True Wisdom, False Wisdom

Announcements

Dudes night on the 18th. Ask Shawn for details.

Christmas decorations on the 19th! Not standard Youth group, but there will be cocoa and it’ll be fun to decorate together.

Pray

Review

Two weeks ago we talked about taming the tongue. It’s not that nothing should ever be said, but that we should live with a controlled tongue as best as we can by God’s Spirit.

Last week Shawn gave us a really helpful illustration about faith and works by using chairs. Who can remember what we were talking about?

Introduction

Turn in your bibles to James 3 beginning at verse 13. This next section James compares wisdom from above with wisdom below.

Wisdom is Demonstrated by Actions

James 3:13 ESV

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

I don’t think that James is wanting his readers to answer this first question. For someone to answer, “I am! I’m super wise!” would probably show that they haven’t been reading his letter very well. The conduct of a person demonstrates displays the kind of wisdom they have.

There are those who boast in wisdom, and those who are humble in wisdom.

True wisdom is grounded in the fear of the Lord

Proverbs 1:7 ESV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Boasting in Wisdom

James 3:14–16 ESV

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.

We can’t boast, or be proud, about being wise and be false to truth at the same time. If what James is teaching reveals a sin-sick heart in his readers, don’t lie about it. The wise thing to do is to face the truth of a lack of wisdom, repent, and trust in God rather than boasting about wisdom that we don’t really have.

James is saying that a person can’t claim to be wise, and be bitterly jealous of what others have and have selfish ambition in one’s heart and still claim to be following truth.

Not only is that not wisdom, but it’s actually demonic. It attempts to undermine and supplant truth for a lie.

Worldly approval and demonic lies so easily lead us into self-deception

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees over this very issue.

Matthew 12:33–35 ESV

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

So what is good, true wisdom?

Humble in Wisdom

James 3:17–18 ESV

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.

True wisdom finds its origin in God.

Any claim to being wise is tested by observable “good conduct.”

Challenge

How do we judge someone to be wise?

Divine wisdom, is mainly identifiable through one’s private pattern of righteous behavior, performed in an attitude of humility.

My challenge to you this week is to give an example of what one of these descriptions of wisdom is

How are some of these things shown in James 3:17?

Peaceable wisdom

Gentle wisdom

Open to reason wisdom

full of mercy wisdom

good fruit wisdom I

impartial wisdom

sincere wisdom

Test yourself. When we are in sin, and are repenting, is our repentance filled with ill motives, deceit and pride? Maybe we need to repent of how we repent. We are imperfect sinful people, and God is eager and willing to show mercy.

Luke 18:13–14 ESV

13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Let’s pray that God would fill us with true wisdom which reflects the life and character of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Pray

Teach us wisdom.

Help us see our motives when we claim to be wise in something.

Help us to use Your wisdom for the benefit of others to point them to you perfect and beautiful character. The character fully expressed in Christ.

Question

How do we consider someone to be wise? What are identifiable patterns of a wise person?