Active Faith (Part Fourteen): Wise Up

Transcript

JRNT 14
02/19/2023
Active Faith (Part Fourteen): Wise Up
James 3:13-18
Jesse Randolph

Lux et Veritas, Light and Truth, that was the original motto of Yale University. A motto with was founded on Psalm 43:3, which says “O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me.” And which when Yale was founded in 1701 was a clear reference to the sending out the light of the gospel and the truth of God’s word. See, when that bastion of education and higher learning was originally founded, it was unapologetic, Yale was, about its biblical worldview. Now, so far as of the year 2023 Yale has actually kept its motto, “Light and Truth,” but you could say they’ve repurposed it. Nowadays, according to Yale’s own publications, “Light and Truth” means this: “the light of liberal education and the truth of an old New England religious heritage.”

“Vox Clamantis in Deserto,” “A Voice Crying in the Wilderness,” that was the original motto of Dartmouth College founded in 1769 in Hanover, New Hampshire. This Ivy League school has the words of Isaiah 40:3 as its motto, words which would later be appropriated by John the Baptist in John 1:23 as he proclaimed that the Messiah , Jesus of Nazareth, had arrived. Founded by a minister named Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth chose these words, “A Voice Crying in the Wilderness”, because it was at the time on the frontier of the early American settlement, and the school’s purpose was to educate Native Americans in principles of Christian theology. The motto fit, because the school was situated in a place that was deemed both a physical and spiritual wilderness. Well, like Yale, Dartmouth has actually retained its motto, sort of. Today, that school’s motto is said to represent “scientific discovery and human expression – the search for and description of found truths in the vast wilderness of the unknown.

“In Christi Gloriam,” “For the Glory of Christ,” that was the original motto of Harvard College, a motto which was adopted soon after the school’s founding in 1636. Harvard, you may know, was founded originally as a pastor’s college. A place where ministers of the gospel were trained and prepared to be sent out for service to the church. A place where they would be instructed in truth – biblical truth – so that they could more effectively serve Christ and the church. Which is why, a bit later in its history, Harvard tweaked its motto to be, “Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae,” “Truth for Christ and the Church.” Well, that’s not what Harvard stands for today. So, eventually, Harvard removed the words “for Christ and the Church” from its motto, so now that it simply reads “Truth,” “Veritas.” Meaning, through our own academic and intellectual pursuits here at Harvard we are seeking the truth, whatever that means. We’re expanding our knowledge in whatever ways we think are useful. And we’re seeking to make the world a better place however we define that.

See, these institutions of higher learning, these three colleges, these three Ivy League universities, the best of the best, with the smartest of the smart, the wisest of the wise -- they all have these deep Christians roots and they have these undeniable Christian heritages. But what they’ve done is, done their best to scrub out as though it was some sort of difficult-to-get-out-stain their previous stances for God, for Christ, for Scripture, and for the Gospel. And now, far from being pastors’ colleges, and far from being Christian institutions of higher learning, these universities, these three I just mentioned, offer classes like these. These are real titles by the way. “Understanding Darwinism,” “Fairy Tale, Myth, and Fantasy Literature,” “Cosmic Evolution: The Origins of Matter and Life, “Power and Influence,”
“Anthropology of Outer Space,” and I kid you not, “Video Games and the Meaning of Life.”
Now, the annual tuition for each of those schools, by the way, is now over $50,000. $50,000 or more, per year. And that’s without food, housing, books and the like. I’m not even sure if the old saying “You get what you pay for” applies there.

If you haven’t already noticed, we’re living in some wild times. Times where down is up, and up is down. Time where right is wrong and wrong is right. Times where truth is no longer objective but is subjective. And that’s why we have questions being thrown out in the culture. Like is polygamy morally wrong? Is attraction to minors morally wrong? Can a man get pregnant? Should ladies’ feminine products be in men’s restrooms? What is a woman anyway? As these inane thoughts and topics are thrown around, while the objective revelation of God and His infallible Word is put on the shelf, it leaves one to wonder like Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:20, “Where is the one who is wise.?

See, there clearly is a gulf, and it is an ever-widening gulf, between true wisdom, that is, wisdom from above, wisdom from God, wisdom from His Word, and false wisdom, the wisdom of the upside-down world in which we live. Which though it may pass for wisdom at places like Yale and Dartmouth and Harvard, and though it may pass for wisdom in the media, in Hollywood, at the Grammys, at the Super Bowl, even in buildings with crosses on top of them which call themselves churches -- it’s not wisdom at all. Rather, it’s unbiblical folly. It’s objectively ludicrous. And as we’re going to see today, it’s even demonic.

Well, as we get back into our study of James this morning, we’re going to see that James was no stranger to this dichotomy, between the wisdom which finds favor with the world and true wisdom, that is, “wisdom from above,” [James:17].
And as we continue on in this study of the book of James, and specifically as we get to the end of chapter 3, we’re going to see James bring out this distinction between these two types of wisdom. And specifically in the lives of believers, and specifically in the lives of believers in a local church context, he’s going to bring that into clearer and clearer focus.

Turn with me in your bibles, to James 3:13, we’re going to work all the way through verse 18 this morning. God’s word reads, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

In this passage, James transitions from discussing teachers and the tongue, which we saw back in James 3:1-12, to this topic now of wisdom. And as he does so, James divides wisdom into these two realms: the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God, heavenly wisdom and the earth’s wisdom, wisdom from above and wisdom from below. And as he showcases this contrast between these two types of wisdom, James is going to walk us through three concepts. And those three concepts are anchored by the word that I have read off many times already in this passage, that word “wisdom.” First, in verse 13, we’re going to see what wisdom accomplishes. Second, in verses 14-16, we’re going to see what wisdom avoids. Third, and last, in verses 17 and 18 we’ll see what wisdom aims for. Let’s see what James has to say for us this morning, on these subjects, and namely, what God has to say for us on these subjects, as we work our way through this text.

First, what wisdom accomplishes. Again, James starts this part of the letter, verse 13, with these words, “Who among you is wise and understanding?” Here we have an interrogative, it’s a question, and at that, it’s a rhetorical question. It’s a personal question. It’s a question that’s designed to be aimed at the consciences of James’ listeners and audience. And by asking this question James isn’t necessarily assuming that no one in the audience he’s addressing does not have these traits of wisdom and understanding. But through this question what James is doing is challenging his audience to examine themselves, to take stock of who they are, to figure out which type of wisdom is guiding them.

And this isn’t the only time, by the way, that James is using a rhetorical question in this letter. We’ve actually already seen him doing this several times throughout this letter. In fact, flip with me, if you would, back to James 2:4. James 2:4, and we see James here, firing off these four rapid-fire rhetorical questions, from verses 4-7. “Have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? . . . did not God choose the poor or this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? . . . is not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?” Question after question after question. And then in James 2:14, “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?” And then James 2:20, “But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?” The next verse, 21, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?” And then last week we saw in James 3:11, “Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?” And then we have the question that I’ve just read off for you in our text today, James 3:13, “Who among you is wise and understanding?” Questions asked by speakers to deliver content can be effective, right? Three of you got that.

Now, the word “wise” here in James’ question, historically that word “wise”, verse 13, had historically been thought of as a common Greek word for speculative knowledge and philosophy. Which is what we think of, when we think of Greek philosophy, and their obsession with the erudite. And their obsession with . . .how-many-angels-can-dance-on-the-head-of-a-pin type of questions. But by James’ time, and in James’ Jewish context, this word had developed. It had formed a richer meaning. It didn’t mean, this word “wise”, mere theoretical or speculative or academic wisdom. But instead, it meant knowledge of the most exalted things, of things divine, of things pertaining to God. To be wise then doesn’t necessarily mean that a person has mastered quantum physics or memorized the periodic table of the elements or figured out the triangle offence in basketball. No. To be wise means to know the basics, that God is One, that Jesus is the Son of God, and that there is salvation in Him and Him alone. To know that God’s Spirit indwells believers as He conforms us into the image of Christ. To be wise means to know that God’s word is the perfect and sufficient roadmap, for believers to traverse this dark and darkening world. And to be wise means to know that there’s no such thing as living a vibrant Christian life, without faithfully attaching yourself to a local church. That’s true wisdom.

Now, James not only asks, “who among you is wise” though, you noticed he also asks, “who… is… understanding?” Now, that word there for understanding is found only here in the New Testament. But we also do see it in other Greek literature. And when we do see that word in other Greek literature, it refers to a professional who’s able to skillfully apply his expertise to practical situations. In other words, the one who is understanding, as James conceives of that term here, not only know the right answers, they know the right applications. They not only know the right things, they know how to do the right things. They not only know how to take in information and become wise, they live in light of that information to show that they have understanding. That sounds a lot like James 1:22, doesn’t it? That we are to be not mere hearers but doers; to be both “wise and understanding.”
And for instance, because the wise man has knowledge that there is only one true God, he will worship that God alone. Because the wise man understands that his earthly existence is short, and eternity is not, he will invest and sow accordingly. Because this man is wise, he understands from James 3:6, that “the tongue is a fire”, and so he strives, with the power of the Spirit, to restrain it and hold it and tame it.

The verse doesn’t end there, though, does it? James doesn’t say, “Oh, you’re wise and understanding? Great! I can wrap this up now. We can all go home now.” No, look what comes next. A person that says they are “wise and understanding,” that’s wonderful if you’re “wise and understanding.” But look what he says, “Let him show” it. That sounds familiar. “Let him show” it. That sounds just like James, back in chapter 2, in his diatribe with that imaginary objector, in James 2:18, where James’ objector says he’ll show his “faith without the works,” and James says back to him, “I will show you my faith by my works.” That’s right in line with what’s happening here in James 3:13. And it’s consistent with what’s happening throughout this letter which is this constant drum that James is banging on, that true faith demonstrates. True faith does. True faith is evidenced. True faith is expressed. True faith is shown.

So, yes, in one sense, James here in this section of his letter does appear to be onto this entirely different topic. He has addressed the tongue in the last section. Now, he’s onto wisdom. But even then, this topic of wisdom falls under the broader theme of this entire letter which is that true faith is manifest. It’s displayed. It’s active. So, you say that you are wise? And you say that you’re understanding? Great, says James, show it. And how does one show it? Well, he tells us as we read on in verse 13. He says, “Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.” James starts with idea of good behavior. And what James here is saying, whether a person possesses wisdom and understanding, just like whether a person possesses faith, will be proven by their conduct. Whether one has wisdom and understanding, has to be shown by effective demonstration, and evidence and proof. And what type of proof? “By his good behavior,” literally it says there, “by his good life.” Just as James said that his faith will be demonstrated “by” his works, James 2:18, here he says that his wisdom will be demonstrated “by” his life. Our wisdom will be demonstrated “by” our lives, our good lives. That is “by” exemplary, excellent manner or living. By living in a manner that adorns the gospel we proclaim, serving as a witness to those around us, who are observing and watching our lives.

Turn with me, if you would, over to 1 Peter, just one book to the right from James. Peter has some similar things to say about the importance of living a good life and excellent life, having excellent conduct. Look at 1 Peter 2:12, we’ll start in verse 11, “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.” Or if you flip over to 1 Peter 3:16, a similar idea, “keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”

Heading back over to James. Whether or not we have true wisdom, true understanding then, will be shown in the way we conduct ourselves in the daily affairs of our lives. How we conduct ourselves in our families. How we conduct ourselves in our church. How we conduct ourselves in the culture, in society. The one who is truly wise and understanding isn’t necessarily a four-point Calvinist dispensationalist who holds to a pretribulational Rapture. And the one who is truly wise and understanding isn’t necessarily a five-point Reformed covenantalist who believes we’re living in the kingdom today. No. The one who is truly wise and understanding is the one who opens the text of scripture, studies the text of scripture, and then strives to live an upright and godly life in light of the scripture.

And as we continue on into verse 13 we see that James here is not only telling us to “show… good behavior,” and to live a “good life.” He’s also highlighting the importance of performing these “deeds, he calls them, “in the gentleness of wisdom.” Again, there’s another reference in James (we see many of them) to deeds which can also be translated works. As he does throughout this letter, James again is showing us that deeds, works, are the fruit of genuine faith. Our deeds are the litmus test of whether we possess true wisdom, whether we indeed have wisdom and understanding like we’re commended to have here in verse 13. Its not quantified by our degrees, even if we got those degrees from Harvard or Dartmouth or Yale. Instead, whether we have wisdom and understanding is measured by our deeds. Whether we have wisdom and understanding is not measured by how many books we’ve read, or lectures we’ve watched, or sermons we’ve listened to. Rather, whether we have wisdom and understanding is measured by how careful we are to apply the truth we know to the lives that we live.

And the deeds we perform, James says, are to be performed, look again at verse 13, “in the gentleness of wisdom.” Now, the word James uses here for gentleness could also be translated meekness, or even humility. In fact, James used that same word that’s translated here as gentleness back in James 1:21, when he exhorts believers, James 1:21, “in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.”

So, what is this meekness? What is this gentleness that James is speaking of here? Let’s start by describing what its not. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is not cowardice or spinelessness or timidity or indecisiveness or shyness 0r wimpiness. Not at all. Instead, the word here for meekness, gentleness, is defined as strength under control, power under control. It was a word that was used back in the days of Plato to describe a brilliant teacher who though he was being disrespected by his argumentative students as they’re throwing insults and objections his way, would keep his cool and not lose his temper. Strength under control.

The word is used in other Greek literature to describe a warm but controlled fire. Not like a wildfire, not like a raging blaze that has no end, but flames that are contained within the three walls of a hearth or in the bowl of a fire pit. There’s power there, there’s potentially destructive power, but it’s under control. Meekness, gentleness, humility -- it’s that posture of the heart that shows a purposeful mildness in dealing with others. It’s the opposite of arrogant, self-willed assertion. It’s a characteristic of true wisdom. Proverbs 11:2, it says, “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.” That’s the attitude that, again, James commended us to back in James 1:21 as we “receive the implanted word.” It’s also a virtue that’s commended all over Paul’s writings. It’s listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23, gentleness is listed there by Paul. Galatians 6:1, says, “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.” Paul also encouraged the church at Ephesus in Ephesians 4:1-2, to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness.” He said something similar to the Colossians in Colossians 3:12, he says, “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” 2 Timothy 2:24-25, Paul says to his understudy, “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition.” So, James commends gentleness, the Proverbs commend it, Paul commends gentleness.

And of course, this attitude is demonstrated perfectly for us by the Lord Jesus Christ, who said in Matthew 11:29, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.”
And He demonstrated that, did He not, throughout His earthly life and ministry, and especially up to the end of His earthly ministry. 1 Peter 2:23 says, “and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, he uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” And He demonstrated that attitude all the way to the end. Philippians 2:8 says, “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” That was strength under control.

So, meekness, gentleness, is the opposite of arrogance or entitlement or self-promotion. It doesn’t contend for recognition. Instead, it remembers our wretchedness as sinners. It remembers the great salvation that we’ve received through Jesus Christ. And it never allows itself to drift from either one of those two truths.

But it’s not just gentleness, as we get back to James 3. Its not just meekness that he’s after here. Here in verse 13 he says, he refers to, doing these deeds in “the gentleness of wisdom.” Gentleness, in other words, or meekness, the kind that shows that we truly are wise and understanding comes back to this idea of wisdom. The kind of wisdom that isn’t tied to how many gray hairs are on your head. The type of wisdom that doesn’t line up with how many feathers you have in your cap. Or how many arrows you have in your quiver. Or how many theological knots you can untie. Or how many Greek verbs you can parse. But instead, this type of wisdom is shown by what James has already commended to us -- demonstrating “good behavior,” living a good life, performing deeds in meekness, gentleness and humility, “in the gentleness of wisdom.” And that in turn flows out from having a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. And having a right and reverent fear of the Lord. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Knowledge, wisdom, rooted in the fear of the Lord, which in turn is anchored in having a right relationship with the Lord through Christ.

So, James here is asking, “Are you that wise and understanding person? Is it shown not only in what you know but in what you do? Are you demonstrating strength under control? Are you demonstrating that meekness, that gentleness of wisdom? Would your wife agree? Would your husband agree? Would your neighbors agree? Would the person behind you in the checkout line agree? Would your Facebook fiends agree? Would your real friends agree?”

To summarize, James here isn’t telling us how to get ahead in life. He isn’t instructing us here on how to have worldly success. Rather, he’s previewing for us the importance of what it means to live out this “wisdom from above” that he’s going to get into eventually here in verse 17. But before we get to verse 17, James in verses 14-16 is going to give us the antithesis of “wisdom from above.” And that takes us to our second point which is “What Wisdom Avoids.” If you’re a note taker, point two is “What Wisdom Avoids.” So, James has just told us what true wisdom looks like, showing by our good behavior, our deeds, “in the gentleness of wisdom.” Now, he’s going to describe for us the opposite of true wisdom as he shows us what true wisdom, godly wisdom, avoids.

Look at verse 14-16, “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” See, there’s a worldly wisdom that exist out there. It’s an earthly wisdom. It’s the type of wisdom that is found on campuses like Yale and Harvard and Dartmouth. But this type of “wisdom” has roots that go far deeper than the layers of the earth. And this kind of wisdom has tentacles that reach much further than the halls of certain Ivy League schools.

Take a look at verse 14 again, “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.” He starts there by saying, “But if you have,” if you’re holding onto, if you’re harboring. Meaning whatever is going to come next is not only present but its being grasped, its being clutched. And what’s being clutched, what’s being held onto? Well, first, James calls out these twin ideas of “bitter jealousy” and “selfish ambition.”

Let’s talk about “bitter jealousy” first. That word for jealousy can also be translated zealous or zeal. And of course, there are cases in which zeal and even jealousy is a good thing. John 2:17 speaking of our Lord says, “Zeal for Your house will consume Me,” speaking of a positive trait that our Lord possessed (as though He would have negative traits). 2 Corinthians 11:2, Paul speaking of his affection for the church at Corinth says, “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy.” So, there are instances where the term “jealous” or “zeal” is in a positive light.

Not usually though, usually references to jealousy in the New Testament are a bad thing. And there’s a built-in negative connotation. Romans 13:13 says, “Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.” 1 Corinthians 3:3 says, “For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” And of course, Paul, the deeds of the flesh, Galatians 5:19-20, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy…” That’s certainly the case here in James. He is using this term “jealousy” not in the positive sense, but in the negative sense. And that’s very clearly the case, given his insertion of the word “bitter” right in front of the word “jealousy.” And that word “bitter”, by the way, it was used in James’ day to describe undrinkable water, so that you read these words and you’d see this nasty connotation. When you put these two words together, bitter and jealousy, what’s being described is this harsh, resentful attitude toward others which is never anything to boast in or glory about. True wisdom makes no room for bitter jealousy.

Next, he calls out “selfish ambition,” the evil twin of “bitter jealousy.” And outside of scripture, the only other times that we will see these terms, “selfish ambition” are in the writings of Aristotle, who uses this very term, “selfish ambition” to describe the “self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means.” So, James here, by using this term in his letter, seems to be calling out the person who, for personal advantage, deploys some sort of unethical or ungodly behavior to promote whatever cause he’s promoting in the church of Jesus Christ. James here is describing the person who has a naturally factious and divisive spirit, the person who’s known to glad-hand his way to the top of the ranks of the church, the one who is known to ‘grease the wheels’ in the church, as one might do otherwise in the Roman senate. He’s describing somebody who’s politicking in the church.

Paul uses a similar word, in Philippians 1:17, where he describes rivals in the church, who he says “proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives.” James here is calling out that person who’s willing to use unworthy and divisive means to promote his own interests and views in the church. The person who is harboring jealous thoughts towards others, secretly nursing ungodly ambition, fostering a ‘me first’ type of attitude, scheming up ways to be seen and to be heard, grasping and clutching for self-advancement no matter the cost. To harbor such “bitter jealousy” such “selfish ambition” in the church of Jesus Christ, in the midst of Christ’s beautiful bride, is not only an ungodly way to live, it’s a totally reprehensible way to function in the church.

And look where this “bitter jealousy” and “selfish ambition” comes from. It starts, we see it right here in the text, in verse 14, “in your heart.” The problem is not external but internal. The evil impulses within, not the Holy Spirit, are the true sources of these evils. Just as we saw last week, our tongues tattle on our hearts. But so too, do our feelings of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. These aren’t just fleeting feelings that we sort of need to process only to eventually ignore. Rather, these are heart level sins which have to be rooted out! Proverbs 4:23, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”

James here wants us to grow in wisdom and understanding as we live committed lives for Christ and as we strive to be doers of the word. And the only way we’re going to do that, as we’ve just seen in verse 13, is to show through our “good behavior,” our “deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.” But the person who has bitter jealousy, the person who has selfish ambition in their heart, the person who insists on being first, on being right, on having an audience, or having to be the best, is completely off course. People like those are not glorifying God. They are, instead, seeking to bring glory to themselves, no matter the relational wreckage they leave in their wake. So, if your zeal, even if based on truth, introduces this sort of attitude and, as a result, this sort of discord into the church, it’s not true wisdom. Instead, it’s a runaway train and its going to be destructive unless its course changes and there’s true repentance.

Jump ahead with me, to verse 16, because we’re going to see here, what these attitudes of jealousy and ambition will eventually cause. It says, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist”, he’s using the same words here in verse 16 as he does back in verse 14, with the exception of the word “bitter” not being there. And again, to refer to jealousy here is not a good thing. He’s not referring to a zeal for truth or advancing the truth. He’s referring to advancing you and your desires and your ideas and your preferences. And when that sort of self-serving attitude exists, as we’re going to work through this passage later, “There is disorder,” he says, “and every evil thing.”

Which is why James says what he says back in verse 14, cut it out! That’s my interpretive clause. He says, no, “do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.” Meaning stop claiming that your bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are somehow the result of, or an expression of, God’s wisdom. I mean, what a rebuke! And a timeless one, at that. This rebuke transcends decades and centuries and zip codes. Remember, James here is addressing Christians, people who are gathering with other believers under the banner of the name of Jesus Christ. And he’s saying to them here, and to all of us, “If you’re presuming to be wise because you say you’re doing God’s work, but inside you know full well that you are being driven by pride and jealousy and ambition, and in fact, you are a ladder-climbing, factious spirit -- you are being “arrogant” and “lie against the truth.” And not only that, now you’re revealing what and who really has a grip on your heart.

Look at verse 15, he says, “This wisdom is not that which comes down from above.” “Every good and perfect gift,” we know from James 1:17, “is from above.” But not this type of wisdom. No, this type of wisdom, as we see the rest of verse 15, ‘is earthly, natural, demonic.” As we’ve seen, there is a type of wisdom that is unspiritual. A type of wisdom that is highly self-centered. A type of wisdom which is oriented toward personal gain. A type of wisdom that’s driven by the dictates of a selfish mind and heart. This kind of wisdom isn’t neutral. This kind of wisdom isn’t trivial. No, as we’re about to see, it is earthly, natural, demonic. We’ll take these one by one. Note, there’s this natural, notable downward progression in the way James writes this.

First, he says, such wisdom is “earthly,” literally earth-bound. As he does elsewhere in the letter, James is portraying the earth, the world, negatively. By definition, that which is “earthly,” is inferior in comparison to that which is heavenly or that which is eternal. And as James mentions many times in this letter, the forces of this earth, the forces of this world, are against God. James 4:4 says, “friendship with the world is,” enmity, “hostility toward God.” Worldly wisdom then is by definition anti-God. It borrows terms from God, it borrows definitions from God. It’s spouted by people who are breathing the air that God has given them. But its fundamentally against God. It’s earthly.

Second, James calls that type of wisdom “natural,” well, which can also be translated “unspiritual.” Whenever this word is used in the New Testament outside of this reference it always has a negative connotation. Since to be “unspiritual” or “natural” is set against -- you guessed it -- being spiritual or Spirit led. And the classic example of such a negative usage of the term “natural” is in 1 Corinthians 2:14, which says, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them.” The natural man, in other words, describes someone who possesses physical life but that’s all they possess because they don’t have the Spirit of God. They’re able in some ways to respond to all the natural stimuli in the world. They can hear the orchestra and take in the sounds. They can view a sunset and somewhat appreciate its beauty. But that’s all they can do with those stimuli, because without the Spirit they have no reference point for whatever it is they’re hearing or beholding.

Third, last, worst, this so-called wisdom which James is calling out here in verse 15, is “demonic.” This so-called wisdom which produces “bitter jealousy” and “selfish ambition” is radically evil and authored by the devil himself. There’s only one devil, Satan, but there are vast numbers of demons who further and advance his work. And they are the instigators of the “bitter jealousy” and the “selfish ambition” that reigns in human hearts, even when those humans show up to church.

The point is this type of wisdom which James is calling out here in verse 15, which is marked by “bitter Jealousy” and “selfish ambition,” is really a phantom wisdom. It’s a false representation of the real thing. Its not wisdom at all. It’s “earthly, natural, demonic.” That sounds a lot like John in 1 John 2:16, it’s from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

And not only is this so-called form of wisdom not from above, it causes real troubles, real pains, real problems. Let’s look again at verse 16, he says, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” The results of this earthly wisdom, this worldly wisdom, are dismal.
First, it causes “disorder.” And we know that when earthly wisdom enters the church it doesn’t bring enlightenment. No, it brings disturbance and disorder and chaos. That’s what liberalism did a hundred years ago in its denial of the virgin birth of Christ. That’s what Darwinism has tried to do in denying the literal, six-day creation account. That’s what ecumenicism has done in its denial of certain lines that need to be drawn based on the pages of scripture. That’s what all three waves of feminism have done. And that’s what the modern-day introduction of critical theory and concepts of social justice and wokeness have done as they’ve seeped their way into the church.
And that word “disorder” here in James, by the way, is the same word James uses back in James 1:8, to describe the “double-minded man” who’s “unstable in all his ways.” So, just as the “double-minded man” has reason to question his direction, and in his case the status of his soul, the disordered church, dominated by worldly wisdom and earthly wisdom, has reason to consider what it’s doing and whether it is indeed a true church.

But James doesn’t stop with ‘disorder.” He says, “there is disorder and every evil thing.” The introduction of worldly wisdom into the lives of Christians and into the church brings about wickedness of every kind. Literally, it says here “every worthless work.” Things which are good-for-nothing. And we wonder how church services over time become all about climate-controlled comfort. And we wonder why the musical part of worship services more and more become like rock shows. And we wonder why sermons more and more have become truncated pep talks. And we wonder why this desire of the pursuit of holiness that bygone generations have had is now lost. And we wonder why this focus on the grandeur and glory of God from previous generations is now dimmed. When we resort to earthly wisdom, worldly wisdom, anything can happen. To use James’ words, “every evil thing” can creep in.

So, we’ve seen “What Wisdom Accomplishes,” that was our first heading, “by his good behavior”, the performance of “deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.” We’ve just now seen in verses 14-16, “What Wisdom Avoids,” “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” in the heart, arrogance and lying against the truth. Now, as we get to verses 17 and 18, we’re going to see “What Wisdom Aims For,” that’s our third and final heading.

Look at verse 17, he says, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” “Wisdom from above,” again James 1:17, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift” is from where? “Above.” And this type of wisdom, godly wisdom, God’s wisdom, heaven-sent wisdom, “wisdom from above”, is marked by several traits which James lays out for us here in rapid-fire format. Similar to what Paul does in Galatians 5, with the fruit of the Spirit. We’re going to run through these one by one.

First, “The wisdom from above” James says, verse 17, “is first pure.” And that one, purity, is listed there by James as a matter of first importance, it’s a matter of first rank. It’s placed at the head of this list here intentionally by James because it’s the source and the key to each of the other qualities that he’s going to list out. “Pure” here means to be made up of spiritual integrity, moral sincerity. It refers to being clean, undefiled, free of contamination, free of vices. It recognizes as Psalm 12:6 says, that “The words of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.”
It recognizes as Proverbs 21:8 says, that “The way of a guilty man is crooked, but as for the pure, his conduct is upright.” It recognizes, 1 John 3:3 says, that “everyone who has this hope…” the hope of His appearing, the hope of our Lord’s appearing “purifies himself, just as He is pure.” In other words, to be pure is to recognize our need to lead a morally pure life, as a right and reasonable response to having been saved by the precious blood of the pure and spotless Lamb of God. So, “wisdom from above is first pure.”

Next, he says it’s “peaceable.” That doesn’t mean that a person who is peaceable, we might think, you know, peace, love -- hippie-type peace -- that’s not what’s being said here. He’s not talking about necessarily being a conflict avoider. But he is talking about restraining discord, and promoting right relationships with others, and healing divisions that might otherwise exist. This type of person, the peaceable person, recognizes as Ephesians 2:14 says, that Christ “Himself is our peace.”
They recognize that the peace that He offers, John 14:27, is not like the peace the world offers.
They recognize that their days of warring against God, and He against them, are now over, “having been justified by faith”, Romans 5:1, “we [now] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” They are “diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” Ephesians 4:3. They “pursue the things which make for peace,” Romans 14:19, “and the building up of one another.”
And they strive to live out what Paul says in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

So, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable,” next, it’s “gentle.” That describes, that word, the kind of person who though wronged and though they have the ‘right’ not to bend and stand their ground, nevertheless opts to forgo his or her own rights rather than ‘getting their way.’ We’ve an ongoing debate in our home about Culvers, it’s one of the places we eat. If they get our order wrong, do we take it back or do we just take it home and eat it? I won’t tell you who takes what position in our home, but one of us is more “gentle”. One says, ‘oh, we’ll just take it, no big deal.’ That’s the idea here. The right of not ‘getting your way.’ Such a person is willing to submit to all types of mistreatment, all types of difficulty, and they do so with this attitude of kind, courteous, and patient humility. For this one I’m reminded of the last part of Romans 12, Paul says several things that line up with this trait of being “gentle.” Romans 12:14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Romans 12:17, “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.” Romans 12:19, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God.” Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Back to James 3:17, “the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,” and then here’s the next one, “reasonable.” The person who is “reasonable” (no surprise here) is open to reason. They are teachable and if necessary they are willing to yield. That doesn’t mean they have no convictions at all, or that they are a total pushover. But what it does describe is someone who is sober and thoughtful and reflective, so that once they’ve heard the truth, they receive and accept it for what it is.

Next, “the wisdom from above is… full of mercy and good fruits.” Those are described together here. “Mercy” is not simply pity, “mercy” is not simply sympathy. Rather, “mercy” is a form of compassion which drives a person to action. Like all the people I saw on the road the past few days that would get out of their car and push people out of ditches and through intersections as they were gliding all over the ice -- “mercy”. And “mercy” goes together with “good fruit.” Because mercy does lead to action, it manifests itself outwardly, it demonstrates itself through “good fruit.” We’ve seen an aspect of this already in our study of James. When we were in James 1:27, we saw that James says, “pure and undefiled religion is… to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” That’s the same idea here, James is re-affirming in James 3:17 this idea of being full of “mercy and good fruits.”

Next, “the wisdom from above is… unwavering.” That means without uncertainty. Meaning such a person is undivided in their commitments and convictions. They don’t vacillate, taking one position with one group or in one circumstance, and another position with another group and another circumstance. Rather, they operate on consistent principle. They’re the opposite of the “double-minded man” of James 1:8.

And last, “the wisdom from above is… without hypocrisy,” meaning it’s sincere. Those who have this form of wisdom aren’t play-acting. Rather, what you see is what you get, there’s no feigned sincerity, there’s no pretense, nothing is put on.

Well, as we’ve already seen many times already in the book of James, what James is listing here, what he’s saying here in verse 17, has clear parallels to the words of His half-brother or Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, who said many similar things back in His Sermon on the Mount. If you would, turn with me back in your bibles to Matthew 5. I’m not going to do a full-on exposition of Matthew 5. I’m just going to read a few verses here, and I want you to just note and file away the parallels between what our Lord said in His context and what James is now saying in James 3:17. Look at Matthew 5: 5, “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

With that, we can turn to our last verse back in the book of James, James 3:18, where James says, “And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” In contrast to the disorder and evil which result from selfish ambition, James says here in verse 18, that “peace” in the life of the believer is a seed that’s sown which yields a harvest of righteousness. And that “righteousness” cannot be found in an environment where there is bitter envy or “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” Instead, such “righteousness” can only grow and thrive in a climate of “peace.” Peacemakers sow this seed of peace through their attitudes and through their actions. And that seed in turn produces this fruit of righteousness that James speaks of, this harvest of righteousness.

Now, when James here speaks of righteousness, he’s not referring to Paul’s idea of justification, whereby a sinner is forensically declared justified, righteous, when they put their faith in Christ. He’s not talking about peace with God in the Romans 5:1 sense. If a person was “justified” by being peaceful, then there’d be a whole lot of protestors who would be immediately saved by being peaceful people. Rather, the words “whose fruit is righteousness” in their context appear to be referring to the fruit which righteousness produces, the good works that result from salvation which we see supported all over the New Testament.
Luke 3:8, “bear fruits in keeping with repentance.”
Ephesians 5:9, “for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth.”
Galatians 5:22, “the fruit of the Spirit.”
Philippians 1:11, “having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Last, James says that this seed, “whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” Which again sounds a lot like the words of our Lord, Matthew 5:9, where He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

So, here we are again, as we close, back to this topic of wisdom and the dichotomy that exists between merely having knowledge and having wisdom. No.

Knowledge can help you build a car. Wisdom will inform you as to how you ought to drive that car.
Knowledge can help you perform heart surgery. Wisdom will tell you avoid the triple cheeseburger diet and maybe you won’t have heart surgery. Knowledge can get you into Yale or Harvard or Dartmouth. Wisdom, meaning, a right and reverent fear of the Lord which comes from repenting from one’s sin and trusting in Jesus Christ -- that can get you into heaven. Knowledge can get you places and help you move up the ladder, even if you do so with “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition.” Wisdom may not take you to those same places, but it gives you reason to rejoice knowing that your life is pleasing to the Lord. As you strive to show by your good behavior your deeds, James 3:13, “in the gentleness of wisdom.” As you demonstrate, James 3:17, purity, peace, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, singularity of focus, and stability. As you harvest that “fruit of righteousness” in your life.

Do you have that “wisdom from above”? You can only have it if you have trusted in Christ, believed in His finished work on the cross. If you have the Spirit of God living in you. If you fear the Lord. If you are seeking God’s wisdom through His word. And if you ask of it from Him through prayer. And if you’re seeking that wisdom, ask for it. You’ll receive it, our God will be pleased to give it to you. Turn with me to James 1:5. Many months ago, we covered this verse, James 1:5. “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Amen.

Let’s pray. Father, thank You so much for the privilege to be together, to be able to sing together, to be able to pray together, to be able to be instructed by the word together. Thank You, for Your word. Thank You, for James and the unique ways that You through Your Spirit move him to pen these words, so that we might understand what it means to live a life of wisdom, true wisdom, in a world that’s going mad. God, I pray for those of us who know You through Christ, that we would be challenged to evaluate the worldly wisdom that still clings, to repent of it, to put it off, and to pursue that wisdom from above. And if there are those here who do not know You, I pray that they would understand that this is not a matter of becoming more wise, to become a member of the family of God. This is a matter of trusting exclusively in what Christ has already done. To then have the hope of heaven, to have sins forgiven, and to have eternal life secured. God, I pray, if there is someone here, who does not know You, who has not given their life to Christ, that today would be the day that they would get real with You. Get real about their sin, trust in Christ to wash it all away. We thank You again. In Jesus’ name. Amen