True Wisdom 11/14/2011

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_ Us Christians, we have the truth. We have the light of Christ residing within us and radiating out of us. We know and believe the truth of the Gospel. However, many of us begin to think that we have all truth. You know, those secondary beliefs that you hold to that don’t change the Gospel message. Sometimes we can start to hold to those so strongly that we will harshly argue those points with those around us. Some people who profess Christ will even start to act in selfishness and bitter jealousy (I did that often not all that long ago). This is how church splits happen. That kind of living is neither truly Christian nor truly wise. The author of the New Testament book of James wrote on this very subject.

James 3:13-18 (NCV)
“Are there those among you who are truly wise and understanding? Then they should show it by living right and doing good things with a gentleness that comes from wisdom. But if you are selfish and have bitter jealousy in your hearts, do not brag. Your bragging is a lie that hides the truth. That kind of ‘wisdom’ does not come from God but from the world. It is not spiritual; it is from the devil. Where jealousy and selfishness are, there will be confusion and every kind of evil.  But the wisdom that comes from God is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled and to do good for others. It is always fair and honest. People who work for peace in a peaceful way plant a good crop of right-living.”

James is here contrasting true wisdom with false wisdom. Some people think they are wise when they are really not.
Look at James 3:13-18 to answer the following questions.
Where does false wisdom come from?
False wisdom comes from the world around us, our sinful bodies, and demonic forces.
How does false wisdom act?
False wisdom acts in arrogance from the heart.
What does false wisdom bring?
False wisdom brings “disorder and every evil thing” (v. 16 NASB).
Where does true wisdom come from?
True wisdom comes down “from above” (vv. 15 and 17 NASB).
How does true wisdom act?
True wisdom acts in goodness, gentleness, purity, peacefulness, reasonableness, mercy, and sincerity.
“What is this wisdom like?
James says:
•             It is ‘pure’. This means it is free from all the things that characterize false wisdom.
•             It is also ‘peaceable’. It delights in peace and promotes peace.
•             It is ‘gentle’. It is not combative and abrasive. It is reasonable and courteous.
•             It is ‘willing to yield’. It is open to reason. It doesn’t insist on its rights and its own way.
•             It is ‘full of mercy’, that is, it shows compassion to those who are in need.
•             It is ‘full of … good fruits’. That means it is rich in good deeds.
•             It is ‘without partiality’. It does not show favoritism.
•             It is ‘without hypocrisy’. It is sincere and genuine. It doesn’t put on a front.
This is God’s wisdom, and when we allow this wisdom to drive us down the road of life—which is another way of saying we allow God to drive us—we achieve a wonderful result.” (Ellsworth).
What is the result of wisdom?
“That result is righteousness (v. 18). Righteousness is, of course, right conduct. It is right living, that is, living in accordance with the will of God.” (Ellswroth).
V. 18 shows us that true wisdom is multiplied through peaceful living.

Being a wise person is not only being a smart person. Being a truly wise person is to act on what you know through “right-living” (v. 18 NCV). Taking a moment to breathe when a conversation gets hot may help you to speak with “a gentleness that comes from wisdom” (v. 13 NCV). The Kingdom of Christ and righteous living in His Church can be spread through peaceful wisdom. Next time you get in a disagreement with another Christian, a non-believer, a friend, or a family member be gentle and willing to yield. The truths of God will not spread through abrasive living but only through gentle and righteous living.

*You may watch me preach a short sermon on this subject here.

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The Everyday Bible: New Century Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2005.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.

Ellsworth, Roger. Opening Up James. Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009.

 

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