Wisdom

James 3:10-15 - Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10,14-16 - However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"—but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God…The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Conclusions:

• Wisdom enables one to face trials with pure joy
• Wisdom is not just acquired information but practical insight with spiritual implications
• “What God has prepared” is probably not to be limited to either present or future blessing; both are involved
• The “Spirit searches all things”, not in order to know them, for He knows all things
• Instead the Holy Spirit comprehends the depth of God’s nature and His plans of grace; so He is fully competent to make the revelation claimed here
• “Man without the Spirit” is described in Jude 19 as one who follows mere natural instincts
• The non-Christian is basically dominated by the merely physical, worldly or natural life
• Because the non-Christian does not possess the Holy Spirit, he is not equipped to receive appreciatively truth that comes from the Spirit
• The non-Christian needs the new birth
• The spiritual man is the mature man
• One who does not have the Spirit is not qualified to judge the spiritual person
• Thus believers are not rightfully subject to the opinions of unbelievers.

Application:

• Do you have practical insight with spiritual implications?
• Do you love God?
• Has God revealed to you what He has prepared for you?
• Do you understand the things that come from the Spirit of God?
• Do you make judgments about all things?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible