THE RESULTS FROM EXERCISING HEAVENLY WISDOM – James 3:18

INTRODUCTION:

Over the past three months we have examined each of the qualities of heavenly wisdom in detail. I hope that it has been a learning and growing experience for you also. We have already studied the devastating results that are produced by the exercise of human wisdom. As verse 16 explains, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” (NIV) Here in verse 18, the apostle James now summarizes the results that occur when heavenly wisdom is exercised. He describes these results in one short, compact sentence: “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (NKJV version).

I. THE ONES WHO SOW

I especially like the NIV translation for this verse of Scripture because it seems to me that it brings out the intent of the writer very clearly. It reads: “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” The ones who sow are the peacemakers. James uses the word “peace” here to refer to the right relationship between man and man, not between man and God. But how can we have real outward peace with others if we do not have an inward peace with God?

James wants peace in the church and among the believers in it. He knows that peace is the only environment in which righteousness can flourish. The wisdom of this world produces trouble, whereas the wisdom from above produces peace among men.

God hates a troublemaker. Proverbs 6:16-19 says: “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” God opposes church splits and discord among the brethren. But God loves a peacemaker. Matthew 5:9 says: Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.”

II. THE PROCESS

But peacemaking is not easy. The Revised Standard Version translates James 3:18 in this way: “And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” It is the peacemaker who sows the seeds of peace, and that isn’t an easy job. You have to work hard to cultivate peace. Do fruit and grain grow up by themselves and take care of themselves? Do they produce an abundant harvest all by themselves? No! Ask any farmer! There is a lot of work involved. There’s the cultivation of the ground, adding fertilizer, sowing the seeds or planting seedlings, watering, weeding or spraying weeds, pruning, waiting, hoping, and praying. Just because you’re a Christian doesn’t mean you automatically get along with others and never have conflicts. As individuals, and as churches, we need to work hard to cultivate peace with one another, listen to one another, express appreciation for one another, show kindness to one another, and settle arguments peaceably. The following illustration is just one example of the peacemaking process:

The small town of Umbarger, Texas, was an unlikely place for an international work of art. But toward the end of World War II, seven Italian prisoners of war, who were being held at a large camp nearby, were chosen to decorate the church’s plain brick walls. The prisoners were reluctant to aid their captors, but they agreed on the condition that their efforts be considered a contribution toward Christian brotherhood and understanding. But as they worked on their paintings and a woodcarving of the Last Supper, one of the POW’s later recalled, “A spontaneous stream of good feelings began almost at once to flow among us. No one spoke of the war or the past because ‘we were here for a work of peace and love’.” (Our Daily Bread, Nov. 8, 2011)

In II Timothy 2:24-25, Paul writes to the young pastor Timothy, encouraging him to be gentle and patient when relating to others. The following are Paul’s words: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.”

I’ve taught each of the evidences of wisdom from above, one quality at a time. Now let’s put them all together. James 3:17 says: “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere.” (NIV) A person who possesses these qualities will be a peacemaker. Wouldn’t you agree? So if you truly want to be the peacemaker that God wants you to be, focus on these qualities and work at developing them in your life, by God’s enabling and for His glory,

III. THE RESULTS

As a result of our peacemaking efforts done by the grace of God, we will reap a harvest of God’s blessing in our lives and in the lives of others. God’s righteousness and justice will also be evident and appreciated. Let’s ask the Lord to use us as His peacemakers so that He might be glorified, and we might be a source of joy to others.

When I was a child in Catholic school, my whole class memorized a prayer by Francis of Assisi. I imagine that many of you have read this prayer before, but this time let’s read it slowly and make up our minds that, by the grace of God, we will put these words into practice in our relationships with others, whether we like those people or not. If so, we will begin to reverse the divisive and hurtful effects of man’s wisdom in our communities today. Here is a portion of that prayer:

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me show love; where there is injury, pardon; where is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to seek to be understood, as to understand; to seek to be loved, as to love . . . ”

May the Lord bless you, and as a peacemaker, may you be a source of blessing and joy to others!

TRUE WISDOM IS WITHOUT HYPOCRISY – James 3:17 (continued)

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I’ve spent a lot of time studying and pondering this next attribute of heavenly wisdom. It has been a very eye-opening and convicting study for me. I hope and pray it will have the same effect on you also as you read and consider it. The apostle James, here in verse 17, states that wisdom from above is “without hypocrisy”. In order to understand this description, we must first have a clear concept of what a hypocrite is.

“Hypocrite” is a Greek word that literally means “under a mask”. It was used in the Greek culture to describe an actor on a stage. In the ancient theaters, each actor played several parts. To change identities he would simply wear a different mask. This was the word that Jesus used to describe the Jewish leaders. Over and over again in the Gospels, especially Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus called them hypocrites. No sin was so sternly denounced by Jesus as that of hypocrisy. In Matthew 23 Jesus called them “blind guides”, “whitewashed tombs”, and “vipers”. He used the strongest possible language of condemnation.

William Barclay asked the question: “What were the things which incurred the anger of Jesus?” The first thing he mentions is: “Jesus was angry with anyone who was a hypocrite.” The following are some further excerpts from William Barclay’s comments. “A hypocrite is a man who says one thing with his lips and quite another in his heart. . . . The man who is one thing to your face and quite another behind your back, the man who is ostensibly pious on Sunday and completely worldly on Monday, the man who professes a religion of love and of service, and who lives a life of bitterness and selfishness – that is the man who incurred the anger of Jesus” (Day by Day with William Barclay).

Let’s not forget that the first hypocrite described in the Bible was Satan. He disguised himself as a serpent when he tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God. When we act like a hypocrite we are acting like him, following his example. II Corinthians 11:14 says that he “disguises himself as an angel of light” when he’s really the prince of darkness.

Do we sometimes put on a performance in order to win the applause or approval of others? Most of us like to “look good”, don’t we? We like to look good on the outside, and we like to give the impression that we “look good” on the inside. A seminary professor once saw a bumper sticker that read, “Jesus is coming! Look Busy!” He later warned his students about the dangers of “faking it” – pretending to be something we are not.

One way Christians wear a mask is by not sharing their weaknesses, thereby giving the impression that they don’t have any weaknesses. A close look at their lives will soon show that to be untrue. And even if people don’t see it, God sees it. We can’t fool Him!

We sometimes give in to the temptation that we have it all together, don’t we? But a person with wisdom from above recognizes that he has imperfections, struggles, fears, and temptations, and is honest before God and before others. Such people are sincere, transparent, authentic, genuine, open, and reliable. As the saying goes, “What you see is what you get.” There are no “unpleasant surprises”. They can be trusted because they are not motivated by pride but by obedience to God and love for others. They are more concerned about pleasing God than impressing people.

Are you happy with the way you look on the outside? What about the inside? Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 6:16, “Don’t be like the hypocrites”!

Dr. M.R. DeHaan of the Radio Bible Class Ministries says: “The biggest hypocrite of all, however, is the man or woman who refuses to come to Christ because there are so many hypocrites in the church. Such a person is being inconsistent. Business is full of hypocrites, but that does not stop him from doing business. Society is full of them, but he does not decide to become a hermit. Hell is full of hypocrites, so if a person doesn’t like hypocrites he had better make sure he’s not going there.” There’s no bigger hypocrite than the person who pretends that he doesn’t need Jesus.

Our lives are on display, like the ads in the newspaper. Who is being advertised in your life? Is the Lord Jesus Christ being advertised on the front page and on every other page of your life? Jesus wants “top billing”, not “honorable mention”.

The Coca-cola company used the following slogan in a song about the quality of their product: “What the world wants today is the real thing.” I hope that’s true of our world today – that more and more people are seeking the real thing. If so, let’s be the “real thing” ourselves, not cheap imitations. Let’s reflect upon the character and the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and let Him shine through us to our world today. That’s what the Spirit of God will do in and through us if we’ll get out of His way and allow Him to take control. Are you ready and willing?

TRUE WISDOM IS GENTLE — James 3:17 (continued)

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Are you a “gentle” person? In our culture and society, that is not a word that is often used to describe people, is it? The adjective “gentle” is often used in the following phrases: a gentle breeze, a gentle rain, a gentle animal, a gentle push, a gentle voice, a gentle massage, a gentle grip, a gentle detergent, a gentle reminder, gentle to the skin. Most of the time we use the word to refer to things rather than people.

I searched the internet for pictures that described or captured the meaning of the word “gentle” and found some precious pictures. There was a picture of a newborn baby’s tiny hand grasping the thumb of its mother. There was a picture of a young child hugging a horse’s face. There were pictures of powerful and ferocious animals playing with their young.

The Greek word translated “gentle” is the word epieikes, and it is a different word from the one translated “gentle” in James 3:13. The term was often used in the ancient world to describe a finely aged wine. It was not harsh or bitter, but mellow, fragrant, and very pleasing to the taste buds. The apostle James uses this word here in verse 17 as part of his description of wisdom from above. In contrast to the harsh, critical, strict, and self-centered wisdom of the world, this wisdom was kind, willing to yield, thoughtful, considerate, and patient with others. The words “chill out” and “mellow out” are often said to people who are easily irritated and often judgmental of others. You would never have a reason to say these words to a gentle person.

The following definition is so true and always brings a smile to my face: “Gentleness is the oil that reduces the friction in life”. Warren Wiersbe said: “A gentle person does not deliberately cause fights, but neither does he compromise the truth in order to keep the peace.” Carl Sandburg described Abraham Lincoln as a man of “velvet steel”. That’s a good description of gentleness! In II Corinthians 10:1 the apostle Paul says, “Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ . . .” The Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect example of gentleness.

In the “One Year Book of Hymns”, I found the following story:

The story is told of a little girl named Becca who lived in an institution for troubled children. She had never spoken, and her behavior was quite violent. She terrorized the other children, hitting them and stomping on their toys.

This was in the 1800s when treatment for emotional problems was still quite primitive. But there was a nurse who showed love to this little girl. And slowly Becca calmed down. She began to show affection for the nurse, and she would even sit quietly with the other children as they learned to sing. Still, she wouldn’t speak. One summer evening, the nurse put Becca to bed early. The sun had just gone down, and some birds were singing outside. Then the nurse heard another voice along with the birds. It was Becca. Alone in her room, she was singing a song she had heard the other children sing: “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, look upon a little child; pity my simplicity; suffer me to come to Thee.”

Let me ask the question again: Are you a gentle person?

Charles Wesley wrote that hymn, and the last stanza goes like this:

Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb, In Thy gracious hands I am;
Make me, Savior what Thou art,
Live Thyself within my heart.

HEAVENLY WISDOM – James 3:17

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There is so much to learn and apply from each of the qualities of heavenly wisdom that James gives in this verse. I’ve decided to publish them one quality at a time. I don’t want you to miss anything that I am learning!

Here in verse 17, James lists seven qualities that describe the “wisdom from above”. We also find these qualities mentioned by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3-12. He calls those “blessed” (happy, joyful) who possess these qualities, As we study each of these descriptions, consider how they were evident in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, consider whether or not they are evident in your life.

These descriptions of the “wisdom from above” are also closely related to the fruit of the Spirit listed by the apostle Paul in Galatians 5:22-23, just as the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 are closely related to earthly wisdom. At each moment we are either being controlled by the Spirit of God or by our own sinful flesh. At each moment we are either exercising godly wisdom or earthly wisdom. I think that deep down inside we know this to be true. As we study each of these qualities of godly wisdom we will, hopefully, understand the inter-relationship between these two passages more clearly.

James 3:17 begins with the words, “But the wisdom from above is first pure.” We use the word “pure” in expressions and descriptions quite often. Let me give you a few examples. “Pure water” – water that is free from dirt, pollutants, and other unwanted or infectious elements. There is “pure gold” that is genuine, without flaws, imperfections or other alloys. We use the term “pure breed” or “pure bred” to refer to an unmixed ancestry. A “pure tone” in music has a single frequency and is without discord. The expressions “pure as a newborn baby” and “pure as the driven snow” imply innocence, faultlessness. Finally the phrase “pure coincidence” intensifies the word by implying “nothing but” or “nothing else”.

The Greek word translated “pure” carries with it these shades of meaning. Notice in verse 17 that James writes: “First pure”. He obviously wants this quality to be at the top of his list. Does the previous passage of Scripture dealing with “worldly wisdom” have something to do with it? I think so. Wisdom from above, Godly wisdom, comes from a pure heart. It is free from jealousy and selfish motives. Evangelist Billy Graham said, “The secret of purity is God. Get a pure heart from God.” Without a pure devotion to God, none of the other characteristics of Godly wisdom would be possible.

King David prayed in Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 24:3-4 speaks of “clean hands and a pure heart”. God is not going to empower us and use us if our hearts aren’t cleansed from sin, and our lives aren’t consecrated to Him.

This empowering applies not only to the public part of our lives, but also to our private lives, to the little things, the unseen things, the thoughts and attitudes that we ignore or take for granted. Like the old Ivory Soap commercial, God doesn’t want us to be “99 and 44/100ths percent pure”, but 100 percent pure. The Daily Bread devotional in 2007 contained a reading entitled “Only A Rivet”. It brings the point across very clearly and powerfully.

Scientists have determined that faulty rivets may have caused the rapid sinking of the “unsinkable” HMS Titanic. According to researchers who recently examined parts recovered from the wreck, impure rivets made of wrought iron rather than steel caused the ship’s hull to open like a zipper. The Titanic proves the foolishness of spending resources on fancy equipment and public promotion while neglecting the “ordinary” parts. Although rivets seem insignificant, they are essential for holding the ship together and keeping it afloat. So too, we Christians, by the grace of God, must be free from defects even in the “little things” in order to stand firm against the pressures of this world’s selfishness and corruption.

I’m concluding this section with the words of the apostle Peter to Christians scattered because of their commitment to Christ. Peter says in I Peter 2:1-3, “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy, and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.”

I hope that you are a true child of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and that this relationship to Him is evidenced by a love for, and desire for, the pure Word of God as your true source of heavenly wisdom. I hope that you are also putting aside the wisdom of this world as you grow in the knowledge of Him. Peter concludes this letter by saying: “Peace be to you all who are in Christ”.

With the Lord Jesus as the Master Builder, and the Holy Spirit providing the inspiration, the blueprint and the tools, the work progresses. Please stop by again.