Real Wisdom (James #6)

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Real Wisdom

(True Conversion)

Text: James 3

What is wisdom? So James again calls out the cheap talk and tells you what Christianity actually is in verses 13-18. Wisdom is controlling your body and the hardest thing to control in your body is your mouth.

Judgement Matching Your Judgment (vss 1-2)

• We stumble in many ways and our mouth is the most common stumbling block (vss 1-2).
• James is addressing Israelites who have come to believe they’re wise because they’re Jews. Since they have God and the scriptures then they can teach people what’s right. Paul would criticize them for the same things in Romans saying, You think you’re a bunch of teachers, but haven’t mastered the basics of the scriptures or the work of God in Jesus Christ.
• James says don’t tell me you’re wise because you’re an Israelite, show me you’re wise. Of course, this can be applied to anyone who thinks they are a teacher of the Bible because they did a study on Revelation or Daniel.
• The first point James makes about wisdom in controlling your mouth not running it is the fact that an instructor receives more critical judgment. Not just from the public, but from God.
  • This warning was given multiple times in Jesus’ ministry to the religious ruling class among Israelites. The warning that they’d receive greater judgment.
  • Jesus said that it’d be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than it would be for them.
  • As a real immediate application in the 1st century, this was true. The judgment on Jerusalem lasted months. There was starvation, there was dehydration. People were dying trying to cook their children because they were starving and what future did their children have? That was around 70 AD when Rome attacked Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.
  • Was it worse than Sodom and Gomorrah? Yes. That was one day of destruction, versus a slow-motion death by a thousand cuts. It was horrific.

Bits to Control Behavior (vss 3-5)

• The second point James makes is that animals are tamed with bits in their mouths. They’re controlled when their mouths are controlled.
  • Your mouth has much to do with where you are and why.
  • Restraint of the mouth is restraint of the body; it is the height of self-control.
• Even large vessels are controlled by a small rudder that determines the direction of the vessel.
• So mankind has figured these things out when it comes to animals and ships, but he hasn’t figured this out when it comes to himself.

Firestorm of Words that Destroy (vss 5-6)

• The next point James makes about the tongue is that it starts fires. And fires burn until the thing is destroyed or until they’re starved of oxygen or fuel. So the fire started by your mouth doesn’t go out unless there is an intentional attempt to put it out or stop feeding it.
• Proverbs 16:27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
• Proverbs 26:20-21 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. 21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
• One thing I resent as a pastor is someone who is not careful with their mouth and I have to spend time “putting out fires” because someone ran their mouth.

Poison the Waters with You Words (vss 8-10)

• The mouth is full of poison.
• Medically, the mouth is full of poison. You learn quite a bit about this when you have friends who are dental hygienists and you hear about what’s inside of people’s mouths.
• It’s true spiritually. The mouth is full of poison: gossip, lies, false accusations, stirring up trouble, and contentions.
• Your tongue will poison the waters just like a little poison will ruin a perfectly good glass of water. The spiritual poison your tongue brings with it, though it’s surrounded by good water, a little drop in the glass, and the whole thing is ruined by what came out of your mouth.
• Some of you have already been ruined by the poison from someone else. You have hatred in your heart because someone gossiped about somebody else. You have bitterness in your heart because of what someone told you about someone else. Some of you are already poisoned.
• Some of you are poisoning others.

Most Contradictory Part of You is Your Mouth (vss 11-12)

• If you haven’t got it yet, nature itself teaches you this is messed up.
• Your mouth is the most contradictory part of your body there is. It’s where the spirit comes from!

The true wise man behaves wisely (vss 13-17)

• Where is the wise man? Let him SHOW…
• Just like faith is behavior, wisdom is behavior. Not jacking your jaw about how other people are stupid and you’re superior to them. This is alot of independent baptist preaching honestly. It’s just comparison of how I’m right and everybody else is wrong.
• James in good old James fashion says, Wisdom is found in humble works of faith, in meekness.
  • Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).
  • Meek: Mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries.
  • The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace (Psalm 37:11).
  • 2 Corinthians 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ….
  • Meekness will make a place for the LORD and He will in turn give place to the meek.  
• If you’re envious, if you’re striving and being contentious, that’s not God’s wisdom. That’s devilish wisdom. The wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. 
• If your religion is defined by everything you stand against, and how right you are, look, it’s no wonder nobody listens to you. You have no influence to help people and worse yet, you have no influence with God. You’re just self-righteous chatter.
• Real wisdom is Peaceable. That’s a relationship between one another. Quit demonizing getting along as though it were spiritual to be at odds with everyone. It’s not.
• Real wisdom is Gentle. That’s an attitude and an approach to people. Quit pretending that you’re a man if you can keep your thumb on people and throw your weight around. That’s not spiritual. It’s stupid.
• Real wisdom is Easy to approach. People with questions aren’t afraid of you. They aren’t going to be made fun of because they don’t know what you “know”.
• Real wisdom is Full of mercy. I’m ready to distribute mercy. I’m overflowing with mercy.
• Real wisdom is Full of good fruit. That’s the fruit of the Spirit of God. This wise man doesn’t think highly of himself. He doesn’t feel better than you.
• Real wisdom is Impartial. It is no respecter of persons. No motivation but loving truth.
• Real wisdom is Not hypocritical. It’s capable of investigating itself and examining itself in light of God’s words.

Real wisdom that leads to righteousness is planted in peace (vs 18)

• The contrast is that these self-righteous professors of their own wisdom, Jews, independent baptists, whoever they are, think righteousness is sown in contention and arguing and “standing for the truth”, and making divisions. But it’s not.
• Real wisdom is the peacemaker, not the troublemaker. I’m afraid some people think the wisdom is in the trouble-maker.
• Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God!
• Paul said, Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another (Romans 14:19). This isn’t an optional thing. This is what Christianity is.