Biblical Wisdom

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 150
• Hymn — Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord (#150)
• Prayer of Invocation
• Catechism Reading — Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 36 (Questions 99–100)
• Hymn — Blessed Be the God of Israel (#294)
• Pastoral Prayer
• Scripture Reading — James 3:13–18
• Sermon
• Hymn — Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me (#400)
• Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14

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Sermon Title: Biblical Wisdom

Scripture: James 3:13–18

I. The Humility of Wisdom

A. James describes wisdom as flowing from "the meekness of wisdom" (James 3:13) — a disposition of the heart, not a skill of the mind.

B. True wisdom is vertical, not horizontal — it begins with standing before God, not comparing ourselves to others.

1. Proverbs 1:7 — "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
2. James 1:5 — James calls the church to ask God for wisdom, much as Solomon did.

C. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector illustrates the contrast: the Pharisee compares himself to others and concludes he is righteous; the tax collector looks only to God and goes away justified.

D. Earthly wisdom is like the Dunning-Krueger effect — we overestimate our knowledge precisely because we lack the awareness to see our own ignorance; this is what our boasting looks like to the all-wise Christ.

E. Wherever we are, there is always One wiser and holier present — the Lord Jesus Christ, who is gentle and lowly, yet omniscient.

II. The Fruit of Wisdom

A. James's consistent refrain throughout the letter: don't tell me — show me.

1. James 2 — "Show me your faith."
2. James 3 — "Show me your wisdom."

B. The false fruit of worldly wisdom (James 3:16): jealousy and selfish ambition produce disorder and every vile practice — this is selfish wisdom.

C. The true fruit of heavenly wisdom (James 3:17–18): pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere — this is selfless wisdom.

1. James uses alliteration in the Greek: four adjectives beginning with the same letter, then two more that begin with another — a mnemonic device echoing the wisdom literature of the Old Testament (e.g., acrostic psalms, the rhythms of Proverbs).
2. "Open to reason" (easily persuaded) means a willing deference to others where no unalterable theological or moral principle is at stake — the judgment of charity (Douglas Moo).
3. "Impartial" carries a political sense: nonbiased, not playing partisan games.
4. "Sincere" means genuine, without pretense — from the heart.

D. The culminating fruit: "a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:18).

1. This is an active peace — not carelessness or indifference, but positive moral conduct in accord with God's word.
2. Romans 12:18 — "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."
3. Peace for peace's sake (a "John Lennon peace") requires surrendering doctrine and biblical ethics — that is not James's peace.
4. True peace comes through active engagement in the communicable attributes of God: righteousness, holiness, love, gentleness.

III. The Source of Wisdom

A. James contrasts wisdom "from above" (James 3:17) with the wisdom of this world (James 3:15), which is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

B. Earthly wisdom — drawn from Paul's use in 1 Corinthians 15 — is that which is transitory, impermanent, and imperfect; it is trendy, constantly shifting with the times.

1. James 1:17 — "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." Wisdom is as eternal and perfect as the immutable God from whom it flows.

C. Unspiritual (lit. "soulish") wisdom is shallow — it remains on the surface and has no care for the soul, only for votes, money, and power. Heavenly wisdom cares for the eternal soul of every image-bearer.

D. Demonic wisdom likely points back to Genesis 3: the serpent dangles the carrot of godlike wisdom, appealing to selfish ambition, and the result is exactly what James describes — disorder, chaos, and strife.

E. The ultimate source of heavenly wisdom is the triune God.

1. 1 Corinthians 12:12–13 — One body, many members, baptized by one Spirit; unity reflects the oneness of the Godhead.
2. The Father gives all good gifts; the Son is the means; the Spirit imparts wisdom — and the visible display of this heavenly wisdom is the unity and peace of the body of Christ.
3. True peace and unity are not found in conferences, gurus, or political leaders — they are found in God himself, imparting his wisdom through the Son and by the Spirit.

F. Application from Pilgrim's Progress: Mr. Worldly Wiseman (from the town of Carnal Policy) offers a counterfeit wisdom — self-justification, moralism, self-attainment. All wisdom not from above has "self" as its first word.

1. It is Evangelist who redirects Christian back to the narrow path — to the Wicket Gate, and to the cross.
2. Paul calls the cross "the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1): what the world thought was defeat was in fact the very doorway to heaven and the victory of our great King.
3. True and lasting wisdom — and therefore true and lasting peace — is found only at the cross of Christ.