James 3:13-18
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
17 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. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
We are told the difference between heavenly and worldly wisdom emanates from the heart just as Jesus taught (Luke 6:45) with His sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28). Saving faith results in good works which come out of a changed heart previously incapable of any sincere good works while still unregenerate and stained by sin’s curse. Wisdom is knowing Christ and yielding to the Spirit of God living in the regenerate. If we then continue to go back to selfish envy and self-seeking in our actions and words, we are living a lie in regards to our conversion as we live against the truth to which an in which we have been called. This kind of behavior is worldly or earthly as it is called here and does not reflect heaven where our Lord reigns on high and where we are bound as we begin the kingdom life here and now. Why would we pursue sensual and demonic parodies of wisdom as the world around us would have us follow when we have been shown the truth of heavenly wisdom in Jesus Christ our sovereign Lord of all? If we pursue our own ways of the passing pleasures of sin then we find only confusion in this present evil age (Galatians 1:4) and lose the blessings of peace with God in following His word and properly reflecting His image as we were designed. If, however, we run after wisdom coming down from above in the heavenly place where God lives, then we find resulting peace (Romans 5:1, Philippians 4:9), gentleness to others, a willingness to yield for the good of others (Philippians 2:3), mercy as we have received (2 Corinthians 4:1) from the Lord, and sincerity instead of hypocrisy that yields peace with God and man in His righteousness which we pursue in living for Him. This is godly wisdom we are to run after and its earthly counterpart to avoid.
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