INTRODUCTION #15
1. Open your bibles to James 3:13-16.
2. In this section of scripture James begins a discussion on the subject of wisdom by asking a question.
3. Let’s read the first part of James 3:13a, “Who is wise and understanding among you?”
4. In the second part of verse 13 James makes brief statement pertaining to how wisdom is shown.
5. In the three following verses, verses 14,15&16 states some negative things that do not show Godly wisdom.
6. In this lesson we will primarily discuss the negative things that tell us what wisdom is not.
DISCUSSION
I. FIRST, JAMES 3:13b TEACHES THAT HEAVENLY WISDOM, FROM GOD, IS SHOWN, NOT JUST BY WHAT WE SAY, BUT IT IS SHOWN BY WHAT WE DO.
1. Let’s read James 3:13b, “Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.”
(1) The answer to James’ question, about who is wise, is that the wise person will not necessarily just be saying things that are wise.
(2) But James says the wise Christian and Christian of understanding will show by good conduct works that are done meekly and humbly.
2. This helps to further understand that wisdom is more than just having the correct knowledge. Wisdom is the right or correct application of knowledge.
3. “Works done in meekness of wisdom” will be living a life that shows that the Christian is following the example and pattern that Christ has left for Christians.
(1) “Meekness” comes from a Greek word that horsemen used to use in reference to a well trained horse. One that would obediently respond to the right or left pull of the reins by the rider. A horse that would stop quickly when the rider would pull back on the reins and the bit. A horse that would go when the rider would nudge him with his heels.
A Christian that can be described as “meek” is one that will readily respond to God’s word like a well trained horse responds to the rider.
(2) “Meekness” will also portray character traits of humility. “Meekness” does away with arrogance, haughtiness, bitterness, know-it-all-ism, selfishness and all other actions inconsistent with a Christ like character.
4. In Matt. 11:29 Jesus says, of himself, “I am meek and lowly in heart.”
(1) Turn to 1 Pet. 2:21-23. Peter teaches that, in everything, Jesus is the perfect pattern to follow. Peter speaks of Jesus controlling his tongue and his emotions. Let’s read 1 Pet. 2:21-23. “21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “ Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”
(2) A truly meek and wise person, following the example of Christ, will never cause dissension or trouble in a congregation.
(3) One who is meek, may not be spiritually wise; but one who is wise, will be meek.
(4) We may look at the life of Christ and see how he exhibits perfection in “meekness of wisdom.”
(5) He was not weak; he was not over-bearing; he was not arrogant; he was not
mean-spirited; he was not vengeful; he was not bitter. He was “meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29).
5. Sometimes preachers, teachers, or elders create disharmony within a congregation; sometimes those who are not in a leadership role do so.
(1) The means of this strife might be through the use of harsh or false teaching; it might be through the use of hurtful words, attitudes, and/or actions.
(2) Let’s always be consistent to ask our self the following question: Do we show meekness in our dealings one with another; and, do we avoid an arrogant, proud and
unrestrained spirit?
(3) If not, then we are not showing our self an example of the wisdom which is from above”
6. In this first point James emphasizes that a wise person is not just a knowledgeable person, but one who practices wise things.
(1) By a Christian practicing and doing the correct things they demonstrate their wisdom.
(2) Abraham Lincoln correctly said, “a man may fool all the people part of the time and some of the people all of the time, but he will not fool all the people all of the time.”
(3) True wisdom demands consistency in the things that God expects of Christians.
II. SECOND, JAMES 3:14 TEACHES CHRISTIANS TO GUARD AGAINST FOUR THINGS THAT DO NOT DEMONSTRATE WISDOM.
1. Let’s read James 3:14. “14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.”
2. “Bitter envy” or “bitter jealousy” refers to desiring something that belongs to another. This is the first sin that James 3:14 warns against.
(1) A person may be envious or jealous of recognition or honor being shown toward someone else.
(2) It may be that the other person has more ability as a song leader, a teacher or just things in general and one is envious and jealous and a trouble maker, as a result of the envy.
(3) “Bitter” has the basic meaning of being pointed, sharp, prickly, or biting. Keep in mind, back in v. 11, James uses the word “bitter” in a literal sense in relation to bitter or salty water coming out of a fountain.
(4) Here he uses “bitter” figuratively to describe the worst sort of “jealousy’. “Jealousy” that is harsh, sharp, cutting and destructive. A “jealously” that has no concern for the feelings or welfare of those the jealous person is jealous of.
(5) It is o.k. for a Christian to desire to have equal abilities with others, but one should never have that desire with out the willingness to work and improve in what one needs to mature in.
3. The second sin to guard against from James 3:14 is “self-seeking (KJV STRIFE) in your hearts”.
(1) This word refers to promoting what one wants for themselves. Those who are guilty will develop cliques and groups that ignore what is the over all good for the church.
(2) The attitude and action expressed by the person that is “self-seeking” and promoting “strife” or “faction” has no room for the opinion of others, much less a willingness to show genuine humility.
(3) Such a person will act right the opposite of a faithful Christian that is humble, selfless, giving, loving, and obedient to God.
4. The third sin to guard against from James 3:14 is “boasting or (KJV “glorying”) against the truth”.
(1) One who is interested in promoting a “clique” or “their own little group” to undermine the sound believes and teaching of the bible are not getting their instructions from the truth of God’s word.
(2) Such “boasting” or “glorying” does not demonstrate the wisdom of God!
(3) Something that illustrates “boasting against the truth” or showing pride in something that God does not approve of is the fact that on June the 1st or 2nd the White House released a Proclamation recognizing the full month of June, each year, as LGBT Pride Month.
LGBT refers to lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders, being encouraged by the White house administration to take pride and boast about their sinful activities for a whole month.
Turn to 1 Cor. 6:9-11. Here God condemns these sexual sins and says that those who are guilty and will not repent will never go to heaven. Let’s read 1 Cor. 6:9-11, “9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
Those guilty of sexual and other sins must repent and change or they will miss heaven. Some in Corinth did change their life styles. People today can and should change.
Turn to Eph. 5:11&12. This passage teaches that it is shameful to speak of sins and that those who are guilty should be reproved and exposed. They should not do like the White House has done and encourage the guilty to show pride for a whole month. Let’s read Eph. 5:11&12. “11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.”
God teaches that those who boast in sinful activity should be ashamed. And yet those in the White House are encouraging Pride and boasting for a whole month in sinful sexual life styles. Such pride is not a display of Godly wisdom.
There are a couple of other things that have happened in the last couple of months that do not show Godly wisdom by the leadership of our country. A speech was recently given and the cross of Christ was covered up, for fear that it would offend viewers who don’t believe that salvation is through Christ.
Also, on May the 1st, (2009) the National Day of Prayer was not observed by those of the White House. This is frightening to have leadership that will reject one day of prayer, but 30 days later encourage a whole month of pride to be shown by those who love sexual life styles that are sinful and ungodly.
(4) It is past time for God’s people to wake up and began to do more praying and teaching and taking the lead in better morals and displaying the true wisdom of God. We can not afford to lie down in the streets and let the devil and his gang run over us and our children!
5. The fourth sin to guard against from James 3:14 is “lying against the truth”.
(1) A Christian can read passages and teach correct interpretation of passages that teach against envy, jealously, self-seeking, strife or faction and then in his or her actions practice the opposite of what the passages and his interpretation taught.
(2) When a person doesn’t practice what God’s word teaches they “lie against the truth”.
(3) One must not “boast” and “glory” in that they have verbally taught the truth, if at the same time they are not practicing the truth. Otherwise they “lie against the truth”.
(4) Let all Christians make sure that they are never guilty of acting out a lie!
III. THIRD, JAMES 3:15 INFORMS CHRISTIANS THAT THE CHARACTERICS TO GUARD AGAINST MENTIONED IN VERSES 13&14 ARE NOT A PART OF ANY WISDOM THAT COMES DOWN FROM THE GOD ABOVE.
1. Let’s read James 3:15, “This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic (KJV devilish).”
(1) If one is practicing the things mentioned in verse fourteen that person and all others can know that they did not get, what they think of as wisdom, from God.
(2) God in his pure and loving and uniting nature never encourages anything that James condemns in verse fourteen.
(3) A teacher who bites and devours and causes strife in a congregation must understand that he is not doing God’s will. He is not pleasing God.
(4) In the next few words James points out the origin of such unchristian like conduct.
2. The first word in verse 15 that James uses to describe action like he condemns in verse 14 is the word “earthly”.
(1) “Bitter envying”, “self-seeking”, “boasting and lying against the truth” have their origin, not from above, but from earthly and materialistic thinking and ideas.
(2) This earthly and materialistic thinking produces people who are motivated by such phrases as: “Do your own thing,” “Have it your way,” and “Look out for number one.”
(3) Decisions and actions from those who are “earthy” are not based upon how they will effect them in eternity, but more upon how it will effect at the present moment here on earth.
3. The second word that James uses in verse 15 to describe the origin of the kinds of actions that he describes in verse 14 is “sensual”.
(1) This refers to a person being motivated more strongly by his fleshly nature than by his spiritual nature.
(2) Turn to Gal. 5:19-21. This passage mentions the works of the flesh. Some of these works of the flesh are the very same “sensual” things that James refers to in James 3:14. Let’s read some of these things from Gal. 5:19-21, “19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 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.
(3) These sensual activities are not good for any local congregation and those who are guilty will not make it to heaven.
4. The third word that James gives in verse 15 to point out the origin for the things of verse 14 is the word “demonic” (or KJV “devilish”).
(1) “Bitter envying”, “self-seeking”, “boasting and lying against the truth” have their origin, not from the Father above, but rather from the devil.
(2) A tree can be identified by the fruit it produces. The fruit of a Christian includes all the traits which are Christ-like.
(3) The fruit of a child of the devil includes the sensual works of the flesh mentioned in verse 14.
IV. FOURTH, JAMES 3:16 WARNS CHRISTIANS THAT IF THEY CHOOSE TO FOLLOW WHAT IS EARTHLY, SENSUAL AND DEMONIC THEY CAN EXPECT CONFUSION AND EVERY EVIL THING.
1. Let’s read James 3:16, “16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” (ASV “where jealously and faction are”) or (KJV “where envying and strife is”).
2. These two words sum up the four words from verse 14. Such attitudes and actions in a congregation will only produce “confusion and every evil thing”. (ASV “evil deed” KJV “evil work”).
3. One sin brings on another sin; sin makes itself manifest in attitude, motive, word, and deed. Sin spreads within the individual, and contaminates others who are under the influence of the first sinner.
4. Both “confusion” and “every evil thing” are obviously broad terms that cover a multitude of specific bad results.
(1) They would include such things as anger; bitterness; resentment; lawsuits; divorce; racial, ethnic, social, and economic divisions; and a host of other personal and social disorders.
(2) They would also include the absence of love, intimacy, trust, fellowship, harmony and unity.
CONCLUSION
1. Turn to Psalm 133:1-3. Here, David emphasizes that unity among God’s people will bring blessings now and for all eternity. Christians must strive for unity, love and closeness and avoid all the evil things that James warns us about.
2. Let’s read Psalm 133:1-3. “1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing - Life forevermore.”
3. If you need to obey the gospel or if you need prayers please come as we sing!
Acknowledgments for a lot of thoughts in the development of all the sermons on the book of James are to go to:
(1) Bob Winton CD Commentary on Matthew 27:50-54. 464 Ridgewood Drive Manchester, Tennessee 37355. If interested in CD covering many O. T. & N.T. books call (866) 753-8456.
(2) Miscellaneous commentaries by numerous others.
