Remember when the Holy Spirit through James revealed, “The wisdom that is from above is first pure” (Js 3:17). There is something about the wisdom that comes from God that instills pure thinking and motives because it originates from our Creator who is pure in all things. So we remember Paul’s advice to Timothy: “Now the purpose of the commandment is love out of a pure heart” (1 Tm 1:5; see 2 Tm 2:22). What better advice could an older man of God give to a young disciple? Paul continued by encouraging church leaders to hold “the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience” (1 Tm 3:9). “Keep yourself pure,” he continued (1 Tm 5:22). The wisdom of Paul’s advice rests in the truth that “to the pure all things are pure” (Ti 1:15). It is this pure wisdom from God, therefore, that one keeps himself or herself pure of the ways of the world.

A truly wise person will first seek to keep his or her life pure. For this reason, and especially for a young person, one should make every effort to flee that which would endanger one’s moral purity (1 Tm 6:11). Therefore, Paul instructed, “Flee also youthful lusts. But pursue righteousness” (2 Tm 2:22). Our character for Christ will be revealed through our pure moral behavior. Those who have corrupted their behavior with the impurity of the ways of the world, will manifest the nature of a dysfunctional spiritual character. There can be no true and enduring happiness if we seek to live after that which is contrary to the moral purity that comes forth from our God.
The wisdom that is poured out from above is manifested in the life of the one who has enough sense not to endanger his or her reputation by hanging around youthful impurity. The wisdom from above, therefore, is smart to do that which is right. The wisdom that comes from above leads one to keep himself or herself from all immorality, and even those situations wherein one’s morals might be compromised, or even questioned. Characters for Christ, therefore, know how to flee.

The wisdom that originates from God is generated within the minds of those who have focused their thinking on the instructions that come from God. No disciple can be guarded from unhappiness without feasting on the pure word of God. As disciples of Jesus, we are simply incomplete unless our thinking is formed and controlled by the pure wisdom that comes to us through the word of God (See 2 Tm 3:16,17). When one allows himself or herself to be instructed by God through His word, then he or she is molding the mind into godly thinking (See Rm 12:2). By being instructed by the word of God, one becomes wise in determining what is the work of the flesh and what is the fruit of the Spirit (See Gl 5:19-23). Being able to make a decision between the flesh and Spirit comes only from God’s word. Correct decisions can be made, therefore, only when one has a correct moral standard by which to make decisions. We must never forget that the truly wise person is obsessed with the pure wisdom that originates with our Creator. It is for this reason that when societies lose the moral standard of God’s wisdom, they move away from God. No society that is agnostic or atheistic will ever maintain a constant moral standard, and thus never enjoy the peace that comes from God.