TWO KINDS OF WISDOM
Two Kinds of Wisdom
Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Jas 3:15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
Jas 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Jas 3:18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
James says first of all who is wise and understanding among you? Many times we might look at those who have high gpa as being wise. Those that have many degrees as being wise. Counselors, psychologists as being understanding. They are not those that God would consider as being wise and understanding. Who are the wise and understanding? Those that are living a good life. Many may few the good life as fishing with the boys, drinking their favorite drinks with a woman they are not committed to etc. Many have different versions of the good life. The worlds good life is far different than Gods definition of a good life. A life considered good by God is a life characterized by fearing God, turning from evil, seeking firs His kingdom. It’s not about activities. It’s about a relationship with God and that’s what makes a persons life good.
These deeds must also be done in a particular way, "in the humility that comes from wisdom" (v.13). Humility was a despised grace to the Greeks. They judged it to be an utterly servile posture, and even today how few role models are men of humility. But every Christian is to be characterised by this grace, and it is to be genuine meekness. Many did deeds but they were far from being humble. There was the Pharisee in Lk 18 who stood up and prayed about himself.
Lk 18:11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
Lk 18:12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
Lk 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
Lk 18:14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
He had deeds but they weren’t done in humility. Or what about how the Pharisees prayed. Jesus said they did so to be seen by men. Pride.
These were people who prayed standing up, and on street corners, and when they fasted they put white ash powder on their faces so that others knew, and when they gave to the poor they rattled their donations as they placed them in the temple so that everyone could hear. There are people today who let the world know how hard life is for them, by what ’good’ they are bravely doing. James says that the wise Christian shows he is living the good life "by deeds done in ... humility." Jesus also said:
Mt 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
As disciples of Jesus our lives should be filled with good deeds. For Jesus said this is how you let your light shine. When people see the deeds they will praise the Father. When we do our deeds we do them in the humility that comes from wisdom. We don’t do good deeds in pride, arrogance, vain glory, selfish ambition but rather in humility recognizing that these are good works that God has for us to do. We are following the suffering, humble Savior and are motivated by Him in all we do.
Jas 3:14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Jas 3:15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
Harbor defined as: maintain, to give refuge to, cherish. So if you are cherishing or giving refuge to bitter envy or selfish ambition in your hearts two things we do : boast about it or deny the truth. I think the latter is more of what we would do is deny the truth that bitter envy is there.
Bitter is defined as: marked by strong resentment or cynicism; harsh or corrosive in tone; her acrid remarks make her many enemies"; sharp and disagreeable; piercingly: bitterness: the property of having a harsh unpleasant taste.
Envy is defined as: spite and resentment at seeing the success of another (personified as one of the deadly sins). Envy is the desire for another’s traits, status, abilities, station, or worldly goods.
Envy is a feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something that is possessed by another.
You put these two together and you have a powerful combination that’s dangerous. Let’s look at someone who had bitter envy in his heart.
Ac 8:9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,
Ac 8:10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.”
Ac 8:11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic.
Ac 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Ac 8:13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. Ac 8:14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. Ac 8:18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money Ac 8:19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Ac 8:20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! Ac 8:21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Ac 8:22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. Ac 8:23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Ac 8:24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
Someone who’s heart is captive to bitterness has unspiritual thinking and actions. Unspiritual thinking and action is seen by:
#1. He offered them money. What a worldly, ungodly, unspiritual thing to think and say. You want to buy the gift of God with money?!
#2. He could only think about himself, what he didn’t have and what he wanted. Just plain selfish.
#3. He couldn’t rejoice at others being blessed. Many times we tell our children; you need to learn to rejoice when your brother or sister is blessed instead of automatically thinking that you need to get something just because they did. Bitterness, envy keeps you from being able to rejoice at the blessing of others.
Simon could have been a great help to the apostles. Could have been. Why? Notice. Simon had influence. He had amazed people for a long time. People gave him their attention. They followed him. Think of how Simon could have been used. If his spirit had been right. If he wasn’t coveting something that God did not give him. A man can only receive what is given him from heaven. Wasn’t that what John the Baptist said concerning Jesus. Johns disciples were upset about Jesus impact and the success he was having. Their heart was not in the right place. Johns was though. His heart was in the right place. Therefore he didn’t have the unspiritual thoughts and words of his disciples. His heart was like; guys what are you worried about? If God didn’t give it to him he wouldn’t have it.
Jn 3:28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’
Jn 3:29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. Jn 3:30 He must become greater; I must become less.
John was able to do what Simon could not. Rejoice! John was joyful at the success of Jesus. No problem. He must become greater, I must become less. What a heart! What spirit! Simon couldn’t rejoice because of bitterness and envy. John could rejoice because of his humility. He realizes it’s not about me. It’s about God, his purposes, his will, his timing, his ways, his thinking. Sometimes our roles will just be to prepare the way for someone else.
If you won’t give because you don’t have what you want you’re more like Simon then you are like John. If you can’t rejoice at others blessings then a Simon like heart is your partner, not Johns.
This type of heart was met with a tremendous and forceful challenge and rebuke. Notice the language of Peter.
Ac 8:20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! Ac 8:21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Ac 8:22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. Ac 8:23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
Man talk about strong discipling. Talk about a strong rebuke. Peter basically said, May you die with your money! He was appalled at his heart. He went on to tell him. You have no part in this ministry. You have no share in this ministry because of your heart. The answer. You need to repent. This is wicked. You need to pray. Perhaps God will forgive. Scared the living daylights out of Simon. I’d be scared to death if one of Gods leaders said this to me. I’d be fasting and praying immediately. I would feel so insecure. Seeing how ugly my heart is, how sinful. God have mercy on me. I wonder what Simon did. He said pray to the Lord for me. But I wonder if he went away and prayed. Or if he stayed bitter. Peter said you are full of bitterness. History has it that Simon became a major persecutor of the church. If he did it’s not surprising. Over the years I’ve learned not to be surprised at the bitter things bitter people say and do.
Hey so and so said this about the church. Not surprised. Hey this person said he was not giving to special missions. Not surprised.
3:15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
That’s Simons wisdom. Let me buy the gift. Earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
Jas 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
Wherever you have envy and selfish ambition, disorder and evil practices are in the room as well.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Jas 3:18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Wisdom from heaven is first of all pure. All wisdom from heaven is pure. It’s not corrupted. It’s not stained. Think of all the ways that Jesus showed wisdom from heaven. Think of how he treated the woman caught in adultery. You see Jesus being:
Pure:
Peaceloving
Considerate
Submissive
Full of mercy
Good fruit
Impartial
Sincere
What’s a peacemaker? A "peacemaker" is one who seeks to bring harmony and reconciliation between those who are estranged. Peacemaking seeks to produce right relationships between persons. God hates those who sow discord and stir up trouble (Proverbs 6:19). When resolving conflict and seeking to bring harmony and reconciliation between those who are estranged the following practicals will help.
Pray. Pray for understanding.
Seek. Seek to understand the others point of view.
Facts. Get the facts.
Humility. Call each party to be humble.
Blameshifting. Each see their part in the wrong.
Repentance. Each party should be willing to repent and acknowledge how they have not be like Christ.
May God help us to put into practice his wisdom and not our own. Be humble with our deeds. Guard our hearts against bitterness and envy and rejoice with the success of others. And may God help us to be His peacemakers in this world of turmoil. Amen.
