Godly Wisdom · James · Wisdom

Seven Tests for Avoiding Ungodly Wisdom

Last week we discussed 10 tests to ensure you are receiving godly wisdom. Not only does James 3:13-18 provide those, but he gives us seven tests of the types of wisdom or character of people to avoid when seeking godly wisdom.

  1. Bitter people give ungodly wisdom (14). Bitter people are sharp, they are harsh inter spirit. They are angry or disappointed in how they are treated. Someone who is bitter will probably only feed into your ungodly desires.
  2. Jealous people give ungodly wisdom (14). Jealous people are self centered people. They look out for number one, and when making decisions, we can’t just think about ourselves, but those around us as well.
  3. Selfish ambition can provide ungodly wisdom (14). Is the choice in front of you only benefit you? Do you have to step on someone else in order to benefit you? Make sure there is ambition, but not selfish ambition in your decision.
  4. Proud people give ungodly wisdom (14). People who think that they are the reason the sun comes up in the morning provide poor wisdom. They often don’t realize when God is blessing them despite who they are. They often make arrogant suggestions or choices. Avoid listening to wisdom from proud people.
  5. Liars provide ungodly wisdom (14). This may seem simple, but does this person distort the truth, maybe even for flattery sake. We need people who can be honest with us, who can speak truth and put emotion aside to give us godly wisdom.
  6. Does this advice provide order or disorder (16)? Godly wisdom unites, and speaks the truth. Ungodly wisdom causes disorder, maybe within a good godly relationship or in approving of an ungodly relationship. Is the wisdom that is being given providing stability to your life, or disorder.
  7. Does my choice provide a godly or evil practice (16)? Is there sin attached to the decision I am making? 

When making decisions do you avoid those types of wisdom? If someone is speaking into your life now, is the character they have or the council they are giving really ungodly wisdom such as were listed above? There are many benefits to receiving and acting on godly wisdom, which we will address in the future.

Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10:45 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes  or Googleplay.