The Book of James, Chapter 3: Read &/or listen from the Bible.
1/ The Untamable Tongue – James 3:1-12
a) Teacher will receive a greater judgment
b) Same tongue blessing & cursing, that shouldn’t be
2/ Heavenly vs Demonic Wisdom – James 3:13-26
a) Works are done in the meekness of wisdom. Heavenly wisdom = peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy & good fruits.
b) When bitter envy, self seeking, boasting & lying against the truth, there is confusion & evil there= earthly wisdom.
1/ The Untamable Tongue – James 3:1-12
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect (G5046=complete, mature) man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
The way we speak is very important, the same way our actions show our faith in God, so our words do also. Jesus said: ‘ But I say to you that for every idle (G692= useless ) word that men speak, they will give an account on the Day of Judgment.” Matt.12:26. It’s not only about evil & cursing words, but also careless words. Words can do a lot of harm, after we speak them we cannot control them or bring them back, so let us be careful on how we talk.
We remember in the first chapter verses 19 & 26 James advises to be ‘slow to speak, slow to anger’, & to bridle our tongue. Now here in chapter three he continues with same subject. The natural man cannot tame the tongue, only the spiritual mature man can do it, with God’s help. Self-control is a fruit in the life of a person that’s led by the Holy Spirit.
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips”. Psalm 141:3
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matt. 12:34 & Luke 6:45
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45. Jesus is saying that people can be judged by what they say and do because these things reveal what is really inside the person.
2/ Heavenly vs earthly Wisdom – James 3:13-26
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 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. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
There are two kinds of wisdom, & they originate from different places. The apostle Paul also mentioned them on the epistle to the Corinthians : ” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made the wisdom of this world foolish? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe. . . . we preach Christ as the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. 1:18-31
James mentions how different & opposite they are:
1/ The wisdom that is from above, spiritual, is from heaven, it comes from God
It’s first pure
Peaceable,
Gentle, meek
Willing to yield,
Full of mercy & good fruits,
without partiality & without hypocrisy
Our Lord offers this wisdom freely, we can ask God for wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally and without criticism, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5
Also Jesus became for us the Wisdom of God. (1 Cor. 1: 24 & 30). He is the fullness of God’s wisdom.
2/ The Worldly/earthly wisdom, is not from above, it’s not from God
It’s devilish– resembling or proceeding from an evil spirit, demon-like.
It’s sensual (carnal/nonspiritual) foolish
Full of bitter envy
Possessing self-seeking
Boast (prideful)
Lie against the truth (James 3:14 & Rom.1:25)
Causes confusion (God is not the author of confusion, 1 Cor.14:33).
And every evil thing (bad fruits).
This wisdom is taught by the world, and it doesn’t glorify God. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,” (Rom.1:22).
But what is wisdom? wisdom isn’t just knowledge. Cambridge dictionary says: Wisdom is the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments.
Wikipedia says the same but also adds: Unlike intelligence, which primarily concerns problem-solving and reasoning, wisdom involves a deeper comprehension of human nature, moral principles, and the long-term consequences of actions.
True or heavenly wisdom is the application of God’s truth in our daily lives, leading to peace, humility, and edification.