What kind of wisdom do you have?

Posted on by Pam Larson

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:17-18, in our Bible reading plan for today.
Here are helpful words of context from John MacArthur in a sermon on James 3:

Now, keep in mind that James, as you remember, is giving a series of tests for genuine, living, saving faith. He has given us several of those tests, and this is the next one: the test of wisdom. You’ll remember in chapter 1, he said that saving faith can be seen in how a person responds to trials. Then he said saving faith can be seen in how a person responds to temptation, solicitation to do evil. And then he said that true faith, genuine faith, living faith, can be seen in how a person responds to the Word of God. And then, in chapter 2, how a person responds to needy people. And then, in the end of chapter 2, James says basically saving faith is manifested in righteous works. And then in the first half of chapter 3, saving faith, living faith is revealed by the use of – what member of the body? – the tongue.

So, trials, temptation, the word, the needy, righteous deeds, the tongue – all of these are tests. All of these are tests of living faith. And now we come to the test of wisdom. If a person genuinely possess living faith, he will genuinely manifest in his life the wisdom of God. That’s his whole point. In fact, the kind of wisdom you have will be made manifest in the way you live. One’s relationship to God is revealed by the kind of wisdom lived out. And James tells us here there is false wisdom, verses 14 to 16, and there is true wisdom, verses 17 and 18. And he makes a very clear contrast.

False wisdom is earthly; it is natural; it is demonic. And divine wisdom, wisdom from above, is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy, and producing righteousness and peace, according to verse 18.

So, James then, in verse 13, asks a question that calls for self-examination. “What kind of wisdom do you have? You say you’re wise? You say you’re understanding? Then let’s look at your life and see who really has divine wisdom.” That’s the point. Who really possess the wisdom of God?