13 Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom.
14 But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom.
15 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic.
16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.
17 But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.
18 And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace. (GNB)
V. 13 - “Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom.”
- Let’s ponder the differences between knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
“Are there any of you who are wise and understanding?” - Knowledge is the collection of information and facts. Generally, knowledge is neither good or evil. Using knowledge with skill, even expert skill, is showing wisdom. How that knowledge is used brings us into the moral universe. We know from scripture that spiritual wisdom comes from God. Learn to start a fire - you can use that knowledge, a learned skill, to warm yourself or to burn down a house. That use is good.
Learn that Jesus came into the world to save sinners such as you. Use that knowledge to accept Him and come to the Lord - good. You have gained wisdom. You have gained ‘understanding’ if you use that wisdom to lead others that they may accept Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. If you use it to harden your heart and reject Jesus - evil. Or, leading others to reject Jesus Christ - most definitely evil - and shows you have no understanding of God and what awaits you.
“You are to prove it by your good life” - Let the way you live show that you know God. Your faithful life demonstrates the wisdom you have attained. It shows that you understand your eternal life is in God’s hands and you trust Him. This is the concept is also seen in “faith without works is dead.” (Jam 2:26) If we are wise it will show in our behavior. “Walk it, don't just talk it.” If we are wise it shows in our demeanor, in the way we conduct ourselves.
V. 14 -“But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom. “ -
“Jealous, bitter, and selfish” - Three behaviors showing you have a “me first” attitude. Jealousy leads you think, “I should have received that.” Or, “Why did she get the promotion and not me?” If bitter - “Why’s everybody picking on me?” Or, “I’ll get them back. Just wait and see.”
The word “bitter” used here links back to verse 3:11 - “undrinkable water.” Bitterness combined with envy produces harsh and resentful attitudes.
Selfishness is another aspect of ignoring the concern for others. This reminds me of a politician willing to win at any cost; zeal gone astray. Recently, a celebrity refused to go to the funeral of a former U. S. President. When asked why they didn't attend, the answer was basically that there was nothing in it for them. The focus was on me! me! me!
These attitudes show no humility. Paul said it clearly, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” (Rom 12:3)
“don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom.” - It seems like James identifies two sins: lying and boasting. Maybe not. The sin is lying about how wise you are. Your behavior belies that claim. Boasting is showing the pride you have in how 'wonderful' you are. Look at Eze 28:1-10 to get a good idea of God's opinion of our pride... Pride and arrogance led to Satan’s rebellion and fall. Pride led Eve and Adam to assume they could be as good as God.
V. 15 - “Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic. ” -
Note that ‘wisdom’ is not automatically and only from and about God. The learned use of knowledge can be for good or for ill. Looking back at verse 14, the ability to lie about your spiritual condition, and do it convincingly does not come from God. God would never have you lie in order to bring someone to Him. The training that leads you to lying about your relationship with the Lord is from Hell itself. It does not “come down from heaven”.
“It belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic.” - There are three realms represented - earthly, sensual, devilish. This wisdom is not from God because:
- It is limited to man's earthly understanding;
- It is characterized by human frailties, impure heart and unsaved spirit, and;
- It is from Satan.
There may be several reasons for you to lie about your spiritual condition: You may want people to think highly of you and your relationship with God. You are being selfish and self-centered, seeking men’s praise rather than the Lord’s. You may have been blinded by Satan causing you to think you are better than you really are. You are deluded and not aware of the spiritual danger you are in. It shows a lack of reality and humility.
"earthly and unspiritual" - Wisdom that refutes the teachings of the Lord is necessarily bad; especially when it claims to be from God. Such ‘wisdom’ should not be called that, because rebellion is a learned behavior - it is a twisted wisdom. God will never teach or make claims that will turn you away from Him.
V. 16 -Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.” - In some translations the word ‘disorder’ is rendered ‘confusion’. The confusion in a group of Christians is similar to the disorder and frustration in an individual. We see a contrast between the Christian lifestyle and that which comes from pretend wisdom. We read and hear about the promised results of knowing Jesus Christ, but are not seeing those things in our lives. We can think, “I’m doing everything expected of me; nothing is working!” Does this mean the Christian faith is good for nothing? May it never be! We cannot expect to live the life promised if we are not following the scriptures. You cannot plant radish seeds and expect to get carrots!
"Virtue is not virtue if it is not freely chosen." (See Note 1)
V. 17 - “But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.” -
“the wisdom from above is pure first of all “ - The believer modeled here is someone who is attuned to the ‘things above’ (Col. 2:2), not the things and attitudes here on earth. “Pure” is mentioned first because our Lord and God is pure and holy first of all, there is no darkness in him (1 John 1:5).
“it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.” - James is contrasting worldly wisdom with wisdom from above.Godly wisdom (wisdom from above) is described in Job 28:12-13, 23, 28: - “But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge? Man has not seen the way to it, and it is not in the land of the living… God has knowledge of the way to it, and of its resting-place… And he said to man, Truly the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to keep from evil is the way to knowledge.”
This is apropos for today... We have science and can solve any problem, find gold and diamonds; but suck at knowing God and his wisdom. Also we see that ” The fear of the Lord is the start of knowledge: but the foolish have no use for wisdom and teaching.” (Pro. 1:7) When you begin to understand the power and love of God, you begin to grow in your Christian life. Or: “O how deep is the wealth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! no one is able to make discovery of his decisions, and his ways may not be searched out.” (Rom 11:33 ) God’s wisdom is like He is - so far above our comprehension we can’t even imagine. God's information/wisdom/insight are infinite - way, way beyond ours. If that doesn’t generate a frisson of fear within you…
V. 18 - “ And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.” - Salvation and peace with God have a source - Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. He is the ‘seed’ which at maturity produces those who are saved. “And He said, ‘The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man’ ” (Mat 13:37). That seed leads to eternal life with our Lord and God: “for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Pet 1:23) And: “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1 John 3:9)
“We are set free in Christ, free indeed. We are left in our physical bodies so as to train, or mold, our selves to what God desires for us.” (A. Klavan)
End of Chapter
Note 1: quoted from Andrew Klavan.
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