True or False

525.  "True or False"                           May 23, 2012
James 3-Part 5
If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.  James 3:13 NLT 
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. NAS

LET IT GLOW

I liked true or false tests in school. I had a 50 % chance of getting it right. I would look for anything that might make the statement false, if not found, then it was obviously true. Wisdom can be true or false, genuine or counterfeit. James tells us about both.

How do I recognize if wisdom is true or false? Charles Swindoll helps answer that question in his book James, Practical and Authentic Living.

True wisdom, divine and genuine, is tested by good behavior and good deeds.
Good behavior means to return or turn back, with the root idea being to change or return to the truth. James is saying a wise person is someone whose life is changing in accordance with the truth of God's Word. Gentleness, in James' day, meant bringing a high-spirited horse under control. The spirit and strength of the horse weren't lost, simply harnessed. The test of wisdom is a life that is patterned after the truth and is under control; is a changed life. Paul said it in 2 Timothy 2:24-25.

A gentle and quiet spirit is of great worth in God's sight. (1 Peter 3:4)

Human wisdom is characterized by bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in the heart (verse 14a). Jealousy begins with full hands but is threatened by the thought of losing what it possesses. James is saying that an unwise person is someone who tends to be suspicious, resistant, and given to rivalry.
Selfish ambition is the desire to be seen, quoted, and respected (Matt. 23:1-7). The wise allow God to open doors instead of trying to force them open themselves.

NLT says in  verse 14, But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying.

Shouldn't I face it, deal with it as sin, confess it, and seek wisdom instead of covering it up with boasting and lies?
Which wisdom describes me? Our next lesson will describe divine wisdom, so come back tomorrow
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LET IT GROW

There are four charactistics of false wisdom given in verses 14b-15:

1. Arrogant-rationizing our own sins or even boasting that the end justifies the means, that the bad done wasn't all that bad, or that everybody does it.This word was used to describe a person who boasted about winning anelection dishonestly, in ancient times.
2. Lying against the turth-eventually the truth will be manipulated to justify the person's sin.
3. Earthly-veiew everything from a strictly horizontal perspective using earthly success, standards, motives, attitudes, and methods.
4. Natural-soulish, meaning fleshly, not related to the Spirit of God; limited by temporal things, not eternal.
5. Demonic-no change, no obedience, and no yielding of self to God.

The result of false wisdom is not only bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, but also disorder, confusion, disharmony, and every evil thing, which are worthless, petty, and evil, sinful thoughts.


LET IT GO

Live an honorable life with good behavior and good deeds.

Strive to have a gentle and quiet spirit.

Keep jealousy and selfish ambition away.

Yield to the spirit of God.

Seek true wisdom, not human or false wisdom.