There is heavenly wisdom and earthly wisdom, or divine wisdom and human wisdom. Which voice are you listening to and what type of wisdom is shaping and influencing you?
Who is wise and understanding?
Who would you consider to be wise and understanding? How could you determine that? Is the wise person the mastermind champion who is also fluent in a dozen languages? I knew someone who went to Oxford University and could do impressive things in many ways yet sometimes she overthought and would not be able to leave the house. Someone might be hyper-intelligent yet incapable of making practical decisions through overthinking.
Does worldly wisdom produce peace? Godly wisdom will give us the peace of God bearing good fruit. For all our advances in technology we are no nearer to bringing peace or acting less selfishly. Most of the world’s problems are not solved through lack of resources but lack of godly wisdom. There are different forms of wisdom and in these verses, they are contrasted. We all need godly wisdom. James has already told us that if we lack wisdom, we need only ask the Lord who gives to all liberally (James 1:5).
The Jewish mindset recognised attaining vast knowledge is not sufficient in and of itself. That knowledge must be employed meaningfully, skilfully and in all life situations. Greek thinking compartmentalises wisdom whereas Jewish thinking uses godly wisdom for every aspect of life. It is natural for us to acquire as much knowledge as possible in a pathetic attempt to impress others. We could study every branch of philosophy (human wisdom) under the sun but be no better for it. Philosophy requires little of us other than to think, explain or provide answers to deep questions and problems. But it does not require real commitment, a changed lifestyle, a moral response or accountability to God.
Like it or not we are all theologians. Through studying and applying God’s word we become wise. Timothy knew the Scriptures from childhood which were able to make him wise unto salvation through faith in Messiah. The Bible is different from other literature, it exists not merely to inform us but to transform us and conform us. Messiah is the wisdom of God. His teaching and life, shows us how to be wise. Anyone who would be truly wise would be someone hearing the word of God and putting it into practise.
Matthew Henry wrote, “These verses show us the difference between men pretending to be wise and their being really so. He who thinks well, or he who talks well, is not wise in the sense of Scripture, if he does not live and act well.[i] James asks and answers the questions, ‘who is wise and understanding? “Who is wise and who is understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.” (James 3:13)
So how does someone demonstrate their works are done in the meekness of wisdom? In James 1 we saw that the godly believer endures trials in a different way than the unbeliever. The believer is to be self-controlled, being swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath. The believer is a doer as well as a hearer of the word of God, not deceiving themselves. The believer bridles their tongue as they are concerned with holiness. They have a concern for widows and orphans and avoid partiality to others. They have a living faith and their works overflow from gratitude towards Messiah.
These works are done in the meekness of wisdom. Meekness is not weakness! We rarely think of meekness as desirable. Imagine promoting meekness in a high-powered business meeting or self- help seminar. That proposition might sink like a lead balloon. But our Lord stated, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) Humility is not thinking less of our worth, but more of God putting our lives into proper perspective. Being wise and understanding does not require exceptional IQ scores or solving seemingly unsolvable riddles. Rather it requires us to consider what James has written and to put that into practise.
Carnal, worldly and demonic wisdom
Envy and self-ambition will run their course resulting in boasting and lying against the truth. Envy is when we desire something that does not belong to us. Self-ambition is blind to the needs of others. Someone who is truly wise and understanding has no need to be envious or self-seeking. They are a new creation in Messiah and are living for His glory, no longer their own. The preceding verses in this chapter about the untameable tongue illustrate the result of envy and self-seeking.
How can we avoid boasting and lying against the truth? By boasting in the Lord and not ourselves. He who glories should boast or glory in God, not in themselves (1 Corinthians 1:31; cf. Jeremiah 9:23-24). Have you ever noticed how we are hardwired to worship, praise or glorify something or someone? This is evident at the football ground, at the concert, when someone simply enjoys a walk in the outdoors and expresses the beauty of their surroundings. But let us praise, worship and glorify God and not ourselves or others.
Envy and self-seeking cloud our judgement and blind us to the truth. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit leads us and guides us into all truth. Human wisdom is derived from reason (essentially philosophy) and is not concerned with godly wisdom. Heavenly wisdom comes by revelation. Ephesians 1:17 informs us the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
So often throughout Scripture there are striking contrasts, the godly and the wicked, the heavenly and the earthly. There are things under the sun and things under heaven and the flesh wars against the spirit. In verses 14-16 we have ungodly wisdom and in verses 17-18, godly wisdom. The ungodly wisdom is characterised here by earthly, sensual and demonic wisdom. Otherwise, they are known as the great enemies, the world, the flesh and the Devil.
Sometimes we can play the blame game and blame our sin on the world or the demonic realm. The world or demons may have been involved but James 1:14 explains that we are drawn away by our own desires. In the Messianic Kingdom, the devil will be chained, the environment improved, but people will still sin. There will still be some who will be envious, self-seeking and full of their own importance. What does this demonstrate concerning external influences, though more importantly human nature? It will make it abundantly clear that our sin is our greatest problem and we have a need of Messiah.
I had an intriguing conversation with someone adamant that changing the environment would solve most problems. She explained when our surroundings are improved significantly, this makes all the difference resulting in improved behaviour. I asked why a wealthy country might have such a high incarceration rate and why some excessively wealthy individuals commit fraud and tax evasion? I then pointed to what Scripture states about the human heart being incurably sick and desperately wicked. As a believer she agreed, but explained her occupation involved changing people’s environments with the hope it may improve behaviour.
But what can we do in the immediate present to war against the world, flesh and the Devil? Someone might say that all knowledge is God’s knowledge, but is all wisdom, godly wisdom? Do not feed the appetite of envy and self-ambition, but instead starve it. Do not let your thoughts entertain envy and self-ambition but rather cease that thought and fight it. Focus your thinking and your actions towards heavenly wisdom, not affording time to earthly wisdom.
These areas will attack your thinking and will attempt to manifest in your actions. Recognise thoughts that originate from the world, the flesh and the Devil. Do not play with a snake until it bites you. Think of a snake charmer playing the pipe, swaying and mesmerising, yes, but deadly! Do not be like a snake charmer with sin. Do not attempt to get as near as possible yet without being bitten. Guard what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, who you keep company with and what you are being influenced by. Be in the word of God and be prayerful, so you can detect the basic principles of this world. ‘Wise up’ in relation to who you are being influenced by and evaluate according to God’s word.
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and evil are there. Are you sowing peace or confusion and evil? Are you sowing peace at home, work, with friends or in the congregation? Sow diligently and carefully for you will reap what you sow. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace as in all the churches of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:33). Envy is more concerned with self-centredness than doing what is right in God’s eyes. When truth becomes subservient to ambition, then ‘I’ must be listened to and respected. Self-ambition inevitably results in trampling over others and doing anything to climb the ladder of advancement.
It does not matter how gifted or talented someone is. Envy and self-seeking will not produce good fruit. Confusion is the opposite of clarity and all things done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). Self-seeking will not enable others to grow and develop but promotes self and self-focus. Self-ambition will not only affect others but will attempt to rob God of His glory. Envy and self-ambition look after me, myself and I. Philippians 2:3 states, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Godly or heavenly wisdom
Godly, or heavenly wisdom is different. It is the opposite of earthly, sensual or demonic wisdom. Notice seven aspects of godly wisdom in James 3:17, speaking of perfection in heavenly wisdom and observe the order. The first aspect is holiness and we must make time to be holy. Prayer should not be rushed and if we are able to it is good to prepare our hearts before we assemble. There must also be a distinction in our thinking and our actions in opposition to worldly wisdom.
The next characteristic is to be peaceable. We need to be made holy to live in peace with God. These characteristics are also closely related to the fruits of the spirit (cf. Galatians 5:22-23). Peace is the opposite of war, opposite of confusion and opposite of evil intentions. Gentleness is ‘strength under control’ and an aspect of self-control, again a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Willingness to yield is the opposite of trampling over others in a bid to become the king of the castle. Some are happy so long as they have the microphone and are the centre of attention. Some leaders might be right most of the time, even in what they say, but they must have the last word. Willingness to yield is also the opposite of self-seeking and envy. It does not have to mean ungodly compromise. It does mean not having to have your own way especially when that is from selfish ambition.
The believer is to be full of mercy and bearing good fruit. Mercy is given to those who have shown mercy. Mercy does not however have to ask whether one deserves mercy. But when we consider the goodness and mercy of God, it helps us to show mercy to others. Since the Lord is the Judge of the whole earth, He can show mercy to the one who has shown mercy.
Notice these seven characteristics and fruits of the Spirit are not propositional ideas since they bear fruit. Sometimes a business has an ethos but frequently it is just a statement on the wall. All one is required to do, is recite the ‘core values’ , like repeating a scout’s honour. In Chapter 2 we saw that faith without works is dead. Showing mercy is the fruit of a grateful heart. Godly wisdom is without partiality and hypocrisy which is what James warned about in Chapter 2.
Earthly or worldly wisdom changes according to times and season and it inevitably varies. There are epochs, breakthroughs and paradigms of thought. We may speak of the age of reason or the renaissance. Godly wisdom is not restricted or confined into a period, nor is it relative to the time lived in. It is timeless. The Bible is authoritative and speaks into every time and for all time. Laws change and bills are passed. Society swings from one extreme to another. Sometimes one person has an idea, then someone counters that idea and the two thoughts are synthetised. That synthesis is the new idea and so forth. But the word of God is unchanging, consistent and stands forever. Look back into Scripture and you can look beyond our time. The world is lost and keeps changing but Yeshua (Jesus) remains the same and taught with real authority and as no one ever taught. He is the heavenly scholar teaching heavenly wisdom, astonishing those in the temple as a twelve-year-old.
Righteous fruit is sown in shalom (peace) by those who make peace. The word of God does not say blessed are the peacekeepers, but the peacemakers. It is no use being a peacekeeper if it is the world’s peace. We need the peace of the Lord. Matthew 5:9 informs us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” We must never preach the wisdom of the world or a false peace when there is no peace.
Making peace
Jeremiah and Ezekiel counselled against those who proclaimed “peace, peace, when there is no peace. Yeshua the Messiah is the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6) and He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Many now are desperate for peace and will settle for peace at any cost.
So how will there be peace in the Middle East? Through a seven-year peace agreement? No. A covenant will be set up in that way though that will not achieve peace. Only through Jesus the Messiah will peace finally come. Messiah brought peace between believing Jews and believing Gentiles through His blood. Messiah will come and judge the world in righteousness and then there will be peace. It is only through trusting in the Lord and not ourselves that we can know and experience real and lasting peace. The Lord Jesus will return to Jerusalem and Jerusalem will then be seen as the ‘city of peace.’
Though how might we enjoy a measure of peace now? Messiah gives us peace with God and others. He also gives us peace in different situations despite the influence of the world, the flesh and the demonic. When Yeshua rose from the grave, He said to His disciples, “Shalom a la Cheim” meaning peace to you/peace be with you, three times (John 20:19,21, 26). The peace He gives is not as the world gives (John 14:27). He gives us His peace and His wisdom. Jesus exemplifies perfect wisdom and peace with God in a perfect life. A blessing of godly wisdom is the peace of God ruling in our hearts since the God of peace is with us.
[i] Matthew Henry Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible (Moody Press, Chicago), p973