An Exposition on the Book of James Part 13
If you haven’t yet, please check out part 1 of this series, The ideas of James are all centered around the idea of a perfectly forged faith that makes us perfect.
James links this idea of being a fountain that produces only one type of water – preferably sweet water – back to the very first chapter by linking it to wisdom. The Proverbs talk a great deal about fools speaking all their mind, but wise men are marked by holding their tongue. James says here, how you can mark a wise man – one who has received the right kind of wisdom from on high, it is by his conversation.
A man who has received the wisdom of God has already gone through a large degree of having his faith perfected, otherwise he is not wise. his conversation – not just his speech but whole manner of life – shows that he has received the right kind of wisdom from God. There are two types of wisdom talked about in this passage, they are worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom. Worldly wisdom is described as sensual and devilish.
A man marked by worldly wisdom will also be marked by a life filled with strife and bitter envying. His life will be in confusion as he will be in every evil work. A man who is following God, should be marked by a wisdom that brings peace, clarity good works, and a good conversation.
James 3:13-18 KJV
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.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
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.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
S.T.
Acts 20:24
"But none of these things move me..."
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