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Introduction
Well, here we are again at the end of another paragraph and the end of another chapter.
Tonight, I want to spend just a few moments reviewing all that we learned in this paragraph.
Next week, we will go back and examine the entire chapter as we consider the overall context of the entire book of James.
As a reminder, the context of chapter 3 is about us, as believers, living out our faith skilfully.
You may recall that this chapter began with the warning of verse 1.
That phrase “be not many masters” was intended to arrest our attention.
The Holy Spirit is warning us about the great responsibility of teaching.
The word “master” is the same word for “Rabbi” or “teacher.”
Thus, we must be careful about our desire to teach others.
The duty of teaching the Word of God to others is a serious and solemn responsibility.
It requires the teacher to be an example of all that they teach.
Thus, if you are going to teach God’s Word, you better be living God’s Word.
For that reason, we need to learn the art of living out our faith skillfully.
Now, paragraph one, which was verses 1-12, dealt with the topic of communication.
Communication is the method for teaching others.
The Holy Spirit automatically draws our attention to dangers of communication.
In fact, we learned the inherent danger of an uncontrolled tongue.
The bottom line of that paragraph is we must learn to submit to Holy Spirit allowing Him to control what we cannot.
Thus, in the next paragraph, which is verses 13-18, the Holy Spirit underlines the importance of God’s wisdom.
His wisdom is to be the foundation of each Spirit led teacher.
We are given a stark contrast between the wisdom of the world versus the wisdom of God.
So, for the few minutes we have this evening, let’s review these verses and pack it all together.
PARAGRAPH RECAP
The wise believer is a believer who not only teaches God’s Word, but also lives God’s Word.
That is the principle learned in this verse.
Remember they are to “show out of a good conversation” their works.
“Conversation” goes deeper than just speaking words.
The Greek word here indicates conduct.
In other words, actions speak louder than words.
If you are going to teach God’s Word, then you better be committed to living out God’s Word.
In fact, I will go even further.
If you say that you are believer, then live like a believer.
We are also instructed on how to “shew” our “good conversation.”
We are to do it with “meekness of wisdom.”
You might say, “wisdom’s meekness.”
The word “meekness” implies three things.
It implies humility, strength, and self-control.
We must humbly be obedient to God and His Word.
As we do, God’s strength will prevail in our lives enabling us to control certain urges to promote self instead of Him.
However, note that it begins with humble obedience to His Word which is the source of all wisdom.
PRINCIPLE: The wise believer demonstrates wisdom by their outward and humble obedience to God’s Word.
Here is a warning from God.
It begins with a reality check.
We are not capable of righteousness.
Every time we rely upon our own wisdom it leads to selfish desires and indulgence.
Our sin nature will always seek sinful activities.
Thus, the believer who is not humbly obeying God’s Word is the believer who is in danger of sinful actions.
They are danger of things like bitter envying and strife.
A true gut check reveals that we are inherently sinful.
Praise God that we are saved from the bondage of sin.
However, if we stray away from following the wisdom of God’s word, we open the door for our sinful heart to rule and reign again.
It is better that we admit our error and return back to Him.
The false wisdom of a sinful heart arouses envy, strife, self glory, and lies against the truth.
PRINCIPLE: The unwise believer caught in the trap of self wisdom leads them to envy, strife, self-glory, and lies against the truth.
We find the Holy Spirit begins a contrast between our wisdom and God’s wisdom with this verse.
This verse continues the thought of verse 13.
A believer who relies upon their own wisdom will find themselves caught in sinful actions both within and without.
Now, we see some additional characteristics of mans’ wisdom.
First, it is not from above.
In other words, it does come from God thus we cannot say that is God’s wisdom.
Second, it is completely earthly.
Again, it comes from the heart of sinful men.
Third, is it sensual.
This word strikes right at the heart of original sin.
We are sinners because we are born sinners.
We are a product of Adam.
For that reason, men inherently seek their own wisdom which is born in enmity with God.
Thus, men are not born with a desire to things God’s way.
Instead, men believe they are always right and everyone, including God, is wrong.
Then, last, the Holy Spirit describes our wisdom as devilish.
The word “devilish” literally means “demonic.”
In the end, every unbeliever lives according to the father of this world, Satan.
They are under his bondage carrying out his plans against God.
Thus, man’s wisdom always stands in complete opposition to everything related to God.
PRINCIPLE: Man’s wisdom is not God’s wisdom; in contrast, it proceeds from a human, sinful, and demonic heart that opposes God at every turn.
What then is the end result of man’s wisdom?
It is confusion and every kind of evil work.
The description of envying and strife brings us back to the original thought in verse 14.
Any believer who harbors envy and strife is a believer following his own human, sinful, and demonic heart.
In turn, it leads to confusion.
The word “confusion” denotes a state of violent group disturbance and disorder.
It speaks of open chaos and anarchy.
It also leads to every evil work you can possibly imagine.
Each time I read this I am reminded of Scripture’s description of humanity before the great Flood.
If you couple that with God’s command to Noah after they exited the ark in Genesis 9:6 which says,
we can safely assume that men were so evil that the earth was filled with nothing but complete anarchy and wickedness.
The wickedness was so great that murder was common place.
There was no sanctity of life.
On a side note, we just about there again.
History indeed repeats itself.
The first time, God judged humanity with Flood.
The second time, God Himself will judge each man individually.
I say all that to say that men left to themselves will alway gravitate to wickedness and evil.
In verse 16, the Holy Spirit relates this to the fact any believer who stands upon their own wisdom will be people who cause confusion and will do evil works.
PRINCIPLE: Leaning on man’s wisdom always leads to confusion and evil works.
Now, in this verse, the Holy Spirit shows us His wisdom.
Man’s wisdom is horrible.
It is earthly, sensual, devilish and always leads to confusion and evil works.
However, God’s wisdom is far superior to man’s.
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