“This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.”
This verse distinguishes the divine viewpoint from the human viewpoint of the previous two verses. The Bible is God’s message from Himself to us. There is where we find the divine viewpoint.
This wisdom does not descend from above,
The readers of this epistle gloried in self-centered wisdom (3:13,14). This wisdom does not descend from above (heaven) but from below (earth and the forces on it). Human wisdom is not divine viewpoint but simply a human viewpoint.
PRINCIPLE:
The mature Christian operates on divine viewpoint, not human viewpoint.
APPLICATION:
There is a tendency in our day for Christians to use human viewpoint to direct their Christian lives. This is a terrible mistake. Without divine viewpoint (knowing the principles of God’s Word and how He thinks as over against how a man thinks), we cannot live the Christian life.
1 Co 1:20-21, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world [human viewpoint]? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God [divine viewpoint], the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
1 Co 3:18-23, “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness’; 20 and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’ 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”
