be double-minded.
7. It is anupokritos, that is, unhypocritical, without hypocrisy. Those who have divine wisdom are to be authentic, genuine, sincere, and transparent. What you see is what you get. Paul writes, “Love must be sincere” (Rom. 12:9), and he uses the same word: without hypocrisy.

True wisdom is heavenly in nature, spiritual in essence, and divine in its origin. I agree with the analysis of several New Testament scholars that for James, wisdom from above, from the heavenly Father (Jas. 1:17), wisdom coming down from above, is the Holy Spirit promised by Christ, which he poured out on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:33). Therefore, James does not refer to the Holy Spirit directly in his letter. He uses “wisdom from above coming down” (Jas. 3:17) as a synonym for the Holy Spirit.

Do you hunger and thirst for this wisdom of the Holy Ghost? Then ask for it, as James counsels us in James 1:5. Jesus said the same thing: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).

Jesus was given this wisdom without measure. We read, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD” (Isa. 11:1–2). That is what we need: the fear of the Lord. And we read in Luke’s gospel: “The child [Jesus] grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. . . . And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:40, 52; see also Luke 4:18–19).

Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit, thus empowering us to live for God’s glory. By this Holy Spirit, we put to death the works of the flesh, and the same Holy Spirit creates in us the fruit of the Spirit. So James says, “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (3:18). And Paul declares, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Eph. 2:10). He also writes, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Gal. 6:9–10). Elsewhere he says, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58). John explains, “Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” (Rev. 19:8).

Earlier in his epistle James wrote, “Man’s anger does not produce the righteousness which God demands of us” (1:19-20). Therefore, not in anger and wrath, but in peace, let us sow to raise a harvest of righteousness that will follow us into the very presence of God.

Conclusion

You don’t have to go to Harvard or Princeton to be wise. Only those who repent and believe in Jesus Christ are wise. All others are fools. They are those who say in their hearts, “There is no God.” I exhort you to repent of your sins and trust in Christ to receive mercy. Only Jesus Christ our Lord can save us. There is no other God and Savior.

This wisdom from above, which God gives to all who asks, is essential for successful living. I live a successful life and you will also, if you are filled with divine wisdom.

Wisdom is the ability to do the will of God revealed in the holy Scriptures, especially in difficult situations. Stephen, who was full of wisdom, died for his faith. By wisdom, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Thy will be done.” Then he went to the cruel cross to atone for our sins.

God’s wisdom is especially displayed in his salvation plan. So let us look once more at 1 Corinthians:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. (1 Cor. 1:18–25)

The cross displays the infinite wisdom of God. So Paul exclaims, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’” (Rom. 11:33–34). Our God is the only wise God (Rom. 16:27).

Divine wisdom belongs to God, and he gives it to us. All foolish people can be made wise. What should we do? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. He will give his wisdom to you, and all of a sudden you will become wise in the authentic sense of the term. And the church of God reveals the wisdom of God by the gospel proclamation, as Paul explains, “[God’s] intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 3:10).

Long ago the prophet Hosea asked the same questions James asked: “Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them” (Hos. 14:9). May God help us to become truly wise and grow in the wisdom and understanding of God and his word. And may we demonstrate that wisdom by living a good life, a beautiful life, in this world as we do the will of God and hold out the word of truth, the gospel of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.