Biblical Wisdom vs. Worldly "Wisdom" Scriptural Passages

Biblical wisdom versus worldly "wisdom" is demonstrated by these passages. They are mutually exclusive, after all, truth by definition cannot be false. The foundation of biblical truth and the world's wisdom are polar opposites. For the Christian, the world has no wisdom that is Christ-centered, fully true, nor all-wise, nor of peace. Rather the world's wisdom is earthly, demonic, deadly, unwise, sinful, feeds the sin nature, is unable to deal with the wicked heart of man, and is temporal. Only in Christ is all the wealth of wisdom and knowledge and truth. Its Christ or the world; never both.


Psa 1:1  How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 

Psa 1:2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 
Psa 1:3  He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Psa 1:4  The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
Psa 1:5  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
Psa 1:6  For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.


Jer 17:5  Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD. 
Jer 17:6  "For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant.
Jer 17:7  "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. 
Jer 17:8  "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit. 
Jer 17:9  "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
Jer 17:10  "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds. 

Jas 3:13  Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 

Jas 3:14  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 

Jas 3:15  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 

Jas 3:16  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 

Jas 3:17  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 

Jas 3:18  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

Col 2:2  that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 

Col 2:3  in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

Col 2:4  I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 

Col 2:6  Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 

Col 2:7  having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 

Col 2:8  See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 

Col 2:9  For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 

Col 2:10  and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 

Col 2:18  Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 

Col 2:19  and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God. 

Col 2:20  If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 

Col 2:21  "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" 

Col 2:22  (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 

Col 2:23  These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. 

Col 3:1  Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 

Col 3:2  Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 

Col 3:3  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 

Col 3:5  Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 

Rom 12:2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Eph 4:17  So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 

Eph 4:18  being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 

Eph 4:19  and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 

Eph 4:20  But you did not learn Christ in this way, 

Eph 4:21  if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 

Eph 4:22  that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 

Eph 4:23  and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 

Eph 4:24  and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 

1Co 2:2  For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 

1Co 2:3  I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 

1Co 2:4  and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 

1Co 2:5  so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 

1Co 2:6  Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 

1Co 2:7  but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 

1Co 1:18  For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 

1Co 1:19  For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." 

1Co 1:20  Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 

1Co 1:21  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 

1Co 1:22  For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 

1Co 1:23  but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 

1Co 1:24  but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

2Co 6:14  Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2Co 6:15  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 
2Co 6:16  Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
2Co 6:17  "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
2Co 6:18  "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty.