This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
This wisdom is not from above but from below, set against the wisdom that comes down from God. Earthly means of the earth, human, worldly and self-exalting rather than spiritual, sensual means governed by the senses and selfish fleshly desire rather than holiness, and devilish means from beneath, bearing Satan's character and giving place to his working. Its central mark is bitter envying and strife cherished in the heart, with jealousy and bitterness. Where that envying and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work, not peace and unity. In contrast, the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
James 3:15 sets out two kinds of wisdom, one from above and one that does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual, devilish. The wisdom from above is heavenly wisdom from God, given to everyone engaged in His work who asks, bringing the Spirit of Jesus to soften and subdue hearts into love and unity. It is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, shown in good conduct and works done with the meekness of wisdom. The wisdom from below originates in a heart not in harmony with Jesus Christ and belongs to the children of Satan, producing continual contradiction, strife, envy and jealousy, with confusion and every evil work. The test of which wisdom a person has is what fruit is borne, whether harmony, peace, love, unity, meekness, benevolence, kindness and mercy, or variance with one another, and this contrast is a lesson every church member should learn through close self-examination in the light of God's Word.
Earthly means of earth, natural rather than spiritual, human and worldly in contrast to what comes from God. It is governed by human nature, the natural disposition, and selfish human desires rather than by God. It is selfish and narrow, self-centered and self-exalting, trusting human ability and judgment more than God and resisting humble reliance on His counsel. It makes a person self-sufficient and independent, considering self authority in all things and unwilling to be taught, forgetting that men are bound together in the great web of humanity where all that is done has relation to others and no one man is a whole. It is not safe to follow one man's mind and judgment, for God would have men think and act as free moral agents, gathering light from Him to reflect upon others, being helps to one another but never the shadow of any man, while great and noble-minded men are teachable, laying every mind they meet under tribute and absorbing every particle of common sense gained by experience and education, casting aside what is not of value, with sanctified ears and perception to distinguish true from false.
Sensual means governed by the senses and by merely natural desires rather than by holiness. It is unspiritual, governed by the natural disposition and by selfish human desires. It is fleshly impulse in contrast to purity, peaceableness, gentleness, mercy, good fruits, impartiality and sincerity from above. A harsh, impatient, stern frankness that claims to correct evil through severity or courage is not true wisdom, and to boast of such conduct while opposing the spirit of truth is to lie against the truth.
Devilish means from beneath and from Satan, not from God. It belongs to the children of Satan, bearing his character and giving room to his working and influence, even when those who follow it do not recognize its source. It is Satan's work to bring delusion and false impressions, to hold people away from the light and blessing God would give to revive His people and magnify Christ and to keep them from going forward, setting the understanding against God's revealed will, the lower passions against purity and self-denial, and the human will against God's will. Those who display envying and jealousy, bitterness and dissension, and a proud, vain, frivolous, worldly-minded, avaricious, unkind, critical, faultfinding and censorious spirit give unmistakable evidence of holding communion with an evil spirit and yielding obedience to Satan and not to Christ. Those who catch at supposed evil, talk it over, feed upon it, and spread suspicion and distrust become the enemy's best agents, planting bitter fibrous roots that poison faith and defile many, and in debate this power from beneath is seen in which speaker manifests Christ's Spirit and which opposes the gospel.
This unsanctified wisdom from below has existed in the world since the Fall. Since that time people leaving God out of their plans have used talent and knowledge for evil, exalting self and trusting their own judgment. Before the Flood such wisdom led people to ridicule God's warning, and it could not save them from destruction. It is foolishness before God, disregarding His direction in sacred things and leading men handling sacred things to seize control and crush those who cannot be controlled.
Marks of False Wisdom
The central mark of the wisdom that does not come from above is bitter envying and strife cherished in the heart, with jealousy, bitterness and dissension. Such wisdom is earthly, sensual — governed by merely natural desires — and devilish, belonging to a source opposed to God. Where this envying and strife are present there is confusion and every evil work and every kind of evil conduct. It stands in direct contrast to the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, bearing righteous fruit in peace.
It is also shown in suspicion, evil surmising, faultfinding, criticism, censure, gossip, talebearing, meddling as a busybody with other men's matters, spreading hearsay, watching for evil, magnifying small offenses, accusing brethren, and claiming superior discernment. In the church it stirs up strife instead of making peace, sows seeds of dissension by words and course of action, and proves the one who practices it is not a branch of the true vine but is manifesting the attributes of Satan. Claiming to defend truth while harboring evil thoughts, impatience, or an unforgiving spirit denies Christ and bears the character of Satan, dishonors God, weakens His professed people, and brings dearth, feebleness, confusion and every evil work. Cherishing envy, suspicion, faultfinding and evil surmising weakens spiritual life more surely than anything else, brings grievous disaster on the church, and retards the progress of God's cause more than the opposition of the world.
Those who cherish it must not glory in it as advanced spiritual knowledge or Christian boldness, for to do so is to lie against the truth. A harsh, impatient spirit that claims to correct evil through sternness, frankness, or courage is not true wisdom, and calling such conduct Christian boldness does not make it godly. A person may profess the truth and the judgment may assent to it intellectually, yet if the truth as it is in Jesus does not live in the heart and is not woven into the character, it is only tied outwardly on and can only be presented in a human way that reveals an unchanged character in self-confidence, stubbornness and pride. A person may even suppose mastery in argument has been gained, but keenness in argument with a controversial, contentious spirit is not pleasing to God and contradicts the truth.
It appears in agitation, rash decisions, unsanctified criticism, and excited opposition instead of calm, candid investigation and meekness, for true wisdom is shown by meekness and truth must be defended in a spirit that represents its Author. It is the wisdom of trying to rule and seeking supremacy, carrying own ideas against the judgment of the brethren, and manifesting a dictatorial, domineering, controlling, self-confident spirit and desire to control others. This includes zeal for own ideas that sacrifices friendship and presses unpracticed principles on others, rather than living as a peacemaker in a world of sin and strife and variance, being of one mind and one judgment with active humility and true goodness, making interests secondary and working with an eye single to the glory of God. Such a self-seeking, domineering spirit must be recognized and brought under Christ's rule rather than allowed to pursue supremacy and impose human will, for wisdom from above is needed to act with humility and represent God's character.
It is self-sufficiency and independence, which is entirely out of place for Christ's servants, making a man consider himself authority in all things, with a selfish and narrow mind unwilling to be taught. It forgets that men are individually bound together in the great web of humanity, that all that is done has relation to others, and that no one man is a whole, so it is not safe to follow one man's mind and one man's judgment. In place of this, love, unity, humility and willingness to learn from others are needed, with teachable, humble hearts, sanctified ears and perception to distinguish between the true and the false, gathering light from God to reflect upon others and laying every mind met under tribute to absorb common sense gained by experience and education while casting aside what is not of value. Wisdom rooted in self-sufficiency and not sanctified by God's Spirit produces vain and deceptive theories and arguments that draw people to the speaker rather than to Christ and corrupt spiritual understanding.
It was displayed in doubts, cavilings, playing upon words, quibbling, sarcasm, ridicule, misrepresentation, turning aside from close reproof, making light of message and messengers, prejudice, unbelief, obstinacy, wrath, hatred, evil feelings, bearing false witness, and a cold, critical spirit. It speaks in a controlling spirit of opposition, resistance, spiritual pride and self-confidence that shuts out Jesus and the Holy Spirit, in criticism, exaggerated statements, suppositions, envy, jealousy, evil surmising and false accusing, in brooding over imaginary wrongs, and in doubting and bitter speaking and writing from skepticism and unbelief instead of humbling the soul, praying, and searching the heart. This is Satan's work to bring delusion and false impressions, to hold people away from the light and blessing God would give to revive His people and magnify Christ, to keep them from going forward, and to bring evil angels with those who cherish it, the same as the spirit that led the Jews to combine to doubt, criticize and spy upon Christ. It includes treating long-held ideas as infallible Bible doctrine, insisting that every detail of one's interpretation is flawless, and rigidly judging others by it even when the disagreement is not about a vital point of truth. It also leads to selfishness and deceptive conduct, including wronging a neighbor for personal gain while disguising falsehood as concealed, though deception will be detected.
It is selfish policy whose leading maxim is that the end justifies the means, so it stops at nothing to gain its own success, seeks advantage that does not belong to it, and builds itself up by pulling out the foundation from another's work, undermining another's work and invading another's rights. It is narrow and short-sighted in vision, seeing only what is near and failing to see what is distant, and where the Spirit of Christ is not the ruling principle it becomes the prevailing element in business, in society, in every department of business and every class of society, and in councils and the grand councils of nations. God will not sanction it because it is not just, and it creates want of harmony; it must be distinguished from true discretion and from prudence, caution, tact and skill, which must always be joined to justice and righteousness and to regard for the interests and rights of other branches of the work, guarding closely the interests of all so no one's rights are invaded and traffic does not become fraud.
Fruits and Consequences
Where bitter envying and strife are cherished in the heart, the resulting wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual and devilish, and there is confusion and every evil work and every kind of evil conduct, not peace and unity. Boasting even when supposed mastery in argument is gained, keenness in argument with a controversial and contentious spirit, and lying against the truth belong to this same wisdom from earth, from the senses and from the devil. In contrast to it stands the wisdom from above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, shown out of good conduct by works done with meekness of wisdom, with the fruit of righteousness sown in peace by peacemakers, and which would rather suffer wrong than do injury to God's heritage.
This wisdom leads to alienation, difference, strife, contention, separation in feeling and sympathy from brethren in the faith, divisions, and the breaking of Christian unity and harmony. It is rooted in bitter envying and strife, in self-esteem and self-sufficiency, in criticism of the ideas and work of others, in combat and opposition toward brethren, in holding back, raising objections, blocking the work and discouraging those who plan to advance it, belonging to unbelief, Pharisaism and darkness and the working of Satan. It is a root of bitterness that unless every fiber of it is eradicated defiles many and kills spirituality by selfishness and self-sufficiency that treats others harshly, and its bitterness and strife among believers strike at the root of the church's troubles and have no place among workers, who should act righteously in word and deed.
Envy, suspicion of one another, faultfinding, evil surmising, strife of tongues, gossip and censure cherished in the heart is this same wisdom from a worldly, fleshly and satanic source, not from God. Cherished, it weakens spirituality and spiritual life more surely than anything else, dishonors God, weakens His professed people, brings dearth, feebleness, confusion and every evil work into the church, works grievous disaster in the church, retards the progress of God's cause and endangers God's people more than the opposition of the world, hinders witness, and shows a person to be a stranger to Christ. It stands opposite the wisdom from above that must be sought by dying to self and hiding self in Jesus, shown in good conduct with meekness, sympathy, purity, peaceableness, gentleness, mercy, good fruits, impartiality and sincerity.
Trust in human wisdom and self-confidence, and efforts to obtain peace by withholding present truth or laying aside the cross and setting aside the cross, belong to this false earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom and produce only a deceptive peace and false worldly prosperity, unlike the peace Christ gives from above. When envy, evil-surmising, evil reports, careless expressions of doubt and accusations against fellow believers stir the heart, the intellect becomes unbalanced and cannot decide any controverted point correctly nor harmonize with truth, and words shaped by such human wisdom that leads away from holiness can injure minds and hearts and sow unbelief and apostasy. Those acting from it refuse precious blessings and the knowledge of God, disappoint Christ, refuse to be channels of light and become channels of darkness, grieve the Spirit of God, unsettle faith over a slight difference of ideas, cause apostasy, break up unity, sow discord without knowing what they are striving about, build up barriers, deprive themselves of great light and precious advantages, and place themselves where light from heaven cannot reach them to be communicated to others.
Everything earthly, sensual and devilish is impure and unholy, a stumbling block to others and a curse to the cause of God, and must become pure and holy or be purged away. Those who remain in it have not escaped the corruption in the world through lust and have not become partakers of the divine nature, and their presence loads down the people and brings weakness and feebleness, so that the ranks must be purged of all this class and the camp cleansed of its moral defilement. A life indulging sensual pleasure stands exposed in the light of the Judgment, stripped of heaven's appearance, leaving a legacy of darkness and curses rather than heaven's light and blessings, for God reads purposes and motives and knows whether a person loves and glorifies Him or pleases and exalts self, whether affections are fixed on heavenly things or on things earthly, sensual and devilish. This spirit of opposition, resistance, spiritual pride and self-confidence that shuts out Jesus and the Holy Spirit is heard by a Watcher and written in the books of heaven to have condemning power against all who share in it, for every work and every secret thing is open to God's all-seeing eye, no thought, word or action escapes His notice, and every soul will be judged according to the deeds done in the body.
Heavenly Wisdom Contrasted
In contrast to wisdom joined to bitter envying and strife in the heart, boasting and lying against the truth, the wisdom from above is heavenly wisdom from God, first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Where envying and strife are there is confusion and every evil work and every kind of evil conduct, but this pure, peaceable wisdom would rather suffer wrong than do injury to God's heritage. It is the natural outgrowth of the Christian religion, and a wise man shows it out of good conduct by works done with meekness of wisdom. Men called to save souls have this heavenly wisdom when selfish interests are swallowed up in deep concern for the salvation of souls for whom Christ died, feeling a burden for the people and feeding the flock willingly, of a ready mind, as examples and not as lords or for gain.
True wisdom is proved by good conduct with meekness of wisdom, with active humility and true goodness, sympathy, purity, peaceableness, gentleness, mercy, good fruits, impartiality and sincerity, making interests secondary and working with an eye single to the glory of God rather than self. It stands opposite the wisdom of trying to rule and seeking for supremacy, carrying own ideas against the judgment of the brethren and manifesting a dictatorial spirit, and it requires that words not be as arrows to wound and destroy and that nothing be done through strife or vainglory. Evil surmising, spreading hearsay, and criticizing others while claiming superior discernment show false wisdom in practice, rather than the meekness and good conduct that belong to true wisdom.
Its fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by peacemakers, and the Christian is to live in a world of sin and strife and variance as a peacemaker. It keeps believers perfectly joined together in the same mind and same judgment with no divisions, seeing eye to eye in all matters of religious belief, speaking the same things, having the same judgment, and being one in Christ Jesus, not each insisting his own course, words and reasoning are right and need no modification. It breathes the free atmosphere of heaven in faith, love, confidence and truth with a teachable childlike spirit, lifting and pushing with others in hearty cooperation.
Heavenly wisdom brings the Spirit of Jesus to soften and subdue hearts into love and unity, and makes men teachable and easy to be entreated, willing to learn from one another and to gain wisdom from men of experience. It guards the heart against the first differences and harshness, while truth's sanctifying power drives out what leads to strife, and this is especially to be practiced by Bible teachers as representatives of the truth in Christian work and in a new mission field. The wisdom from above originates from infinite wisdom and comes when His Spirit works in hearts truly connected with God, producing harmony, peace, love, unity, the meekness of Christ, benevolence, kindness, and mercy, so those who have it will not be at variance with one another. The test of which wisdom a person has is what fruit is borne, in contrast to wisdom from a heart not in harmony with Jesus Christ that produces continual contradiction, strife, envy, and jealousy.
It is given to everyone engaged in God's work who asks, and those entrusted with God's work need this wisdom and should seek it from God with prayer and true contrition. It must be sought by dying to self and hiding self in Jesus, with a contrite heart and contrite mind, rather than by human plans marked by narrowness, conceit, and selfishness. Heavenly wisdom is given by the Lord in answer to earnest prayer and is needed when believers gather in council, and teaching James 3:13-18 in that setting brings freedom and helps those present share the sweet spirit of Jesus, receive the blessing of God, and draw near to each other.
Its principles express God's own mind and call for a humble, changed heart and fair, generous, tender, compassionate, courteous conduct toward God and one another in every part of religious life. Every church member must learn this lesson through close self-examination in the light of God's Word in order to do the essential work to be done.
Deception Opposing Truth
Spiritualism's forbidden knowledge is the earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom that does not descend from above. Its source is disguised and it is presented in refined, intellectual, attractive forms as an angel of light. It appeals to reason with elevating themes, delights fancy, enlists the affections with love and charity, and excites the imagination to lofty flights. It is skillfully adapted to deceive men of all classes, presented to persons of culture and refinement in refined and intellectual aspects to draw them into the snare. Its true earthly, sensual, devilish character is concealed when concealment suits its purpose.
Left unshielded by divine power, it leads men to pride in their own wisdom until they despise the Eternal One and have their senses perverted. This deceptive wisdom from beneath opposes God's truth by suggesting knowledge of events, imitating spiritual appearances, and mixing some truth with error to persuade people to reject other truth. Its attractive promises ensnare those who reject God's counsel. It sets the understanding against God's revealed will, the lower passions against purity and self-denial, and the human will against God's will. A spirit from beneath stirs human passions and leads people to resist the Spirit of God and reject light.
Literature that promotes skepticism produces this earthly and sensual mind, defiling the soul, drawing affection away from God, and weakening reverence and gratitude toward the Creator. The Jewish leaders' vain imaginations and opposition to Christ exemplified this corrupt wisdom, for although they professed belief in the sacrifices that pointed to the Lamb of God, they rejected Christ and shut their eyes to the meaning of the Jewish system. They combined to doubt, criticize and spy upon Him, and that same spirit is known by a controlling spirit of opposition, resistance, spiritual pride and self-confidence that shuts out Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Unsanctified wisdom of this kind has existed since the Fall; it is earthly and self-exalting, trusts human ability more than God, resists humble reliance on His counsel, and leads people handling sacred things to disregard God's direction.
Those who reject and despise God's truth are inspired from beneath, and evil angels stir human passions and exploit self-seeking. This wisdom leads men to seize control and crush those who cannot be controlled, and it stands in opposition to the truth of the gospel. It was at work in men who sought to control or crush others and take the place of God. In debate a power from beneath opposed to the Spirit of Christ can be discerned by which speaker manifests Christ's Spirit. Christ's sacrifice redeems people from Satan's oppressive power, so they should pity and help those fallen into sin rather than claim authority over fellow believers to dominate and hurt them.
Turning from God, the source of wisdom, to seek wisdom from people who do not love Him and to rely on the ungodly for counsel and decisions weakens religious principles and can bring idolatry and ruin. Solomon's misuse of God-given wisdom illustrates this, for his alliances with heathen nations and marriages to idolatrous women turned his heart from God. His repentance could not undo the harmful practices he had introduced.
Counsel for Church Life
Those who proclaim the last solemn message to a dying world must put away envying and strife and, though possessing different temperaments and dispositions, see eye to eye in all matters of religious belief, speak the same things, have the same judgment, and be one in Christ Jesus. Wisdom joined with bitter envying and strife in the heart does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual, devilish, and where such envying and strife are there is confusion and every evil work and every kind of evil conduct. In contrast true wisdom is shown out of good conduct by works done with meekness of wisdom, and is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, with the fruit of righteousness sown in peace by peacemakers. Every church member must learn this lesson through close self-examination in the light of God's Word, examining self rather than watching and condemning a brother or sister, magnifying small offenses and accusing others, and leaving the devil's ground of questioning others and finding fault with every man's teaching to see no one as imperfect.
The work to be done requires that words not be as arrows to wound and destroy and that nothing be done through strife or vainglory, for criticism and harsh speech give the enemy ground. Christians are to reject pride and the desire for supremacy, and live as humble peacemakers amid sin, strife, and variance, making interests secondary. Men called to save souls have heavenly wisdom when selfish interests are swallowed up in deep concern and burden for the salvation of souls for whom Christ died, feeling a burden for the people and feeding the flock willingly, of a ready mind, as examples and not as lords or for gain. Self-sufficient, envious, jealous workers marked by bitterness and dissension, and by a proud, vain, frivolous, worldly-minded, avaricious, unkind, critical, fault-finding and censorious spirit, hold communion with an evil spirit and yield obedience to Satan and not to Christ, and should not be tolerated in sacred work and ministry even if they have apparently accomplished some good, for God calls for workers who are true, faithful, pure and holy, firm in principle, fearless in duty, zealous yet humble and lowly, gentle and tender, patient toward all, ready to forgive, manifesting love for souls learned from Jesus.
A minister's labor can come under a wisdom that does not come from God when he lacks steadfast purpose and a single eye for God's glory and lets his wife's likes and dislikes, preferences and opinions mold his work. This enters especially through a wife who is not humble, God-fearing, devoted and consecrated, above all one who is an unrestrained talker, leading him to acts that do much harm, so that her lack of self-denial and consecration is felt all through the conference. The verse requires educating oneself in carefulness of words and acts and entirely controlling the tongue, the unruly member, instead of acting unrestrained and unfettered, making its truth the rule for forming character unto carrying out the ten precepts and standing without fault before the throne. The tongue must be used under Christ's orders and the Holy Spirit to build up and not tear down, speaking words that soften and subdue rather than aggravate, discourage, dictate, and keep variance with brother or sister, since its use carries everlasting consequences and one who has erred in hasty, harsh speech will never improve character by vindication but must confess.
Wisdom expressed in resorting to lawsuits and retaliation, including going to law against a fellow believer, is not from above but earthly, sensual, devilish; such a course is not right, does not relieve the situation in any way, and leaves a blot upon the life. Wisdom from beneath that brings woe is also seen in worldly schemes, social attractions, and worldly bids and baits, in direction, propositions and control of the world offered to God's people. It takes hold when men of superficial piety desire patronage and fame and betray sacred interests into the hands of unbelievers, compromising sacred interests and accepting unclean practices, letting the power of darkness place its mold upon work that should stand untainted and unpolluted, and God's workers and people must keep clear of it and not touch that unclean thing, for God recognizes clean hands and a pure heart.
Call to Personal Holiness
James 3:15 sets wisdom from above, which is pure, against wisdom that is earthly, sensual and devilish and opposed to gospel purity, and a practice that defiles the body and enslaves its user belongs to that corrupt worldly wisdom. The filthy habit of tobacco use is earthly and defiling, incompatible with the purity of wisdom from above and with entire sanctification. No one can reconcile such enslaving indulgence with a claim to entire sanctification or with hope of heaven.
Enjoyment rooted in dependence on tea, coffee, tobacco, opium, alcohol or other stimulants and hurtful appetites is earthly rather than from above. Its pleasure is a cherished bodily appetite, not hunger for righteousness, holiness, or God's presence. Such indulgence dulls and deadens the body's and mind's natural sensibilities, makes a person less open to the Holy Spirit, and weakens the ability to glorify God and to worship Him with interest and zeal.
Gluttony makes a man earthly, sensual, devilish, and it is terrible in a moral point of view because it debases him. This is especially seen in eating the third meal and in eating and drinking fashionably, of that which was not designed as food for man, and too often. Such excess outrages the stomach and deranges the digestive machinery, benumbs and beclouds the moral and intellectual powers, and strengthens and inflames the passions, so that what is God-like in man is brought down to serve the lower instincts.
A life indulging sensual pleasure and licentiousness shows earthly, sensual, devilish character. Those who live so have not partaken of the divine nature nor escaped the world's corruption through lust. Satan exploits impure thoughts and desires unto sexual misconduct that draws others in, and such a life stands exposed in the light of the Judgment, stripped of heaven's appearance, leaving darkness and curses rather than heaven's light and blessings.
Unsanctified sympathy that partakes of love-sick sentimentalism is earthly and sensual, belonging to what is earthly and corruptible. Duty, happiness, future usefulness and final salvation require severing the tendrils of affection from it. Overcoming it takes more than feeble effort and a change in the course of life, for failure to be placed in connection with the Strength of Israel enfeebles all the faculties, while diligence in the use of every means of grace transforms the character and brings growth to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus.
Choosing the earthly instead of setting affections on things above where Christ sits includes pride and vanity in dress. It spends time on needless trimming and spends God's money to please fancy and win vain admiration instead of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and sustaining the gospel. God reads purposes and motives and knows whether a person loves and glorifies Him or pleases and exalts self, whether affections are fixed on heavenly things or on things earthly, sensual and devilish, for every work and every secret thing is open to His all-seeing eye and no thought, word or action escapes His notice, and every soul will be judged according to deeds done in the body. Workers for God must therefore live as in His sight, with minds and hearts imbued with the Spirit of Christ and solemnized by the sacred message, constantly developing in true virtue and godliness so that every thought, action and motive is above the earthly and sensual, finding happiness not in forbidden selfish gratifications but in Jesus and His love.
Fixing the heart on worldly gain or other finite goods degrades the soul and weakens the intellect. Selfish pursuit of wealth narrows a person, while indulgence of appetite and passion debases the whole nature, perverts judgment, and resists truth. When the will is surrendered to Satan, people descend into vice and folly.
Earthly, sensual, devilish associates corrupt the soul, and their temporal, earthly employment leads into temptation to doubt the Lord who loves and to neglect service for God. Breathing their moral malaria puts the soul in serious danger of failing where winning is possible by being placed in right relation with Jesus and making His life and character the criterion. Escape from corruption through lust comes only by becoming a partaker of the divine nature and keeping the soul in the atmosphere of heaven, avoiding ungodly companions to guard against temptation, for personal qualities and attractiveness become a curse when they entangle others and draw them into the enemy's service through a power from beneath.
Believing truth without full conversion becomes earthly, sensual, devilish when light and knowledge are turned from, when integrity is not preserved, when the Scriptures are not searched with an obedient heart to put away sin and overcome defects of character by Christ's grace, when garments are not kept white and pure, when simplicity of faith and first love are not retained, and when truth is not brought into personal contact with life. Such wisdom from below loses the strength and purity of faith, lets zeal grow cold, and bears the fruit of a degenerate and strange vine, standing as a corrupt tree bearing corrupt fruit and no fruit to the glory of God. Everything earthly, sensual and devilish is impure and unholy and must become pure and holy or be purged away, for it is a stumbling block to others and a curse to the cause, and those who remain in it have not escaped corruption through lust nor become partakers of the divine nature, but load down the people and bring weakness and feebleness, so that hearts saturated with worldliness are cut off from communion with God and dead to holiness and misrepresent Christ by their example.
Bitter envy and contention are not wisdom from above but belong to the worldly, sensual and devilish spirit, and they must not be allowed among believers or discredit the truth. Wisdom joined to bitter envying and strife in the heart, glorying and lying against the truth, does not come from above but is earthly, sensual and devilish. It is the root of bitterness that breaks Christian unity and harmony, and unless every fiber of it is eradicated it defiles many and kills spirituality by selfishness and self-sufficiency that treats others harshly. Where this wisdom rules there is confusion and every evil work, opposite to the wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, whose fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
This wisdom is not from above but from below, set against the wisdom that comes down from God.
Earthly means of the earth, human, worldly and self-exalting rather than spiritual, sensual means governed by the senses and selfish fleshly desire rather than holiness, and devilish means from beneath, bearing Satan's character and giving place to his working.
Its central mark is bitter envying and strife cherished in the heart, with jealousy and bitterness.
Where that envying and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work, not peace and unity.
In contrast, the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
James 3:15 sets out two kinds of wisdom, one from above and one that does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual, devilish. The wisdom from above is heavenly wisdom from God, given to everyone engaged in His work who asks, bringing the Spirit of Jesus to soften and subdue hearts into love and unity. It is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, shown in good conduct and works done with the meekness of wisdom. The wisdom from below originates in a heart not in harmony with Jesus Christ and belongs to the children of Satan, producing continual contradiction, strife, envy and jealousy, with confusion and every evil work. The test of which wisdom a person has is what fruit is borne, whether harmony, peace, love, unity, meekness, benevolence, kindness and mercy, or variance with one another, and this contrast is a lesson every church member should learn through close self-examination in the light of God's Word.
Earthly means of earth, natural rather than spiritual, human and worldly in contrast to what comes from God. It is governed by human nature, the natural disposition, and selfish human desires rather than by God. It is selfish and narrow, self-centered and self-exalting, trusting human ability and judgment more than God and resisting humble reliance on His counsel. It makes a person self-sufficient and independent, considering self authority in all things and unwilling to be taught, forgetting that men are bound together in the great web of humanity where all that is done has relation to others and no one man is a whole. It is not safe to follow one man's mind and judgment, for God would have men think and act as free moral agents, gathering light from Him to reflect upon others, being helps to one another but never the shadow of any man, while great and noble-minded men are teachable, laying every mind they meet under tribute and absorbing every particle of common sense gained by experience and education, casting aside what is not of value, with sanctified ears and perception to distinguish true from false.
Sensual means governed by the senses and by merely natural desires rather than by holiness. It is unspiritual, governed by the natural disposition and by selfish human desires. It is fleshly impulse in contrast to purity, peaceableness, gentleness, mercy, good fruits, impartiality and sincerity from above. A harsh, impatient, stern frankness that claims to correct evil through severity or courage is not true wisdom, and to boast of such conduct while opposing the spirit of truth is to lie against the truth.
Devilish means from beneath and from Satan, not from God. It belongs to the children of Satan, bearing his character and giving room to his working and influence, even when those who follow it do not recognize its source. It is Satan's work to bring delusion and false impressions, to hold people away from the light and blessing God would give to revive His people and magnify Christ and to keep them from going forward, setting the understanding against God's revealed will, the lower passions against purity and self-denial, and the human will against God's will. Those who display envying and jealousy, bitterness and dissension, and a proud, vain, frivolous, worldly-minded, avaricious, unkind, critical, faultfinding and censorious spirit give unmistakable evidence of holding communion with an evil spirit and yielding obedience to Satan and not to Christ. Those who catch at supposed evil, talk it over, feed upon it, and spread suspicion and distrust become the enemy's best agents, planting bitter fibrous roots that poison faith and defile many, and in debate this power from beneath is seen in which speaker manifests Christ's Spirit and which opposes the gospel.
This unsanctified wisdom from below has existed in the world since the Fall. Since that time people leaving God out of their plans have used talent and knowledge for evil, exalting self and trusting their own judgment. Before the Flood such wisdom led people to ridicule God's warning, and it could not save them from destruction. It is foolishness before God, disregarding His direction in sacred things and leading men handling sacred things to seize control and crush those who cannot be controlled.
Marks of False Wisdom
The central mark of the wisdom that does not come from above is bitter envying and strife cherished in the heart, with jealousy, bitterness and dissension. Such wisdom is earthly, sensual — governed by merely natural desires — and devilish, belonging to a source opposed to God. Where this envying and strife are present there is confusion and every evil work and every kind of evil conduct. It stands in direct contrast to the wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, bearing righteous fruit in peace.
It is also shown in suspicion, evil surmising, faultfinding, criticism, censure, gossip, talebearing, meddling as a busybody with other men's matters, spreading hearsay, watching for evil, magnifying small offenses, accusing brethren, and claiming superior discernment. In the church it stirs up strife instead of making peace, sows seeds of dissension by words and course of action, and proves the one who practices it is not a branch of the true vine but is manifesting the attributes of Satan. Claiming to defend truth while harboring evil thoughts, impatience, or an unforgiving spirit denies Christ and bears the character of Satan, dishonors God, weakens His professed people, and brings dearth, feebleness, confusion and every evil work. Cherishing envy, suspicion, faultfinding and evil surmising weakens spiritual life more surely than anything else, brings grievous disaster on the church, and retards the progress of God's cause more than the opposition of the world.
Those who cherish it must not glory in it as advanced spiritual knowledge or Christian boldness, for to do so is to lie against the truth. A harsh, impatient spirit that claims to correct evil through sternness, frankness, or courage is not true wisdom, and calling such conduct Christian boldness does not make it godly. A person may profess the truth and the judgment may assent to it intellectually, yet if the truth as it is in Jesus does not live in the heart and is not woven into the character, it is only tied outwardly on and can only be presented in a human way that reveals an unchanged character in self-confidence, stubbornness and pride. A person may even suppose mastery in argument has been gained, but keenness in argument with a controversial, contentious spirit is not pleasing to God and contradicts the truth.
It appears in agitation, rash decisions, unsanctified criticism, and excited opposition instead of calm, candid investigation and meekness, for true wisdom is shown by meekness and truth must be defended in a spirit that represents its Author. It is the wisdom of trying to rule and seeking supremacy, carrying own ideas against the judgment of the brethren, and manifesting a dictatorial, domineering, controlling, self-confident spirit and desire to control others. This includes zeal for own ideas that sacrifices friendship and presses unpracticed principles on others, rather than living as a peacemaker in a world of sin and strife and variance, being of one mind and one judgment with active humility and true goodness, making interests secondary and working with an eye single to the glory of God. Such a self-seeking, domineering spirit must be recognized and brought under Christ's rule rather than allowed to pursue supremacy and impose human will, for wisdom from above is needed to act with humility and represent God's character.
It is self-sufficiency and independence, which is entirely out of place for Christ's servants, making a man consider himself authority in all things, with a selfish and narrow mind unwilling to be taught. It forgets that men are individually bound together in the great web of humanity, that all that is done has relation to others, and that no one man is a whole, so it is not safe to follow one man's mind and one man's judgment. In place of this, love, unity, humility and willingness to learn from others are needed, with teachable, humble hearts, sanctified ears and perception to distinguish between the true and the false, gathering light from God to reflect upon others and laying every mind met under tribute to absorb common sense gained by experience and education while casting aside what is not of value. Wisdom rooted in self-sufficiency and not sanctified by God's Spirit produces vain and deceptive theories and arguments that draw people to the speaker rather than to Christ and corrupt spiritual understanding.
It was displayed in doubts, cavilings, playing upon words, quibbling, sarcasm, ridicule, misrepresentation, turning aside from close reproof, making light of message and messengers, prejudice, unbelief, obstinacy, wrath, hatred, evil feelings, bearing false witness, and a cold, critical spirit. It speaks in a controlling spirit of opposition, resistance, spiritual pride and self-confidence that shuts out Jesus and the Holy Spirit, in criticism, exaggerated statements, suppositions, envy, jealousy, evil surmising and false accusing, in brooding over imaginary wrongs, and in doubting and bitter speaking and writing from skepticism and unbelief instead of humbling the soul, praying, and searching the heart. This is Satan's work to bring delusion and false impressions, to hold people away from the light and blessing God would give to revive His people and magnify Christ, to keep them from going forward, and to bring evil angels with those who cherish it, the same as the spirit that led the Jews to combine to doubt, criticize and spy upon Christ. It includes treating long-held ideas as infallible Bible doctrine, insisting that every detail of one's interpretation is flawless, and rigidly judging others by it even when the disagreement is not about a vital point of truth. It also leads to selfishness and deceptive conduct, including wronging a neighbor for personal gain while disguising falsehood as concealed, though deception will be detected.
It is selfish policy whose leading maxim is that the end justifies the means, so it stops at nothing to gain its own success, seeks advantage that does not belong to it, and builds itself up by pulling out the foundation from another's work, undermining another's work and invading another's rights. It is narrow and short-sighted in vision, seeing only what is near and failing to see what is distant, and where the Spirit of Christ is not the ruling principle it becomes the prevailing element in business, in society, in every department of business and every class of society, and in councils and the grand councils of nations. God will not sanction it because it is not just, and it creates want of harmony; it must be distinguished from true discretion and from prudence, caution, tact and skill, which must always be joined to justice and righteousness and to regard for the interests and rights of other branches of the work, guarding closely the interests of all so no one's rights are invaded and traffic does not become fraud.
Fruits and Consequences
Where bitter envying and strife are cherished in the heart, the resulting wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual and devilish, and there is confusion and every evil work and every kind of evil conduct, not peace and unity. Boasting even when supposed mastery in argument is gained, keenness in argument with a controversial and contentious spirit, and lying against the truth belong to this same wisdom from earth, from the senses and from the devil. In contrast to it stands the wisdom from above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, shown out of good conduct by works done with meekness of wisdom, with the fruit of righteousness sown in peace by peacemakers, and which would rather suffer wrong than do injury to God's heritage.
This wisdom leads to alienation, difference, strife, contention, separation in feeling and sympathy from brethren in the faith, divisions, and the breaking of Christian unity and harmony. It is rooted in bitter envying and strife, in self-esteem and self-sufficiency, in criticism of the ideas and work of others, in combat and opposition toward brethren, in holding back, raising objections, blocking the work and discouraging those who plan to advance it, belonging to unbelief, Pharisaism and darkness and the working of Satan. It is a root of bitterness that unless every fiber of it is eradicated defiles many and kills spirituality by selfishness and self-sufficiency that treats others harshly, and its bitterness and strife among believers strike at the root of the church's troubles and have no place among workers, who should act righteously in word and deed.
Envy, suspicion of one another, faultfinding, evil surmising, strife of tongues, gossip and censure cherished in the heart is this same wisdom from a worldly, fleshly and satanic source, not from God. Cherished, it weakens spirituality and spiritual life more surely than anything else, dishonors God, weakens His professed people, brings dearth, feebleness, confusion and every evil work into the church, works grievous disaster in the church, retards the progress of God's cause and endangers God's people more than the opposition of the world, hinders witness, and shows a person to be a stranger to Christ. It stands opposite the wisdom from above that must be sought by dying to self and hiding self in Jesus, shown in good conduct with meekness, sympathy, purity, peaceableness, gentleness, mercy, good fruits, impartiality and sincerity.
Trust in human wisdom and self-confidence, and efforts to obtain peace by withholding present truth or laying aside the cross and setting aside the cross, belong to this false earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom and produce only a deceptive peace and false worldly prosperity, unlike the peace Christ gives from above. When envy, evil-surmising, evil reports, careless expressions of doubt and accusations against fellow believers stir the heart, the intellect becomes unbalanced and cannot decide any controverted point correctly nor harmonize with truth, and words shaped by such human wisdom that leads away from holiness can injure minds and hearts and sow unbelief and apostasy. Those acting from it refuse precious blessings and the knowledge of God, disappoint Christ, refuse to be channels of light and become channels of darkness, grieve the Spirit of God, unsettle faith over a slight difference of ideas, cause apostasy, break up unity, sow discord without knowing what they are striving about, build up barriers, deprive themselves of great light and precious advantages, and place themselves where light from heaven cannot reach them to be communicated to others.
Everything earthly, sensual and devilish is impure and unholy, a stumbling block to others and a curse to the cause of God, and must become pure and holy or be purged away. Those who remain in it have not escaped the corruption in the world through lust and have not become partakers of the divine nature, and their presence loads down the people and brings weakness and feebleness, so that the ranks must be purged of all this class and the camp cleansed of its moral defilement. A life indulging sensual pleasure stands exposed in the light of the Judgment, stripped of heaven's appearance, leaving a legacy of darkness and curses rather than heaven's light and blessings, for God reads purposes and motives and knows whether a person loves and glorifies Him or pleases and exalts self, whether affections are fixed on heavenly things or on things earthly, sensual and devilish. This spirit of opposition, resistance, spiritual pride and self-confidence that shuts out Jesus and the Holy Spirit is heard by a Watcher and written in the books of heaven to have condemning power against all who share in it, for every work and every secret thing is open to God's all-seeing eye, no thought, word or action escapes His notice, and every soul will be judged according to the deeds done in the body.
Heavenly Wisdom Contrasted
In contrast to wisdom joined to bitter envying and strife in the heart, boasting and lying against the truth, the wisdom from above is heavenly wisdom from God, first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Where envying and strife are there is confusion and every evil work and every kind of evil conduct, but this pure, peaceable wisdom would rather suffer wrong than do injury to God's heritage. It is the natural outgrowth of the Christian religion, and a wise man shows it out of good conduct by works done with meekness of wisdom. Men called to save souls have this heavenly wisdom when selfish interests are swallowed up in deep concern for the salvation of souls for whom Christ died, feeling a burden for the people and feeding the flock willingly, of a ready mind, as examples and not as lords or for gain.
True wisdom is proved by good conduct with meekness of wisdom, with active humility and true goodness, sympathy, purity, peaceableness, gentleness, mercy, good fruits, impartiality and sincerity, making interests secondary and working with an eye single to the glory of God rather than self. It stands opposite the wisdom of trying to rule and seeking for supremacy, carrying own ideas against the judgment of the brethren and manifesting a dictatorial spirit, and it requires that words not be as arrows to wound and destroy and that nothing be done through strife or vainglory. Evil surmising, spreading hearsay, and criticizing others while claiming superior discernment show false wisdom in practice, rather than the meekness and good conduct that belong to true wisdom.
Its fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by peacemakers, and the Christian is to live in a world of sin and strife and variance as a peacemaker. It keeps believers perfectly joined together in the same mind and same judgment with no divisions, seeing eye to eye in all matters of religious belief, speaking the same things, having the same judgment, and being one in Christ Jesus, not each insisting his own course, words and reasoning are right and need no modification. It breathes the free atmosphere of heaven in faith, love, confidence and truth with a teachable childlike spirit, lifting and pushing with others in hearty cooperation.
Heavenly wisdom brings the Spirit of Jesus to soften and subdue hearts into love and unity, and makes men teachable and easy to be entreated, willing to learn from one another and to gain wisdom from men of experience. It guards the heart against the first differences and harshness, while truth's sanctifying power drives out what leads to strife, and this is especially to be practiced by Bible teachers as representatives of the truth in Christian work and in a new mission field. The wisdom from above originates from infinite wisdom and comes when His Spirit works in hearts truly connected with God, producing harmony, peace, love, unity, the meekness of Christ, benevolence, kindness, and mercy, so those who have it will not be at variance with one another. The test of which wisdom a person has is what fruit is borne, in contrast to wisdom from a heart not in harmony with Jesus Christ that produces continual contradiction, strife, envy, and jealousy.
It is given to everyone engaged in God's work who asks, and those entrusted with God's work need this wisdom and should seek it from God with prayer and true contrition. It must be sought by dying to self and hiding self in Jesus, with a contrite heart and contrite mind, rather than by human plans marked by narrowness, conceit, and selfishness. Heavenly wisdom is given by the Lord in answer to earnest prayer and is needed when believers gather in council, and teaching James 3:13-18 in that setting brings freedom and helps those present share the sweet spirit of Jesus, receive the blessing of God, and draw near to each other.
Its principles express God's own mind and call for a humble, changed heart and fair, generous, tender, compassionate, courteous conduct toward God and one another in every part of religious life. Every church member must learn this lesson through close self-examination in the light of God's Word in order to do the essential work to be done.
Deception Opposing Truth
Spiritualism's forbidden knowledge is the earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom that does not descend from above. Its source is disguised and it is presented in refined, intellectual, attractive forms as an angel of light. It appeals to reason with elevating themes, delights fancy, enlists the affections with love and charity, and excites the imagination to lofty flights. It is skillfully adapted to deceive men of all classes, presented to persons of culture and refinement in refined and intellectual aspects to draw them into the snare. Its true earthly, sensual, devilish character is concealed when concealment suits its purpose.
Left unshielded by divine power, it leads men to pride in their own wisdom until they despise the Eternal One and have their senses perverted. This deceptive wisdom from beneath opposes God's truth by suggesting knowledge of events, imitating spiritual appearances, and mixing some truth with error to persuade people to reject other truth. Its attractive promises ensnare those who reject God's counsel. It sets the understanding against God's revealed will, the lower passions against purity and self-denial, and the human will against God's will. A spirit from beneath stirs human passions and leads people to resist the Spirit of God and reject light.
Literature that promotes skepticism produces this earthly and sensual mind, defiling the soul, drawing affection away from God, and weakening reverence and gratitude toward the Creator. The Jewish leaders' vain imaginations and opposition to Christ exemplified this corrupt wisdom, for although they professed belief in the sacrifices that pointed to the Lamb of God, they rejected Christ and shut their eyes to the meaning of the Jewish system. They combined to doubt, criticize and spy upon Him, and that same spirit is known by a controlling spirit of opposition, resistance, spiritual pride and self-confidence that shuts out Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Unsanctified wisdom of this kind has existed since the Fall; it is earthly and self-exalting, trusts human ability more than God, resists humble reliance on His counsel, and leads people handling sacred things to disregard God's direction.
Those who reject and despise God's truth are inspired from beneath, and evil angels stir human passions and exploit self-seeking. This wisdom leads men to seize control and crush those who cannot be controlled, and it stands in opposition to the truth of the gospel. It was at work in men who sought to control or crush others and take the place of God. In debate a power from beneath opposed to the Spirit of Christ can be discerned by which speaker manifests Christ's Spirit. Christ's sacrifice redeems people from Satan's oppressive power, so they should pity and help those fallen into sin rather than claim authority over fellow believers to dominate and hurt them.
Turning from God, the source of wisdom, to seek wisdom from people who do not love Him and to rely on the ungodly for counsel and decisions weakens religious principles and can bring idolatry and ruin. Solomon's misuse of God-given wisdom illustrates this, for his alliances with heathen nations and marriages to idolatrous women turned his heart from God. His repentance could not undo the harmful practices he had introduced.
Counsel for Church Life
Those who proclaim the last solemn message to a dying world must put away envying and strife and, though possessing different temperaments and dispositions, see eye to eye in all matters of religious belief, speak the same things, have the same judgment, and be one in Christ Jesus. Wisdom joined with bitter envying and strife in the heart does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual, devilish, and where such envying and strife are there is confusion and every evil work and every kind of evil conduct. In contrast true wisdom is shown out of good conduct by works done with meekness of wisdom, and is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, with the fruit of righteousness sown in peace by peacemakers. Every church member must learn this lesson through close self-examination in the light of God's Word, examining self rather than watching and condemning a brother or sister, magnifying small offenses and accusing others, and leaving the devil's ground of questioning others and finding fault with every man's teaching to see no one as imperfect.
The work to be done requires that words not be as arrows to wound and destroy and that nothing be done through strife or vainglory, for criticism and harsh speech give the enemy ground. Christians are to reject pride and the desire for supremacy, and live as humble peacemakers amid sin, strife, and variance, making interests secondary. Men called to save souls have heavenly wisdom when selfish interests are swallowed up in deep concern and burden for the salvation of souls for whom Christ died, feeling a burden for the people and feeding the flock willingly, of a ready mind, as examples and not as lords or for gain. Self-sufficient, envious, jealous workers marked by bitterness and dissension, and by a proud, vain, frivolous, worldly-minded, avaricious, unkind, critical, fault-finding and censorious spirit, hold communion with an evil spirit and yield obedience to Satan and not to Christ, and should not be tolerated in sacred work and ministry even if they have apparently accomplished some good, for God calls for workers who are true, faithful, pure and holy, firm in principle, fearless in duty, zealous yet humble and lowly, gentle and tender, patient toward all, ready to forgive, manifesting love for souls learned from Jesus.
A minister's labor can come under a wisdom that does not come from God when he lacks steadfast purpose and a single eye for God's glory and lets his wife's likes and dislikes, preferences and opinions mold his work. This enters especially through a wife who is not humble, God-fearing, devoted and consecrated, above all one who is an unrestrained talker, leading him to acts that do much harm, so that her lack of self-denial and consecration is felt all through the conference. The verse requires educating oneself in carefulness of words and acts and entirely controlling the tongue, the unruly member, instead of acting unrestrained and unfettered, making its truth the rule for forming character unto carrying out the ten precepts and standing without fault before the throne. The tongue must be used under Christ's orders and the Holy Spirit to build up and not tear down, speaking words that soften and subdue rather than aggravate, discourage, dictate, and keep variance with brother or sister, since its use carries everlasting consequences and one who has erred in hasty, harsh speech will never improve character by vindication but must confess.
Wisdom expressed in resorting to lawsuits and retaliation, including going to law against a fellow believer, is not from above but earthly, sensual, devilish; such a course is not right, does not relieve the situation in any way, and leaves a blot upon the life. Wisdom from beneath that brings woe is also seen in worldly schemes, social attractions, and worldly bids and baits, in direction, propositions and control of the world offered to God's people. It takes hold when men of superficial piety desire patronage and fame and betray sacred interests into the hands of unbelievers, compromising sacred interests and accepting unclean practices, letting the power of darkness place its mold upon work that should stand untainted and unpolluted, and God's workers and people must keep clear of it and not touch that unclean thing, for God recognizes clean hands and a pure heart.
Call to Personal Holiness
James 3:15 sets wisdom from above, which is pure, against wisdom that is earthly, sensual and devilish and opposed to gospel purity, and a practice that defiles the body and enslaves its user belongs to that corrupt worldly wisdom. The filthy habit of tobacco use is earthly and defiling, incompatible with the purity of wisdom from above and with entire sanctification. No one can reconcile such enslaving indulgence with a claim to entire sanctification or with hope of heaven.
Enjoyment rooted in dependence on tea, coffee, tobacco, opium, alcohol or other stimulants and hurtful appetites is earthly rather than from above. Its pleasure is a cherished bodily appetite, not hunger for righteousness, holiness, or God's presence. Such indulgence dulls and deadens the body's and mind's natural sensibilities, makes a person less open to the Holy Spirit, and weakens the ability to glorify God and to worship Him with interest and zeal.
Gluttony makes a man earthly, sensual, devilish, and it is terrible in a moral point of view because it debases him. This is especially seen in eating the third meal and in eating and drinking fashionably, of that which was not designed as food for man, and too often. Such excess outrages the stomach and deranges the digestive machinery, benumbs and beclouds the moral and intellectual powers, and strengthens and inflames the passions, so that what is God-like in man is brought down to serve the lower instincts.
A life indulging sensual pleasure and licentiousness shows earthly, sensual, devilish character. Those who live so have not partaken of the divine nature nor escaped the world's corruption through lust. Satan exploits impure thoughts and desires unto sexual misconduct that draws others in, and such a life stands exposed in the light of the Judgment, stripped of heaven's appearance, leaving darkness and curses rather than heaven's light and blessings.
Unsanctified sympathy that partakes of love-sick sentimentalism is earthly and sensual, belonging to what is earthly and corruptible. Duty, happiness, future usefulness and final salvation require severing the tendrils of affection from it. Overcoming it takes more than feeble effort and a change in the course of life, for failure to be placed in connection with the Strength of Israel enfeebles all the faculties, while diligence in the use of every means of grace transforms the character and brings growth to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus.
Choosing the earthly instead of setting affections on things above where Christ sits includes pride and vanity in dress. It spends time on needless trimming and spends God's money to please fancy and win vain admiration instead of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and sustaining the gospel. God reads purposes and motives and knows whether a person loves and glorifies Him or pleases and exalts self, whether affections are fixed on heavenly things or on things earthly, sensual and devilish, for every work and every secret thing is open to His all-seeing eye and no thought, word or action escapes His notice, and every soul will be judged according to deeds done in the body. Workers for God must therefore live as in His sight, with minds and hearts imbued with the Spirit of Christ and solemnized by the sacred message, constantly developing in true virtue and godliness so that every thought, action and motive is above the earthly and sensual, finding happiness not in forbidden selfish gratifications but in Jesus and His love.
Fixing the heart on worldly gain or other finite goods degrades the soul and weakens the intellect. Selfish pursuit of wealth narrows a person, while indulgence of appetite and passion debases the whole nature, perverts judgment, and resists truth. When the will is surrendered to Satan, people descend into vice and folly.
Earthly, sensual, devilish associates corrupt the soul, and their temporal, earthly employment leads into temptation to doubt the Lord who loves and to neglect service for God. Breathing their moral malaria puts the soul in serious danger of failing where winning is possible by being placed in right relation with Jesus and making His life and character the criterion. Escape from corruption through lust comes only by becoming a partaker of the divine nature and keeping the soul in the atmosphere of heaven, avoiding ungodly companions to guard against temptation, for personal qualities and attractiveness become a curse when they entangle others and draw them into the enemy's service through a power from beneath.
Believing truth without full conversion becomes earthly, sensual, devilish when light and knowledge are turned from, when integrity is not preserved, when the Scriptures are not searched with an obedient heart to put away sin and overcome defects of character by Christ's grace, when garments are not kept white and pure, when simplicity of faith and first love are not retained, and when truth is not brought into personal contact with life. Such wisdom from below loses the strength and purity of faith, lets zeal grow cold, and bears the fruit of a degenerate and strange vine, standing as a corrupt tree bearing corrupt fruit and no fruit to the glory of God. Everything earthly, sensual and devilish is impure and unholy and must become pure and holy or be purged away, for it is a stumbling block to others and a curse to the cause, and those who remain in it have not escaped corruption through lust nor become partakers of the divine nature, but load down the people and bring weakness and feebleness, so that hearts saturated with worldliness are cut off from communion with God and dead to holiness and misrepresent Christ by their example.
Bitter envy and contention are not wisdom from above but belong to the worldly, sensual and devilish spirit, and they must not be allowed among believers or discredit the truth. Wisdom joined to bitter envying and strife in the heart, glorying and lying against the truth, does not come from above but is earthly, sensual and devilish. It is the root of bitterness that breaks Christian unity and harmony, and unless every fiber of it is eradicated it defiles many and kills spirituality by selfishness and self-sufficiency that treats others harshly. Where this wisdom rules there is confusion and every evil work, opposite to the wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, whose fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.