TWO WAYS TO LIVE
James 3:13-17, 4:3, 7-8
9/21/2003
Do you live your life with certainty or with confusion? Are you sure of what is right and what is wrong? Is there anything today that does not change? Instead of black and white, does everything seem gray and are the lines of distinction blurred?
For some, maybe even you right now, this describes your life. There is a constant question of how to live your life because nothing is stays the same or "feels right." Life is constantly changing, with no absolutes to guide you.
Are there really absolutes? Truths that never change? Markers that are firm, solid and stable? The answer is "yes." There are guidelines that are reliable and never change. Truth that you can count on. And where do you find such truth that stands the test of time, technology and tumultuous life? In a book that has never, and will never be proven false or flawed, for the author is God.
Within His Word, the Bible, all we need to know of God, life and eternity is disclosed. Truth, from the creator of life and the life to come. Now, before you settle back and turn off, thinking this is just another sermon on reading the Bible, I want you to consider something: What are some of the truths found in this Book that are markers for guiding our lives today?
Think about these:
· God never changes and His love is forever
· God does not want anyone to perish
· People are free to choose or reject God’s love
· Sin always has a price which must be paid
· Jesus died to take away your sin
· There are just two kinds of people - those who are saved from their sin or those still in their sin
· There are just two ways to live - by God’s wisdom or by the world’s wisdom
With these truths, there is no room to sit on the fence. You can not straddle the line with one foot on both sides. These are absolutes that you and I have to make a choice about and if we say we don’t want to choose, we have already made a choice.
How do you live your life - by God’s wisdom or the World’s wisdom?
As we continue our study on the book of James, we see that in today’s passage, chapter 3 beginning with verse 13, James begins to deal with how to live our lives by asking the question, "Who is wise and understanding among you?"
No one wants to be seen as foolish or unwise. We all want to be perceived as intelligent and "in the know." James tells us that there are two kinds of wisdom, wisdom that comes from God and wisdom that comes from the world. How can you tell the difference? Verse 13 finishes by telling us to “show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.”
Have you ever known anyone who claimed to be wise but acted foolishly? True wisdom can be measured by the depth of one’s character. In other words, true wisdom will show itself by the fruits it produces in us.
James goes on to say in verses 14 and 15 that “If you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth (because) such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.”
Throughout the Bible we are admonished to not stand in judgment over one another but we are to be careful observers, like fruit inspectors. Jesus instructed his disciples that false teachers would also be known by the fruit they produce, so be very observant (Matt 7:15-23).
We see the result of worldly wisdom in the newspapers everyday. War, murder, abuse, injustice, stealing, lying, conflict, divorce, crime and every evil imaginable. All of these things are done with someone thinking they were justified in their behavior. We hear politicians defend themselves by saying that what they said is not false by how they define the term false. Since when are we allowed to define the meaning of words by our own standards? Unfortunately that is where we are at today. Words are redefined for personal advantage and the world buys into it. That’s the world’s wisdom—self-centered, sexual, twisted. James calls it earthly…unspiritual… devilish.
What is Godly wisdom like? James gives us eight characteristics of godly wisdom and what godly wisdom produces in verses 17 & 18: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.”
First of all it is pure, James says, pure in motive, pure as in clean and unblemished. It is not by accident that James says "first" of all, pure. Without purity, the other seven characteristics are unattainable. In order to start with purity, there must be a cleansing. Scripture states that our finest deeds done apart from God are nothing more than filthy rags in His sight (Isaiah 64:6).
We must be cleansed, just as Isaiah’s lips were touched by the hot coal from the altar and as the disciple’s feet were washed by Jesus. God’s wisdom will only come to us if we are clean vessels which He can fill. Yes, God uses cracked pots but they are clean pots for they have been washed by the blood of Jesus and by the washing of the Word.
Next, peaceable is mentioned by James. There are two kinds of peace and both are referred to here. Just as the cross is the symbol of the price for our freedom from sin, it enables us to have peace with God and peace with others. The vertical beam of the cross points to heaven. As Jesus died on the cross he made it possible for us to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. The horizontal beam reaches out to others and so by the grace provided to us through the cross, we can forgive and have relationships with others based upon the peace we have with God.
Once we have a pure heart and we are at peace with God and others, then we can experience the wisdom of God that allows us to be gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits. We can put ourselves into another person’s position and understand the many facets of the situation. When we do that, we do not judge one another but instead, we can yield to God’s judgment.
This is true wisdom, the kind that God grants to the pure, peaceable person.
I read a story of a hard working widow who had four small children. She became ill and was unable to pay her rent as she faithfully had done before. The landlord had every right to evict her from her apartment but, putting himself in her position; he understood her plight and had empathy for her. Knowing that the circumstances she faced were beyond her control, the landlord allowed her to stay in the apartment. In addition, he helped her work out her problems as he tempered justice with mercy. The landlord went the second mile for he was given wisdom.
The world demands justice and rightly so, it makes sense. The landlord could have been taken advantage of. What would have happened if God did not consider mercy towards us instead of judgment? Our sin demanded death. Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Because God’s heart and desire is to give us life and to bless us, we know He always has our best interests in mind. Therefore, wisdom leads us to yield, to submit our will to God’s will, for God’s will is always better than our own. Obedience is based upon yielding. Being willing to yield is trusting that God knows not only our past and present but also our future. Following God with complete obedience is that which is wise in the eyes of God.
This is the real difficulty for most believers, submitting to God’s wisdom and Lordship over our lives. Just as there could never be a resurrection without a crucifixion so there can not be obedience to God’s will without a death to self will. There must be a death to the stubborn, egotistical "got to have it my way" mindset and attitude if Godly wisdom is to be given to us. The wise person surrenders and lets God be God in every area of life.
The fifth and sixth characteristics of God’s wisdom are seen as being full of mercy and good fruits. During the revolutionary war, there was a command that anyone found asleep at their post would be punished by death. A young soldier was brought before his commanding officer with the charge of sleeping, while on duty. The boy was sentenced to be shot the next morning. The boys’ mother heard of her son’s fate and she immediately appealed to her son’s commanding officer. "Please sir," she pleaded. " Please spare his life". " He was found asleep at his post" the commander shouted. "He deserves to die". "I’m not asking for justice, Sir, I’m asking for mercy." Seeing the mother’s grief and pain, the commander pardoned the boy and reinstated him. The commander’s heart was moved and he extended mercy instead of justice. Godly wisdom shows itself in a “What would Jesus do?” attitude toward others.
Finally, James lists being impartial and sincere as wisdom. Integrity and honesty are hallmarks of true wisdom. Wisdom is the same in private as it is in public. Hypocrisy is never from God. Those who profess to be something they’re not never are models of God or wisdom. Those who have wisdom from God are not out to please people, but want to please God. They do not look for approval from others but the approval of God.
People- pleasers are following the world’s mind for success. Their bottom line is acceptance from others; they need to feel loved and wanted. But it isn’t really love, is it? Godly wisdom knows that the greatest reward is not a standing ovation and applause but the voice of God saying, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
The last verse is chapter 3 of James, verse 18, gives us real food for thought. "And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace." There is a difference between a peacemaker and a peace keeper. A peacemaker strives to look honestly at a situation and allow truth to direct people to do what is right before God and each other. Why? So that growth may occur and healthy relationships can be achieved.
A peace keeper is concerned with not stirring up the waters or offending anyone. A peace keeper’s focus is to just keep things from getting tense. The problem with a peace keeper is that nothing ever gets resolved and nothing ever changes. Truth is never told and sin is never exposed. Behavior is never confronted and real growth never occurs. With the mind set of, "Just keep the peace," relationships and even churches become dysfunctional and eventually an explosion takes place. All because of fear.
Who among us fears to confront and bring the truth to light? I would guess that most of us don’t want to confront another with the truth of their sins. We think, “Who am I to judge?” Why do people fear true peace making? Is it because most people follow the world’s kind of wisdom and see that when truth is revealed, people turn against us?
When we follow the ways of the world which says “Live and let live,” it leads to the fruits of worldly thinking: strife, discord, gossip, slander, people choosing sides, disorder and dissension. But, when true peace and Godly wisdom is sought, there is humility, consideration, submission and mercy extended which leads to a harvest of righteousness.
Although James gives us further insight into our behavior and why we do not have wisdom in the beginning of Chapter 4, to me it feels more like a conclusion to Chapter 3. “Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from?” James writes. ”Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it…you covet something and cannot obtain it so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.”
James is talking about the most common problems in our prayers: not asking, asking for the wrong things, and asking for the wrong reasons. Do you talk to God at all? When you do, what do you talk about? Do you ask only to satisfy your desires? Are you seeking God’s approval for what you already plan to do? These are important questions we need to ask ourselves. Our answers will reflect our level of wisdom.
Please pray with me: Father God, open our minds to your wisdom. Help us to submit ourselves to your will and your ways. Show us how to live lives of purity, peace, gentleness and mercy. Amen.
James 4 verses 8-10 tell us to “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands…and purify your hearts…lament and mourn and weep…humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.” If you are feeling far away or your heart needs cleansed and purified, I invite you to come forward and receive God’s mercy for your life today. Don’t wait another minute!
BENEDICTION: From James 5:19-20. “My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” Friends, let us use our Godly wisdom to do just that. Amen.
