James – Teachers and Wisdom – 5

Worldly Wisdom~Biblical Wisdom

Who comes to mind when you read or hear the word, ‘wisdom?’

Perhaps Aristotle or Plato or maybe even Solomon come to mind.

Did you wonder, who’s the smartest person I know?

Perhaps a contest of quick recall or someone other than our letter writer comes to mind.

Our contemporary thought quickly dismisses wisdom. Yet the Lord gives us all multivarious knowledge and wisdom.

The Greek philosophers who lived and died three centuries before Christ at the time of Alexander the Great had lasting influence on the world. Their worldly approaches emanated from their beliefs in many gods, idols and man-made myths.

Does the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit factor into our answers of the Christian life?

Did Jesus come to mind?

Mark 6: When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things? ” they said.

“What is this wisdom that has been given to him, and how are these miracles performed by his hands?

Mark 6:2

Read just a bit further in the Gospel of Mark and you will discover another who questioned the wisdom and teaching of Jesus.

Teachers and Preachers

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

James 3:1 NKJV

James, although raised in the same household as Jesus, did not believe before the Lord revealed himself in the resurrection. He now writes to the churches about the wisdom from Jesus, who IS the One God.

He must have thought as a young man that he knew the Lord while failing to recognize the righteousness of his brother, the rabbi gaining notoriety in cities throughout Galilee. Now after the Lord’s resurrection, James cautions against teaching anything other than what Jesus taught.

Some time ago I embraced this verse from Job.

I will teach you concerning the hand of God;
That which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

Job 27:11 ASV

To this, most everyone I know would say, “Amen.”

Although I include teaching as one of my gifts, speaking for the Lord is a high calling which James addresses.

James 3:

Wisdom from God

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? By his good conduct he should show that his works are done in the gentleness that comes from wisdom.

Certainly James had experienced the perfect conduct of Jesus, yet previously he had not believed.

Who could the Lord’s brother think of any more gentle and humble than his own brother? He now suggests this model of Jesus in the teaching of wisdom from the Lord.

17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without pretense.

Wisdom from Satan

Don’t miss the seriousness of the contrast James presents if you fail to discern false teaching from some who do not follow Christ.

14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and deny the truth. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.

The church both then and now hears many teachings; some faithful to scripture and the Lord and also wisdom opposing the true fruit of repentance and salvation in Christ Jesus.

James asks us to examine our own hearts and evidence of the hidden motives of teachers who would lead the sheep of Christ to the slaughter of Satan.

Jesus had taught:

“You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

“So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.

Matthew 7:16,20

16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.

James implies without saying, the fruit of your works clearly demonstrates if you or any are for Christ or opposed to the Lord.

Skirmishes for our Souls

He continues this thought (after the page turn of Chapter 4):

What is the source of wars and fights among you?

Have you ever been drawn into a skirmish of influence in your church? Battles abound both then and now in churches small and congregations larger than a pastor can manage personally. How does a believe discern who is right and who is wrong. James suggests again, look at their fruit (and don’t forget to examine the classification of your own fruit).

Quarrels and Conflicts

πόλεμος – polemos – war, fight, battle, dispute, strife, quarrel

James uses a greek word for quarrel used nine times in the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John. The Apostles share in warnings to the churches against the sins which cause all sorts of evil, a clear suggestion that our battle is spiritual.

2 Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you?

Conflicts among you, James warns, come from violations or trespasses of God’s Law, citing various Commandments.

4 You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?

James 4:4a CSB

Satan is an enemy of God. Our temptations, passions and pleasures become tools of the enemy when we casually befriend the world. You may recognize the greek word root for these pleasers of self: ἡδονή,hēdonē and its philosophy embracing every evil.

So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God.

Judging Christians

James’ question for the church is simple and related to the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of sin. Which do you see in a fellow ‘christian’ and first, which fruit do you see in the mirror?

The Lord is a jealous God.

7 Therefore, submit to God...

8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

James appeals to us to look to the Spirit: repent of every sin and be saved.

Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

James 8b-9 CSB

Though his words sound harsh, James, who grew up with Jesus, follows with hope. Be like Jesus, who humbled Himself, even to die on a Cross for our sins.

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Who are you to judge?

11 Don’t criticize one another, brothers and sisters…

Other versions say, ‘Do not speak against one another.’

Suppose others hear a follower of Christ speaking against another Christian? James warns of the effect:

Speak evil against a brother and you judge him, and you speak against the law and judges of the law, and you are not a doer of the law but a judge of the law.

What does James mean by “doer” or “fruit?” Evidence of our faith in Jesus.

12 ‘There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save,’ James assures us. It is Jesus, humble Savior and victorious judge who will return. Then he again contrasts as he did in speaking of our untamable tongue.

3:10 Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way.

… Jesus is able to save and to destroy. 

The Lord Jesus IS the One Lawgiver, able to save you or to destroy you. James asks us:

But who are you to judge your neighbor?

This second time in his letter James again reminds us the command of the law confirmed by Jesus, “Love your neighbor.”

To be continued...