Wisdom from God

James  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Intro
James 3:13–18 CSB
Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.

Wisdom is Clear to See

James 3:13 CSB
Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.
This verse is the summary verse for this passage. True wisdom is seen through doing good deeds in gentleness.
What is wisdom?
Insight, knowledge and good judgement.
Biblical wisdom refers to practical skills associated with understanding and living a successful life.
Applied knowledge.
Getting sound advice and not taking it. This is knowledge without wisdom. Having knowledge but not acting on it is often viewed as foolishness.
Getting sound advice and taking it. This is wisdom. Knowledge applied. Knowing something and acting on it.
This works when we do something or avoid something based off of information.
James asks, “Who among you is wise and understanding?”
What does it mean to be wise and understanding?
What does it look like to be a person who is wise and understanding in the world?
Who do you think of? Einstein?
Scientists? People who invent things?
What is the standard of being wise or smart?
Real life skills? Test Scores? Both?
Wisdom is always relative.
The things that impress us for children are not impressive as adults.
There are people who excel in some things but are deficient in others.
When we compare ourselves to God, we realize how inadequate our standards of wisdom are.
Isaiah 55:8 CSB
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration.
Our understanding of wisdom is so feeble and mistaken. We praise people and hold them in high esteem, but next to the wisdom of God, they are as small children.
So how is wisdom seen?
Wisdom is evident through our conduct.
If you are really smart… you shouldn’t have to tell people.
Good conduct shows wisdom.
Good works done in gentleness shows wisdom!
Again, this is the summation of this passage.
We will go into further depth on the intricacies with the next two points.
The first of which is understanding the wisdom of the world.

Wisdom of the World is Evil

James 3:14–16 CSB
But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.
The Distinction between the world and the believer
Wednesday we looked at the reality that there should be a distinction between believers and the world.
This passage creates a distinction between wisdom from the world and wisdom from God.
Bitter Envy and Selfish Ambition
Don’t boast and deny the truth.
What is Bitter Envy?
Desiring what others have.
What is Selfish Ambition?
“a strong drive for personal success without moral inhibitions.”
Bitter Envy and Selfish Ambition can lead to success in this life.
This is the fuel that drives the American dream.
Your neighbor has something you want? Good let it fuel you! Work hard, do more, and you can have everything you ever wanted.
It’s hard to get what you want? Bend the rules. Don’t break them, but at least don’t get caught! Who cares if it hurts others. It will get you where you want to go.
Many of the greatest businessmen in this world have been ruthless. There are all sorts of ways we see people act upon their envy and selfish ambition.
Those who pursue worldly things, and boast in this are walking in what this passage warns against. This wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
The opposite of this attitude is contentment.
1 Timothy 6:6–10 CSB
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
In this passage we see this attitude of bitter envy and selfish ambition.
Those who want to be rich. They are desiring that which they don’t have.
It plunges them into ruin and destruction
Their selfish ambition has caused them to wander from the faith.
The wisdom that strives for wordly gain is not really wisdom at all. It is deception.
Mark 8:36 CSB
For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life?
The wisdom that the world offers is not what we should strive after as Christians.
1 Corinthians 3:18–20 CSB
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool so that he can become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written, He catches the wise in their craftiness; and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings of the wise are futile.
It matters very little if we are wise in this world. It matters that we have the Wisdom that comes from God.
In fact, the bible is clear that the wisdom of the world really isn’t wisdom at all.
Psalm 14:1 CSB
The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good.
Some of the “smartest” or “wisest” people by the world’s standards proclaim that there is no God.
Their “wisdom” will be show to foolishness in the end.
So what does it look like to be truly wise?

Wisdom from God is Pure

James 3:17–18 CSB
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.
True Wisdom comes from God
“Wisdom from above”
What are the attributes of Godly wisdom?
Verse 16 tells us and this list reminds me a lot of the listing of the attributes of love in 1 corinthians 13.
First Pure
Free from blemish or spot.
Peace-Loving
Seeking peace over animosity.
Gentle
The way that we handle ourselves when dealing with others.
Compliant
Not insisting on its own way. Working with others.
Full of Mercy and Good Fruits
The evidence of salvation.
Unwavering
Not conditional. Not temporary.
Without Pretense
Genuine and true
Doesn’t have to puff up and prove itself.
1 Corinthians 1:18–25 CSB
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the intelligence of the intelligent. Where is the one who is wise? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of what is preached. For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
We could spend a lot of time in this passage, but the main point fits with this passage very well.
Following God does not always “make sense” based upon the world’s metrics.
Wisdom comes from the Cross
We talked about that wisdom is subjective. The highest achievement we can attain is reconciliation to God.
Wisdom of the world is meaningless.
It is destroyed.
People who are wise in the world will look at faith in Christ as though we are fools.
People can be adamantly wrong. They can be confident in their error. To their understanding they may be right, but it becomes clear later that they are wrong.
Caleb and his misunderstanding about our age. Jan and July.
As little sense it makes to us or anyone else, as simple as it may be, God has saved us through Jesus.
This goes against our conventional understanding, We would think we must earn salvation, but God gives it freely. But that is how God works. Doing things only he can, and in doing so making it clear that He is God.
As we close I want us to remember the last verse. This verse is a reminder of how to be wise in these days.
James 3:18 CSB
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.
If we want to be righteous, we will sow our righteousness in peace. We will cultivate peace.
This means that we are actively working together to be people of peace.
This reminds me of a verse we have encountered before in James.
James 1:20 CSB
for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.
Anger causes dissension and fights and quarrels.
If we want to be wise, we will seek to be righteous. If we want to be righteous, we will cultivate peace.
It is wise to cultivate peace.
Where are you today?
Are you seeking to be wise in the worlds eyes?
Are you seeking to be wise in your own understanding?
Or are you seeking the wisdom of God?
Does you standard look like his? Pure, peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.
Or have you had your own standard?
Have you seen the wisdom of following Christ? Or have you been blinded by what the world says is wise.
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