Two Kinds of Wisdom
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever seen someone boast of their wisdom and meanwhile you sit in the background silently taming your tongue and thinking “this person is incredibly foolish?
I had that happen recently. I had a conversation with a woman recently about the Bible… specifically about how Christians who still believe what the Bible says about homosexuality are not being inconsistent with Leviticus. She never really listened to my response - however, in the conversation she responded very rudely and very boastfully. She began to brag about her accomplishments and how she attended catholic school and almost became a nun. I felt no need to trade accolades with her… I left it unbeknownst to her how I serve the church, or what my academic achievements are. When it became clear that the conversation was going nowhere I sought to end the conversation and leave. After I determined to no longer engage ended my statements with “have a nice day” this woman responded with “they say wisdom comes with age… so maybe come back in 30 years.” Now I had a great retort… but I was also studying about the importance of teachers taming their tongues… so I moved on with my life. However, it still stuck with me at how odd this interaction was - given the degree of boastfulness. I could tell that this woman lacked wisdom… and it didn’t really make sense to me until I read this text.
And I by no means share this to celebrate myself. I deleted this story three times before deciding to share it… what I noticed here was this woman’s evaluation and assertion of her wisdom and her believing me to lack wisdom is a fitting demonstration of this wisdom not from above that James speaks of here.
As I began to think back at this conversation I could only ask myself “What would lead her to think she has wisdom? She is full of pride and her opinion here is far from true. But she has an overwhelming confidence about what she wrongly thinks to be true.” And the issue is that people equate experience with wisdom. Because they have lived a little bit of life, or lived a little bit more life than someone else they assume they are wiser than others - but this isn’t necessarily true. This is also not how James defines wisdom. Wisdom is not demonstrated by merely telling people you have wisdom.
Many people wrongly believe themselves to be wise… to borrow from the book of proverbs they are wise in their own eyes:
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
Or a modern quote that says the same thing from Maurice Switzer:
“It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it.” -Maurice Switzer
This sort of wisdom fits with James’ wisdom from below, or wisdom that is not from above that James demonstrates to be superior in this text.
He introduces the idea of Wisdom from Above, or wisdom from God in James 1:5:
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
And now here in chapter 3 coming out of the his statement concerning taming of the tongue he demonstrates how to understand if someone is wise.
So the transition that James makes from the taming of the tongue to wisdom is pretty clear as the book of Proverbs, the book of wisdom, focuses a great deal on the manner in how we use our speech.
This text in part gives us the ability to evaluate wisdom. Someone says they are wise… how do we as Christians determine if that is true. We all think we are wise… but how do we know if that is true?
James in this passage gives us a test of wisdom, and then he gives two kinds of wisdom.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
Test of Wisdom
Test of Wisdom
James begins this section by asking if anyone has wisdom. But he doesn’t simply ask them to raise their hands - because foolish people are not wise enough to know they lack wisdom.
Instead of just allowing some one to claim that they are wise. It is really easy to say that you have wisdom. The proof of wisdom is not speech, but action.
Good conduct
meekness of wisdom
Alternatively: Bearing good fruit and humility are signs of wisdom.
Wisdom is not just words. But demonstrated by actions.
A wise person does not need to boast about how wise they are. In fact, the opposite of wisdom is boastfulness according to this text. Wisdom will be evident by your good deeds and your works - not by your boasting.
James puts a lot of weight into the manner in how someone acts demonstrating who they are. Chapter 2 - if you say you have faith show me your works. Your faith is demonstrated by your works. And your wisdom is also demonstrated by your works.
The wise person knows when to tame their tongue. The wise person knows that glory belongs only to God and not to man.
The book of Proverbs teaches us that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. And as James shows us here true wisdom, from above is that which fears and honors God.
Wisdom is not demonstrated by sitting in a chair and spitting out oracles, but by right actions and good conduct. Wisdom is not necessarily advice you give someone when you don’t know what to do with your life - especially not when that wisdom comes from someone who continually chooses to make terrible decisions with their life. We should not forget that how we use our tongue is a deed. Our words are works. So how we speak and how we act both demonstrate one’s wisdom… or lack there of… yet how James speaks of it is not lack of wisdom but rather the kinds of wisdom.
He speaks of wisdom that comes from above and not the wisdom that comes from above… or rather the wisdom that comes from below.
Wisdom from Below
Wisdom from Below
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.
Now if you are anything like me you will read this part and think that sounds like foolishness… and I would agree. And that is the point that James is trying to make. This is a false wisdom. Earthly, demonic, unspiritual… sinful wisdom - is not true wisdom at all. This is the kind of wisdom that some hold to be wise, but those with true wisdom easily see is foolish.
There is no wisdom in jealously, there is no wisdom in boastfulness, there is no wisdom in falsehood.
That which the world often celebrates as wise when looked at from a distance is demonstrated to be foolish.
Bitter jealously,
Selfish ambition,
Boastfulness
Being false to the truth
While these things things seem foolish, James does not use so light of a word. James instead describes this earthly wisdom as demonic. This is why I refer to this as wisdom from below. James has already described the tongue being set on fire by hell, and now he references wisdom that is demonic. Now he’s not saying that there’s a certain kind of demonic wisdom - he’s identifying the wisdom of the world, the wisdom that the world values as being demonic.
So wisdom with scare quotes. “wisdom”. Those who understand Biblical wisdom will see that this is not wisdom at all. Yet it’s the same sort of idea as being wise in one’s own eyes as we see in the proverbs and the prophets.
So when you see someone who is claims to be wise, or someone who holds themselves as wise - but they are jealous, selfish, boastful, and filled with lies - these are not signs of wisdom that God has given them.
There has been an issue in the church since the early church called antinomianism. It is one of those heresies that will not die.
Antinomianism is defined by the HCBD as “False teaching that since faith alone is necessary for salvation, one is free from the moral obligations of the law.”
In other words it is the false idea that Jesus died to save me - and that is by faith and not works, my works don’t matter and I can do whatever I want. This is sort of thing that Paul was dealing with in Romans 6:1
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Many people, even today, will adopt this sort of attitude, and do so with a pious or holier than thou attitude.
“Jesus is going to forgive me so I can…
Get drunk as much as I want.
I can sleep with whoever I want…
I can say whatever I want…
It doesn’t matter if I sin because Jesus will forgive me anyhow. And while this isn’t necessarily a sign of someone not being a Christian - though it might be - it is definitely misunderstands the gospel. If you understand that Jesus died a costly death, the person who is saved by his death will forsake the sin that he died for. Antinomianism is the kind of foolishness that James is describing here. All of the things that James describes here are sin - so anyone claiming to follow Jesus ought to forsake this sort of wisdom.
James then demonstrates why this kind of wisdom cannot thrive.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
The attitudes that are connected to this worldly wisdom are roads to evil. This is why James describes them as demonic.
And note that James mentions that they lead to disorder. The sort of attitudes that are displayed for this form of “wisdom” have no place in the church.
40 But all things should be done decently and in order.
That probably seems like it goes without saying - however, how often do we allow jealous to exist in the church? Jealous over one’s gifting? or boastfulness in anything other than the cross of Jesus? Selfishness over our church traditions, or selfishness over how things should be?
So instead of bitter jealously, selfish ambition, boastfulness and falsehoods… pursue wisdom that comes from above. Pursue wisdom that has these attitudes:
Wisdom from Above
Wisdom from Above
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
Wisdom from above is…
Pure
Peaceable
gentle
open to reason
full of mercy
full of good fruits
impartial
sincere
Consider how different that is from the other kind of wisdom. They are opposites you cannot balance the worldly demonic wisdom that is marked by jealousy, boastfulness, selfish ambition and falsehoods with the wisdom that comes from above.
Rather wisdom that is a gift from God is representative of God himself. It is peaceable - not combative.
It is gentle, not harsh. Thoughtful of others. Phil 2:3 - valuing others above yourselves.
Open to reason rather than filled with bitter jealousy. Open to reason rather than ignoring counter arguments. Patient and full of mercy rather than jumping to conclusions. Full of good fruits - a harvest in good deeds as- rather than embracing every vile practice. Impartial rather than playing favorites.
Sincere… That one might be at times the toughest part. It can at times be easy to fake some of these other things. You can seem to be peaceable or gentle - but really just want to avoid conflict - and meanwhile be filled with jealousy and vanity. But if the wisdom from above calls u
18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
The same word for fruit in verse 17 is translated harvest here in verse 18. So in other words, peacemakers will sow the fruit of righteousness in peace. And consider how different that is from the wisdom from below.
The wisdom from above yields righteousness, whereas the wisdom from below yields vile practices. Righteousness vs. evil deeds.
Pursue wisdom from above. Pursue righteousness and peace. Seek the Kingdom of God.
To some degree this text is about the desires, and the wisdom that a Christian ought to demonstrate. But it is also about the wisdom that the Christian ought to desire. Our
Wisdom from above - it exactly what we see in Jesus in the Gospels. If you’re looking for someone to teach you about the perfect embodiment of wisdom - and wisdom that we should model look to Jesus.
Jesus never boasted in himself, but he boasted in the Father. Jesus did not come to be served, but he came to serve - and to give his life as a ransom for many. Selfish ambition was the last thing on his mind. He considered equality with God not a thing to be grasped - but he took the form of a servant.
I referenced Philippians 2:3 a moment ago - where Paul teaches us to do nothing out of…
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
This chapter in Philippians 2 is about how we should model the humility of Christ…
Jesus is the perfect embodiment of humility, and the perfect embodiment of wisdom.
and in modeling Jesus’ wisdom we would also model his humility.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Application:
James is a letter that calls for a lot of self evaluation, and then change of action.
One of the main themes of James is that Christians should act like Christians. if you say that you have faith your works ought to demonstrate that. If you claim to have wisdom from above them your conduct should demonstrate that wisdom.
When we look at this text, we should all be asking what does my wisdom look like?
This letter leads us to ask… is that true of me? James gives lists to tell us what we should look like. How do you measure up?
Does my conduct point to wisdom from above or wisdom from below? Is it heavenly wisdom or demonic wisdom?
Am I jealous? Am I a boastful person?
What do you boast in? Your own wisdom? Or do you boast in Jesus.
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
The wisdom from above is full of mercy… Jesus is full of mercy.
When you fail to meet the righteous standards that Jesus has set for us.
Look to Jesus. Repent.
And when we realize that sometimes we fail and sometimes we fall over to the jealous side, sometimes we become selfish. Repent.
We will not find ourselves perfectly meeting this list here - but we will find that our gracious savior died to save those who are wise in their own eyes. If that is you then…
Look to Jesus. Rest in the wisdom and the humility of Christ. Knowing that his blood covers a multitude of sins - and is able to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Remember that the Father loves to give good gifts to his children. He loves to give wisdom to those who seek him and ask for it.
