Wisdom

Wisdom

There are two kinds of wisdom. One kind is from below and is earthly, sensual, and demonic. The other kind, which is first and foremost pure, is from above. Jas. 3:13-18.

Having bitter envy and self-seeking in one’s heart is therefore wisdom. Such a person believes he understands a matter. Cain and Saul most likely thought they would improve matters for themselves. In all probability the person who puts someone else down by backbiting him believes the same thing. Yet this wisdom is demonic and ends in destruction.

The wisdom that is from above is first and foremost pure. Sin makes a person stupid, but he gains wisdom by purifying himself. Therefore we read so much in the Bible about purifying ourselves. “Every branch in Me . . . that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure.”

What does it actually mean to purify ourselves? It means quite simply that we purify ourselves from sin; then we will gain wisdom.

“He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” 1 John 2:10-11.

If you are in the light, you see, and then you have wisdom. If you hate, you are in darkness, and whatever you say and do in this darkness is stupid, harmful, and corrupting. There can be a difference as to how deep the darkness is. Hate is the deepest darkness, but feeling offended also belongs to darkness. Whatever you say or do while feeling offended is and remains demonic wisdom. You have to purify yourself if you want to receive the wisdom that is from above.

The people who have offended me are the reason I can see my impurity. They do not make me impure. Not at all! Impurity is present, and the circumstances only reveal it. Then I must not be interested in correcting the people who have offended me, but rather in purifying myself. Then I will receive wisdom.

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” “Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?” 1 Cor. 6:1-7.

We must possess wisdom if we are to judge the world and angels. Paul asked if there wasn’t a single wise man among them. They were enriched in all doctrine and all knowledge and all the gifts; nevertheless, they lacked wisdom. You can listen to the doctrine and to knowledge and study yourself to it, and you can pray to receive the gifts by faith, but you have to purify yourself to gain wisdom by being obedient.

Things that pertain to this life give us an opportunity to purify ourselves. Paul writes, “Do you not know . . . ?” They knew it, because he had instructed them. They had been enriched in all doctrine and all knowledge, but when they came into difficulties, sin made them stupid.

“If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15. If they do not love the Father they cannot possibly have much wisdom that is from above. The Corinthians did not understand this. When it concerned their possessions, what dwelt in their hearts was revealed. Then they had the opportunity to purify themselves and receive the pure wisdom that is able to judge the world and the angels. Even though they had this knowledge they still did not know how to cleanse themselves. Sin, on the other hand, gained power through the wisdom that is from below. The wisdom that is from above, in contrast, can only gain power through the virtues of Christ. Therefore we have to purify ourselves just as He is pure.

“How much more, things that pertain to this life?” We must be educated for such a high position. We receive this education now through the things that pertain to this world and through various circumstances. If we are not interested in our education, we will not be educated either. All the misery that is in the world has entered in through sin. Our education is quite simple. It consists of having only this one interest: purify ourselves from sin.

We discover our fallen nature by means of people and earthly circumstances. Through them we also have these precious opportunities to purify ourselves just as He is pure and to receive the same wisdom that He has, so we can sit on thrones together with Him, just as He sat down with His Father on His throne. Rev. 3:21.