Do you consider yourself to be a wise person?
That's how I began the message last week.
And it's important that we consider that again today.
Because that's the question that James begins this section of Scripture,
chapter 3, verse 13.
He's asking the question,
Who is wise and understanding among you?
But he's not looking for an answer in words.
He is looking for us to respond by pointing to our life,
pointing to our works.
Look at it.
James chapter 3, verse 13.
Who is wise and understanding among you?
By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
Look on the screen and notice that in the NIV translation.
Who is wise and understanding among you?
Let them show it by their good life,
by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
You hear what James is saying.
The truly wise person,
as God would consider wise,
is the person whose life is characterized by
good works
done in humility.
Now I think it's always important
in a setting like this,
in a Sunday school class,
in a sermon,
when you talk about good works,
to explain,
because so many people think
the way you're right with God,
the way that you go to heaven when you die,
is by doing certain things,
doing good works.
And if you do enough good works
to outweigh the bad works,
then you'll be right with God now and forevermore.
Well, that's not true.
That is our just
faulty human logic
and wisdom thinking that way.
We have already studied
in the book of James
how he strongly
stresses
that real Christian faith,
real saving faith,
is not just something we profess,
but it's something that we live out.
Here's how he said it in chapter 1, verse 22.
But be doers of the word
and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves.
See, if you think
exposing yourself to the word of God
in a place like this,
in a service like this,
or even in your own Bible reading,
just knowing it,
hearing it,
but not with God's help
obeying it
because you want to obey it,
you're deceiving yourself.
He goes on in chapter 2
to talk about the importance of
real faith will be seen in our works,
and he completes that
section in chapter 2, verse 26.
He says,
For as the body apart from the spirit
is dead,
so also faith apart from works
is dead.
So I want you just to be clear about that.
As now James is pointing out,
that Christians who have a God-given wisdom
will show it
by the humble way they go about
doing things that serve other people,
that please God.
True Christian good works.
Now, he goes on in verses 14 through 18
to point out there's actually
two kinds of wisdom
at work in people's lives.
He's contrasting
what we're going to call
earthly wisdom
versus heavenly wisdom,
or you can refer to it as
human wisdom
versus God-given wisdom.
Look at how he describes this.
Verse 14.
But if you have bitter jealousy
and selfish ambition in your hearts,
do not boast
and be false to the truth.
This is not the wisdom
that comes down from above,
but is earthly,
unspiritual,
demonic.
For where jealousy
and selfish ambition exist,
there will be disorder
and every vile
or evil practice.
But the wisdom from above
is first pure,
then peaceable,
gentle,
open to reason,
full of mercy
and good fruits,
impartial
and sincere.
And a harvest of righteousness
is sown in peace
by those who make peace.
after reading that,
which kind of wisdom
do you demonstrate
most of the time?
Now sometimes we just operate
according to this human wisdom,
just our own best thinking,
and it comes out
in some selfishness.
It comes out
in causing problems
with people
maybe in our home
or at work.
But just overall,
as you live your life,
in light of what James says,
do you live according
to just earthly human wisdom?
Or do you demonstrate
that God has given you
His wisdom
and you really seek
to be obedient to Him
in the way you deal
with people
and situations
most of the time?
Well, to help us really
be able to answer that,
let's look closely
at what James says.
Let's look first today
at earthly wisdom.
We're going to come back
next week
and look at
the heavenly wisdom.
First,
earthly wisdom,
we're going to define it
this way,
is man's ability
to discern
and judge correctly
as to what he thinks
is true or right.
Now I'm taking that
from the dictionary definition
I gave you last week
of wisdom.
Wisdom, last week we saw,
is the power of discerning
and judging correctly
as to what is true
or right.
Now think about it.
The world,
in general,
as seen in a dictionary,
thinks of wisdom
as being able to judge,
being able to discern
about what's true or right.
But in the world's way
of looking at things,
God's not a part
of that equation.
And so that's why
we can define
earthly wisdom
as our ability,
human ability,
man's ability
to discern
and judge correctly
as to what he thinks
is true
or right.
Now we looked last week
at earthly wisdom
or human wisdom,
you can call it either one,
in great detail.
I want to quickly review.
We saw that human wisdom
is possible
in a positive sense
because we are created
in the image of God.
It's a part of our
God-given abilities,
being like him,
to have a certain degree
of wisdom.
It's also a part
of God's common grace.
God's common grace
is the undeserved favor
that he shows to everybody.
He just chooses to do that.
Jesus described it like this.
God chooses to send rain
on the good
as well as the evil.
The good farmers,
the faithful,
God-fearing farmers,
as well as the atheist farmers,
they benefit from God's
good weather.
It's part of his common grace,
Jesus said.
Human wisdom is possible,
but human wisdom
is limited
because we do not know
nor can we fully understand
all the facts
in a given situation,
but God can.
God has perfect knowledge
and understanding
of all things
and we lack that knowledge
because we're not God.
So human wisdom is possible,
but it's limited.
But there's more bad news
about it.
Human wisdom
is defective
because of the fall.
Adam and Eve's sin,
it resulted in the corruption
of every aspect of creation.
Our God-given abilities
as a result of being created
in his image,
they were not abolished
by the fall,
they were certainly corrupted.
We, we, we, we,
our wisdom today,
we're using this
as our, our, our point.
Our wisdom today
is defective
because of the fall.
I want you to think
about it like this.
Since Adam and Eve sinned,
every person
comes into this world,
born into this world
with a sinful nature
that makes us
naturally focus
on doing our will
instead of God's will.
The way we're born
with this sinful nature,
we're more concerned
about doing what I want to do
really than what anybody else
wants us to do.
And you see it
in little children
all the way up.
We see it in our own lives.
Left alone,
we will use
our God-given qualities
like wisdom
in basically selfish,
worldly,
and even ungodly ways.
We're going to come to that
in a little bit.
That's because
earthly human wisdom
seeks its knowledge
and understanding
from every source
you can find in this world
except God
and His Word.
That's what James
wants us to understand.
Earthly wisdom,
that which is not from above.
Human wisdom.
There's a certain amount
of it that's,
a certain way to look at it
that's good,
that's positive.
But the problem
with human wisdom
is that
we take
what we can learn,
we take
our experience,
and we just figure things out
based on that,
and we don't even consider
what God's Word says.
We don't seek
His help
in trying to understand
something.
Let me give you an example.
Before we look at all
the negative things
James has to say
about earthly wisdom,
remember last week
that because of God's
common grace,
there are benefits
to human wisdom.
We all benefit
from natural human wisdom
that God has given
to people.
That's how cars
got invented
that we drove here today.
That's why we're in
a climate-controlled building.
Somebody was able
to figure all this out.
So we are all
beneficiaries
of God's common grace
and God's common wisdom.
I want to give you
an example
of the problem.
Many non-Christians
are wise financial managers.
I mean,
they know how to live
within their means.
They know that it's good
to avoid debt
and save money.
There are many
unbelievers,
atheists even,
who can provide
wise counsel
for how you
can manage your money
in the best possible way.
But someone like this
who only has
earthly wisdom,
human wisdom,
they're not going
to lead us
or teach us
to acknowledge
all that we have
comes from God.
God gives us
the ability
to work and make money.
God gives us
the opportunity
to do that.
And they certainly
won't teach us
to give tithes
and offerings
to God
or to seek
to honor God
in what we do
with all of our resources.
People with only
earthly wisdom,
they'll tell you,
you just take care
of your stuff,
manage your resources
well,
take care of yourself,
take care of your
immediate family,
and just do what you
want to do
with your money.
earthly wisdom.
It can be very
helpful at times.
But here's the whole
point of what James
is trying to get us
to understand.
Earthly wisdom
is not sufficient
to show us
how to live
in a way
that honors God,
that will serve
His purpose.
Earthly wisdom
is not even going
to tell us
how to live
and help
and serve
people around us
that God wants us
to help
and serve.
Now,
if we're Christians,
we are more
concerned
about things
than just what
works best for me.
Aren't we?
I mean,
if we really are
Christians,
that God has
put His Spirit
in us,
we have a desire
to really
and truly
know what
pleases Him
and do what
pleases Him.
See,
Paul talks about it
in the second
chapter of Philippians
that God works
in all of His
people,
all of His children
to cause us
to will
and to work
for His good pleasure.
And the only way
we're going to know
how to work
and will
and work
to His good pleasure
is if we have
His
God-given
wisdom.
So,
now,
let's look at
what James says,
how he explains
the problems
with just
earthly wisdom.
Number one,
the self-centeredness
of earthly wisdom.
That's in verse 14.
Look back at it again.
But if you have
bitter jealousy
and selfish ambition
in your hearts,
do not boast
and be false
to the truth.
One way to spot
someone who
lives by earthly
wisdom
is by something
like bitter jealousy
in them,
selfish ambition.
Bitter jealousy
describes someone
who cannot see
someone else
in a place
of influence
or in a better
place
than them.
A person with
bitter jealousy
resents
when another person
has something
they think
they should have.
Selfish ambition
describes someone
who is determined
to get what they want
no matter what
or who gets hurt.
Now in this context,
James is most likely
describing church members
who are jealous
of teachers
and leaders
in the church
and what they're
thinking is,
I should have been
that teacher.
I should have been
that leader.
They resent
who's there.
Now the reason
we get that idea
is what James says
in chapter 3
verses 1 through 12.
The verses above
where we're reading now.
James has addressed
the issue
not many of you
should become teachers.
Teachers are going
to incur
a stricter judgment
and you better
watch what you say.
You better guard
your tongue.
There's problems
in the church
that come out
throughout this letter
and there's people
in churches
that he's writing to
that they're just
they're bitter,
they're jealous.
All they're concerned
about is themselves.
getting what they want,
what they think
they deserve
and they totally
resent
those who have
somehow or another
got what they want
or been put in a place
that they think
should be theirs.
Now evidently
some of these people
that James is addressing
thought they were right
in their attitude,
in their actions
and so that's why
James says what he did
in the rest of verse 14.
He says,
do not boast
and be false
to the truth.
Some people were
proudly opposing
the teachers
and leaders.
Well James wants them
to know that
their very actions
are a denial
about what the Bible
teaches about
godly wisdom
and Christian character.
By their selfish
and jealous behavior
they're demonstrating
God's not
guiding them.
Their so-called wisdom
doesn't come from him.
Now,
let's think about
this personally.
Do you ever
have a problem
with jealousy
or selfish ambition?
One way to test yourself
is to think about
how you respond
to somebody at work
or somebody at school
or somebody on your team
or in some organization.
How do you respond
to someone
who is recognized
or promoted
or honored
and you aren't?
Can you honestly,
sincerely
congratulate them?
Can you be happy
when somebody
gets a promotion
that you think
I should have got it?
Can you be happy
with somebody
who gets more playing time
on your team
but you think
you should be
playing ahead of them?
You see,
James is not talking
about what's right
or wrong here
in terms of what
you ought to get
or shouldn't get.
He's talking about
how you respond
to what is.
Are you able
to congratulate?
Are you able
to be happy
with people,
for people,
sincerely?
who have
what you wished
you had?
Or are you jealous?
Are you envious?
Are you so mad
and bitter
because you got passed over,
you got overlooked,
but you just can't treat
those other people
the right way?
worldly wisdom
thinking that kind
of way.
It'll make us
self-centered.
That's understandable
when you look next
at the nature
of earthly wisdom.
Let's look at
the ungodly nature
of earthly wisdom
in verse 15.
He says,
this is not the wisdom
that comes down
from above,
but is earthly,
unspiritual,
demonic.
Let's think about
what he's talking about.
Earthly wisdom,
human wisdom.
It is earthly.
He's talking about
a mindset
that refuses
to consider
anything heavenly.
In other words,
it ignores God.
He's talking about
someone
operates from
a wisdom
that just
considers the ways
of the world
and leaves God
out of it.
He says it's also
unspiritual.
He's talking about
natural wisdom
without any of
the supernatural wisdom
that God gives us
through His Spirit.
James is describing
someone
whose wisdom
comes from
just how
he thinks,
just how
she feels
based on what
they read,
based on what
they're told,
based on what
they're experienced.
It's unspiritual.
It's all about
how I think
and feel
with no regard
to what God
might be doing.
And then third
and worst,
it's demonic.
Earthly wisdom
comes from demons
whose leader
is Satan.
Now,
I want you to think
with me.
We can trace
that all the way
back to the fall
in the Garden of Eden.
when all of God's
attributes
that He has given
to human beings,
when all of the
God-given
human qualities
were corrupted
and became
defective.
That's where
human wisdom
became defective,
back in the Garden.
That's the kind
of wisdom
we inherit
naturally
from our parents.
Now,
in thinking about
this worldly wisdom,
it's earthly,
it's unspiritual,
it's demonic,
what would that
actually look like
in a person?
It may be surprising.
It can be found
in our lives
as Christians
just like it is
found in the leader
of the disciples,
Peter.
I want you to look
with me,
think with me.
In Matthew
chapter 16,
Jesus asked
His disciples,
who do people
say that I am?
And they
said several things
and finally,
Peter,
speaking on behalf
of all the 12,
he said,
you are the Christ,
you are the Son of God
and Jesus commended him.
God has shown you this.
You hadn't figured it out.
God's revealed this to you.
It was an affirming time
and Jesus,
on that occasion,
the Scripture says,
began to teach
those disciples
about why
He really came
into the world
which was going
to be to die
on the cross.
Now when Peter
heard that,
he just said,
you are the Son of God,
you are the Christ.
And Jesus said,
you are right,
that is true,
but I am going
to die.
I am going
to be crucified.
In Peter's mind,
that just couldn't be.
So here is how
he responded.
Peter took him,
that is Jesus,
aside,
and began
to rebuke him.
Never,
Lord,
he said,
this shall never
happen to you.
Now,
before you think,
how could Peter
rebuke,
correct,
reprimand Jesus,
and say,
you don't know
what you are talking about.
He can't be this way.
In Peter's mind,
what Jesus said
just did not make sense.
How could the Son of God,
the Christ,
the Messiah,
be crucified?
Peter just thought,
this must be a long day.
Jesus is confused,
and so he is going
to correct Jesus.
This shall never
happen to you,
he said.
But Jesus took this
very hard.
Look how he responded
to Peter.
He said,
get behind me,
Satan.
You are a hindrance
to me.
For you are not
setting your mind
on the things of God,
but on the things
of man.
Peter was so strongly
rebuked by Jesus
because Peter was
just thinking
naturally.
He was just thinking
and said
just what came
naturally.
He wanted to protect
Jesus and protect
himself.
He was thinking
about surviving.
That's earthly,
unspiritual,
demonic wisdom
in action.
See,
Peter was only
thinking about
what's going
to affect me
and my Lord
and my future.
Peter was not
thinking about
what is God's
plan in all this.
Peter really
wasn't thinking
what is the
Son of God
up to.
He just
naturally
thought Jesus
is wrong.
Earthly
wisdom,
it is
ungodly
in nature.
And then
thirdly,
why don't you
look at the
harmful effects
of earthly
wisdom in
verse 16.
He says,
for where
jealousy and
selfish ambition
exist,
there will be
disorder and
every vile
practice.
The world's
wisdom,
if that's all
there is,
people are
just doing
the best they
can do.
according to
the way they
think and
feel and
their own
personal
experiences.
The world's
wisdom will
lead to
chaos and
opens the
door to
all kinds
of evil.
The jealousy
and selfish
ambition of
some church
members that
James is
writing to
is causing
all kinds of
church conflict
that James
describes in
chapter 4
verses 1
through 5
and strongly
condemns them
for.
Here's what
I want you
to think.
We see
evidence of
such earthly
wisdom just
about everywhere
you turn
today.
Look at
Congress,
the leaders
of our
country.
Congress is
a picture of
disorder,
of conflict,
and
ineffectiveness.
can you
argue against
that?
Look at the
Supreme Court.
It is
legalizing every
kind of evil
practice today,
especially
sexual
perversion.
Look at
racial problems
in this
country.
Many of
those so-called
leaders who are
in the spotlight,
like Jesse
Jackson and
Al Sharpton,
they are
men who
operate
obviously
according to
earthly wisdom
because
everywhere they
go,
they cause
more disorder
and deeper
division
than existed
before they
arrived.
But I
want you
to
don't dwell
on Congress
and Supreme
Court
and these
other things.
Let's
bring it
closer.
Let's make
it personal.
What's the
environment?
What's
happening
in the
places where
you are
actively
involved?
Like your
home,
your school,
your team,
your workplace?
Think with
me.
Are good
things
happening?
And when I
use the word
good here,
I'm talking
about things
that would
actually please
God,
His definition
of goodness.
Are people
demonstrating
humility?
Are people
who call
themselves
Christians
actually living
like it?
You see
Christian
character
being displayed
in their
life.
Well,
if that's
true,
then somebody
is leading
the way
by the way
they exercise
godly
wisdom.
And if
that's the
case,
you need
to support
them.
You need
to encourage
them.
They may
not be doing
everything you
wish they
would do,
but something
good is
happening and
you need to
be one who
helps that
along.
If you're the
leader of all
that,
continue it,
there'll be
a lot of
opposition to
that.
If you truly
exercise godly
wisdom,
everybody's not
going to like
it.
But God
will be
faithful to
you.
You just
be faithful
to Him.
But if in
those places I
just described,
where you are,
if they're
characterized by
disorder and
evil practices,
people are
showing signs
of bitter
jealousy and
selfish ambition,
you need to
understand that
those people
who are in
charge are
not exercising
godly wisdom.
That's just
human wisdom
in action.
They may be
smart people.
They may be
doing a lot of
good things for
the company or
for themselves,
but if the
climate, the
environment is
one of a
lack of order,
a lack of
unity,
lack of
character,
something's
wrong.
And James
would tell us
there may be
many things
wrong, but
one of the
problems is
people who are
actually exerting
the most
influence,
they're not
using
godly wisdom.
And if that's
the case,
where you are
in that
environment,
something needs
to change.
Now, if you're
the leader,
the place to
begin is with
you.
What you need
to do is
confess to
God that
you've just
left Him out
of the whole
process.
You've been
exercising your
best effort
with your
human wisdom,
you've not
been seeking
His help.
His will.
You've not
been looking
to His
word.
And you
need to
confess that,
repent of it,
and ask God
to give you
wisdom, which
James in
chapter 1,
verse 5 says
God's ready,
willing, and
able to give
it to all who
ask Him in
faith.
Now, if you're
not the leader
in that
environment,
you need to
pray and ask
God to work
in your
situation to
somehow raise
up people who
will exert
godly wisdom
and pray that
somehow or
another God
will turn
things around.
Don't give
up.
James wants us
to understand
it's dangerous
to live in this
world and just
try to do the
best we can.
just do the
best we can
in the way
that we think,
things that we
read, things
that we feel,
go by our gut.
James is saying
it's not wise.
That's worldly
wisdom.
That's human
wisdom.
That's earthly
wisdom.
Specifically, he
says, that will
not work in the
church.
That cannot be the
mentality of
leaders, teachers,
or church
members.
It'll lead to
all kinds of
disunity and
problems.
God will not
bless.
But we need to
understand it
doesn't work
anywhere.
If you have any
doubts, just look
around.
It is not an
exaggeration to
say that most
homes,
communities,
governments,
and organizations
are not
characterized by
the things
James says
will happen
when there's
earthly wisdom,
when there's
godly wisdom
being exercised.
Things like
humility, peace,
purity, and
other qualities.
We're going to
look at that in
detail next week.
There's just too
much evidence
around about us,
in our
neighborhoods,
in our various
organizations,
of bitter
jealousy,
selfish ambition,
of selfish
ambition,
disorder,
and all kinds
of evil
practices.
That's why we,
not other
people, but
why we as
God's people,
we've got to
stop trying to
just do our
best and rely
on our own
good,
worldly,
human wisdom.
It won't work
because we are
leaving out the
true source of
wisdom, the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
We're leaving
out God and
His will.
No matter what
you do,
no matter where
you live,
who you live
with,
you need
God's wisdom.
And in the
weeks to come,
as we finish up
here in James
and move into
the book of
Proverbs,
we're going to
look at how
to acquire
godly wisdom.
We're going to
look at more
detail about what
it looks like,
how it will
benefit us and
other people.
But right now,
understand this,
godly wisdom
comes from living
in close
fellowship with
Him.
and learning
to look at
all of life
through the
lens of
Scripture.
That includes
the way you
live at home
with your
husband, your
wife, your
children, your
parents.
It means the
way you do
your job, the
attitude you
have, the
way you do
whatever you
do.
Are you a
wise person?
Don't tell
me.
Don't answer
with words.
Just look at
your life and
your influence.
That's where
you'll see if
you mainly
function according
to earthly
wisdom or
God's wisdom.
Let's pray.
Father,
Father, you've
made it clear
the contrast
between earthly
human wisdom,
our best
efforts,
and your
true,
life-changing,
purifying,
peaceful
wisdom.
help us, dear
God, to see
how we should
respond to you
this morning.
Help us to
desire and to
seek your
wisdom, to
know how we
should fulfill
all of our
responsibilities in
this world.
world.
In an attitude of
prayer, you
listen to the
Lord and you
respond to
him.
This is
something that
will make a
difference in
your life and
the life of
people around
you, living
according to
God's wisdom
and refusing to
just do what
comes natural,
live by human
wisdom.
So listen to the
Lord and respond to
him.
Let's pray
together.
If I can pray
with you, I'll be
here at the
front.