Two Kinds of Wisdom (Part 2)

I want you to think about some of the changes that you have experienced in your lifetime.

How many of you grew up in the home where there was one telephone that sat on a shelf in a hallway like that you see on the screen or on a table?

It was attached to the wall by a wire. How many of you remember that pretty well? A lot of people do.

Well, now we have a phone that we put in our pocket or on our side.

We carry it everywhere we go. Quite a change, isn't it?

Who grew up in a home with one TV? Something like that.

You got three channels. You had to get up and go and turn the knob to change the channel.

Well, now we've got all forms of TV. Satellite, cable, U-verse.

More channels we could even imagine.

You can change them, record, pause, do all kinds of things from a remote or even your smartphone.

Who had a computer with dial-up internet connection that sounded like this?

Seems like an eternity, didn't it?

Now we've got instant, silent connections.

All these advances in technology that we have experienced

reveal how God has created human beings with highly developed intellectual capacities.

Tremendous intelligence human beings have.

And we're just compelled, aren't we, to constantly try to discover and develop new things, new technologies.

You know, if you just look at the history of the world,

the human race has continuously gotten smarter all the way through.

Even to today.

Even to today.

But smarter doesn't always mean wiser, does it?

In fact, the smartest people know that just that intellectual ability is not enough.

They need to know how to do something, do the right thing with that knowledge.

And so smart people understand the need for wisdom.

But when you start talking about wisdom, that brings up its own problem.

Because there's more than one kind of wisdom that we, even as Christians, possess and use.

We've been looking at it now for the last two weeks in James chapter 3.

James 3 · chapter mention

He has pointed out the basic two kinds of wisdom that we all use.

Look at it.

Earthly human wisdom in James chapter 3, verses 14 through 16.

James 3:14–16

He contrasts that with heavenly or God-given wisdom in verse 13 and then in verses 17 through 18.

Last week, we looked at earthly wisdom and defined it like this.

Man's ability to discern and judge correctly as to what he thinks is true or right.

Earthly wisdom, earthly wisdom, human wisdom, whatever you want to call it,

is a wisdom that we have as a result of being created in the image of God.

Now, we're fallen creatures.

Our God-given abilities have been corrupted by the entrance of sin into the world.

But we still have this basic common wisdom that can be very helpful at times.

But human wisdom or earthly wisdom will always be limited.

Always limited.

It will often create or lead to problems.

And it will sometimes result in evil things being done.

James describes that.

James chapter 3, in verse 15 in particular,

James 3 · chapter mention

this earthly kind of wisdom, this human wisdom that just comes to us naturally.

He says, for where jealousy, let me back up in verse 15.

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above.

It's not God-given wisdom.

It's not heavenly wisdom.

But it's earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

Now, we see evidence all around us today of how human intelligence and earthly wisdom combined

do not automatically make life better.

You think about the advances in technology.

You think about what we have available to us today.

But don't most families have less personal interaction at home than at any time in history?

I mean, isn't it true there are more times than you care to admit that one person is in one room doing one thing,

or maybe everybody can see one another, but you've got your head down in that tablet or phone or TV.

Most communities today are more divided than they've ever been.

There's not this sense of neighborliness, of people coming together, knowing one another, helping one another.

And then most of the world, most of the world feels less safe today.

And we're always on alert for possible terrorist activity.

If you think about it in these terms, earthly human wisdom alone has not made our lives better,

nor will it in the future.

We need, we desperately need God's presence in our lives, in our homes, in this community, in this world.

We need God-given wisdom to be able to look at life and figure things out from God's perspective,

how He intends things to work, how He intends life to work,

in the way that will bring true glory to Himself and will be meaningful and purposeful for us.

I want us today to look back at James chapter 3 and move forward now in verses 17 and 18

James 3 · chapter mention

and see what will happen, see what our lives will look like when we seek and apply God-given wisdom.

Now I want you to understand as we go through this,

and next week we're going to go in and start our study of Proverbs,

the Bible's big book of wisdom.

The Bible does not try to actually define wisdom.

It'll say a lot of things about wisdom,

but what you really find is that the Bible describes wisdom.

The Bible describes what it looks like in our lives.

That's what James talked about how earthly wisdom, what it looks like in our lives.

He said in one of those verses, verse 14, in verse 14 about it,

you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts.

He goes on to talk about there'll be disorder in every vile or evil practice because of that.

Earthly human wisdom can be seen.

That's all there is in our lives in those kinds of ways.

Well now let's look at verse 17,

the kinds of things that will be true about our life when we are seeking and using God's wisdom.

Verse 17,

With the wisdom from above,

heavenly wisdom,

God-given wisdom,

the wisdom from above is first pure,

then peaceable,

gentle,

open to reason,

full of mercy and good fruits,

impartial and sincere.

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The first characteristic of God-given wisdom

is also the first priority that James gives here.

It's purity,

or he uses the word just pure here in the ESV.

But the wisdom from above is first pure.

It means it's undefiled,

it's clean.

The person who lives according to God's wisdom,

they'll demonstrate it by the morally pure life that they live,

that they demonstrate in their character just who they are,

and in the things that they do.

Such purity,

such purity,

as James is describing here,

will free us from the bitter jealousy and selfish ambition

that will come,

that often comes,

when we just do our best to figure things out with our earthly wisdom.

Now,

the purity that James is talking about

can only be experienced in the life of a person

who has a right relationship with God.

If you're not a Christian,

you're not going to be able to

have this God-given wisdom

that enables you to live this clean and morally pure life

until you acknowledge that

you're not right with God,

turn from your sin,

and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ

for your salvation.

But when you do that,

God will forgive you,

He will cleanse you,

He will make you His child,

and He will give you His wisdom

if you'll ask for it,

if you'll seek it,

and be willing to use it.

But James is writing to Christians,

and that's what the majority of us are in here this morning.

So what we need to think about is this.

As a Christian,

there's a lot of times when I don't live the pure life

that Jesus expects me to live,

calls me to live as His follower.

We all know we have impure desires at times.

We have temptations to say things and do things

that are just the opposite of this moral purity.

And we give in to those desires more often than we want,

don't we?

Than we would like to admit.

We give in to those temptations.

And we need to acknowledge that.

And we also need to understand that

when there is such moral impurity in us,

about us,

it hinders our fellowship with God.

The Spirit of God is grieved by such in our lives,

by such thoughts that we dwell on and then act on.

And the Spirit of God,

who indwells every Christian,

when this is true about us,

He'll make us uneasy about ourselves.

He'll convict us of that sin.

He'll cause us to not be able to rest easy with it,

to be comfortable, to be happy in it.

Because it's His job to call us to the point of being miserable,

being guilty,

so that we will confess that sin,

turn from it,

be forgiven,

and experience a new cleansing.

The book of 1 John, chapter 1, verse 9,

1 John 1:9

talks about this.

This is a verse of Scripture that all of us need to know,

need to utilize a lot.

If we confess our sins,

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

You know, if you came in here this morning,

and there is in your life things that you know don't please God,

it may even fall under the category of moral filth.

Maybe things that you're just,

just the attitude that you have,

the fantasies you entertain,

or it could just be the language that you're using.

If you came in this way,

and the Spirit of God is really convicting you of it now.

I mean, you know it's wrong,

and you're tired of doing this,

being this way,

dishonoring God,

and probably some people in your life.

If you will honestly confess your sin,

agree with God about it,

ask Him to help you to stop it,

to turn from it.

He will forgive you.

He'll cleanse that filth.

He will give you a fresh start this morning.

You.

No matter what it is,

God will forgive you,

cleanse you,

and restore you to fellowship with Him

if you will come to Him this way.

Once we have been purified by the Lord Jesus Christ,

the Holy Spirit will work in us

to give us desires

to maintain a pure heart,

a pure mind,

so that we can live in right fellowship with God

and in right relationships with other people.

So just think,

am I demonstrating that

I have and use God-given wisdom

by the not morally perfect,

but by the purity

that I desire

and the purity that I seek to maintain

just on a daily basis?

Look at the next characteristic

of someone who lives

according to God's wisdom.

Peaceable.

Some translations say peace-loving,

but it's describing someone

who does more than just loves peace.

It's describing someone

who wants to be,

seeks to be a peacemaker.

That means they try to preserve peace

where it already exists,

and it also means they work for peace.

For it does not.

They try to bring it about.

James is not describing someone

who has this attitude,

well, I'm just sort of going to close my eyes.

I'm not going to notice things.

I'm not going to say anything.

I'm just going to sort of go along to get along

so there will be peace.

That's not what he has in mind at all.

The goal of peacemaking,

or being peaceable,

is not to live like the old man

who celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary,

and when asked what was the key to his success,

he explained it like this.

He said,

when we got married,

my wife and I made this agreement.

When she was bothered about anything,

she could just speak up,

tell me about it,

say what was on her mind,

not hold anything in.

And then,

when I was upset about something,

I would take a long walk.

And as the man talked,

he paused,

and he said,

I suppose you contribute our happy marriage

to the fact that I have largely led

an outdoor life.

Now, I just read that little story,

but I honestly know a couple.

That was the way they made it

50-something years.

She vented,

she ranted and raved

about everything

that was on her mind and heart.

And he hunted and fished

and played golf

and did a lot of things

to keep him outside

and away from her.

That was not the ideal marriage.

That was not truly

him being a peacemaker.

He was a conflict avoider.

Now, there are times

when we all need to take a walk.

Close your mouth,

take a walk.

It's not good,

it's not healthy

for us to seek fights.

And if you enjoy a conflict,

something's wrong with you.

I mean, you're not normal

if you just like

a good fight with people.

Our goal should always be

to do what Paul told

the Roman Christians.

Two different statements.

Look at it in Romans 12.

If possible,

so far as it depends on you,

live peaceably with all.

Notice the first two words there,

if possible.

It's not always possible.

Some people won't let you

live peaceably with them.

But if possible,

as far as it depends on you,

live peaceably with all people.

Maintain peace.

Work for peace

where it's not there.

And then the second thing

he says is in Romans 14,

so then let us pursue

what makes for peace

and for mutual upbuilding.

Paul is saying there,

you be proactive.

You be a peacemaker.

You do the kind of things

that will actually

bring about peace.

and mutually benefit,

build up one another.

Now,

let's think another way

that James is not

talking about.

He's not writing about a peace

that depends on

walking away

from every conflict.

Christian peacemakers.

We're supposed to

know the truth

and stand for it.

We're supposed to

know what's right

and defend

that which is right.

We ought to be people

who are

concerned about

justice prevailing.

peace prevailing.

But just as importantly now,

we need to pursue

the truth,

speak the truth

in love.

We need to

do what we can

to bring about peace

in the right kind of way,

the most positive

kind of way.

So let's just look now,

think about

our own lives.

In situations

that

exist

where there's

conflict,

let's say,

in your home.

Sometimes there's

conflict at home.

Sometimes there's

conflict at work.

Sometimes there may be

conflict at church.

Sometimes there's

conflict among

your friends at school.

When you

step into

a situation

where there is

conflict,

conflict,

what do you

bring to the table?

What do you do

by your presence,

by your words?

Do you make

things worse?

Do you add

fuel to the flames

of hostility

by the things

you say,

the way you act?

Or

does your arrival

just bring a sense

of calm?

Do your words

soothe?

Do your words

tear down

walls

instead of

reinforcing them?

Do you have

a calming

influence?

Do you try

to have a calming

influence

that seeks

a peaceful

resolution

based on

what's right

now,

based on

what will

be

just

fair,

if you want

to use

the word,

for everybody

involved?

Now,

the answer,

whatever answer

you give,

reveals the

kind of wisdom

that you operate

under in those

kind of circumstances.

You're not

really that wise

if you're just

always making

things worse.

You're operating

according to just

earthly human

wisdom,

unspiritual,

maybe even

demonic at

times.

But if you

are someone

that you

think and

you speak

and you act

in a way

trying to

bring about

peace and

calm and

unity,

then you know

you're a

Christian

with the

Spirit of God

helping you

to exercise

true

godly

wisdom.

You need

to thank

God for

that

and keep

on that.

Another

characteristic of

a person who

lives according

to God's

wisdom is

according to

the ESV

in this verse

is gentle

or

considerate.

It's

describing a

person who

knows

when and

how

to make

allowances

for others

when you

could be

just

and just

do the

right thing

but sometimes

there's a

need

to show

mercy.

I'm not

saying to

approve

what's wrong

but to

show mercy,

to show

grace.

Aren't you

glad that

God didn't

always give

you what

you deserve?

That God's

not always

just making

us reap

what we sow.

God shows

me and

I'm sure

you'd have

to say

He shows

you a lot

a whole lot

of grace

and mercy

on a regular

basis.

And we

need to

be like

God in

that, be

godly like

that and

do the

same thing.

Here's an

example of

what James

is talking

about this

kind of

gentleness.

Dr.

William

Trumbull

was an

English

statesman.

One day

he was

riding on a

train,

traveling a

distance.

He had

his own

little

compartment.

His seat

was here

and there

was a seat

across from

him facing

him.

And a

rough looking

character that

was obviously

under the

influence came

in his little

compartment and

sat out in

that seat right

in front of

him face

to face.

And the

man when he

sat down he

pulled out a

bottle and he

offered Trumbull

a drink.

Well Trumbull

just responded

calmly, no

thank you, I

don't drink.

Well the man

took a drink

himself, put the

bottle up, but

over the next

hour he pulled

that bottle out

several times and

each time he

offered Trumbull

a drink and

each time Trumbull

just calmly,

matter of factly

gave that same

response, no

thank you, I

don't drink.

Well finally it

made the man

mad and he

just looked at

Trumbull and he

said I guess you

think I'm just a

nothing but just a

drunk and you

think you're a

whole lot better

than me.

And Trumbull

again just so

calm and cool

Trumbull replied

on the contrary, I

think you're a

very generous

man.

And the person

who observed

this said that

that old man, it

just melted him.

His hostility went

away.

He quit drinking.

He started talking

to Trumbull,

talking about

himself and his

life and why

he was in the

situation he was

in and Trumbull

listened and took

him seriously.

And as they

traveled together

Trumbull who was

a Christian actually

shared the gospel

with this man who

did put his faith

in Jesus by the

end of the trip.

Now, a smart

person or a

worldly wise

person would

have figured out

a way to get

that obnoxious

drunk out of

their compartment.

And let's just be

honest.

If you were there,

if I was there,

first thought

through my mind

is how can I get

rid of him without

having a fight?

How can I get him

out of here?

I didn't pay this

money.

I don't want to be

on this trip.

Well, the drunk

in front of me

wanting me to

drink with him.

How do we, I'm

going to find

somebody to get

him out.

That's the normal

thing.

That's the smart

thing.

That's the earthly

only wisdom way

to do it.

God.

But this man,

Trumbull,

he was a godly

man with godly

wisdom who

didn't treat that

man like the man

deserved,

but treated him

as someone like

himself created in

the image of God,

treated him with

respect,

treated him with

gentleness,

gentleness,

and it had the

best outcome.

We need to look at

our lives and just

see if there's godly

wisdom coming out

in not always giving

somebody what they

deserve, not always

standing upon our own

rights, but showing

grace and being

gentle because we

are God's children

and we want to

love like he

loves.

The next one talks

about being open to

reason.

This is the opposite

of being stubborn.

The NIV translates

it as submissive.

It describes a person

who is open to

reason and willing

to be persuaded

differently than

what he or she

originally thought.

During the Civil

War, Abraham

Lincoln issued a

command to

transfer a certain

army regiment from

one place to

another.

Well, when his

secretary of war,

Edwin Stanton,

received the order,

he refused to carry

it out and he said

that Lincoln was a

fool.

Well, when Lincoln

was told this, he

replied, if Stanton

said I was a fool,

then I must be, for

he is nearly always

right.

I'll see for

myself.

And he got together

with Stanton and as

they talked about it,

he realized that he

was totally wrong, that

Stanton was right and

he withdrew the order.

Now, if we have a

conversation and you

tell me I'm a fool, I'll

just be honest with you,

most days I'm going to

bow up.

I'm not going to take

it well.

I'll call you a fool

too for calling me a

fool.

Well, what James is

saying is a person

with godly wisdom is

going to think, going

to consider what they

hear.

It could be truthful,

it could not be.

And we're not going to

be so defensive and

think that we can never

be wrong.

as you just do what you

do on a daily, weekly

basis, do you see signs

of godly wisdom in your

life?

Because you see this

quality of being

reasonable, being willing

to be corrected, willing

to change.

the next one.

Full of mercy and good

fruits.

A person who lives

according to god's

wisdom, it'll be seen

because they're full of

mercy and good fruits.

Now, mercy is a

compassionate attitude,

and good fruits are the

actions that flow from

it.

living according to god's

wisdom in this kind of

way means that when you

see a situation and you

have pity on somebody,

your heart goes out to

someone.

You do more than just say

or think, I feel sorry

for them.

You do more than even pray

for them.

You actually do something

to help them.

Think about how many

times you've run across

someone.

Maybe you knew them

real well, maybe you

didn't.

And there was, it was a

situation where they had

a need, there was

something that you could

have done, and as you

saw them, you really did

feel sorry for them.

Your heart went out to

them.

And you meant to do

something.

But you never did.

You never spoke up.

You never gave them any

money.

You never offered to

help.

You just had merciful

thoughts.

There was no good fruit.

James is telling us when

we are operating according

to godly wisdom, we'll

not just see needs.

We'll not just have a

compassionate heart.

We'll be moved to

actually do something

about it.

Final characteristic of

God's wisdom is, he

says, impartial.

Impartial and sincere.

Impartial here refers to

being consistent, really.

Being steady.

A person who is not

easily turned aside,

chooses a course of

action and sticks with

it.

Sincere here could be

translated without

hypocrisy.

impartial.

It's a reference to

being the real deal, to

being genuine.

The person who is

impartial and sincere

is the kind of person

who does not look

around to see who's

looking before they

act.

The person who acts

with impartiality and

sincerity is not

concerned with what the

majority thinks or what

the majority is doing.

The person who is truly

operating with godly

wisdom is going to do

what's right before God,

what's right for that

person, and then just deal

with whatever comes as a

result.

Deal with the fallout.

That's the kind of wisdom

that on a regular basis,

you operate according to.

Impartiality.

Sincerity.

James tells us that these

are characteristics of a

person who's living with

god-given wisdom, acting

on god-given wisdom.

And then he goes on in the

last verse, verse 18, to

talk about the results of

living this way.

Look at it again.

And a harvest of

righteousness is sown in

peace by those who make.

Peace.

Most commentators say this

is a proverbial saying.

Something that was well

known to the churches in

James' day.

Godly wisdom results in

righteousness as well as

peace.

The righteousness here

refers to right actions,

doing the right thing,

moral actions,

living according to God's

will.

You know, if we are

serious about living a

Christian life and asking

God to give us wisdom in

our various situations,

help us to know what to do,

help us to know why to do,

we'll be seeking to live our

lives in such a way that,

to the best of our knowledge,

we're doing what's right

before God and what's

right before people,

no matter what the

consequences may be.

James describes a person

with godly wisdom,

basically, as someone who is

interested in, committed to

living a life that they know

will please God.

And a person who lives this

way will be trying to live

in peace and harmony with

everybody else around them,

at least as far as it depends

on them.

Now, we've gone through this

passage, verses 13 through 18,

over three weeks now.

What have you learned about

yourself?

If you're here for the first

time, read verses 13 through 18,

and then think, do I just

on a regular basis, do I live

according to earthly human

wisdom?

Or do I live according to

heavenly God-given wisdom?

Which do you prefer?

That's a legitimate question

because James says in chapter

one, if you lack wisdom, all

you have to do is ask God.

James is talking about knowing

how to live in the midst of

life's hardships, difficulties.

He says, if you ask wisdom, ask

God.

Lack wisdom, ask God.

Look at it, James 1, verse 5,

James 1:5

first part of verse 6.

If any of you lacks wisdom,

let him ask God who gives

generously to all without

reproach.

And it will be given to him.

But let him ask in faith with

no doubting.

You know, what James is saying

here is not a one-time

request.

We need to make it a habit of

asking God to give us wisdom,

to be the kind of person we need

to be in our home, on our job,

at school, in this church, just

wherever it is that we go.

We need to ask God to give us

wisdom, to be able to see, to be

able to understand, to be able

to make decisions that would

please him, that would bring

glory to him, our ultimate goal

in life, but also would truly

help people, meet people's needs.

And in the process of doing this,

we'll be blessed.

I want to ask you this morning,

do you want to experience, be able

to use God's wisdom?

We'll ask you.

Scripture says he'll give it to us

and the results will be seen very

clearly in our lives.

Let's pray together.

Dear God, show us right now what we

should do in response to what you've

said to us.

That's what we desire, Father.

We've heard your word.

Help us now to obey it.

Show us what that means.

And in an attitude of prayer, you

listen to the Lord and you respond

to him.

If I could pray with you, help you,

I'll be here at the front for the

next few minutes.

Thank you.