Wisdom.htm

WISDOM.

"…We ask God that you may receive from Him all wisdom and spiritual understanding for full insight into His Will, so that your manner of life may be worthy of the Lord and entirely pleasing to Him…" (From Col 1:9,10 NEB).

THE SOURCE OF TRUE WISDOM IS JEHOVAH GOD.
"For Jehovah Himself gives wisdom; out of His mouth there are knowledge and discernment." (Prov 2:6).

"There is no wisdom, nor any discernment, nor any counsel in opposition to Jehovah." (Prov 21:30).

"The first step to wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Prov 9:10 NEB).

"The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge. Wisdom and discipline are what mere fools have despised." (Prov 1:7).

"If any of you falls short in wisdom, he should ask God for it, and it will be given him, for God is a generous giver who neither refuses nor reproaches anyone." (From James 1:5 NEB).

"Carefully concealed in him (The Christ) are all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge... because it is in him that all the fullness of the Divine quality dwells…" (From Col 2:3 & 9).

"The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him (Christ) a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and power, a Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:2 NEB).

"For the one finding (wisdom) will certainly find life, and gets good will from Jehovah. But the one missing me (wisdom) is doing violence to his soul; all those intensely hating me are the ones that do love death." (Prov 8:35,36).

WHY THE GODLESS CANNOT FIND WISDOM.
"When they call upon me (wisdom), I will not answer them; when they search for me, they shall not find me. Because they hate knowledge and have not chosen to fear the Lord, because they have not accepted my counsel and have spurned all my reproof, they shall eat the fruits of their behaviour... for a simpleton turns a deaf ear and comes to grief, and the stupid are ruined by their own complacency. But whoever listens to me shall live without a care, undisturbed by fear of misfortune." (From Prov 1:28-33 NEB).

"Who among you is wise or clever? Let his right conduct give practical proof of it, with the modesty that comes of wisdom. But if you are harbouring bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, consider whether your claims are not false, and a defiance of the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes from above; it is earth-bound, sensual, demonic. For with jealousy and ambition come disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is in the first place pure; and then peace-loving, considerate, and open to reason; it is straightforward and sincere, rich in mercy and in the kindly deeds that are its fruit." (James 3:13-17 NEB).

"Fools shall never possess wisdom; sinners shall catch no glimpse of her. She holds aloof from arrogance, far from the thoughts of liars." (Eccus 15:7,8 NEB).

"At that time Jesus spoke these words: 'I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and wise, and revealing them to the simple. Yes, Father, such was Thy choice." (Matt 11:25,26 NEB).

WHY WORLDLY WISDOM IS WORTHLESS BEFORE GOD.
"For it is written: "I will make the wisdom of the wise men perish, and the intelligence of the intellectual men I will shove aside." Where is the wise man? Where the scribe? Where the debater of this system of things? Did not God make the wisdom of the world foolish? ...For you behold His calling of you, brothers, that not many wise in a fleshly way were called, not many powerful, not many of noble birth; but God chose the foolish things of the world, that He might put the wise men to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world, that He might put the strong things to shame; and God chose the ignoble things of the world and the things looked down upon, the things that are not, that He might bring to nothing the things that are, in order that no flesh might boast in the sight of God." (From 1 Cor 1:19,20 & 26 29).

"Make no mistake about this: if there is anyone among you who fancies himself wise wise, I mean, by the standards of this passing age he must become a fool to gain true wisdom. For the wisdom of this world is folly in God's sight. Scripture says, 'He traps the wise in their own cunning', and again, 'The Lord knows that the arguments of the wise are futile.'" (1 Cor 3:18 20 NEB).

"Better a man who hides his folly than one who hides his wisdom!" (Eccus 20:31 NEB).

HOW TO IDENTIFY A WISE MAN.
"The wise man's mind guides his speech, and what his lips impart increases learning." (Prov 16:23 NEB).

"The words of the wise ones are like oxgoads, and just like nails driven in are those indulging in collections of sentences; they have been given from one Shepherd." (Eccles 12:11).

"A wise man's tongue spreads knowledge; stupid men talk nonsense." (Prov 15:2 NEB).

"…Let the message of Christ dwell among you in all its richness. Instruct and admonish each other with the utmost wisdom." (Col 3:16 NEB).

"(Wisdom) is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy." (Prov 3:18).

HOW TO IDENTIFY A FOOL.
"A fool's wisdom is like a tumbledown house; his knowledge is a string of ill-digested sayings." (Eccus 21:18 NEB).

"A proverb will fall flat when uttered by a fool, for he will produce it at the wrong time." (Eccus 20:20 NEB).

"Many have been led astray by their speculations, and false conjectures have impaired their judgement... if you have no knowledge, do not lay claim to it." (From Eccus 3:24,25 NEB).

WISDOM OF GOD: Spiritual perception from God.