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
智慧
智慧（Strong 希腊语汇索引4678:Sophia）是指一种基于知识和理解的正确判断并遵循最佳行动方案的能力。智慧在新约中经常被用来描述辨别和遵从神旨意的能力。
雅各书 3:13-18 你们中间谁是有智慧有见识的呢？他就当在智慧的温柔上显出他的善行来。你们心里若怀着苦毒的嫉妒和纷争，就不可自夸，也不可说谎话抵挡真道。这样的智慧不是从上头来的，乃是属地的，属情欲的，属鬼魔的。在何处有嫉妒分争，就在何处有扰乱，和各样的坏事。惟独从上头来的智慧，先是清洁，后是和平，温良柔顺，满有怜悯，多结善果，没有偏见，没有假冒。并且使人和平的，是用和平所栽种的义果。
以上经文为我们区分了属世的智慧与属天的智慧。如果智慧是应用的知识，那么我们需要有神的话语在我们里面，以便应用圣经的智慧。除了圣经智慧之外的另一种智慧是，当我们在祷告中祈求神的智慧时，从 神那里即时传达的思想。智慧有三种，其中两种来自神，另一种是世俗的智慧，并非来自神。
当我们进退维谷之时，我们内心真实的自我就会显露出来。雅各在这篇文章的前半部分谈到了舌头的力量和它可能造成的损害。当我们感到压力时，我们给予别人什么建议以及向什么人求教，这在很大程度上取决于我们自己。我们在生命的收获取决于我们所播种的是什么。如果我们在生活中播种时间来寻求神的智慧，那么我们将收获和平与公义。但如果我们播种世界的感官智慧，那么我们必须准备承受随之而来的后果。
雅各建议我们不要急于教导别人，尤其是当我们很容易被自己的情感和肉体所左右的时候。通常，由于血气的自然反应，我们自然而然地想要以眼还眼、以牙还牙。我们会为了一己之私而为每一句话和每一个行动辩护。为了更清醒地接受神的教导，我们最好“先去掉自己眼中的梁木，然后才能看清，去掉弟兄眼中的刺”。（马太福音7：5）如果我们不把自己处理好，遵循神的价值观和原则，出于肉体的软弱，我们就会陷入世俗的智慧之中，这些智慧可能与神的话语不一致。
讲章系列：属世或属天的智慧