Truth Baptist Church
James 4:1-12

      • James 4:7–8ESV

  • Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me
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  • A Tale of Two Wisdoms

    Happy Father’s Day! Recognize!
    Ephesians 6:4 Love wife, lead family. Spiritual leader in the home.
    Psalm 103:13 Example of God our Heavenly Father.
    The main verse of the letter is probably be James 1:22 - “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only”.
    In chapter two, James taught that genuine saving faith demonstrates itself through good works. Faith without works is dead. Chapter 3 introduced another external indicator of one’s inner spiritual condition - the tongue. What we say matters and it often reveals our spiritual condition. Now, we see the solution to speaking well and living well is to have wisdom, specifically godly wisdom.
    Scripture:
    James 3:13–18 (ESV)
    13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
    Introduction
    We have called James a collection of wisdom sayings, the Proverbs of the NT. The passage today is all about wisdom.
    Last week…we saw how speech is an indicator of our spiritual condition, focusing on the power and potential harm our speech can have. James provides a remedy for taming our tongues. It is wisdom. Just as James mentioned the wisdom of God to have a divine perspective on trials (James 1:5), we also need the wisdom of God to use our tongues, to know what to say, when to say it, and how to say.
    But, what is wisdom? In the Old Testament, living a life well requires a relationship with God, and the wise person lives well by applying God’s principles to everyday circumstances.
    How do we learn to respond to life’s challenges and troubles? We need wisdom.
    How do we learn to speak good things, even in challenging circumstances? We need wisdom.
    How do parents learn to raise their children to be God fearing and Christ-exalting? Wisdom!
    Fathers need wisdom to lead, and children need a father’s wisdom. Someone once said, “Good judgment comes from experience, and experience often comes from bad judgment.” Fathers can help children benefit from lessons they learned. A father's greatest display of wisdom may not be his words but his example. A wise father helps his children avoid dangers they cannot yet see. In the same way, James points us to a wisdom from above—a wisdom that comes from our Heavenly Father, who sees what we cannot see and lovingly guides us in the path of righteousness. We need the wisdom of God to live a live well for God.
    James has already mentioned, if we lack wisdom, we should ask for it (James 1:5). 
    The passage today provides another example of the letter’s main theme of calling us to ensure our behavior (works, speech, relationships, etc.) matches what we say we believe. To borrow the “faith and works” theme, faith without good works means a life of evil works. And since the evil of the tongue is ignited by the evil of hell (James 3:6), we should ask ourselves, what is guiding us, the heavenly (James 3:17) or the hellish (James 3:15)?
    This message will reveal three truths about wisdom.

    True Wisdom is Demonstrated by Actions

    James 3:13
    If I asked you to name a wise person, some might say Solomon. Others might say, a favorite teacher, a grandparent, or a trusted mentor. What is probably similar with all of these is that we rarely describe wise people by their IQ, income, or accomplishments. We typically describe wise people by their character, judgment, and how they treat others. James would agree. To answer who is wise, James points not to what a person knows, but to how a person lives.
    James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 
    It is possible that, just as some church members were apparently taking the mantle of “teacher” upon themselves recklessly (James 3:1), so were some (maybe the same people) setting themselves up as “wise” or “understanding”. Such believers needed to be reminded of the true nature and fruits of wisdom.
    James starts with a question, “Who is wise and understanding?” We should probably see this question as one of those that you want to be careful answering. If you raise your hand, “Yes, I am wise and understanding”, James is prepared to challenge that assertion.
    “Really?”, James would say, “Show me your wisdom and understanding.” 
    James had already taught that God grants wisdom to those who ask Him in faith (James 1:5–8). In this passage, James went into more detail concerning the origin and expressions of wisdom. True wisdom is grounded in the “fear of the Lord”.
    Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
    What makes biblical wisdom distinctive, aside from it beginning with the fear of God, is that is associated with godly character., i.e., good works. Any claim to wisdom is tested by the life and demeanor of the supposed wise person. James describes wisdom as not merely intellectual but also behavioral…“by his good conduct”. By his good conduct, show his works. Again, James was asking people to prove what they say.
    If you say you have faith, show it (James 2:18). If you say that you are wise, show it by how you live.
    When one stands in proper awe and respect (fear) of God, the result is “meekness”. Meekness, which is translated “gentleness” in Galatians 5:23) was considered weakness by the Greeks. But meekness is not weakness. Meekness comes not from being weak or cowardly, but rather from trusting God and therefore being set free from anxiously promoting self (i.e., selfish ambition). Jesus elevated meekness to a primary Christian virtue (Matthew 5:5; Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.) Recognizing one’s proper place in creation and submitting to the Creator’s will in daily life is wise.
    Next, we will see the difference between two kinds of “wisdom”.

    The Fruit of False Wisdom is Disorder

    James 3:14-16
    If there are two kinds of wisdom, what does the false wisdom look like?
    James 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 
    Verse fourteen begins with the word “but” to show a contrast between the values expressed in the previous verse. While the person who is wise should show his or her wisdom by good works, this is not true for those who are not truly wise. We could read verse fourteen, “But if [you claim to be wise while at the same time] you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast [about your so-called wisdom] and be false to the truth.” 
    As opposed to the “good conduct” and humble deeds (James 3:13) that are outward expressions of true wisdom, false wisdom pours forth evil conduct and arrogant boasting. James describes the characteristics of this evil conduct, but first he looks to the inside of the person (to the “heart”). As we mentioned last week, any outward behavior is an overflow of the heart. 
    Luke 6:45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
    Two things “in our hearts” that James mentioned are bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. A person with false wisdom is characterized by “bitter jealousy.” God’s jealousy is legitimate as He alone deserves our worship. God is rightly jealous for His honor and the loyal devotion of His people because He deserves it. On the other hand, human jealousy often demonstrates itself as a wicked desire for the abilities, possessions, or status of another that do not belong to the one jealous.
    Whether it is sinful jealously and godly jealousy hinges on motive—do you rightly deserve what you fear losing and does it matter to God. Human jealousy, like ambition, becomes distorted by sin. James adds the word “bitter” to “jealousy” (the same word that is used to refer to “salty” in James 3:11), to make it clear that this jealousy is an attitude of resentful competition that is worse that the usual wicked desire.
    “Selfish ambition” (James 3:14) is another sinful heart condition that is contradictory to true wisdom. There is a godly ambition that should not be suppressed, which is a personal drive that seeks to honor God and benefit others. A couple of biblical passages that speak to godly ambition include 1 Timothy 3:1 about men aspiring to the office of overseer, and Colossians 3:23-24 where believers are encouraged to work heartily as for the Lord rather than for human approval. 
    But, that is not the ambition James mentioned here. James described a prideful desire to promote oneself or one’s personal concerns without reference to God or the genuine needs of others. “Selfish ambition” is a willingness to split a group in order to achieve one’s personal desires. It focuses on what “I want” instead of what God wants. This same word is translated “rivalry” elsewhere in scripture, e.g., Galatians 5:20.
    James warns us about having bitter jealousy and selfish ambition. He wrote, “Do not boast [about your supposed wisdom] and be false to the truth” (James 3:14). In other words, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, don’t pretend to be wise. Repent, and ask God to change your heart.
    James then described the characteristics of this false wisdom.
    James 3:15–16 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
    Such false wisdom is not from God. James described worldly behavior in terms that “progress” from bad to worse, recalling the list in James 3:5–6, the tongue is a “world of unrighteousness”. Rather, this false wisdom is…
    Earthly: Such behavior is ultimately earthbound. It stands for the human, rational approach to things that does not take the revealed will of God into account.
    Unspiritual: This describes someone who is self-absorbed. It means being out of touch with God—operating according to natural human impulses rather than divine guidance.
    Demonic: Its resembles the powers of darkness. Just as evil speech comes from Satan (James 3:6), so does this “worldly behavior”. Recall Jesus’ rebuke of Peter (Matthew 16:16–23) where Peter had spoken both a godly word and a demonic word. 
    Bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are, at their root, expressions of a worldly and demonic rebellion against God. The evil of the tongue and ungodly wisdom are influenced by hellish evil. Later James exhorts us to “resist the devil” (James 4:7).
    Though we can never really look into the hearts of others (and sometimes rarely within ourselves!), we can clearly see the fruit of false wisdom. The bitter jealousy and selfish ambition of a wicked heart cannot be contained but it will express itself in “disorder and every vile practice” (James 3:16). The result of such devil-driven conflict can only be disorder and every vile practice.
    Think about the damage one person or group in a church can cause by jealousy or selfishly ambition. It causes disorder or worse in the congregation. Therefore, we must resist these destructive patterns and embrace the wisdom that comes from God.

    The Fruit of True Wisdom is Righteousness

    James 3:17-18
    The answer to the “disorder” of verse sixteen is to seek wisdom from above. Whereas the earthly wisdom finds its origin in Satan, true wisdom comes from God, has godly attributes, and produces godly results.
    James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
    The wisdom that comes from God is characterized by both internal and external fruits, similar to the list Paul reveals in Galatians chapter five on Fruit of the Spirit. This should not be surprising as James reveals the characteristics of wisdom that is born from the Spirit of God.
    Internally, true wisdom is “pure” (i.e., fundamentally motivated by goodness and holiness, not by sin). Purity is the primary virtue (“first”) with the rest providing aspects of this moral purity. Pure wisdom displays the love of the believers without showing favoritism (2:1).
    Second, this wisdom is displayed by being peaceable or “peace-loving.” This fruit of wisdom is the polar opposite of “selfish ambition” and the discord it produces. Those who make peace are committed to the unity of the fellowship. Peacemaking often means unity-protecting.
    The peaceableness of wisdom has the virtue of gentleness or the quality of being “considerate.” The is similar to “a soft/gentle answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1). These people are also going to have a willingness to yield (“open to reason”), merciful, impartial, and sincere. True wisdom is a genuine expression of a heart redirected by God. Just as false wisdom results in “disorder and every vile practice” (v. 16), so true wisdom bears distinct and recognizable good fruits.
    James then emphasized the critical attribute of peace in the last verse as the pure believer.
    James 3:18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
    Just as verse 17 referred to “fruits”, verse 18 uses the word “harvest.” This is an interesting concept to consider that what we sow produces a harvest…it could be a harvest of good or a harvest of bad. 
    Gena has been trying to grow a garden at home. While I have not really helped much in this effort, I see her hard work of planting, tending, watering and caring for things she has planted. She has already seen evidence of things growing, the fruit of her labor. Likewise, we reap good things by sowing peace. Peace is the soil in which righteousness grows.
    A truly wise person goes through life “making peace” with those around him. The legacy of those who live in peace and make peace rather than conflict is a harvest of righteousness. In other words, James ends this section by reminding us that the truly wise person is a peacemaker who leaves behind a legacy of righteous behavior and influence. Jesus said that peacemakers are truly blessed and called the children of God.
    Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
    One of Gena’s favorite things to do in her practice of law is being a peacemaker. She helps to mediate conflict between people in order to help them come to a resolution without having to go to court.
    God is the Great Peacemaker Who made peace with us through Jesus. If it were not for God wanting peace, none of us would be saved. And as God has brought peace to us through Jesus, He wants His people to make peace with one another, and help others have peace. God expects His people to be peacemakers.
    A church that is rich in reconciling activities, that is, telling others about Jesus, defending the poor, counseling the troubled, offering hospitality to the stranger, sending gospel missionaries throughout the world, and many more, reaps a rich harvest of righteousness.
    Will you seek peace with one another?
    Will you help others come to peace?
    Pursue the wisdom from above that brings peace and unity and which is consistent with the redemptive work of Christ. This affirms our calling as peacemakers, and creates an environment that reflects the kingdom of God on earth.
    Conclusion
    In closing, James calls us to be wise people who follow the Holy Spirit. But, do we actually follow our “selfish ambition”?
    When others succeed, are we jealous?
    How do we feel when someone else does something well, gets a promotion, is given a responsibility that we once had or one that we want to have?
    What is the condition of our “hearts”? Do we have bitterness, anger, resentment, or “disorder” in our hearts?
    The greatest problem James identifies is the sinful heart that produces earthly wisdom. Only Jesus can change that heart. Jesus died for our pride, envy, selfish ambition, and hypocrisy. He rose again to give us a new heart and a new way of living.
    Before making decisions this week, ask yourself this question:
    “Is what I am doing or thinking of doing from below or from above?”
    Then choose the path that looks most like Jesus.
    We can serve God boldly, moving forward in faith, knowing that even though our weak service is often tainted with sin, our gracious heavenly Father is eager to forgive His children who ask for mercy (Luke 18:13–14). We must ask for God to fill us with true wisdom, His wisdom, which reveals itself in the fruit of righteousness and peace. God chose to regenerate us (James 1:18) by implanting His saving Word inside us (James 1:21), and now He is calling us both to act and to speak as His holy people. 
    Let the Holy Spirit lead you and your words and actions will become instruments of grace rather than weapons of destruction. Choosing godly wisdom over earthly wisdom glorifies God and fosters unity among His people. Meanwhile, we look forward to the new heaven and new earth, in which all of our motives, actions, and words will be completely holy.
    This is good news. Thanks be to God. Amen.
    Closing Song: Where He Leads Me I Will Follow

      • James 4:1–12ESV

      • James 3:14ESV

      • Matthew 6:24ESV

      • Luke 14:26ESV

      • James 4:5ESV

      • Exodus 20:5ESV

      • Exodus 34:14ESV

      • Genesis 2:7ESV

      • Luke 18:14ESV

      • Psalm 24:4ESV

      • Psalm 51:4ESV

      • Matthew 23:12ESV

      • Matthew 18:15–17ESV

      • Genesis 18:25ESV

  • Have Thine Own Way, Lord
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