James 3:13-18

Good morning.

This morning we're going to be in James chapter 3, but before we go there, let me just pray for us one more time.

James 3 · chapter mention

Father, today I can't help but to remember September 11th.

And Lord, where our nation was uh terrorized, and where families lost so many loved ones.

And Lord, this is just a reminder that we live in a fallen, broken, evil world.

For we have gone astray.

And Father, we declare this morning and we remember that it is your truth, it is your gospel that will change this world.

And so, Lord, here at Proclamation Church, may we be a people that not only truly believes that, but is bold to declare it to a world that is perishing.

And so, Lord, I just pray that you would uh ignite our hearts this morning and remind us that what really matters, and it's you, Jesus, it's you, God.

And so, Father, I pray that this morning you would encourage us that we would walk out of here in greater love with you, and that we would be edified and conformed more into your image.

I pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

All right, good morning, guys.

Turn with me, if you will, to James chapter 3, and today we will be looking at verses 13 through 18.

James 3 · chapter mention

James chapter 3, and we'll be looking at verses 13 through 18.

James 3 · chapter mention

And this passage is all about wisdom.

To be more specific, two kinds of wisdom.

So leading up to this point, James has discussed a variety of topics.

In chapter one, he talked about trials and temptations and true religion.

In chapter two, he discussed favoritism and he talked about how true faith should be working and how it works.

And then here in the beginning of chapter three, he talked about taming the tongue.

So it is fitting now that he would now talk about wisdom, because it would be impossible to do anything that he just mentioned in the last three chapters without it.

Without wisdom, trying to apply God's truth is a vain pursuit.

It's like trying to drive a truck without an engine.

So we all need wisdom to do the will of God.

And if there was anyone who desperately needed wisdom, it was certainly the Jewish believers that James was writing to.

So these poor Christians, they were persecuted, they were forced to leave Jerusalem, they had to flee to foreign regions and start a new life.

So we can only imagine the physical and the emotional and the financial grief that these Christians experienced.

So that is why James told them earlier in chapter 1, verse 5 if any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God.

And so they needed wisdom in their time of trouble.

Anytime we face tribulation, trial, suffering, there is a temptation to make rash decisions or get discouraged or depressed, or even worse, we get mad at God for our circumstances.

So when we suffer, it's important that we seek God's wisdom for understanding and for peace and for perseverance.

But in all reality, we all need wisdom.

That's the reality of it.

Whether life is hard or not, we need wisdom to manage our finances, raise our children, deal with conflict, respond to life changes, handle difficult situations.

Nowadays, you need a ton of wisdom just to shop at Walmart.

The place is crazy.

But the point is this: no matter where you are at in life, you need wisdom.

Proverbs 4 7 says this above all and before all, do this.

Get wisdom.

And again, in Proverbs 16, wisdom is far better than gold.

So we're told in Scripture, time and time again, to seek wisdom before money, success, appearance, health, power, or popularity.

So Scripture clearly puts a high emphasis on wisdom.

In fact, it's mentioned 222 times in the Bible.

It is regarded as one of the highest virtues.

And for this reason, is because without it, we're totally lost and we're totally enslaved to the ways of this world.

And so we need God's wisdom to make sound judgments, to discern evil, to help other people, and to make God glorifying decisions in our lives.

But our passage today isn't about our need for wisdom.

James already established that back in chapter 1, verse 5.

Our message this morning is a reminder and a warning that there are two types of wisdom available to us: a good wisdom and a bad wisdom.

The wisdom of God and the wisdom of man.

And so the question isn't, do I need wisdom?

That's been established.

The question that James answers for us this morning is this what kind of wisdom are we pursuing, and what kind of fruit is it producing?

And so convincing someone that they need wisdom is not enough.

They must also know and be aware that there are two sources that they can pull from, two contrary wisdoms that produce two totally different fruits.

And so what are these wisdoms?

Where did they come from?

And what is the fruit of each?

That is what James will answer for us today.

And he starts his argument by calling forth those who would consider themselves wise.

He says in verse 13, Who is wise in understanding among you?

James, in his rhetoric, is baiting his audience.

To ask a question like this to the Jews is like asking who wants ice cream to a group of kids.

Okay, because the Jews, they idolized rabbis and teachers and religious leaders.

And the most obvious is among the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

So in Jewish culture, to be a religious wise man, it was a glamorized gig.

And it involved great power and prestige and glory.

And so it became so elevated that they actually believed at some point that you could receive eternal benefits by sitting at the feet of a rabbi from the dust that falls off of him.

And so this cultivated a lot of spiritual pride, a lot of arrogance.

People wanted to be recognized as the wise in the spiritual.

Look at me and how spiritual and used by God I am.

I've got all the answers.

I'm smart.

I'm special.

And so many people were pursuing this position, but they were doing it in a fleshly manner.

And they were very quick to call themselves wise.

So this is the context.

So you can imagine when James asked the question, who is wise among you?

Many prideful hands shot up.

I am, I am.

But James isn't looking for a verbal confession.

He isn't interested in a show of hands.

Instead, he challenges them to prove their wisdom by their humble and obedient lifestyle.

Look at verse 13.

He says, Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

So when you think of a wise person, what comes to mind?

I often think of like Gandalf or like a Chinese monk.

I commonly think of like Yoda from Star Wars, someone who's a little bit older, wrinkly maybe, uh, just spitting wisdom to troubled people.

But that's not the teaching here.

So to be wise isn't just speaking well.

It's not having merely just a lot of knowledge, it's living well.

So James is not undermining knowledge.

We certainly need that.

But wisdom is most clearly seen in good works that are done in humility.

Now, this is a revolutionary concept, especially to the Jewish culture and probably our culture too, because wisdom, excuse me, was often equated with educational training, being able to recite the Mosaic law, and how much life experience you had.

Wisdom by human standards was based on a resume.

But here, he doesn't say, show me your wisdom by your knowledge or your college degree or your wit or cleverness or what kind of life experience you've had.

These things can be helpful, and God can certainly use such things to make us more wise, but it is not the ultimate measurement for biblical wisdom.

So true wisdom is practical in nature, and it is revealed not in what you know, but in what you do.

The true test of God's kind of wisdom is a life that is well lived, a life spent doing good works.

And so things like age, status, background, or experience doesn't make you wise.

There are plenty of atheists who have all those things and they are foolish.

And so true wisdom is measured by humble obedience to God's word.

It is validated by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

As Matthew Henry once said, he who thinks well or talks well is not wise in the sense of Scripture if he does not live and act well.

And so this is the difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Knowledge is knowing facts and information and collecting data.

But wisdom is being able to apply that knowledge appropriately.

I may know all the scriptures in the world, but if I am not applying God's truth to my life, I'm a complete fool.

And so take, for example, Jesus when he was tempted by Satan in Matthew 4.

In his knowledge, Jesus quoted scripture.

But in his wisdom, Jesus obeyed the scripture that he quoted.

And so he didn't overcome by merely throwing a Bible verse at Satan.

He overcame because he was actively obeying the scripture that he quoted.

That's wisdom.

Take another example from Matthew 7, the two builders.

Both builders had knowledge.

One built his house on the rock, and the other built his house on the sand.

But the one who built his house on the rock, the one who hears God's word and does it, that says Jesus, was the wise man.

The other was foolish.

And so, in the same way, there are a lot of people who can make good arguments.

They're very informational.

They can tell you everything there is to know about the gospel, and they may even have years of theological training, able to map out every doctrine and tell you what every Greek and Hebrew word means.

But if they are not living for Jesus Christ and reflecting his gentle, compassionate, and meek spirit, they are not wise, according to James.

And so don't tell me how wise you are by confession.

Don't show me how wise you are by mere knowledge.

Show me a man or a woman who delights in the commands of God and is humble in that.

That, my friends, is a wise person.

They have discovered the true wisdom that comes from God.

And the good works must be rooted in humility.

You cannot have one without the other.

There are plenty of moralists and legalists and philanthropists out there who do wonderful things, really good things.

And they do it arrogantly.

Look at me, I'm helping the poor.

I'm fasting.

I work hard.

I give to charity.

I don't cuss, I don't drink, I don't smoke, I'm a good person.

And they're very eager to flaunt their good works.

But that's not the teaching here.

This is someone who is entirely aware that apart from Jesus Christ, they can do nothing.

This is a person who relies on the power of God for every good work.

This is someone who realizes that if God had not saved them, they would still be lost and addicted to sin and probably sizzling in hell.

This is someone who realizes that they are who they are by the grace of God.

And they now have the humble privilege, privilege, to serve Him and advance His kingdom on earth.

Not for show, not for merit, not for the praise of men, but simply because they love God.

They're so thankful for what He's done.

This is what God's wisdom produces, this is what it looks like.

Now, on the flip side to this, James is now going to show us what the wisdom of this world looks like and what it produces in verse 14.

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

So this is the opposite of humble obedience.

Bitter envy and selfish ambition.

So envy can be defined as jealousy, discontentment, wanting more or what others have.

Selfish ambition refers to personal gain, pursuing power or pleasure, seeking to satisfy one's selfish desires.

And so this is what the false wisdom of this world offers us.

And it is all around us.

And it has been for some time because it literally is as old as sin.

Just ask Eve back in Genesis 3.

Because part of the temptation in eating the forbidden fruit was to obtain new wisdom.

Basically, what happened here at the fall of man in Genesis 3 is that humanity said, God, we don't want to live by your wisdom anymore.

We want to establish our own.

We want to decide for ourselves what's right or wrong, what's good or bad, and be able to choose for ourselves what the best way of living is.

And this is the wisdom of this world.

And we are engulfed in it.

And it is anti-God in every way.

It does not have God's interests in mind.

It is selfish.

It's all about me, me, me.

What do you want?

What do you think is right?

What feels best to you?

And this wisdom is very appealing and it is very appetizing.

It's beautiful, even.

And it can be fluffed up in false promises.

The wisdom of this world, it's not shouting, hey, come worship Satan and ruin your life.

It's not that obvious.

No, it preys on our sin.

It offers temporal pleasure.

And it even uses science or even scripture at times to justify itself.

And it calls out to us.

It says things like, You deserve to be happy.

You should pursue any sexual impulse you have.

Live however you want.

It says, You're a victim.

You're not a sinner.

Don't listen to those bigots.

Don't ever take responsibility for your actions.

God, God won't judge you.

It says, go and be happy.

Get healthy.

Get wealthy.

Live your best life now.

It says you deserve it.

You can do it.

It says things like, be self-confident, be self-reliant, believe in yourself.

Wash your face, girl.

It says things like, if you want it, go get it, and do whatever you can to achieve it.

It says, if you're unhappy, leave your spouse.

It says if it's your body, it's your choice.

It says you will always be an addict and there's nothing you can do about it.

It says whatever you feel is truth.

It says live life is short, so live at large.

It says in every single case, do what you think is right or do what we think is right, but it never asks God, what do you say is right?

And humanity over thousands of years has been the moral compass for our own lives.

We've been deciding for ourselves what's cool, what's popular, what's the best way of living.

And we look at all that and we say, this is wisdom.

This is what leads to happiness and success.

But if you're anything like me, and you have at any point in your life tried to live by the wisdom of this world, you will discover that it never fulfills.

It always leaves you empty, and you are left with two unsatisfiable traits: envy and selfish ambition.

And these two traits, they're always hungry, always craving, always growing, but never satisfied.

And this, my friends, is the wisdom that comes from this world.

And it is after us and all around us.

Media, books, well-meaning friends and family members, even preachers are attempting to bombard us with ideals and beliefs and worldviews and patterns of thinking that are anti-gospel.

It might seem logical, it may feel harmless, but its goal is always the same: to reject God and to promote self.

And if we are not careful, we will fall into this false wisdom.

Someone might say, surely not me.

I'm too smart for that.

I've been a Christian for many years.

Really?

You've never bragged about yourself because culture says you should.

You've never held on to unforgiveness or went and got drunk or gossiped about others because society says that's acceptable behavior.

You've never made a horrible financial decision, buying a new house, a new car, or a cool shirt because the world says it's popular and it's the thing to do.

You've never sought a job or a career or a leadership position because others say that you deserve it.

We're all guilty of things like this.

And when we fall for it, apparently we tend to brag about it.

Because James makes it a point to say, do not boast in this type of wisdom.

Not only do we offend God by adopting secular viewpoints, but then we turn around and we brag about it.

I was baptized by the Apostle Paul.

I'm successful.

I'm wise because I have a college degree.

I'm better than you.

I have more knowledge than you.

I'm in a higher position than you.

But don't do that, says James.

Because if you do, you're denying the truth.

So I can't help but to think of the Corinthian church here.

Thank God for the Corinthian church.

Here is a church that was being influenced by worldliness.

They were still living by the world standards.

They were bragging about who baptized them, boasting about how much knowledge they had.

They were starting clicks in the church, causing division, fighting over who had more spiritual gifts.

And Paul rebukes them sharply.

He tells them in 1 Corinthians 2, listen, I came to you knowing nothing but Christ and Him crucified.

I didn't come to you with eloquent speech, but in fear and in trembling, not with enticing words of man, but with demonstration of the Spirit's power.

And then he tells them in chapter 3, friends, do not be deceived.

If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise.

So, church, we are not immune to this.

This is Satan's strategy for us, that he would deceive God's people by infiltrating our minds with humanistic ideas.

If he can get us to start thinking again like this world does, we will find ourselves losing sight of God's glory, compromising with sin, straying from the gospel, pursuing entertainment, and as a result, misrepresenting the name of God.

This is the enemy's strategy.

He gets God's people to rely on anything but God and his word.

So don't think this would never happen to Proclamation Church.

This would never happen to me, because that mindset right there sounds a lot to me like the beginning of worldly wisdom.

So any kind of wisdom that is self-promoting, self-reliant, seeks the highest place, avoids scripture, or condone sin, causing us to trust in our earthly possessions or boast in our accomplishments, is worldly wisdom.

So any thought, word, or deed that compromises our ability to love God and our neighbor is not God's wisdom, but rather it is the same wisdom that Satan offered to Eve in Genesis 3 that caused the entire fall and condemnation of this world.

And where does this wisdom come from?

What is the source of such wisdom?

Well, look at verse 15.

He says, Such bunny ears, wisdom does not come down from heaven, but it is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

So James has to clarify where this wisdom comes from, because there are people out there who claim that this type of wisdom comes from God.

People will live totally contrary to Scripture and say, I got this from heaven.

God told me this.

So I met a guy the other day who tried to tell me that using meth was okay, because his friend told him it was so.

And I told him to pray, he prayed about it, and supposedly God had given him peace about it.

And he said, Wisdom from heaven.

But no, says James, that this type of wisdom, it's earthly, meaning it originates from this fallen world.

This type of wisdom is unspiritual, meaning it has nothing to do with God.

And it is demonic, meaning that its influence comes from Satan and his demons.

And so, in case you were tempted to think that such wisdom, well, it isn't all that bad, or maybe God inspired some of it, James hits us with this it's earthbound, carnal, demonic.

And if you persist on living by such wisdom, here is what you can expect.

Here is the fruit of living by human wisdom.

Look at verse 16.

He says, For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

So if you are living by the wisdom that this world offers, here is what you will get: confusion, disorder, and every form of evil.

So show me an individual or a group or even a church that is motivated by envy and personal gain, and you will find gossip, divisions, slander, scandals, adultery, lying, cheating, stealing, backbiting, the list goes on.

And this is the fruit of living by this world's wisdom.

This is where it leads.

And I've personally seen this happen, where a person or a group of people, they begin to question the sufficiency of Scripture.

They say, we need more, they say.

The Bible is not enough.

We need man's viewpoint, we need culture to speak into this, we need management techniques and man-made methods of drawing in crowds and entertainment and extra-biblical revelations and mysticism and some forms of psychology.

And it all ends the same.

When you start to stray away from the sufficiency of God's word, it ends in confusion and disorder and ultimately the promotion of sin.

And we see this happening today in many mainstream denominations.

The moment you stray from God's word and his wisdom, or at the very least, try to mix in worldly ideas, it always ends in what James describes as disorder and every evil practice.

Because again, the wisdom of this world is totally contrary to God.

You can't serve two masters.

One will push out the other, they are incompatible.

So, friends, I ask, is this what we want?

I hope we would all say, of course not.

Say, okay then, let's stop adopting worldly beliefs.

Let's stop allowing ourselves to be so easily influenced by what culture says.

Stop watching movies or listening to sermons or reading books that are unhelpful and contrary to the Bible.

Be mindful what you are feeding yourself with.

And start believing in the sufficiency of Scripture.

Because God is the true source of wisdom in everything pertaining to life and godliness concerning salvation and freedom and all spiritual realities that are true and pure, and all knowledge pertaining to who God is and who we are.

It's all in his word.

And that's the way that God has designed it, his revelation and his truth delivered to us through the prophets and the apostles, and it's established, it's complete.

And as Jude says, it's once delivered unto the saints.

And so this is what we are called to as God's children, to live a life through the lens of Scripture and to reject the wisdom of this world that contradicts it.

So we're called to live a life where we're continually drawing wisdom from God, waking up each day, delighting in the Lord who saved us, chasing after him, reading his word, crying out, God, teach me more of your ways and who you are.

And now to some people, that might sound boring to you.

But look at the benefits of God's wisdom in verses 17 and 18.

Here is what you can expect when you seek wisdom that is from above.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, then 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.

Totally contrary to the wisdom of this world.

The wisdom of this world, it's confusing, disorderly, prideful, full of evil.

But God's wisdom is first of all pure.

What does that mean?

It means that it is uncontaminated by any self-concern or sin.

It produces no moral defect.

God's wisdom is always holy, perfect, and life-giving.

As James said earlier in chapter one, every good and perfect gift in life comes down from the Father.

Then it is peaceable.

What does that mean?

It is free from worry, anxiety, stress.

It doesn't stir up wrath or contention.

God's wisdom will never lead you to hurt others or intentionally seek hostility.

Then it is gentle.

It doesn't create aggression.

It doesn't shout at other people saying, I'm right, you're wrong.

It's not cruel or judgmental or quick-tempered towards others.

It's forbearing.

It's uplifting.

It's gracious.

As Proverbs 15:7 says, the lips of the wise makes knowledge acceptable.

Proverbs 15:7

Then it is open to reason.

It doesn't hammer someone.

It's not interested in overstating a point or trying to force changed behavior.

It's open to reason.

We're not always thinking we're right and superior.

It's willing to be corrected.

And if we're wrong, we repent and we change our minds.

Then it is full of mercy.

This means it doesn't point the finger and put others down.

Even if someone is wrong or even deceived, it's not interested in immediate punishment and wrath.

It's merciful, demonstrating pity on people who do not deserve it.

Then it is full of good works.

We already talked about this.

But God's wisdom will always produce in us a desire and an empowerment to live for him and advance his kingdom and to walk in the divine assignments that he's assigned for us.

Then it is impartial, meaning it doesn't show favoritism or discrimination.

So we serve a God who is an impartial God.

He doesn't love people or save them based on background, race, or social status.

Therefore, God's wisdom is impartial.

It will never create clicks or treat people based on worldly fashions.

Then it is genuine.

This word literally is the opposite of hypocrisy.

It's sincere, it's authentic, it's real.

It's not interested in putting on a show or wearing a mask or trying to impress.

Then, as a concluding statement, James says, and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

God's wisdom is all about peace.

Peace with God, peace with others, and peace with your own heart.

This world's wisdom is all about hostility, creating chaos and disaster.

But God's wisdom seeks peace.

If you are exercising God's wisdom from above, your objective is to be peacemakers.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

And so, church, this is the fruit that comes from the wisdom of God.

And so this morning, in light of this passage, we must evaluate ourselves.

And I ask us as a church and individually, does the wisdom that you share and live by reflect purity, good works, gentleness, mercy, or does it reflect more of this world?

Envy, aggression, jealousy, selfish ambition?

And where do you go to get wisdom?

Do you go to the news to get insight and wisdom?

Or do you go to God's word?

Do you scroll through social media more than you scroll through the book of Proverbs?

Do you seek wisdom from celebrities, social movements, politicians, or do you seek wisdom from God in prayer with an open Bible?

Don't misunderstand me in this teaching.

There's a time and place to seek wisdom from Bible teachers, elders, pastors, Christian friends, and so on.

God speaks through his people.

I'm not talking about that.

But what I am saying is this can you identify the sources where you are pulling wisdom from?

And so what would better define you?

Critical, divisive, arrogant, abrasive, seeking the highest place, putting others down, wanting to be the center of attention, jealous when others succeed, always wanting to be right, always desiring recognition, thinking that you have so much to offer, and if you were in leadership, calling the shots in the world or at work or in church, life would just be a better place.

Does that define you?

Or are you gentle, compassionate, lowly, merciful, ready to forgive, submissive to authority, praying for others, willing to be taught and corrected, looking out for the interests of others and esteeming other Christians higher than yourself, willing to scrub the toilets if someone asked, and always ready to serve God.

And so your answer to this question will reveal what kind of wisdom you are drawing from and living by.

And if you're like me, thinking, yikes, there's certainly some areas in my life where this false wisdom has crept in and there is conviction.

Don't crush or condemn yourself this morning.

Don't fall into the pit of despair.

But look to the cross of Jesus Christ and ask for his forgiveness and ask for his wisdom.

Because we serve a God who is eager to forgive and desperate to impart to us his wisdom.

He does not withhold good gifts.

If we who are evil know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

God is not the one holding back.

We are.

And so God did not save us and kill his son in our place for our sins, and then impute Christ's righteousness to our account and give us his Holy Spirit so that we could go on thinking and living like this world.

And so, no, he did all this so that we would live transformed lives and be a unique set apart people who no longer walk, talk, or live like this world, but live by the wisdom of God.

And so the wisdom of this world will always be influencing us.

You cannot escape it in this life.

It's not something we will perfectly conquer until heaven.

So we are human, but we have to constantly repent because we're constantly reverting back to the wisdom of this world.

And by God's grace, we can overcome it.

So it's similar to a garden.

Small weeds of worldliness are constantly re-sprouting in our Christian lives, whether it's just unbiblical viewpoints, ideas, thinking patterns that leads us to bad behaviors, they sneak into our lives, sometimes unknowingly.

And what we need to do, just like we would a garden, is pull those weeds and uproot them.

And so repentance literally means just to change your mind.

And this isn't a one-time event.

We need to be continually changing our ways and renewing our minds in Scripture and growing in our wisdom that comes from God.

So, church, may we, as Ephesians 5 says, look carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time.

And may we, as Romans 12.1 says, not conform ourselves to the patterns of this world, but rather be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

And may we recognize, as Proverbs 2.6 says, that the Lord gives wisdom, he gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

Let's pray.

God, help us to be wise and apply your truth this morning.

Help us, Lord, to walk in humble obedience.

Grant us uh repentance from bitterness and envy and selfish ambition.

And Lord, please forgive us of the just the damage that these things may have caused, any confusion or division, pain or sin.

And help us, Father, to resist the wisdom that comes from this evil world.

And to rather ask you for your wisdom and experience the great fruit that it yields purity, gentleness, peace, compassion, mercy, and good works.