Twisting True Wisdom

James 3:13-18

Intro: 2nd example of sanctification (the life of Abraham)L/W—taming of the tongue

Today we examine the second temptation—with the emphasis on the teacher—yet applicable for all believers: twisting true wisdom

The tool I and others often use, 3 Circles. The first “circle” we come to is one labeled, “God’s design.” This teaches that before the fall of man in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve lived in full and complete love, joy, and peace. Whatever need they had was perfectly met by the Lord Himself, who walked and talked with them in the Garden of Eden. They lacked nothing, nothing physically, nothing emotionally, and nothing spiritually.

We find the second circle labeled, “brokenness.” In this circle we learn and discover that b/c of what happened in Genesis 3, sin entered the world and now, each human being shares one common trait—we are broken and in need.

Now broken is the perfect relationship man had with God

Now needed is the fullness of love, joy, and peach, man once had with God (it’s not that God stopped loving us—rather b/c of our sin and it’s nature, our hearts became diverted, un-devoted, and adulterous towards Him).

Since that moment in the history of us—man (you and I) have been searching for the way back. We are seeking to answer the question, “Is there wisdom—true wisdom—where we (man) can live in the fullness of God’s love, joy, and peace—where our needs are met—especially the need man has to conquer death?

If you look closely at this brokenness circle, you will notice three crooked lines—these lines represent the choices we make in our wisdom to fix what was broken and fill the void left by sin (love, joy, peace)

The cross answers this question with the words of Jesus Christ Himself

*John 19:28-30 “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”

We need the truth, the pure truth of God’s Word and wisdom

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

our understanding separates us from God

our understanding leads us astray

our understanding only makes us more clever devils

(Psalm 12:6 “The words of the Lord are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times.”)

We need to understand that this wisdom isn’t ours:

Proverbs 4:5 “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.”

The necessity of ensuring we are pursuing godly wisdom and being on guard against false wisdom is certainly and pointedly an application for all born again believers, before we explore this more deeply—James starts us off, again, with placing the emphasis on the teacher. Why?

Because he is the one called and charged by God Himself to teach their flocks the true, pure, and saving wisdom of God.

Because he is the one called and charged by God Himself to shepherd the flock in sanctification, to lead them in how Christ calls believers to live.

The responsibility he bears is a great one, b/c the teacher is responsible for planting the seeds of God’s truth, for the purpose of salvation and sanctification. If the people are led astray, or are led in any other way than God’s truth—then their souls are in danger of never being known by our loving, merciful, and gracious Father.

Yes, people are themselves responsible for their own faith—they must reckon their sin with God; however listen to what Paul exhorts in Romans:

Romans 10:14-15 “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!””

(As we get into our message, be mindful again, that as the emphasis is on the teacher, the temptation to be on guard against false wisdom/teaching is applicable to all believers)

I. (v.13). The wise, understanding person or teacher

James 3:13 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.”

James 3:13a—”Who is wise and understanding among you?…”

“Wise man”—refers to the teacher

“Knowledge (KJV)/Understanding (NKJV)”—refers to the expert/skilled, or knowledgeable person

“Teacher”—refers to anyone in the body who teaches the Word of God (including ministers and teachers—Bible study leaders, discipleship leaders, children’s pastors/leaders, youth pastors, etc.)

Who are the wise men and teachers within the church? Who are the leaders within the body of believers in the local church? Who possess both knowledge and understanding? Further, what teacher wants to be unwise and ignorant? The point in James’ opening question, is that in order to be a wise teacher—a true teacher—if a person desires to be a wise teacher—this person must demonstrate some things.

Be mindful of the truth we learned a few weeks ago:

James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Wisdom becomes wisdom, when knowledge is put to use, when we take what we know and we act on it. What scripture is saying is that what makes a teacher (or any believer) wise—is the application of the knowledge we possess. (Remember the example of the tool box and the truck)

So what is it that James says a wise teacher/believer must do? What traits must be shown/displayed/possessed by the wise teacher/person?

James 3:13b-”…Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.”

The trait of good behavior and conduct—(again, this is not earning/meriting/sustaining)

Wisdom and knowledge have to do with how a person behaves—

This means is that a wise teacher/person does and exactly as he should.

Wisdom is the application of knowledge; and in the field of Biblical teaching—a teacher must be so diligent to live out what he teaches/preaches.

A teacher must speak in words of

morality and purity

righteousness and justice

help and encouragement

strength and edification

ministry and challenge

salvation and deliverance

hope and life

But what is so vitally important is that the teacher MUST be diligent to live out

the morality and purity he preaches

the righteousness and justice he preaches

his life, diligently seeking to live above reproach

a life depending on the strength of the Holy Spirit

As much knowledge as a person, a teacher, a pastor, or any believer possesses—they must live out their faith—live out the knowledge God has given them;

What defines and establishes the believer’s character is how he/she lives out spiritual disciplines, found in the truth of God’s Word, and doing so in humility and meekness

2. The trait of meekness—this is what must be shown and displayed from the wise/true teacher; “meekness” means to be gentle, tender, humble, mild, considerate….yet strongly and boldly. Meekness is often defined as power under control.

(Now the world labels a meek person weak, but when we look through the lens of the gospel of who a meek person is, we see strength)

Attributes of meekness—meekness has

a humble state of mind

this doesn’t mean, the teacher/wise person

is weak

is cowardly

It means the teacher

simply loves people

simply loves peace

has not problem associating with the poor and needy

desires to be a friend to all

a strong state of mind

it looks at a situation and desires justice and right to be done

if someone is suffering, a meek person steps in and does something about it

it does not neglect evil and wrong-doing—

if evil is being done, a meek person does what they can to stop it

it does not neglect abuse and suffering

strong self-control

A meek teacher/person controls their spirit and mind

A meek teacher/person controls the lusts of their flesh

A meek teacher does all he can (in God’s strength) not to give in to

ill-tempers

retaliations

indulgence, or license

A meek teacher/person dies to himself and does the next right thing.

A wise teacher is the believer who is to walk as Paul teaches in Ephesians 4 and 2 Timothy 2:

Ephesians 4:1-3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

2 Timothy 2:25 “in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,”

(Moving on)—What any believer—especially the teacher must ensure, is that the wisdom they are applying is not false wisdom

The greatest example of meekness is found in the cross: He had the power to get off, yet He perfectly displayed each of these three things so your sins might be forgiven you.

II. (v.14-16). The false wisdom—Sadly, there is much false wisdom and wrong teaching within this world—and tragically there are many leaders/teachers/pastors—who instead of following the wisdom of God, they follow the false wisdom of this world.

James 3:14-16 “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.”

This verse reveals the sad, dangerous, and tragic reality that there do exist teachers/pastors/and lay leaders alike who follow and align themselves with false wisdom

How do we describe false wisdom and wrong teaching? False wisdom and wrong teaching,

Create bitter envy and jealousy—these teachers of false wisdom are envious and jealous of others and their

Church and position

Preaching and teaching ability

Leadership and recognition

Charisma and attention

Associates and friends

There are far too many pastors/teachers who are envious and covetous of others and their ministries

Moreover teachers are often compared with former pastors/teachers and the comparison cuts/hurts—-which can create bitterness and envy

Create a spirit of strife in one’s heart

“Strife” means friction or more accurately—selfish ambition

desire to be recognized

“Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten” (Nikolaus Ludwig)

desire to be known as wise and knowledgable

to be seen as the teacher, preacher, or pastor

Pastors/teachers should be nothing more or less then broken people teaching broken people—we are all the same at the foot of the cross.

Create a spirit of boasting and self-glorying

this focuses on “preaching a good sermon,” rather than reaching people for the lost

this focuses on being recognized for how many come to church, not building people up in spiritual transformation

this focuses on the position, not the ministery

Share the difference b/t the pastor and the preacher and the rare combination of both

Create a lie against the truth (two things)

The teacher/person is living inconsistent with the Word of God

“You cannot be a follower of Jesus Christ and divorce the Bible.” (John Cooper-Skillet

If the teacher/preacher is inconsistent with the Word—then his life will be inconsistent

Titus 1:16 “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”

Ezekiel 33:31-32 “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them.”

It should be noted that if a teacher begins to teach in a manner of false wisdom, or live an unholy life…he should be corrected (this has nothing to do with preference but whether or not the truth of God’s Word is being preached and lived out by the pastor)

Boot me out

Don’t bank your expectations on your spiritual fulfillment on the pastor/teacher (there are practical expectations, but the spiritual filling comes only through Christ and the Holy Spirit)

What is the source of this false wisdom?

False wisdom and wrong teaching is of the earth: it’s wisdom that focuses on the world and the things of this world

Be mindful of who’s domain the world belongs—even though God is sovereign over all, the earth is Satan’s canvas for doing evil, his wisdom is the paint, and man (the lost) are the paintbrush

follows the nature of men—instead of God and His Word

focuses on life now—while neglecting the eternal

False wisdom and wrong teaching are sensual (meaning natural and unspiritual)

Focus is on man and the physical

False wisdom and wrong teaching are devilish or demonic

And teacher who does nothing but self-promote, tickle ears, create division/tension, and teaches false doctrines is acting as the devil himself

Matthew 12:34 “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

How many professed teachers do we know of today—who “un-deify Jesus,” who preach a watered-down, superficial gospel that are like the blind leading the blind—in leading people to a life separated from God

What are the effects of false wisdom and wrong teaching?

When the person(s) who follow the wisdom of the world, selfishly seeks after:

position/recognition

wealth/authority

What is produced is envy and strife with others, and this results in

Confusion and evil within the church: people become disturbed and divided

Confusion and evil within families

The weak to return to the world and to forsake God and His Word

Others to attach themselves to earthly religion and rituals, ceremony, and morality—all of which die in the grave

The doom of others to an eternity apart from God—why? Because the message of Christ crucified has been set aside to fill seats, inflate the offering plate, and accommodate someone’s feelings

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

What must be understood about false wisdom is this:

False wisdom tickles our ears and puffs us up so that we focus on our self, our works, and our religion—which ultimately lead us further from obedience and thus forgetfulness of God

False wisdom bends, alters, twists God’s Word to fit our circumstances, rather than fitting out circumstances into God’s Word

False wisdom has created decimated and destroyed the hope of so many people

III.(v.17-18). The true wisdom

James 3:17-18 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

(3 Points)

The source of true wisdom is God.

true wisdom—wisdom that saves, transforms, and sanctifies—does not and can never come from man

true wisdom is found only we seek after God—never doubting who He is and the wisdom He can provide

James 1:6 “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.”

The description of true wisdom—(scripture gives us 8 things)

Pure—(hagne) means to be pure from fault and defilement;

moral purity

completely separated from impurity and wrong-doing

set apart to God

It is not half good and half bad

Peaceable (Greek word-means to bind together—to join and weave together)—

A wise teacher is bound-woven-and joined together

with himself

with God

with his fellow man

A wise teacher does all he can to make peace where it is broken

Individuals

Families

Communities

A wise teacher’s goal is to work towards the peace that comes in reconciliation

1st to God

2nd to others

Gentle (Greek word—hard to translate out, but means to be gentle and for bearing in dealing with other people).

The wise person is not to

criticize

condemn

censor

neglect, or ignore

Rather the wise person is to

reach out to the world with the gospel

treat others with a loving gentleness

Easy to be entreated (Greek word—means to be reasonable)

Full of mercy (Greek word used here—means to have feelings of pity/compassion and affection/kindness

Mercy does not discriminate or show partiality

Mercy has empathy for the both the sinner and the saint; the lost sinner or the saved sinner

Full of good fruits

Without partiality

Without hypocrisy

The effect of true wisdom is the fruit of righteousness—a life and world of righteousness

WORSHIP TEAM:

The subject of today’s sermon was a charge to guard ourselves against the temptation of false wisdom, and this charge is as imperative today as it was in James’ day:

It’s imperative that teacher’s preach and live it out and it’s imperative believers seek it out and live it out.

Why? Because there’s a life changing difference b/t the world’s wisdom and the wisdom of God.

The wisdom of the world says there is no God

The wisdom of God says there is-straight from the beginning

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 2:4 “This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,”

The wisdom of the world says if there is a God, He’s left us alone

The wisdom of God says He hasn’t

Genesis 1:31 “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

Creating us as very good, pleased God and despite our rebellious and sinful nature He has not abandoned how He loves us—look at what He’s done to restore you!!

Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.””

The wisdom of the world says there are many ways to God

The wisdom of the world says there is only one way to God

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

The wisdom of the world/false religion says a person can lose salvation

The wisdom of God says you cannot

John 10:28 “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

No where does Scripture teach you can lose it—b/c there’s not an iota of scripture that teaches what to do if you lose it

What you didn’t earn you cannot lose

The wisdom of the world says you can create yourself in whatever image you want

The wisdom of God says you are created in His

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.””

The wisdom of the world says God is impersonal

The wisdom of God says we were created to be personal to Him:

Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

The wisdom of the world says you can profess Christ, yet live as you want

The wisdom of God says you cannot

1 John 1:6 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”

The wisdom of the world says you can seek to please the flesh, instead of pleasing God

The wisdom of God says you cannot

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

The wisdom of the world says you aren’t worth it and your sin is too deep

The wisdom of God says you are

Ephesians 3:16-19 “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

2 Peter 3:8-9 “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

(My favorite) Hebrews 12:2 “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

(My other favorite (LOL)) Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

The wisdom of religion says you can get to God by following rules, works, religion

The wisdom of God says it’s about Jesus

1 John 3:23 “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

The wisdom of the world says Jesus can’t conquer death

The wisdom of God says Jesus can

Mark 5:36 “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.””

Matthew 28:5-6 “But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”

The wisdom of the world comes to nothing and has an end

1 Corinthians 2:6 “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.”

The wisdom of God is everlasting to everlasting and offers eternal life

Isaiah 40:28 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.”

The wisdom of the world Is ultimately fueled by the forces of hell (just look back at the fall)

Genesis 3:4-6 “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

The enemies first and primary attack was to get Eve to doubt the wisdom of God—she was deceived into believing there was a wisdom other than God’s that could satisfy her, that would “get her to God.”

Ever since this moment, the enemy (Satan himself) has stopped at nothing to warp, twist, and distort the wisdom that leads to eternal life and our sanctification—and the results have been spiritually devastating:

The wisdom of God is fueled by a loving, merciful, and gracious Savior who’s sole purpose in sending His Son and giving us His word—was/is for the salvation of our souls

Matthew 1:21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””

2 Timothy 3:14-15 “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”