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James 3:14-18
After James has spoken of good conduct in our works that are done through the meekness of wisdom (James 3:13), James now speaks of the difference between the wisdom that comes from heaven and the wisdom of this world. The wisdom that is reflective of this world is of, “bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts,” and is boastful and against the truth (James 3:14, NKJV). The wisdom of this world produces only confusion and “every evil thing”; it is “sensual, demonic (James 3:15-16).
The wisdom that comes from heaven, “is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17). James tells us in James 3:18, “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” This should catch our attention as James has shifted from speaking about wisdom to inserting “righteousness” into this teaching. We might ask ourselves, “Why would James do this?” If we are seeking wisdom that is from above and is reflective of producing a good conduct in our works (James 3:13), then we must first seek salvation in and through Jesus Christ as this wisdom only comes through submission and obedience to God through the forgiveness that Jesus holds in His hands and offers to all who will believe in Him.
This is an example of wisdom that is of this world and the things in which it produces through our lives.
This is an example of wisdom that is of above (from heaven) and the things in which it produces through our lives.
We all can relate to the bitter envy and self-seeking wisdom that is of this world and lives within each of us. We feel this when another gets a promotion that we think we should have received, or when we step on others to gain favor that is self-centered and selfish. This is a type of sin that we need the help of Jesus to overcome. This is a type of sin that continues to haunt us, even after we have submitted our lives to Christ and are seeking His will for our lives. But in this temptation that Satan uses to seek to pull us away from our salvation in Christ is a way out as the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, HCSB, “So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.” The way of escape is to call on the name of Jesus during times of temptation; He has defeated Satan, sin, and death once for all, and the life He lives, He lives to God. We too should live our lives to God through our salvation in Jesus (Romans 6:8-11). The wisdom from above/heaven is only attainable through putting our faith in Jesus as He is the One who defeated Satan, sin, and death – we did not. That’s why opening our hearts to Jesus is so important to us, because we cannot accomplish the wisdom and righteousness of God on our own. That’s why James gives us the example of what our lives should be producing in the wisdom of God as he states in James 3:17-18 (NKJV), “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Dear LORD,
The wisdom of this world only leads to corruption, but the wisdom from above – the wisdom from heaven – leads to righteousness that is only attainable through putting our faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Please help us to see that He is the way, the truth, and the life. Please help us to see as Jesus tells us in John 14:6, that no one comes to You except through Him. Please fill us with Your wisdom LORD that we may live eternal – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.