SERMON: “Acting with Wisdom” (James 3:13–18)
“Acting
with Wisdom” (James 3:13–18)
Series: “James: True Faith Works” #16 Text: James 3:13–18
By: Shaun Marksbury Date:
February
9, 2025
Venue: Living
Water Baptist Church Occasion:
PM Service
I.
Introduction
One of the towering figures of the Great Awakening in the
18th century was Jonathan Edwards. He
was a famous preacher and theologian.
His grandfather, Solomon Stoddard, was also a powerful figure in New
England, often referred to as the “Pope of the Connecticut Valley” because of
his authority and widespread influence. Edwards
likewise emerged as someone who towered in his brilliance and godly wisdom.
However, in 1750, Edwards was dismissed from his own church
in Northampton, Massachusetts. This was
a church that his grandfather pastored for 57 years, the last two of which Edwards
assisted him as an associate pastor.
When Stoddard died in 1729, Edwards took over for the next 21
years. So, what happened to cause his
dismissal?
There was no disqualifying behavior nor a scandal (other
than a theological one). Edwards took a
stand on a doctrine that proved unpopular with his congregation — the fencing
of the communion table. Edwards taught
that communion was for believers, meaning only those who could give credible
evidence of true saving faith should partake in the Lord’s Table. This was contrary to the more inclusive view his
grandfather championed, that even those without a profession of faith may partake
in communion as a “converting ordinance” which might lead them to
salvation. The congregation at
Northampton strongly opposed Edwards’s change and voted 200 to 23 to tell him
to leave.
Such a matter becomes public quickly, and Edwards faced
humiliation outside his church.
Considering that his goal was to make the church more biblical on an
issue, and he was treated so roughly, we might imagine that he would have a few
words to say to his former congregation.
However, he bridled his tongue and refrained from speaking bitter or
divisive words. His behavior was so
honorable that, despite the obvious awkwardness, they asked Edwards to remain
and continue preaching until a replacement pastor could be found. Remarkably, Edwards graciously agreed,
demonstrating humility and a lack of bitterness.
He sought to be peaceful, but he refused to compromise on
biblical principles. When the time
finally came for him and his family to leave, he moved to the small, remote
town of Stockbridge. There, he
faithfully ministered to the Indians and wrote some of his most influential
theological works, including The Freedom of the Will. His life demonstrated purity, gentleness, and
a commitment to righteousness, while avoiding marks of envy and selfish
ambition.
How do we respond when wronged? Do we speak and act in a way that shows
wisdom? The passage we’re studying
follows James’s teaching on the tongue, and we saw that it can often get us
into trouble. This evening, we’re seeing
that such trouble indicates the underlying thought processes we’re using, the
kind of wisdom and understanding that undergirds how we act in this world. How can we change our behavior?
If we have genuine wisdom, it’s seen in how we live. We want to be people of wisdom, so, we’ll
note three points. We’ll note first that
we have proof with wisdom (v. 13); true wisdom is demonstrated by good conduct
and humility, not simply claimed.
Second, we have a problem with worldly wisdom (vv. 14–16); rooted in
jealousy and selfish ambition, it leads to disorder and every evil thing. Third, we have purity and peace with heavenly
wisdom (vv. 17–18); it provides us with a corrective and the exact fruit we
need in life.
II.
We Have Proof with Wisdom (v. 13)
Who among you is
wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the
gentleness of wisdom.
True wisdom isn’t something we just claim to
have. Instead, it’s something we demonstrate
by good conduct and humility. But, let’s
back up and consider what wisdom is.
“Wise” here is the Greek word sophos (from which we
get the name Sophia). In Jewish usage,
it referred to someone who was skillful at applying knowledge to practical
life. Don’t confuse this with “knowledge;”
knowledge is what you know, and wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge.
We all have the capacity for both wisdom and knowledge, but
some have it in more abundance. For
instance, Moses called such men to be leaders of the tribes of Israel (Deut.
1:13, 15). In fact, one study notes that
this combination of words describes “a person who lives in accordance with the
insight given by God.”[1] In this verse, we encounter an individual who
might claims both, perhaps one of the many who wanted to become teachers (cf.
James 3:1).
However, the exam for discovering such a person is not
written, and it is unanticipated by the unqualified teachers in this passage. James says to let this person prove himself “by
his good behavior” or “good conduct” (LSB); just like in James 2:18, “You have faith and I have
works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my
works.” James might not be from Missouri, but
he is adopting the “show me” mentality.
There should be something present with wisdom and
understanding that aligns with Scripture, and actions speak louder than
words. I would tell people in jail
ministry that, once they get released to a world, folks will doubt their
profession of a newfound faith; it will be up to them to prove the depth of
their words to everyone. That’s true for
all of us — we evidence that we’re Christians through our deeds.
These works
should be evident in gentleness (or “meekness,” ESV) of wisdom. This could be understood as a “wise
gentleness” or a “gentle wisdom.” Either
way, both gentleness and wisdom should be visible in those who have wisdom and
understanding. They should neither lash
out, nor should they speak without thinking.
Remember what
James said in 1:21 — “in
humility” we should “receive the word
implanted.” The listener of God’s
Word should receive it with meekness. Moreover,
in the beatitudes, Jesus said, “Blessed are the gentle” (Matt. 5:5), so there
is a blessing present for those operating with a gentleness of wisdom. That’s what we should see in good teachers.
As an aside,
remember that meek doesn’t mean weak, as though God wants us to be
doormats. The MSB notes, “The Greeks
described it as power under control.”[2] Moses, one of the
greatest leaders in history, but he is also one of the meekest (Num.
12:3). However, even when we take a
stand, we find our strength of conviction not in ourselves, but in the
Scripture. In that way, the meek man’s
authority is in Christ, not himself.
Meekness is the opposite of promoting self — it promotes another.
That is in stark
contrast to the next verse. Understand
that there is going to be some kind of evidence present, good or ill. If the actions in a person’s life do not
align with Scripture, which is something that we all face from time to time,
then we can’t say that God is our guide.
Let’s consider that now:
III.
We Have a Problem with Worldly Wisdom (vv.
14–16)
But if you have
bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so
lie against the truth. This wisdom is
not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition
exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
Understand that there are two kinds of wisdom highlighted
here: there is a heavenly and a worldly wisdom.
Rooted in jealousy and selfish ambition, worldly wisdom leads to
disorder and every evil thing. When we
witness this, we must back up and see it for what it is.
First, some may find that they respond to others with bitter
envy. The word “bitter” is used of
undrinkable water,[3] like
ocean water. Here, we also have the word
from which we get zeal. It’s used
positively when Jesus said that He had zeal for His Father’s house (John 2:17),[4] but
with the word “bitter,” we understand this to refer to envy. This is a jealous burning that occurs when
you see what others have or do. An
example of how zeal turns violent is when the high priest of Jerusalem
encountered the Apostles’ teaching, he was “filled with jealousy” (Acts 5:17)
and had them arrested and beaten. When
we have bitter envying together, we have a toxic mixture that erodes the
supposed Christian’s testimony and can destroy relationships.
That pride leads to not just ambition, but “selfish
ambition” of the heart (Rom 2:8). This
is where a person moves from just the emotional reaction to a decision to seeking
one’s own good alone, self-promotion.
Instead of meekness, this individual has looked sideways at others for
so long that he has given up on esteeming anyone but himself. In short, this is pride at work. It is factionalism, antagonism toward anyone
with opposing viewpoints.
This comes from the heart, the inner man. Remember that Jesus said that the mouth
speaks out of the abundance of the heart (Luke 6:45). Remember also that James said in vv. 11-12
that there were professing believers spewing forth a fountain of bitter water
from their tongues. Here, James ties it
back to what our Lord said. The bitter
envying and strife in the heart vomits its bile from a sinner’s mouth.
So, James warns here not to boast. This term is used in Romans 11:18, which
tells Gentile Christians not to “be arrogant toward the branches; but if you
are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root
supports you.” Speaking of the mouth,
James had to tell them to stop glorying in their sin! They were using their God-given mouths to
promote their agenda, denigrate others, and boast about how great they were.
Some might think that they are okay, but they “lie against
the truth.” The word is truth, and we
should care when brethren stray from it (James 1:18; 5:19). Romans 1:18–32 is the best example of lying
against the truth and exulting pride; Christians who think they are wise will
find that God has given them over to debauchery. They have a worldly wisdom, as James notes in
the next verse.
He warns that the wisdom such a person is utilizing does not
come down from above, that is, from heaven and God. James previously said, “Every good thing
given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of
lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). In this case, thought, this is a wisdom that
sees value in envy and selfish ambition.
This is the case with some professed Christians — they
operate with a kind of wisdom, but it seems entirely disjointed from Scripture. Perhaps one is the Bible teacher who acts
like a shock-jock, using jarring and even blue language to promote his beliefs
and tear down others. Even if it is done
in the name of Christ and seems wise, it is foolish.
Such self-righteousness arises within the church, as
well. Sometimes it’s with online
behavior; no one should be posting anything that they wouldn’t say to someone’s
face. However, it does not come from
God.
James gives a strong adversative here and lists three quick
descriptions of what this wisdom actually is.
First, this kind of wisdom comes from the world’s system. Paul uses the word of enemies of the cross of
Christ — their thinking is earthly (Phil. 4:18–19). It is a wisdom limited in scope to what the
person sees around him. Another way of
putting this is that it is a cultural wisdom: it makes choices based on what
the majority of people believe is right at the time. In this case, this might even exclude some
expressions of worldly thinking (crass language) for others (the respected,
secular thinking of the academy). It’s
not from the Holy Spirit, bringing us to the next term.
Second, this kind of wisdom comes from the flesh. It is a basic human condition corrupted by
sin. We could take this in a simple
animalistic, sensual, instinctual sense — what feels right in the moment is
what is right, regardless of who gets hurt or any spiritual consequences. We could also read this in the rational
sense, just what the person believes is correct at the time. We don’t want to be “worldly-minded” (Jude
19). There is a sense in which the
thinking is spiritual, though, bringing us to the third term.
Third, this kind of wisdom comes from the devil. His demons are working to make sure you stay
confused about life and godliness. They
introduce philosophies that seem reasonable on the surface but result in
horrors that stagger the imagination. As
Paul said in 1 Timothy 4:1, “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times
some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and
doctrines of demons.” Some go so far in
this that they have come to know “the deep things of Satan” (Rev. 2:24). This is the kind of “wisdom” we want to avoid
altogether and shows how our thinking may increasingly drift from God’s
standard.
James sums this up in the next verse. He writes, “For where jealousy and selfish
ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. The problem of jealousy and selfish ambition
was also addressed by Paul when he wrote to the Corinthians, who were confused
by the spiritual gifts — they wanted showy gifts! In 1 Corinthians 14:26–33, though everyone
wanted to speak, Paul put limitations on the number of people speaking — no
more than two or three per church meeting.
He also said gifts are for the building up of the body, not themselves. The God who structured the universe did so not
with a cacophony of noise and sound, so they should do everything in
order. Confusion and evil works is
always a sign of worldly, sensual, demonic wisdom.
The truth is that those who teach contrary to Scripture
create the conditions for the storm. Wise
teachers and leaders must navigate the difficult waters to bring the
congregation back to the peaceful harbor.
Of course, we want peace, so in our remaining time, let’s consider what
we have with right wisdom.
IV.
We Have Purity and Peace with Heavenly Wisdom
(vv. 17–18)
But the wisdom
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and
good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who
make peace.
There’s somewhat of a poetic quality with this verse. In the original language, there is a lot of
alliteration (words starting with the same letter), and the last two words also
have the same number of syllables. James
is clearly wanting to set up heavenly wisdom as beautiful.
Here’s how to know if the wisdom and knowledge you utilize
is from God. Note that purity is the
first manifestation of heavenly wisdom.
This word shares a root with the word “holy,” something that is set
apart and untouched by filth. It is not
intermingled with the wisdom of the world or flesh, but comes anchored in the
Word of God.
Second, heavenly wisdom is peaceable. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:9).
God’s wisdom loves peace and brings peace.
Note that purity comes first and then peace. God does not want us to have peace “at any
cost,” but only according to His will.
There are those who want peace above all else, but peace alone is not
the sign of blessing or of the kind of wisdom one employs. Those who seek peace above purity seek
compromise; those who have heaven’s wisdom have both purity and peace.
Third, heavenly wisdom is gentle. Again, this word does not mean soft; it means
fair. A parent who does not spank his
child for the appearance of wrong doing but waits to get the story from the
child deals gently. Philippians 4:5 in
the ESV says, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.” Christians should operate in a “considerate”
(LSB) manner.
Fourth, heavenly wisdom is teachable. The
phrase here is “easy to be intreated,” “open to reason” (ESV), or “willing to
yield” in NKJV. It means that a person
is approachable and will be moved. One
of the best lessons of life is that you don’t know everything, so be willing to
learn.
Fifth, heavenly wisdom is full of mercy. Jesus commanded us to be merciful (Luke
6:36), and James warns, “For judgment will
be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment”
(James 2:13). Unforgiveness is a trait
of unbelief, and a Christian should be quick to give second chances.
Sixth, heavenly wisdom is full of good fruit. This is a general term that might encompass
many praiseworthy markers. We might
consider the spiritual fruit of Galatians 5:22–23, for instance. James has talked about good works, now he
points us to good fruit.
Seventh, heavenly wisdom is impartial. That’s how the ESV renders this, and the KJV
and NKJV say “without partiality.” It
gives equal regard, despite appearances.
Finally, heavenly wisdom is not hypocritical, saying one
thing only to do another. We are all
inconsistent. However, the average
person’s overall picture of our lives should point to the fact that we are
people of conviction. If not, then it
might be possible that we are living according to worldly wisdom.
As a way to cap this off, James then points us to a harvest
available to us if we seek this kind of wisdom.
Proverbs 11:18 says, “The wicked earns deceptive wages, but he who sows
righteousness gets a true reward.” Similarly, Galatians 6:8 says, “For the one
who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who
sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” We reap what we sow.
So, let’s so in peace.
Christ not only commanded peace-making; He is a peacemaker! In Ephesians 2:15, we read that He abolished
“in His flesh the enmity, which is
the Law of commandments contained in
ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace.” Just as He “made peace” between Jews and
Gentiles coming to Him, we should also seek to make peace with others.
V.
Conclusion
What kind of wisdom do you use most often? We should not quick to assume we have our
minds set on heavenly wisdom. How often
did the disciples in the Gospels think they had it right?
We should be quick to deny conventional wisdom. If a God-denying world that suppress the
truth agrees on something, it may be correct, but woe unto us when everyone
agrees. Let’s instead promote Christ
and others above ourselves, operating with heavenly wisdom.
[1] John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael
S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R.
Grigoni, and David Bomar, Faithlife Study
Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Jas 3:13.
[2] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1931.
[3] Ibid.
[4] A. T. Robertson, Word
Pictures in the New Testament, (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jas
3:14.
