The Wisdom from Above Is Pure
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August 19, 2018 |
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"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:17-18).
Dr. Jaerock Lee
Senior Pastor of Manmin Central Church
Chairman, The United Holiness Church of Jesus Christ
Permanent President, The World Christianity Revival Mission Association
Founder & Board Chairman, Global Christian Network
Founder & Board Chairman, World Christian Doctors Network
Founder & Board Chairman, Manmin International Seminary
Founder & Board Chairman, The Alliance Holiness Theological Seminary
Doctorate of Ministry, and Honorary Doctorate of Divinity
His sermons were broadcast by the Far East Broadcasting Company and the Asia Broadcast Station.
He conducted crusades in New York City, Washington D. C., Baltimore, Maryland, Los Angeles, and in Hawaii of the USA; Japan; India; Pakistan; the Philippines; Argentina; Honduras; Peru; Russia; Germany; Kenya; Tanzania; Uganda; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Jerusalem of Israel; and Estonia.
Each of you may have something you consider valuable. What you value might be health, longevity, fame, authority, wealth, glory, knowledge, or wisdom. What do you think is most valuable?
The value of wisdom is stated in the book of Proverbs that presents the wisdom of life. For example, Proverbs 3:13-14 says, "How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding. For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than fine gold." And the following verses 16 and 17 reads, "Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace." That is why Proverbs 4:7 says, "The beginning of wisdom is: acquire wisdom..." And 1 Corinthians 1:25 refers to the wisdom of God, saying "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
Concerning how to gain wisdom, 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 states, "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, 'He is the One who catches the wise in their craftiness'; and again, 'The LORD knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.'"
People in the world may look upon evil and crafty schemes as 'wisdom,' but they are not wisdom. If one uses such evil schemes, God who is good will not protect him. So, even if he gains many things by those evil ways for the time being, they will be all gone someday. On the contrary, if you receive the wisdom from God who is goodness, you will experience prosperity in everything and receive love from God and give glory to Him anywhere at home, school, and workplace.
1. The Wisdom from Above
The first part of James 3:17 says, "But the wisdom from above is first pure." Here, 'the wisdom from above' refers to the wisdom of God. Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…" Proverbs 16:6 reads, "…And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil." 'To keep away from evil by the fear of God who is good', it is the way to receive the wisdom of God.
Jesus, who is goodness, love, and the truth, spoke and acted only in the wisdom of God. In Luke 10, a lawyer said to Jesus to put Him to test, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" And he answered, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And Jesus said wisely to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."
As the situation didn't go as he wanted, he asked Jesus again, now saying, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus felt that he lacked love in his heart but did not feel hurt and just tried to give him realization with the parable of a good Samaritan. He said, "A man fell among robbers and was left half dead. A priest saw him but passed by, and so did a Levite. But a Samaritan saw him and took care of him. Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to him?"
At that time, Samaritans were treated by Jews with contempt since they mixed their blood with Gentiles. But as an answer to the Jesus' question, the lawyer could not but say, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Now Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same." Jesus did not point out his lack of love straight away but gave him realization with the parable.
If one who doesn't have enough goodness were put in this situation, he might embarrass the lawyer by pointing out the lack of love in him straightforwardly. Or, he might catch the lawyer's evil intention and repay it with words of sarcasm, even if he might not point it out directly. However, if one has the wisdom of goodness as Jesus does, he may not ignore the person or hurt the person's feeling. He may just help the person gain realization on his own. This is the wisdom from God, and the wisdom of goodness.
2. The Wisdom of Goodness from a Pure Heart
God is Light and goodness. To the extent that we cast off sin and evil, dwell in Light, and achieve sanctification, the more we can be guided by the Holy Spirit and receive the wisdom from above. To receive the wisdom of God is similar to receiving the Spirit's guidance. When you cast off evil, you can have a pure heart, and to the extent that you have more goodness, you can receive the wisdom in more detailed and profound ways.
The wisdom of God is always of goodness. If one has evil in heart, even if others let him know the wisdom of goodness, he cannot follow it. To first cast off evil is the way to receiving the wisdom and then benefiting from it.
If you have no evil in heart, you may consider the hearts of listeners and say words of goodness. You may say something nice, graceful, and virtuous to anybody. You may also offer up prayer of goodness and try to avoid any words that could break the heart of God.
In fact, such good and virtuous words or prayer of goodness do not come out from your efforts. As long as you have evil in heart, your evil comes out in your word without you realizing it. On the contrary, if you have goodness, you can naturally offer up prayer of goodness and speak good and virtuous words.
You may have been misunderstood by others for some words that you did not speak or for things you did not do. You said something with good intention, but you got into trouble or were criticized by others. In such situations, you had better commit everything to God rather than argue over right or wrong. As you make excuses, you are rather likely to invite more misunderstanding.
Of course, you may show your innocence by arguing, but in the process others' faults can be revealed. Even if their faults are not revealed, they may feel uncomfortable towards you because they are afraid of their faults being revealed.
Thus, 2 Timothy 2:23 says, "But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels." Speculation often leads to argument and then peace is broken between people. They may turn their backs from each other. One who is truly wise and good never argues but quietly harbors others. And when the truth is revealed and their misunderstanding is cleared up, their hearts melt and come to have deep trust in him/her.
When unexpected difficulties occur, if you pray by the help of the Holy Spirit, it can be an opportunity for blessing (Proverbs 3:6). By calmly trying to realize the will of God, you can make it a chance to discover and renew yourself. Even if you are falsely accused of something, God knows your innocence and recovers everything for you at His appointed time. This is the wisdom from above that is pure.
3. Wisdom without Goodness Is in Vain.
If you do not consider others, see everything only from your perspective, and complain, then you may do the same before God. You may be aware that you should offer up prayer of goodness that moves the heart of God, but evil may come out in your prayer as much as there is evil in you.
If you have evil feelings, even if you listen to the word of wisdom telling you to pray in goodness, you cannot take advantage of it. Although you are taught to give thanks in everything, if your heart is full of resentment you cannot give prayer of thanksgiving. You cannot keep from saying negative words with no faith and you just blame others in prayer. Thus, you must check whether your prayer has pleased God or broken His heart and check whether it is prayer to bring down God's answer or not. God takes delight in and gives quick answers to a prayer of goodness of the righteous (James 5:16).
Absalom, the son of David, was handsome and smart (2 Samuel 14:25), but he used his cleverness for something evil since he was evil. Absalom was furious at his stepbrother Amnon for he had violated his sister Tamar. He was also uncomfortable towards his father David since he had not punished Amnon. But he did not recklessly reveal his hard feeling and waited for a suitable moment for revenge. Two years later, Absalom held an event of sheepshearing and invited Amnon. His servants killed Amnon by his command. Then, he fled from David.
After a few years, Joab perceived that David's heart was inclined towards Absalom and brought him to Jerusalem. But David did not see him for two years. Absalom thought that he had lost favor in his father's eyes, had held a grudge against him and made a plan of rebellion.
He trained his personal warriors and collected weapons and chariots. It was his personal troop for the rebellion. He fabricated situations as if David did not love the people but he loved them. By doing so, he won popularity of the people and gained their trust (2 Samuel 15:2-6).
Absalom finally raised a rebellion and David had to run away in haste. Absalom even won Ahithophel who was David's counselor over on his side. The advice of Ahithophel was great enough to be said that it was as if one inquired of the word of God (2 Samuel 16:23).
However, the rebellion of Absalom ended up in failure. It was because God blinded his 'wisdom'. Ahithophel presented a strategy to overpower David but Absalom listened to Hushai who suggested a strategy advantageous to David. Even Absalom who was smart and 'wise' chose the way of destruction when God blinded his judgment. It indicates that no matter how one is wise and smart, if the wisdom is not the one that is pure coming from God, it is just something no more useful than a bubble.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the wisdom of God transcends human wisdom and differs from the worldly wisdom. The wisdom is based on goodness, so you must become sanctified both to realize the wisdom and practice what you realize. I urge you to ask God who is the origin of wisdom to give you the wisdom that is pure and receive it. I pray in the name of the Lord that by doing so you will prosper in everything and glorify God with abundant fruit.
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