This morning I was still thinking about last nights lesson in Luke by Ed Gravely, and the reflections of how we all could fall into those traps of religion. I know that the term religion and the relationship are confusing to so many of us. I grew up thinking being “religious” was a good thing. But now I have come to understand that resting on what I would call “earthly wisdom” is not from God, but a tool of Satan that self glorifies, and does not preach humility and grace. We must understand that “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8)
James 3:16-17 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
James has been leading up to these verses by telling us of the power of our speech, and the hypocrisy that can come as a result of it. Do we tend to seek glory for ourselves in our desires and how we speak of heavenly things? Do we become puffed up as those that Pharisees in Christ day whom even missed the glory of God standing before them? But what if we all feel as though in some way we are resting on our wisdom? We feel that we know just enough, do just enough good works, for others to think we are a good person? That ‘just enough’ is self seeking as described above. That is earthly wisdom that forms around religion, and not reverent fear and relationship with Christ.
With Godly wisdom comes meekness. We begin to realize that we can do nothing alone, but it all flows through Christ. We realize that He reveals to us a great mystery that is heavenly wisdom that comes with time. A humble reverence and awe develop and dwell in our soul that seeks revelation from God. When we receive these specks of wisdom, when He opens our eyes through our hearts, we should only glorify Him as the result. There is only one Way to gain this knowledge, and it is not through envy or self seeking.
oneminuteministry 