The Wisdom Of The World

ITS ORIGIN

James left no doubt about the origin of worldly wisdom. It “does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.” In Christian theology, this unholy trinity of spiritual enemies has come to be called the world, the flesh, and the Devil. The apostle John referred to these three as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). One thing is sure: this worldly wisdom is not from God.

The wisdom of the world originates in the secular: it is “earthly.” And this earthly wisdom originates in the secular world where our minds are set solely on earthly things, and confusion results. Genesis 11 is a prime example. In a quest to make a name for themselves, these descendants of Noah chose secular wisdom. Acting according to humanistic, earthly thinking, they built a tower to reach to heaven. It seemed to them like a good thing to do, but the result of that construction project was mass confusion.

Like the crowd at Babel, King Saul based his decisions on earthly reasoning and human wisdom. He thought, for instance, it would be wise to put his armor on young David before he faced the giant of Gath, Goliath. The armor didn’t fit David, and it wouldn’t help him. In contrast to Saul, young David was guided by the wisdom of God’s Word, and he fought in the strength of the Lord (1 Samuel 17:37, 45–46). Too often we make decisions the same way Saul did. Earthly, worldly wisdom, with its roots in the secular system around us, will never serve us as well as heavenly, divine wisdom.

In addition to having these secular roots, the wisdom of the world is also rooted in the sensual. We actually derive part of our English word psychology from the same Greek root from which we translate the word sensual in James 3:15, referring to that part of us that animates the body. The ancients believed a human being was divided into three parts; body, soul, and spirit. The body is comprised of our flesh and bones, the soul animates the body and gives expression to our personality, and the spirit is that part of us that will live as long as God lives. Only we humans possess a spirit that can be in relationship with God, and this separates us from all the other created order. You and I have the capacity to connect with God, spirit to Spirit, and to know Him in the intimacy of a father and his child. What an awesome reality!

So, in describing the wisdom of the world as “sensual,” James was saying that it is the kind of wisdom that animals use. This wisdom is based on nothing more than our natural or animal instincts. With little thought of anything except personal survival, we make our decisions solely on the basis of the senses, the sensual. Could it be, then, that at the root of some mental illness is the neglect of the spiritual part of us that can only be made right by God? The wisdom of the world that originates in the secular and the sensual ignores the spirit.

The fact that worldly wisdom is based in part on our senses explains why so many people live by “If it feels good, do it.” This guideline for life gives priority to feelings over faith. It is sensual at its root: “I will believe it when I see it . . . or touch it . . . or smell it . . . or taste it . . . or hear it.” Worldly wisdom has no place for the Spirit. Worldly wisdom cannot connect man with God, so it can’t be the source of true wisdom.

Worldly wisdom is fueled by the secular, the sensual, and, finally, the satanic—or, to use James’s word, the “demonic.” Rather than a mere insinuation or even a strong accusation, this is a fact. As the ruler of this world, Satan is ultimately behind its so-called wisdom.

To find the beginning of the world’s wisdom, we must journey back to Eden where Satan slithered in to deceive Eve. He used the wisdom of the world in place of the wisdom of God’s promises to her. Earlier God had warned, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16–17). Then came the satanic untruth of the world: “You will not surely die” (3:4). Eve made a choice: figuring that eating from the tree was “desirable to make one wise” (v. 6), she chose the world’s way. And the result? Exactly as James described: “envy and self-seeking . . . confusion and every evil thing” became Eve’s lot in life.

How did it happen? As we’ve seen, Satan’s deceit brings a selfish desire that leads to a sinful decision that ultimately results in a sure defeat.

ITS OUTCOME

Following the wisdom of the world will result in envy, which is defined as “the displeasure we take in someone else’s good fortune.” When God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, envy motivated his brother, Cain, to kill him. Envy motivated Joseph’s brothers to throw him in a pit and sell him to the Ishmaelites, who in turn sold him into Egyptian slavery.

Another outcome of applying only worldly wisdom is what James referred to as “self-seeking.” Paul talked about “selfish ambition,” a phrase that describes those who pursue an office in a self-seeking way. In order to get elected, they will say anything they need to anyone anywhere and at any time. People motivated by selfish ambition will plot, scheme, connive, and use any means necessary to gain their end result. And a disapproving Paul countered, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others as better than himself ” (Philippians 2:3).

In addition to envy and self-seeking, confusion and disorder also result from the world’s wisdom. Instead of bringing people together, it divides people and tears individuals apart. Paul reminded the Corinthians—and us—that “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Confusion is the natural result of the wisdom that originates in the world.

Finally, James related that the world’s wisdom results in “every evil thing.” This wisdom—the guide for so many people today—brings no ultimate good. It results only in “envy and self-seeking . . . confusion and every evil thing.”

We don’t have to teach our children the wisdom of the world. We never have to teach our kids to disobey, to say no, or to grab a toy from a playmate. They, like all of us, were born with a tendency to follow the wisdom of this world. Simply put, they were born with a sin nature. And that’s the reason we have to teach our children to obey, not to disobey. We have to teach them to talk kindly, not talk back. We have to teach them to share, not hoard. We have to teach them the better way, the wisdom that comes from above, the wisdom of the Word.