“For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.” (James 3:15, NLT)
Recently, I read something about a view of how things changed. One hundred years ago, people over 35 often memorized Bible passages and could recite them. Then, in 1992, Jay Trachnian commented “One of the subtle differences among the generations: people over 35 generally know their Social Security numbers by heart; people under 35 memorize their credit card numbers; people under 15 know all the cable channels.” (Reader’s Digest, September 1992, p. 106). Today, people have memorized the songs of popular music and the names of YouTube influencers, celebrities, and politicians. My, how things have changed.
The “things” or “concepts” the world values changes with the winds. Fads come and go. Trends influence the choices of many. Propaganda, advertisements, and influencers all manipulate their audiences to some fashion. What has never changed about people is that from the beginning, they were influenced by worldly wisdom. And, without a doubt, worldly wisdom was influenced by what is listed in scripture as things that are “earthly, unspiritual, and demonic” (James 3:15). You see, God’s wisdom is often in complete opposition to worldly wisdom. God’s wisdom isn’t formulated by human trends, advertising, influencers, celebrities, and politicians. These human forces want to capitalize on godly wisdom, but they can never overcome their worldly, fleshly, demonic influences.
You may think California is horribly corrupt and filled with much evil today. This is not new. The decadence in many places there has been going on for years. Back in the 1990’s, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley designated Friday, September 13, 1991, as official “Freddy Krueger Day”. No kidding! Krueger is the fictional character depicted in six horror movies in which he routinely mutilates and murders children. The films are replete with obscenities, the most explicit violence and depictions of child abuse by parents. In fact, parents are cast in the roles of a rapist, a sadist, several psychotics, and molesters of children. The advertisement for the fourth film reads, "After beautiful Kristen sees the
remaining Elm Street kids succumb one by one to Freddy's razor-edged wrath, she embarks on a desperate mission to release the tortured souls of Freddy's victims once and for all." (As printed in Focus on the Family Newsletter, October 1991). Is it no surprise that the year this occurred, the murder rate in Los Angeles increased 53% in the first half of the year!? And that murder rate isn’t even close to how awful it is today, thirty years later!
Los Angeles could have designated September 13, 1991, as Jesus day, named the day after a saint, or even named the day in honor of a hero. Instead, they named the day after a satanic, murderous psychopath. This is typical of worldly wisdom.
Worldly wisdom turns everything upside down. If God says murder is wrong, the world will find ways to show you how murder is good. God says there are two sexes, male and female. The world says there are many sexual preferences. God says that there is good and evil in the world. The world says there are many shades of moral gray, many concepts of good, and nothing is absolutely evil. Some democrats opine that conservatives are nazis.. .then they proclaim how to eradicate Jews???? There are republicans who advocate for family values while supporting issues that have caused major erosion to the family unit. There are churches that advocate for policies that are inherently anti-Bible like abortion as birth control, no-fault divorce, and at-will transgender surgeries for children. Worldly wisdom will tell you many things that are not godly or righteous are “right”. If you believe worldly wisdom over godly wisdom, it will destroy you… little by little. Why? The scripture today gives clear answer to that question… worldly wisdom is “earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (James 3:15).
Now, don’t for a minute think that you or your church are immune from worldly wisdom. There are earthly demonic forces that love to twist God’s truth and even manipulate the words of the Bible (Revelation warns this will happen! See Revelation 22:18,19!). 2 Timothy 3 even gives examples of how it will happen! The church is not immune from corruption by demonic forces. Neither are you.
You must be on your guard constantly against the earthly demonic forces that seek to replace God’s wisdom with worldly wisdom. John MacArthur noted in Strength for Today the following:
“Besides being earthly and natural, human wisdom is “demonic” (James 3:15). This is the only place in the New Testament where the Greek word translated “demon” appears in its adjectival form. Human wisdom is actually generated by demons, who have been made captive to the same evil system as man. Satan and his agents disguise themselves as ministers of light when in fact they are ministers of darkness (2 Cor. 11:14–15).
The wisdom of the world is spawned by demons, reflects man’s humanness, and proceeds no further than the fallenness of mankind. Since that is so, be sure to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10). Don’t let Satan and the world beguile you with their so–called wisdom.”
In the end, the scripture for today begs the question, “Will you follow God’s wisdom faithfully?” There is only one way to find any holy peace in this world… by following God’s wisdom faithfully. There is only one way you will be close to God…. by following God’s wisdom faithfully. There is only one path that leads to eternal life… following God’s wisdom faithfully. If you get deluded by worldly wisdom, you may never find your way back to the truth, to true faith, or to godly obedience in Christ Jesus.
Examine your thoughts all this day… how much of it is being tempted or influenced by worldly thoughts or wisdom or emotions?
The “things” or “concepts” the world values changes with the winds. Fads come and go. Trends influence the choices of many. Propaganda, advertisements, and influencers all manipulate their audiences to some fashion. What has never changed about people is that from the beginning, they were influenced by worldly wisdom. And, without a doubt, worldly wisdom was influenced by what is listed in scripture as things that are “earthly, unspiritual, and demonic” (James 3:15). You see, God’s wisdom is often in complete opposition to worldly wisdom. God’s wisdom isn’t formulated by human trends, advertising, influencers, celebrities, and politicians. These human forces want to capitalize on godly wisdom, but they can never overcome their worldly, fleshly, demonic influences.
You may think California is horribly corrupt and filled with much evil today. This is not new. The decadence in many places there has been going on for years. Back in the 1990’s, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley designated Friday, September 13, 1991, as official “Freddy Krueger Day”. No kidding! Krueger is the fictional character depicted in six horror movies in which he routinely mutilates and murders children. The films are replete with obscenities, the most explicit violence and depictions of child abuse by parents. In fact, parents are cast in the roles of a rapist, a sadist, several psychotics, and molesters of children. The advertisement for the fourth film reads, "After beautiful Kristen sees the
remaining Elm Street kids succumb one by one to Freddy's razor-edged wrath, she embarks on a desperate mission to release the tortured souls of Freddy's victims once and for all." (As printed in Focus on the Family Newsletter, October 1991). Is it no surprise that the year this occurred, the murder rate in Los Angeles increased 53% in the first half of the year!? And that murder rate isn’t even close to how awful it is today, thirty years later!
Los Angeles could have designated September 13, 1991, as Jesus day, named the day after a saint, or even named the day in honor of a hero. Instead, they named the day after a satanic, murderous psychopath. This is typical of worldly wisdom.
Worldly wisdom turns everything upside down. If God says murder is wrong, the world will find ways to show you how murder is good. God says there are two sexes, male and female. The world says there are many sexual preferences. God says that there is good and evil in the world. The world says there are many shades of moral gray, many concepts of good, and nothing is absolutely evil. Some democrats opine that conservatives are nazis.. .then they proclaim how to eradicate Jews???? There are republicans who advocate for family values while supporting issues that have caused major erosion to the family unit. There are churches that advocate for policies that are inherently anti-Bible like abortion as birth control, no-fault divorce, and at-will transgender surgeries for children. Worldly wisdom will tell you many things that are not godly or righteous are “right”. If you believe worldly wisdom over godly wisdom, it will destroy you… little by little. Why? The scripture today gives clear answer to that question… worldly wisdom is “earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (James 3:15).
Now, don’t for a minute think that you or your church are immune from worldly wisdom. There are earthly demonic forces that love to twist God’s truth and even manipulate the words of the Bible (Revelation warns this will happen! See Revelation 22:18,19!). 2 Timothy 3 even gives examples of how it will happen! The church is not immune from corruption by demonic forces. Neither are you.
You must be on your guard constantly against the earthly demonic forces that seek to replace God’s wisdom with worldly wisdom. John MacArthur noted in Strength for Today the following:
“Besides being earthly and natural, human wisdom is “demonic” (James 3:15). This is the only place in the New Testament where the Greek word translated “demon” appears in its adjectival form. Human wisdom is actually generated by demons, who have been made captive to the same evil system as man. Satan and his agents disguise themselves as ministers of light when in fact they are ministers of darkness (2 Cor. 11:14–15).
The wisdom of the world is spawned by demons, reflects man’s humanness, and proceeds no further than the fallenness of mankind. Since that is so, be sure to “be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might” (Eph. 6:10). Don’t let Satan and the world beguile you with their so–called wisdom.”
In the end, the scripture for today begs the question, “Will you follow God’s wisdom faithfully?” There is only one way to find any holy peace in this world… by following God’s wisdom faithfully. There is only one way you will be close to God…. by following God’s wisdom faithfully. There is only one path that leads to eternal life… following God’s wisdom faithfully. If you get deluded by worldly wisdom, you may never find your way back to the truth, to true faith, or to godly obedience in Christ Jesus.
Examine your thoughts all this day… how much of it is being tempted or influenced by worldly thoughts or wisdom or emotions?