Word Study: From Above; Through Him;

Finding Wisdom 'From Above'; [personal study, 07/07/16]

In the midst of worldly wisdom how do we access the wisdom from above? The phrase 'from above' needs to be understood. The Bible uses the Greek Term [ἄνωθεν anōthen] 14 times and it can mean: 1) above, 6

Joh_3:31 (2), Joh_19:11, Jam_1:17, Jam_3:15, Jam_3:17 OR 2) again, 3 Joh_3:3, Joh_3:7, Gal_4:9

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

>> One must be born 'anew' or 'from above' to access the wisdom 'from above'

Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

>> this 'wisdom from above' is only accessible to those born 'from above.

Joh 3:31 He that comes from above is above all: he that is of the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaks: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

>> only those who are 'from above' can speak with the authority 'from above'

But what about the 'wisdom of the world'?

Jas 3:15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

This wisdom descends not from above - God is not the author of it, because it is bitter - not meek.

Is earthly – ἐπίγειος ep-ig'-i-os. From G1909 and G1093; worldly (physically or morally): - earthly, in earth, terrestrial. Having this life only in view.

Sensual - Ψυχικη· Animal - having for its object the gratification of the passions and animal instincts. [literally, 'of the human soul']

Devilish - Δαιμονιωδης· Demonic - inspired by demons, and maintained in the soul by their indwelling influence.

Now having accessed the wisdom from above why would we turn back to the wisdom of the world?

Gal 4:8 Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods: 9 but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereby ye desire to be in bondage over again?

[CEV] Gal 4:8 Before you knew God, you were slaves of gods that are not real.

Gal 4:9 But now you know God, or better still, God knows you. How can you turn back and become the slaves of those weak and pitiful powers?

Part 2 – Wisdom 'Through Him”

In Part 1 we discovered that Wisdom 'comes from Above in this part we need to understand that it must also come 'Through Christ”. Consider the following scriptures.

Joh_1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

Joh_3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Rom_5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Rom_8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Rom_11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Eph_2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

1Jn_4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

To summarize, through Christ we have 1) Belief 2) Salvation 3) Access to the Father 4)Life