Psalm 1(The Message) verse 1 "How well God must like you--you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College."
Smartville is an international community made up of three groups of people:
1. The 'smartines' 2. The 'smartlets' 3. The 'smartless'
The first group possesses, practices, and propagates a brand of wisdom in all spheres of life including religion. This wisdom is described in the scripture below:
James 3:15 (Amplified Bible) "This [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal), even devilish (demoniacal)." The ‘smartines’ hang out at Sin Salon, slink along Dead-End Road, and go to Smart -Mouth College!
The second group possesses, practices, and propagates a brand of wisdom in all spheres of life. This wisdom is described in the scripture below:-
James 3:17 (Amplified Bible) "But the wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity)." This wisdom is linked to the fear of God(Psalm 111:10 & Job 28:28) which comes with the knowledge of God(Isaiah 11:2c-3a).This knowledge is personal ,intimate ,special ,unending ,amazing ,and dynamic !It is acquired by everyone(Heb.8:11) who has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour! To receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, a person must:
Acknowledge that he is a sinner (a ‘smartine’/’smartless’ indeed)-Rom.3:23.
He must repent wholeheartedly from his sins-Acts 3:19.
Believe that Jesus Christ died for his sins-Acts 16:31.
Thereafter live his life to please Christ as his new master-2 Cor.5:15.
It is through knowing God that all things that are needed for one's fulfillment is given (2 Peter 1:3). The smarlets are therefore Christ like in knowledge, inward humility, and outward lifestyle:-
James 3:13 (Amplified Bible) "Who is there among you who is wise and intelligent? Then let him by his noble living show forth his [good] works with the [unobtrusive] humility [which is the proper attribute] of true wisdom." The ‘smartlets’ by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God demonstrate the beautiful attitudes described by Christ in the beatitudes outlined in Matthew 5:3-12. Their daily pursuit is the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt.6:33, Psalm 1:2). If the ‘smartlets’ get mixed-up with the wisdom of the ‘smartines’,they become messed-up!
The third group is ironically ostracized by the first group; and it has unfortunately alienated itself from the second group! It is actually a subgroup of the first group! it lacks both the wisdom of the ‘smartines’ or that of the ‘smartlets’.Such lack of wisdom which is known as folly is actually 'earthy,sensual,devilish'(James 3:15) in nature just like the wisdom of the ‘smartines’. Therefore both the ‘smartines’ and the ‘smartless’ possess the vices described in the woes stated by Christ in Luke 6:24-26.Their daily pursuits are the things of this world (Matt.6:32a).
Smartville started only with ‘smartlets’(Genesis 1-2) but when they fell into sin(Genesis 3),the other two groups emerged, and all 3 groups still exist today wherever man is found! No-one born into Smartville can become a ‘smartlet’ until he/she has a personal encounter with Christ Jesus-John 1:12.This golden opportunity is still available to every reader of the article before the day of God's wrath comes (Psalm 1:5, Rom.5:9)!
