James 3:13-18
The Two Kinds of Wisdom
I. Verse 13 - Definition of true wisdom - Jesus Christ, the heartbeat of true wisdom.
Verse 13, Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
A. Ps. 111:10 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
B. I Cor. 1:30 - Jesus Christ is wisdom to us.
II. Result of True Wisdom - (Verse 13 as compared to verse 14-16).
A. Revealed to others before it is revealed to ourselves.
1. Everybody would look around for others that are endued (have a mind toward, or intelligence) to knowledge.
2. If we have real wisdom it is revealed to others by the way we live.
3. "Conversation" means behavior, not just how we talk.
4. Matt. 4:16, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven."
B. Verse 17 - This wisdom doesn't come from ourselves, but from God above.
III. Verse 14-16 - The wrong kind of wisdom.
Verse 14, But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. {15} This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. {16} For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
A. Types of wrong wisdom.
1. Education - some are educated beyond their intelligence.
2. Knowledge - can have a lot of knowledge, but not have the wisdom to be able to use it. (Must have knowledge to reveal wisdom, because spiritual wisdom always comes before knowledge.)
a. Daniel 12:4 - Knowledge shall increase in the last days, but men still don't seek God's wisdom.
b. II Tim. 3:5 - In the last days, men shall have a form of godliness, but deny the power of the God they are serving. Even though knowledge shall increase, it is not Godly knowledge.
3. Common sense - This is what a man "naturally" knows. It comes from an observation of things that are naturally right and wrong. A lost man can have "common sense". Men need "uncommon sense" to be saved and follow God.
B. Proper examination of wisdom is done in the heart, not in deeds.
1. Verse 14 - Envy (jealously, indignation) not just envy, but bitter envy.
2. Strife - (faction, or contention) a struggling to obtain for ourselves that which somebody else has.
C. The source of this kind of wisdom.
1. Earthly - from the natural mind of mankind.
a. I Cor. 1:22 - The Greeks seek after wisdom (natural wisdom).
b. I Cor. 2:14 - Spiritual wisdom is foolishness to the natural man.
2. Sensual
a. Not sexy or erotic, but a logic that comes from man's natural wisdom.
b. Jude 19 - (verse 16-19) - People with a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. (II Tim. 3:5).
3. Devilish.
a. The source is actually Satan, but it appears as an idea of man.
b. Much religion and churches are established and operate on the devil's logic and not on the Word of God.
c. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a business and shouldn't be operated like it is a business.
D. Many churches select deacons from those that are successful businessmen, or from those that have political pull in the community.
1. The qualifications for a deacon are none of these, but men that have an honest report, are full of the Holy Ghost, and wisdom.
2. Wisdom is not the wisdom or common sense of running a business, but spiritual wisdom.
E. Result of the wrong kind of wisdom.
1. Envy and strife will not stay in the heart (compare verse 14 & 17).
2. It will gradually work its way out to the body and cause confusion.
3. I Cor. 14:33 - Christ is not the author of confusion, but of peace.
4. Every evil work - when you see evil works going on, it'll be caused by people not following the Bible, but following their own logic. Since everybody's logic is different, all will work in a different way, causing more confusion and more evil works.
5. The remedy is to follow God's Holy Word.
IV. Verse 17 - Compare v. 13 to see what kind of works to look for.
Verse 17, But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
A. This wisdom is from above (Let us have the power to overcome ourselves).
1. II Chron. 1:10-13 - Solomon asked for Godly wisdom.
2. Prov. 3:13-17 - Godly wisdom is the source of true happiness.
3. Prov. 4:4-9 - True wisdom is greater than mental power.
B. Pure - overcomes sin.
1. James 1:27 - Pure religion and undefiled.
2. Rev. 21:18 - New Jerusalem is pure gold.
3. Rev. 22:1 - River of life is pure.
C. Peaceable - overcomes strife.
D. Gentle and easy to be entreated - overcomes strife and stubbornness.
E. Full of mercy and good fruits - overcomes selfishness
F. without partiality - overcomes snobbishness (James 2:2-6).
G. Without hypocrisy - overcomes pride (God knows what we are, should we hide what we are from men?)
V. The result of true wisdom (fruit of righteousness).
Verse 18, And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
A. A sowing in peace.
1. for the future good of all (without a vision we perish).
2. I Cor. 3:6 - Somebody plants, somebody waters, but God gives the increase.
3. Making peace - Matt. 5:9 - Blessed are the peacemakers.
B. Eph. 4:11-16 - The purpose of the church is to help others grow up and be fitly joined to all the other church members.