What is earthly wisdom? | September 29, 2026
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What does James teach about earthly and heavenly wisdom?
Today is September the 29th. What is earthly wisdom? James gives us a short sermon today. Let's read that, James 3, 13 to 18. Who is wise and knowledgeable among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness, born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, don't be arrogant and lie about the truth. This is not wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
So the next sermon. James says there are two kinds of wisdom.
How do envy and selfish ambition lead to false wisdom?
There is an earthly wisdom, and then there is a spiritual wisdom. Wisdom in and of itself is the outworking of understanding. Knowledge and understanding give us the reason for what we do. Wisdom is the application of what we know what we need to do. So it makes sense that if our knowledge is wrong, our wisdom will also be wrong. That wrong wisdom starts from envy and selfish ambition. If that's our starting point, wisdom produces disorder and evil. But if the starting point of our wisdom is from above, It produces purity, peace, gentleness, tolerance, mercy, good fruit, faithfulness, and truth without hypocrisy. Well, Proverbs doesn't really contrast an earthly and a heavenly wisdom. It does contrast how a scoffer or a wicked person uses wisdom and how a wise person uses wisdom.
Let's read Proverbs 9, the first 12 verses.
How does Proverbs describe wisdom’s invitation to the simple?
Proverbs 9, verses 1-12, New Revised Standard Edition Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. She has sent out her servant girls, she calls from the highest places in the town. You that are simple, turn here. To those without sense, she says, come, eat of my bread and drink of my wine I have mixed. lay aside immaturity and live, and walk in the way of insight. Whoever corrects the scoffer wins abuse. Whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt. A scoffer who is rebuked will only hate you. The wise, when rebuked, will love you. Give instruction to the wise, and they will become wiser still.
How do wise people respond to correction differently from scoffers?
Teach the righteous, and they will gain in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. For by me your days will be multiplied and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself. If you scoff, you alone will bear it.
The wise hears wisdom and becomes wiser. That starts with the fear of the Lord. The scoffer hears wisdom, and instead of accepting it, he hates the one who gave him that wisdom. So what do we do about this today? When someone corrects you, don't be a scoffer. Hear wisdom.
How can you respond wisely when someone corrects you?
Scripture reading from the New Revised Standard Version by Emily Arrena. Today I want to encourage you to read Scripture.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What does James teach about earthly and heavenly wisdom?
0:00–1:10
2
How do envy and selfish ambition lead to false wisdom?
1:10–2:39
3
How does Proverbs describe wisdom’s invitation to the simple?
2:39–3:28
4
How do wise people respond to correction differently from scoffers?
3:28–4:18
5
How can you respond wisely when someone corrects you?
4:18–4:35
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from Let’s Find Out Together
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