Note for study: The Word of God is powerful and full bodied.
These are some thoughts on James Chapter 3.
The hope for all of us is that we hear from the Lord as we read
and integrate what we have learned into our lives.
This is by no means every explanation possible.
The word of God is alive and this is just what the Lord exposed to me.
Keep digging for more, the riches and richness of God’s treasure
is way beyond one person or any certain teaching.
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?
let him shew out of a good conversation
his works with meekness of wisdom. v 13
Who has all the answers?
Who knows everything?
Only God.
We have to be careful about listening to those who claim to be
the one to whom God speaks,
the one to whom God gives the revelations of His word.
God gives all of us treasures of His word if we seek Him.
His Holy Spirit is the One who leads us into all truth. (see John 16:13)
Beware of those who are adorned with honor from men.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts,
glory not, and lie not against the truth. v 14
The contrast is being drawn here.
Check your hearts, always, make sure your motives are pure, toward the Lord.
Lie not against the truth?
In other words, find the truth and love the truth,
don’t find ways to make the truth fit into your thoughts or opinions,
but rather, humble yourself to the truth of the word.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. v 15
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:
for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Romans 8:7
Wisdom that is not God’s wisdom is going to lead nowhere good.
It will lead you away from God.
Staying grounded in the truth, submitting, obeying,
keeping on the straight and narrow road,
no matter how difficult it is to follow Jesus and His word.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. v 16
The contrast continues.
Keeping in mind those traits of the enemy
are going to cause harm to our spiritual life, our relationship with Christ.
Our flesh will win the battle if we succumb to wickedness,
allowing things such as envy and strife to reign in our hearts and minds.
Put that stuff off. Cast them far away.
Follow those things you know are the goodness of Christ. He is solid.
He never changes, never moves, never fails.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy. v 17
This is the Living Water that we earnestly should desire.
All the goodness, all the truth, all the light of Christ.
The wisdom of God is easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits.
He gives these blessings to us if we seek them.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth;
and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7:7-8
God makes it easy to follow Him if that is what we choose.
Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:29
God makes it easy to walk in His ways if we choose His will,
if we choose to let Him be Lord in our lives.
He will give us strength, mercy, faith and wisdom,
among other attributes.
There is a well of goodness and righteousness from which we can draw.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. v18
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Matthew 5:9
You want to walk in peace with God?
Walk in His ways, not in the ways of the world.
That does not mean we will be at peace with the world all the time.
When a man’s ways please the Lord,
He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7