INTRODUCTION #16
1. Open your bibles to James 3:13 & then to verses 17&18.
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 our last lesson we discussed verses 13-16. Those verses primarily give the negative answer to the question. They tell us who is not wise and understanding.
5. In this lesson we will discuss the positive characteristics of wisdom. However, before we look at those positive characteristics we want to discuss a few general facts about wisdom.
6. Wisdom is defined as making the correct application of knowledge.
(1) For a Christian to show wisdom they must go to God’s word for the correct knowledge.
(2) They must continually study and restudy and keep God’s word fresh in their minds.
(3) In James 1:5-8 Christians are told that they are to pray for wisdom. This passage also tells Christians that their prayers must show faith and not doubt toward God answering their prayers. Let’s read James 1:5-8. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
(4) Turn to Matt. 6:11. Here, Jesus tells his followers to pray for God to give them their daily bread, which is figurative, and in reference to all of our daily necessities. Let’s read this phrase from Matt. 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread”. But how is God going to give Christians their daily bread and/or their daily necessities?
(5) The farmer prays for his “daily bread”, but he also plows the field, sows the seed, reaps the crop, grinds the grain and then it is at the stores for others to buy. Wives and mothers cook and bake this for food and nourishment for our bodies. God gives man his daily bread, but man must do his part.
7. James 1:5-8 and Matt. 6:11 help us to understand that the bible never speaks of a direct spiritual I. V. attatched to the soul or to the brain so that our prayers will bring supernatural or miraculous wisdom into our minds.
8. The bible helps us to understand that wisdom for the Christian is somewhat like the process the Christian goes through in receiving his daily necessities. We pray, but we also study and keep the knowledge of God’s word fresh in our minds so that we have opportunity to make wise decisions.
9. Christians that put forth these kinds of efforts will show that they have wisdom and a clear understanding of the way God wants them to live.
10. Let’s begin to read and discuss the specific character traits that Christians must demonstrate for them to be showing wisdom and understanding.
DISCUSSION
I. FIRST, JAMES 3:17a, SAYS “BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE IS FIRST PURE”.
1. The Greek word for “pure” refers to being free of contamination or defilement. It comes from a form of the same Greek word that the word “holy” come from.
2. The person who is pure in heart is sincere. He is seeking with all his might to do what God wants him to do. He is motivated by love for God and his fellowman.
3. Turn to Hebrews 12:14. This passage is teaching that if one is not striving to turn away from the influences of the world, sensuality and the demons, as mentioned in James 3:15, there is no way that God will approve of them. Let’s read Heb. 12:14. “14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness [holiness is from the Greek word that could be translated purity], without which no one will see the Lord:.”
4. Turn to Matt. 5:8. Here, Jesus tells us the “pure in heart” will have the opportunity to see God. Let’s read Matt. 5:8. “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.”
5. Turn to Rev. 21:27. This passage teaches that only those who live pure lives will make it to heaven. Let’s read Rev. 21:27, “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
6. The verses that we have discussed help us to understand that purity will be found in those who sincerely love God and their fellow man and who sincerely are making preparation to go to heaven.
II. SECOND, JAMES 3:17b TEACHES THAT ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF WISDOM IS “BEING PEACABLE.”
1. This is in contrast to the “bitter envy and self-seeking (strife) of verse 14.
2. “Peaceable” means not given to conflict. “The peaceable person” seeks to be considerate of the needs, feelings and circumstances of others.
3. Turn to Matt. 5:9. Here, Jesus says that those who are peaceable in the manner that He teaches will be conducting themselves as sons and daughters of God. Let’s read Matt. 5:9. “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.”
4. The “peaceable person” will stand firmly for the truth, but as he stands firm, he will not have an ugly attitude; he has a loving and peaceable attitude.
III. THIRD, JAMES 3:17c TEACHES THAT ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF WISDOM IS “BEING GENTLE”.
1. Physically, we are gentle and careful with a little baby, a little puppy or a little kitten.
2. With our words and our mannerisms we must be gentle with people, even if we have differences and conflicts with them.
3. Turn to 2 Tim. 2:23-26. This passage reminds us that the main reason for being gentle with others is so that we can lead them into heaven. Let’s read 2 Tim. 2:23-26, “23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
4. The challenge is to be gentle with others and with wisdom lead more people to heaven!
IV. FOURTH, JAMES 3:17d, TEACHES THAT ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF WISDOM IS “BEING WILLING TO YIELD”.
1. The KJV & the ASV say, “easy to be entreated”. The literal Greek could be translated “open to reason”. In every day language we would call this characteristic, “easy to talk to”.
2. Our wife or our husband, our children and other people should feel comfortable about coming to us to discuss something. They should know that we will be easy to talk to.
3. They should know that we will be open-minded and not have a know-it-all and stubborn attitude. They should know that we will be a good listener.
4. Back to the idea from the NKJV, “willing to yield”. Wisdom is being displayed when we can be persuaded to do what is right and when we can be persuaded to turn away from what is wrong. Others can talk to us about either responsibility and we will listen respectfully and be willing to make any necessary changes.
V. FIFTH, JAMES 3:17e, TEACHES THAT ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF WISDOM IS THAT IT IS “FULL OF MERCY”.
1. “Mercy” is from a Greek word that, for one thing, refers to the Christian expressing pity and compassion toward others.
2. “Mercy” will show pity and compassion by helping people have their needs supplied: for example helping widows and orphans (James 1:26). Also, helping those mentioned in James 2:14-17 that need food and clothing or any benevolent or health need. In Matt. 25:31-46 Jesus mentions being benevolent in the great judgment scene passage.
3. “Mercy” is also shown by God holding back wrath and anger such as God demonstrates by not burning us with fire, as he did Nadab and Abihu when they committed sin. 2 Peter 3:9 refers to God’s mercy when it says, “God is longsuffering, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance”.
4. Let’s read James 2:13, which warns us that if we are not merciful, then God will not be merciful to us on judgment day. “13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
VI. SIXTH, JAMES 3:17f, TEACHES THAT ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF WISDOM IS THAT IT IS “FULL OF GOOD FRUITS”.
1. We love to see apple, peach, orange, pecan and other trees when they are loaded on all their branches with good fruits.
2. Turn to Gal. 5:22&23. Here we are taught that Christians need to be filled with “fruits of the spirit”. Let’s read Gal. 5:22,23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
3. We need to also bear spiritual fruit through converting others. This fruit happens as we reproduce our self through teaching others and others become a part of God’s spiritual family. Turn to Rom. 7:4. Here, Christians are taught that they are spiritually married to Christ and they are to bear spiritual fruit. The fruit of a Christian is another Christian. Let’s read Rom. 7:4, “4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.”
Turn to John 15:8. Here, Jesus teaches that we must bear much fruit or we will not be recognized as a disciple of His. Let’s read John 15:8, “8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
4. In summary, wisdom is being demonstrated as we bear fruits that indicate that we are growing and maturing spiritually. Wisdom is further demonstrated as we work and assist in the church growing numerically.
VII. SEVENTH, JAMES 3:17g, TEACHES THAT ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF WISDOM IS THAT IT IS “WITHOUT PARTIALITY”.
1. The Greek word indicates impartiality, treating everyone equally without favoritism.
(1) This is an important spiritual quality that James has already emphasized when he used the example of the rich man and the poor man in James 2:1–9.
(2) In that passage James emphasized that friendliness is to be shown in an equal way to all who visit the services of a congregation.
2. This Greek word is used only here in the New Testament. Along with it meaning to not show partiality towards people, it also means not to be parted or divided in matters of faith and teaching, hence without uncertainty, indecision, inconsistency, vacillation, or doubtfulness.
(1) It is being opposite of the “double minded man” that James warned about in James 1:5-8.
(2) The person “without partiality” will show their wisdom by being consistent. They will be undivided and not partial. They will always seek to do right and stand by their word.
(3) They will be firm in their views. They will demonstrate complete confidence in God and in his word.
VIII. EIGHTH, JAMES 3:17h, TEACHES THAT ANOTHER CHARACTERISTIC OF WISDOM IS THAT IS “WITHOUT HYPOCRISY”.
1. “Without hypocrisy” means that one is sincere. They are what they appear to be. They appear to be a Christian and they are a Christian 100%. They are not a counterfeit.
2. Hypocrisy is a form of dishonesty. On the surface, the hypocrite appears to be one thing, but in reality he is totally different. To say one thing and do the opposite is hypocrisy.
(1) Hypocrisy was a common sin among the Jewish leaders. Jesus condemned hypocrisy four times in the Sermon on the Mount. He condemned hypocrisy in many other passages and then extensively in Matt. 23. Jesus warned, “woe unto you scribes and hypocrites”.
(2) In Galatians 2:11-14 Paul rebuked Peter, Barnabas and others for being hypocritical and refusing to eat and fellowship the Gentile Christians.
IX. NINTH, JAMES 3:18, TEACHES THAT GODLY WISDOM PRODUCES A CONTINUING CYCLE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IS SOWN OR PLANTED AND HARVESTED IN A PEACEFUL, HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALL INVOLVED.
1. Let’s read and explain James 3:18. “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
2. As James continually emphasizes, the person who professes to be a Christian must prove it by his works, his daily living. If he is reading and obeying God’s word he will possess his Lord’s own wisdom, and that wisdom will manifest itself in righteous and peaceful living.
3. When a congregation is full of Christians seeking to be peacemakers there will not be the problems that James warns against in verse 16. Let’s read this warning, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”
4. As Isaiah declared, “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever” (Isa. 32:17).
5. Righteousness is doing right—doing what God says. In James chapter 3 part of what God says is right is for the Christian to be a peacemaker.
CONCLUSION
1. When a person lives according to the wisdom that is from above, he will a live a righteous life and he will be a peacemaker.
2. If the whole congregation is doing the same they will experience a love and fellowship that Satan will find extremely difficult to disrupt and hinder.
3. God and Christ will be glorified and every member will enjoy day to day Christianity.
4. Each member will be on their way to heaven.
5. If you are not a member of the church. Or, if you are a member of the church and have back slid and need prayers for forgiveness.
(1) Please think about the characteristic of wisdom that we discussed: “willing to yield” – “easy to be entreated” – “easy to talk to”.
(2) Allow us to persuade you to act according to the wisdom from above and come forward and get your soul right with God.
(3) It is not wise to put off such an important decision. Please, come as we stand and sing.
