Lesson 6 – James Chapter 3:13-18
We learned in the first half of chapter 3 that James has a concern about how Christians speak. Remember in the earlier chapters James pointed out that if we claim to be Christians and have faith, it will become obvious to others by the things we do. The same applies to the Christian when it comes to the way they talk, and if we have a problem with our speech, we should pray for the Lord’s help in that department. This is no difference from any other obstacles we face in life that can trip us up. But remember, God is always on our side, and He wants us to thrive as His children.
Tonight, we will examine what it means to have godly wisdom, and then the things that war against wisdom – jealousy and selfishness.
James 3:13
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.”
Wisdom was very important to the Jewish people. They knew it wasn’t enough just to have knowledge alone, but that a person needs wisdom to go along with knowledge, to use it in the right way. All of us probably know some very intelligent people, maybe you might even know someone who falls into the category of genius. But it seems as gifted as some of these people are, they don’t even know how to turn a screwdriver. So, there’s something to be said for wisdom and common sense. Knowledge by itself can fall short without godly wisdom.
Who is wise and understanding among you?
Who has wisdom?
Proverbs 4:7 Solomon wrote;
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your acquiring, get understanding.”
Some 900 years after Solomon wrote this, the Roman philosopher Cicero said that wisdom is “the best thing since sliced bread,” no, not really. He said that “wisdom is the best gifts of the gods” and is “the mother of all good things.” We know as believers that there is only one God and that all good things come down from Him. But, Solomon and Cicero both considered wisdom to be the highest and most valuable of all earthly possessions.
I Kings 3:3-15 (We see how Solomon received his wisdom)
“Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, except that Solomon, too, offered sacrifices and burned incense at the local places of worship. The most important of these places of worship was at Gibeon, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings.
That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”
Solomon replied, “You showed faithful love to your servant my father, David, because he was honest and true and faithful to you. And you have continued your faithful love to him today by giving him a son to sit on his throne.
“Now, O Lord, my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies…
I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! And I will also give you what you did not ask for – riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.” Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet.”
The irony of Solomon asking God for wisdom is he could have asked for anything else other than wisdom, it took great wisdom on Solomon’s part just to ask for wisdom.
Wisdom is to have the ability to judge correctly and then follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. Wisdom is the way of viewing and approaching life, which involves instructing the young in proper conduct and morality, and about answering philosophical questions about life’s meaning. I can’t help but think that it is wisdom combined with the Holy Spirit that directs us to faith in Christ, which results in our salvation.
What James does for us in teaching about wisdom is he incorporates the elements of wisdom into practical advice for Christian living.
Last week we talked about how old Jesus was when He first recognized that He was the Son of God, and that at age 12, Jesus was teaching in the temple. After his parents found Him and brought him back home, the Bible says:
Luke 2:52
“Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.”
Therefore, if Jesus grew in wisdom being fully God and fully man, we as believers can most certainly grow in our wisdom.
It was the Jewish people who knew and understood that real wisdom wasn’t just intellectual, but that it is also behavioral, it’s the practical things we say and do with what we know.
Who is wise and understanding among you?
“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.” (NLT)
This is reminiscent of our lesson about faith with good works. Therefore, we should understand that when we gave our life to Christ, that became the biggest event in our life. Perhaps some people think the day they got married or the day their first child was born was the biggest event in their life. But the day a person is born-again and given eternal life, this is truly our biggest day ever. And with this “great event” taking place in our life, a transformation comes about. Paul refers to us as a “new creation,” once Christ has come into our life.
II Cor. 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Being a “new creation” in Christ, a change begins to happen, a metamorphosis takes place. We are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to Christ. And as slaves to Christ, we start to live in a way that is pleasing to God (at least we should, right?). And with this, our behavior changes, we begin to see things a little differently. What also happens to us is we want to serve God in some way, that’s where our “good works” start to take place. Thus, as we serve God, our thought patterns change, and our speech changes… this is what James has been teaching us. If we fall short in some of these areas, this is where God’s grace and mercy comes along and picks us up, restoring our fellowship with God.
Now, as we’re being instructed in our walk with Christ, James is telling us that wisdom needs to be in the mix as well, which brings us all the way back to chapter 1:
James 1:5
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
If we desire more wisdom we are simply told to pray for it. Then it says to us, “God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach”
John MacArthur; “It is the Lord’s loving desire to impart divine understanding abundantly to His faithful saints. That is surely one of the most beautiful and encouraging promises in all of Scripture.”
Can God give us wisdom without us asking? Of course He can. The beauty in us praying for wisdom is that it brings us right into the throne-room of God, where we enjoy fellowship and communion with God.
James says, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.”
Hebrews 11:6
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
When we pray for wisdom, pray with confidence that God will follow through on His promises.
Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Just as you want the very best for your children, God wants the best for His children… and wisdom is very high on the list.
James 3:14
“But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.”
Having “bitter envy” is to have harsh, poisonous fierce indignation, a revengeful zeal, or an envious and contentious rivalry. Some translations just say “jealousy,” the latter definition shows us the depth of bitter envy.
Self-seeking is a desire to put one’s self forward, a partisan and fractious spirit. (grumpy)
These words carry the meaning of selfish ambition and zeal. The wisdom of the world likes this and says, “just go out there and promote yourself, you’re just as good as the rest… maybe even better.” Having this attitude in your heart is something believers should fight against. Another word for self-seeking is “strife,” which means “party spirit,” electioneering or intriguing for office, this was associated with those who were seeking a high political office. Such an attitude in the church can cause rivalries and division.
Warren Wiersbe says; “Sad to say, there is a great deal of selfish, carnal promotion among God’s people. Even the Apostles argued over who was going to be the greatest in the kingdom.”
Paul reminds us in Phil. 2:3:
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
In verse 14 James mentions the possibility self-seeking, or selfish ambition being in a person’s heart. Our motivation to do these things always begins in the heart, but remember, God is constantly looking at our heart. The heart is where unbelief and belief, sin and righteousness both come from.
Do not boast and lie against the truth… the word boast can also be seen here as “arrogant.” A believer who is proud, boasting, self-centered, and arrogant is nothing more than a sham, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. To lie against the truth is to totally contradict the Word of God… the gospel of Christ. James is describing for us a counterfeit Christian, which when mixed in within the body of Christ can pose as a real threat to the church.
James 3:15
“This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.”
We’re talking about an un-godly wisdom here, a counterfeit. The NLT words it, “For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom.” Again, this describes a person who has selfish ambition, is proud, boasting, self-centered and arrogant.
We have three kinds of wisdom mentioned here, earthly, sensual or natural, and demonic.
James gives us three un-godly forms of wisdom, which runs along the same lines as our daily battles with sin, which is with the world, our flesh, and satan.
The earthly is just what it sounds like, it comes from the present material world. Basically, it’s all the wisdom mankind can dream up to the best of his ability, which isn’t saying much. It’s just like man’s truth isn’t God’s truth. Earthly wisdom misses the mark because it is derived from man’s fallen nature.
Natural wisdom isn’t much different from earthly wisdom, it relates only to the un-redeemed, who are separated from God because of sin.
I Cor. 2:14
“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
John MacArthur says this about earthly wisdom; “All their feelings, desires, appetites, standards, and impulses are grounded in a humanistic view of the world and of man, who, understandably, becomes the measure of all things. Such wisdom not only feeds the flesh but is also foolish.”
I Cor. 1:21-22
“Since God in His wisdom saw to it that the world would never know Him through human wisdom, He has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.” (NLT)
Demonic wisdom… there seems to be a lot of this going around these days. Now, if you don’t belong to God Almighty, who do you belong to? The answer is satan, there’s no middle ground here. This is still human wisdom, but its roots go down deep into the realm of satan’s world.
It seems satan has always promised wisdom to those he tempts, look what he did to Eve in the garden…
Gen. 3:5 (satan speaking to Eve)
“For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
The demonic wisdom given to Eve convinced her that God wasn’t to be trusted and that she could be like God. We’ve been suffering the effects of that lie ever since.
II Cor. 11:3
“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
We don’t want any part of demonic wisdom!
James 3:16
“For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”
Evil (satan) produces confusion… the Greek definition is instability, a state of disorder, or disturbance.
I Cor. 14:33
“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”
It goes without saying, that the things from God are the best things for us – peace, grace, truth, faith, wisdom, salvation… satan can’t deliver any of these, he can only produce counterfeits.
I think it’s safe to say that those who are caught up in envy, jealousy and selfishness are the ones afflicted with confusion. This confusion corrupts human relationships.
It seems likely that James is looking to correct some ungodly behavior so that his readers would set aside any petty arguments and attitudes, and seek out reconciliation with each other.
Is the Holy Spirit bringing to mind someone you need to reconcile with? Don’t put it off, just do it, otherwise satan will start putting up roadblocks to stop you. Just saying!
James 3:17
“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.”
“But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.” (NLT)
When we read this verse, our soul should say to us, “Yes, this is what I want, I don’t want any of satan’s counterfeits.”
For the believer, this text should give you a sense of peace. The word pure means “free from defilement,” the Greek word is simply “men”, having nothing to do with the male gender. The wisdom that comes from above is Godly wisdom. Godly wisdom is also peaceable. This describes for us a spirit of tranquility and calmness from God. Take in a deep breath and let it out, let God’s peace refresh and wash over you.
This is quite different from demonic wisdom.
Gentle…
Matt. 11:29
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Willing to yield… or reasonable. Don’t you just like people that are reasonable or listen to reason?
They are teachable, compliant, and not stubborn people. They faithfully observe legal and moral standards. It’s a quality that is reflected in the Lord’s Beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3)
Full of mercy…
Back to the Beatitudes…
Matt. 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.”
Jesus is telling us about the character and the temperament of the Christian man or woman, when it comes to having and giving mercy.
From Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones;
“What makes me merciful is the grace of God. So, the grace of God does make me merciful. Therefore, it comes to this. If I am not merciful there is only one explanation; I have never understood the grace and the mercy of God; I am outside of Christ; I am yet in my sins, and I am unforgiven.”
Alistair Begg;
“God’s mercy alone enables us to awaken to each new day.”
One of God’s main characteristics is His mercy, and it is a characteristic He desires for His children to have as well. The believer who is full of mercy is demonstrating a godly trait that shows he or she has a life that is indeed transformed. Proof of this is seen in the believer’s capacity to forgive, and then to be willing to help in any way that is needed.
Full of mercy is a believer who has a genuine concern for fellow believers… for their brothers and sisters in Christ.
I John 4:7-8
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
The believer who loves certainly is a person who has mercy in their heart… one doesn’t exist without the other.
I John 4:11
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
If we ought to love, we ought to show mercy and forgiveness as well.
We should also be full of… good fruits.
I John 3:16-18
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
This sounds like faith and good-works doesn’t it? Good fruits refers to all the good work or deeds we do, James taught us this back in chapter 2. Good fruits in our life comes with the desire to serve God. As we pursue good fruits, we will receive help and gifts from the Holy Spirit.
Gal. 5:22-23
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (NLT)
And last in verse 17; without partiality and without hypocrisy…
Again, James also reminds us of what he has said in chapter 2. As the Christian walks the talk, living out their faith, they are to do it all without partiality and without hypocrisy. To do any good deed or produce any good fruit “with” partiality and “with” hypocrisy, is to destroy it all, making it of no value whatsoever.
The NASB uses the word “unwavering” (instead of “without partiality”) the Greek defines it as not to be parted or divided, hence without uncertainty, indecision, inconsistency, vacillation, or doubtfulness. It’s only used here in the New Testament. The word was used sometimes to show a spirit of impartiality, treating everyone the same, not showing favoritism.
James 3:18
“Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
James continues to use the word fruit to get his point across. There is a difference between what man produces and what is God-given fruit.
Warren Wiersbe says, “Fruit is the product of life, and fruit has in it the seeds for more fruit. Usually it is the seed that is sown, but here it is the fruit that is sown. As we share the fruit of God with others, they are fed and satisfied, and in turn bear fruit.”
We have here the cycle of sowing and reaping.
Gal. 6:8
“For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
Earlier I gave you the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As these fruits become more and more a reality in our life, we then begin to exercise them to those around us. This would have an effect on everyone we come in contact with, thus we are planting seeds and fruit.
Living with the fruits of the Spirit will produce a life of righteousness…
Thus, godly wisdom produces a continuing cycle of righteousness… it’s all connected. Learning these things within God’s Word will produce a peaceful, harmonious relationship between us and God. This is very pleasing to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.