Messages on Wisdom
True Wisdom
by Pastor John Khng
Scripture Reading: Prov.1:5. 2:6; 4:7; 8:17; 9:9-10; 16:16; Jas. 3:13-18
Introduction – Youths doing the Book of Proverbs. I have been preparing this message on wisdom for quite some time
I. What is Practical Wisdom? – Ex. 28:3; 31:1-5; 35:26, 31, 35; 1 Ki 3:5, 7, 9, 12, 16-28
II. What is “Spiritual Wisdom”? – Col. 1:9; 1 Cor. 1:24, 2:7, 13; Jas. 3:17; Acts 6:3
III. Divine Wisdom - 1 Cor 1:30; Prov. 8:1-26; Pr. 2:6 Jas. 1:5
IV. “Worldly Wisdom” – 1 Cor. 1:20-21; 3:18-19; 1 Cor. 2:4-5; 1 Cor. 2:13; Jas. 3:15
V. “Fleshly Wisdom” – 2 Cor. 1:12; “Sensual” – Jas. 3:15
VI. “Devilish Wisdom” – Demonic - Jas. 3:15; 1 Tim. 4:1
Seven Characteristics of True Wisdom
Conclusion:
"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of those about me seemed insufficient for the day." - Abraham Lincoln:
I. Practical Wisdom – Ex. 28:3; 31:1-6; Ex. 31:1-5; 35:26, 31, 35; 1 Ki 3:5, 7, 9, 12, 16-28
II. “Spiritual Wisdom” – Col. 1:9; 1 Co. 1:24, 2:7, 13; Ja. 3:17; Acts 6:3
III. Divine Wisdom - 1 Cor 1:30; Prov. 8:1-26; Jas. 1:5
IV. “Worldly Wisdom”-1 Co.1:20-21; 3:18-19; 1 Co. 2:4-5,13; Ja. 3:15
V. “Fleshly Wisdom” – 2 Cor. 1:12; Jas. 3:15
VI. “Devilish Wisdom” – Demonic - Jas. 3:15; 1 Tim. 4:1
Combination of 1, 2 and 3 – Wisdom that is Practical, Spiritual and Divine Wisdom - Have all of them
Combination of 4, 5, and 6 – Wisdom that is Worldly, Fleshly and Devilish – Have none of them.
Scripture Reading: Prov.1:5. 2:6; 4:7; 8:17; 9:9-10; 16:16; Jas. 3:13-18
Introduction – Youths doing the Book of Proverbs. I have been preparing this message on wisdom for quite some time
I. What is Practical Wisdom? – Ex. 28:3; 31:1-5; 35:26, 31, 35; 1 Ki 3:5, 7, 9, 12, 16-28
- A. Practical Wisdom is Wisdom associated with or gain from Observation, Skill and Experience – Ex. 28:3; 31:1-6; Ex. 31:1-6; 35:26, 31, 35
- B. Practical Wisdom is wisdom learned from the Bible especially given in Proverbs – Laws governing human behavior - Practical wisdom is given in Book of Proverbs
- Examples of Some Topical Study of Proverbs:
- Anger – Prov. 14:29; 15:1; 16:32; 27:4; 29:8
- Bribes (Gifts) – Prov. 15:27; 17:23; 29:4
- Counsel – Prov. 1:5; 11:14; 12:5; 20; 15:22; 19:21; 20:18; 24:6; 27:9
- Children – Prov. 4:1; 5:7; 7:24; 8:32, 13:22; 14:26; 17:6; 20:7; 31:28
- C. Practical Wisdom is wisdom of doing the Right Things the Right Way. “The Right Way to Do the Right Thing”
- D. Practical Wisdom is Common sense. Definitions:
- Sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts - Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
- Plain ordinary good judgment; sound practical sense -
- E. Practical Wisdom is wisdom gain from Wise sayings from Different Cultures and Races
- If you don’t scale the mountain, you can’t view the plain. - Chinese proverb
- Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.- Chinese proverb
- The Largest Room in the World is the Room for Improvement.
- A stitch in time saves nine – meaning - A timely effort will prevent more work later. A stitch in time saves nine. Can mean also: One should avoid procrastinating.
- Half a Loaf is Better than No Bread: We should be thankful for what we receive, even though it is not so much as we had hoped for.
- He is Rich That Has Few Wants: Person who has few wants can easily satisfy them. In this sense he is "richer" than the rich man who has many wants that he cannot satisfy.
- He That is Down Need Fear No Fall: A person who occupies the lowest position in life cannot fall any further & therefore has no fear of falling, whereas the great constantly fear the possibility of their downfall. The proverb is also quoted to console those who have just met with failure and have fallen in that sense.
- F) Example of Practical Wisdom – Solomon – 1 Ki 3:5, 7, 9, 12 – asked for wisdom (ability) to judge.
- The judgment on the Two Mothers Claim over the Living Baby – 1 Ki 3:16-28
- Solomon was the wisest man on earth because God gave him the wisdom – 1 Ki. 4:29-34
- Why did Solomon, being the wisest man yet he sinned and fell into apostasy? – 1 Ki 11:1-9 – Some say Solomon is not the wisest king but the most foolish king because of his sins of departing from God – I asked myself also how is it possible that the wisest man could sin and end up as an apostate? Answer is found in 1 Kings 11:10-11; also 3:13-14 Disobedience to God’s commands that should be no polygamy, no unequal yoke and no idolatry but Solomon sinned in all these areas. Being a leader or being wise does not exempt you from the obligation to obey God.
II. What is “Spiritual Wisdom”? – Col. 1:9; 1 Cor. 1:24, 2:7, 13; Jas. 3:17; Acts 6:3
- A. It is “Wisdom of God” – 1 Cor. 1:24, 2:7
- B. It is Wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit – 1 Cor. 2:13
- C. It is “Wisdom from Above”- Jas. 3:17
III. Divine Wisdom - 1 Cor 1:30; Prov. 8:1-26; Pr. 2:6 Jas. 1:5
- A. Christ is Wisdom -1 Cor 1:30 - To have Christ is to have Wisdom
- B. Christ is wisdom personified – Prov. 8:1-26 - Here wisdom is speaking in the first person. Read vv. 17, 23, 25
- C. God is the source of all True Wisdom – Pr. 2:6; Jas. 1:5
- Examples of Spiritual or Godly Wisdom:
- To have pastors to focus on the Word and Prayer and to have deacons to take care of the physical needs of the church – Acts 6:1-4; We see also that there were preaching deacons – Stephen and Philips – Acts 6:8-15; v. 10; 8:5-6; 26, 29-35 – God is sovereign and can improve on our decisions
- “To lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things” – Acts 15:28-29
- Message by Dr. Jim Berg on wisdom – father took student out of school because he was angry that his son was withdrawn from playing in the super bowl due to his absence from classes – not acting with spiritual wisdom – son will never learn Christlikeness
IV. “Worldly Wisdom” – 1 Cor. 1:20-21; 3:18-19; 1 Cor. 2:4-5; 1 Cor. 2:13; Jas. 3:15
- A. “Wisdom of Men” – 1 Cor. 2:4-5; “Man’s Wisdom” – 1 Cor. 2:13
- B. “Earthly” wisdom – Jas. 3:15
V. “Fleshly Wisdom” – 2 Cor. 1:12; “Sensual” – Jas. 3:15
VI. “Devilish Wisdom” – Demonic - Jas. 3:15; 1 Tim. 4:1
- An Example of Worldly, Fleshly, and Devilish Wisdom - The End Justify the Means. This phrase, originating from Niccolo Machiavelli's book "The Prince", is interpreted by some to mean doing anything whatsoever that is required to get the result you want, regardless of the methods used. It does not matter whether these methods are legal or illegal, fair or foul, kind or cruel, truth or lies, democratic or dictatorial, good or evil.
- Example – Having two Casinos in Singapore:
The End justifies the Means: more jobs and economic growth; means income by legalize gambling.
The End does not justify the Means: Gambling is covetousness - a sin against God. We cannot use gambling to create more jobs and income for our country because gambling is a sinful habit. - Sin leads to sorrow and death - gambling leads to broken homes, broken lives, lost of jobs, robberies, cheatings, murders, suicides, etc – no amount of regulation is going to help. The wrong means will lead to some results that you want to see and at the same time bring also some results that you do not want to see. Only by using the right means with God’s blessing can give the right result without any ill effect.
“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” – Proverbs 10:22 - Life is the pursuit of happiness – This is a worldly philosophy – if sinning makes me happy carry on sinning; carry on gambling, carry on having fornications, etc
- Life is “Eat, drink and be merry” – Lk 12:19
“And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” – Lk 12:19 - Comparisons of True Wisdom and False Wisdom – Jas. 3:13-18
Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Jas 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. - Just as we show our faith by our works – Ja. 2:26, we are to show our wisdom by our conduct – Ja. 3:13.
The Portrait of True Wisdom - a Wise Man who lives a Life of Good Conduct with Meekness of Wisdom – Jas. 3:13
The Portrait of False Wisdom - a Foolish Man who lives a Life of Bitter Envying and Strife – Jas. 3:14 - Characteristics of Worldly, Fleshly and Devilish Wisdom – Jas. 3:15-16
Envying, strife, confusion and every evil work - Characteristics of Practical, Spiritual and Divine Wisdom – Jas. 3:17-18
Pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Ja. 3:17-18
Seven Characteristics of True Wisdom
- True Wisdom is Having Christ in Us - 1 Cor. 1:30
- True Wisdom is Hearing and Obeying God’s Word – Mt. 7:24-27
- True Wisdom begins with Fearing God – Job 28:28; Prov. 9:10
- True Wisdom is Living a Changed Life – Ja. 3:13, “let him show”
- True Wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy, and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Ja. 3:17-18
- True Wisdom is knowing what to do to honour and glorify God in any circumstance – Eph. 5:17
- True Wisdom comes from God – Prov. 2:6; Jas 1:5
Conclusion:
"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of those about me seemed insufficient for the day." - Abraham Lincoln:
I. Practical Wisdom – Ex. 28:3; 31:1-6; Ex. 31:1-5; 35:26, 31, 35; 1 Ki 3:5, 7, 9, 12, 16-28
II. “Spiritual Wisdom” – Col. 1:9; 1 Co. 1:24, 2:7, 13; Ja. 3:17; Acts 6:3
III. Divine Wisdom - 1 Cor 1:30; Prov. 8:1-26; Jas. 1:5
IV. “Worldly Wisdom”-1 Co.1:20-21; 3:18-19; 1 Co. 2:4-5,13; Ja. 3:15
V. “Fleshly Wisdom” – 2 Cor. 1:12; Jas. 3:15
VI. “Devilish Wisdom” – Demonic - Jas. 3:15; 1 Tim. 4:1
Combination of 1, 2 and 3 – Wisdom that is Practical, Spiritual and Divine Wisdom - Have all of them
Combination of 4, 5, and 6 – Wisdom that is Worldly, Fleshly and Devilish – Have none of them.
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