James 1 & 3. Wisdom

I meet with a few guys each week for discipleship. Getting to walk with them and grow with them and serve with them is a huge privilege. We really hope to grow in wisdom as we study the scriptures and challenge each other. However, since I am still in my twenties and they are still in their teens, we don’t have the benefit of many years under our belts. So, James has been very encouraging to us as it has revealed that true wisdom comes from above.
We asked the question, “What does wisdom guard against and what does wisdom lead to?” We concluded that wisdom guards against foolish thoughts and considerations and leads to fruitful obedience. Wisdom is something that happens in the mind to purify the thought before it connects to the heart. Then a person’s members are presented as instruments of righteousness. Without wisdom the thought would not be purified before it connects to the heart, so the members would then be presented as instruments of unrighteousness. So, in a sense, wisdom is like a built-in purification system. Furthermore, true wisdom cannot exist outside of faith, which cannot exist unrighteously. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10). So Jesus Christ IS MY RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, if I doubtlessly expect a generous measure of wisdom I MUST cling to Christ.