Sermon Central
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07 - James 3:13-18 Series
Contributed by Michael Collins on Aug 27, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: This is the 7th of 11 Studies on the Book of James, in which we will be looking at the two kinds of wisdom - demonic wisdom and divine wisdom.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
After addressing the issues of communication, with specific reference to the use of the tongue, James then addresses another issue that is not disconnected from communication, but in fact is the source from which communication stems – wisdom.
He begins by both asking a question as well as making a statement. He speaks to those who consider themselves wise. When referring to wisdom, let’s remember that he is not referring to knowledge about facts and information, but is rather referring to the ability to make choices that are good and honoring of God. In fact, that’s what King Solomon asked for from God and God gave him both wisdom and knowledge as well.
James then goes on to tell those who consider themselves wise to demonstrate that wisdom by the way they live and by their humility that comes from wisdom. Often, wisdom is seen as something to be proud of and boast about, but James seems to say the opposite – it will result in humility, not pride. He goes on to say that though one may profess to possess wisdom but demonstrates certain characteristics in his life, then its proof that the person does not possess wisdom. Let’s look at those characteristics.
If one is filled with bitter envy or self-seeking, where he’s always comparing himself with others and desiring to have what they have and being envious of them, or if he’s at the center of his own world, then he cautions such a person to not boast about possessing wisdom because that’s not true wisdom. Such a person would be speaking ill of the truth of who God is and giving a false message about God to the world.
He goes on to redefine what the person might call wisdom. He says that the person could still refer to it as wisdom, but it won’t be the wisdom that comes from God, but rather is firstly of the earth. Such wisdom is no different from that of the thinking of the world around us, where it’s all about self, and wanting what others possess, wanting to be the best, even if it means at someone else’s expense. We have been redeemed from that old way of life, and to want to emulate that self-centered way of life again is to desire to undo all that the Lord began in our lives.
Secondly, he refers to such wisdom as sensual. When all one wants to do is to satisfy his own fleshly desires – no matter what they are, then this is not spiritual but sensual. Once again, is this not what we were redeemed from – living to gratify the lusts of the flesh, which Paul makes mention of in Galatians 5:18-21 – “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Paul too said in no uncertain terms that if one seeks to live sensually, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, then such a person cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.
The third thing James says about such falsely proclaimed wisdom is that it is demonic. When you look at the characteristics of this so-called wisdom, it is self-centered and sensual and has nothing to do with honoring God in any way and therefore it can be referred to as demonic, since that’s what the devil seeks to do – to tempt us to fulfil our selfish and fleshly desires, that gratify none bur ourselves and don’t bring glory to God in any way.
James goes on to qualify why he refers to such wisdom as demonic – it’s because it is filled with envy, self-seeking, which makes the possessor of this so-called wisdom the center of his life. It also results in confusion and every evil behavior. Though on the surface, this might seem like a wisdom to aspire after, this has nothing to do with God and is neither constructive nor beneficial to anyone – including ourselves.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
