Monthly Archive for October, 2000

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James 3:13c

Published on October 20, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom."

 

in the meekness of wisdom

The word “meekness” is a term for humility. The kind of wisdom James values is the wisdom that operates in the sphere of “meekness.” Meekness is not weakness but strength under God’s control. Trench in his book on Greek synonyms says that meekness is inwrought graceand that the exercise of meekness is chiefly towards God. It is the attitude that accepts all God’s dealings with us as good. 
 
Ga 5: 22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
 
PRINCIPLE: 
 
A meek attitude accepts all God’s dealings with us as good.
 
APPLICATION: 
 
Meekness is not gentleness as if a gentle person is a prissy person. A meek person is a powerful person who knows the power of God in his life. His occupation is with the Lord and not himself. It is power under control, the power of God controlling our lives. 
 
A meek person does not look down on others with a sense of contempt. He understands only too well that he is what he is but by the grace of God. God’s grace humbles him. He knows that everything he has is from the hand of God. 
 
2 Co 10: 1 “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ— who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.”
 
Ga 6: 1 “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”
 
Co 3: 12 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering…”
 
1 Pe 3: 15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…”
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James 3:13b

Published on October 19, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom."
 
 
Let him show by good conduct that his works are done
 
We give evidence of our wisdom and understanding by “good conduct.” The word “conduct” means something turn upside down, a turning back. The idea is manner or way of life, conduct, behavior, deportment. The focus is on overt daily behavior. 
 
2 Corinthians 1:12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you.
 
The word “show” means expose to the eyes so that we can see the evidence or proof of a claim. Thus, the idea is to bring to light, display, exhibit. We demonstrate the reality and nature of what we have by our conduct and overt daily behavior. 
 
PRINCIPLE: 
 
We find the expression of wisdom in the behavior of the believer. 
 
APPLICATION: 
 
We show our works by good conduct. The source of our works is our good conduct, a good mode of life. We manifest that mode of life by what we do. That way of life comes from God’s wisdom and understanding. People will notice our unique way of life that it is different and from God. 
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James 3:13

Published on October 18, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom."

 

With this verse, James transitions into dealing with the relationship between wisdom and personal conduct (3:13-18). If we are to control our tongues, we need wisdom. Divine wisdom produces right words and right actions. 
 
Who is wise and understanding among you?
 
Wisdom is the ability to look at things from God’s viewpoint. The New Testament uses “wise” for proficient application of principle to experience. It is more than knowing facts about the Bible but the correct use of those facts. Wisdom is something God gives from understanding the principles of Scripture; it does not come from self. 
 
1 Co 2: 6 “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
 
This is the only time the New Testament uses the Greek word for “understanding.” A person with “understanding” is someone who is prudent, skilled, intelligent, experience, having expertise. This is a term of special mental perception or comprehension of God’s Word. It is someone who can apply his experience to the art of living a God-oriented life. 
 
PRINCIPLE: 
 
A wise and understanding person is someone who can apply principle to experience. 
 
APPLICATION: 
 
True wisdom and understand biblically comes from obedience to what we know. It is not a matter of accumulation of information. 
 
There is a great difference between God’s wisdom and the wisdom of men. Those who walk in God’s wisdom walk different from those who walk in the wisdom of men. The wisdom of God is a spiritual wisdom. Biblical wisdom is not the accumulation of knowledge but the correct use of knowledge. This kind of wisdom shows itself in our conduct. We see it in what we do because wisdom shows us how to allow God to generate divine production in our lives. 
 
The indication of a person possessing biblical wisdom is submission to the Holy Spirit. God is interested in those who are truly skilled in righteous behavior. We do not measure our wisdom by how much we know but by how much we apply. 
 
Ac 6: 3 “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business…. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.”
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James 3:12

Published on October 17, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh."

 

James transitions from the mouth in verse 11 to the heart in this verse. This is the 2nd illustration of blessing and cursing coming from the same mouth. 
 
Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?
 
It is impossible for a fig tree to bear olives. This is completely inconsistent with the nature of a fig tree. The fruit of a tree must correspond to the nature of the tree. 
 
Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh
 
As a fig tree can only produce figs and not olives, so one water source can yield only one kind of water. James is dealing with the origins of the believer’s behavior. One cause yields one kind of effect. 
 
PRINCIPLE: 
 
True spiritual production comes from God. 
 
APPLICATION: 
 
True spirituality does not admit contradictions of standard. God wants us to keep our tongue in tow to keep consistency with our heart. A heart of hate does not produce genuine love. The Christian’s mouth should produce that which is consistent with the nature of the Christian life. Fruits of the Christian life never violate the nature of the Christian life. 
 
Spiritual fruit is important because it shows the practical impact of the Christian life. Fruit cannot exist without the tree. It does not produce itself; fruit comes from another source. The fruit of the Christian life does not have an independent source; it comes from God. There are fruits that come from faith. We can see what is inside by what is on the outside. 
 
Mt 12: 33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
 
Christians who curse fellow Christians have an evil heart in face of the face that he on occasion celebrates who and what God is. God does not accept duality of worship.
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James 3:11

Published on October 16, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?"

 

In verse eleven, James continues his argument about the incongruity of blessing and cursing coming out of the same mouth. He gives three illustrations toward this end in verses 11 and 12.
 
Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter
 
James draws an illogical analogy from nature. The “spring” of water is analogous to our heart. The heart is the aperture of our attitudes. 
 
from the same opening?
 
Both fresh and bitter water do not flow from the same aperture. Water can be fresh and other waters can be brackish contaminated with sulpher or salt. If both fresh and brackish water would flow from the same source, this would be an incongruity. 
 
Our words divulge the true condition of our heart. How can we celebrate God at one moment and then turn around and curse men the next? This is just as incongruous as the spring that sends out salty and fresh water from the same source. 
 
PRINCIPLE:
 
If we deal with our hearts that will automatically sort out our mouths.   
 
APPLICATION: 
 
The believer must be consistent in both what he says and how he says it. How can we speak loving words to our wives and then a short time later speak harsh words? Why do we hurt those we love with words? We speak from both sides of our mouth. We can both bless and curse from the same mouth. 
 
If we allow God to judge our hearts, He will change our mouths. Our mouths reveal the contents of our heart. Pressure and duress brings out the worst in us. When conflict comes, we can say some of the most amazing things. We say things that even surprise ourselves. Therefore, if we want to contend with the tongue, we must start with the heart. 
 
Spiritual and carnal Christians are always consistent. A spiritual Christian has his heart right with God and demonstrates that by both what he says and how he says it. A carnal Christian will always speak what is consistent with his carnal heart. 
 
Pr 15: 23 “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth,
            And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!”
 
Pr 16: 24 “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
            Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”
 
Pr 25: 11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
            In settings of silver.”
 
Words of complaint, discontent, anger and grumbling do not honor the Lord. How can we share Christ at work if our fellow employees view us as a complainer? 
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James 3:10

Published on October 15, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."

 

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.
 
It is incongruous that both blessing and cursing should come from the same mouth. It is an absurd contradiction to bless God on one side of our mouths and curse men on the other side. 
 
My brethren,
 
James is clearly speaking to Christians by appealing to their place in the family of Christ thus the words “my brethren” convey unusual force. 
 
these things ought not to be so
 
The words “ought not” are very emphatic indicating moral responsibility. There is no place for two-faced or hypocritical speech in the Christian life. This is intolerable in God’s economy of things. It is moral incongruity for both blessing and cursing to come out of the same mouth. This is utterly inconsistent to Christianity because when we curse men, we damn the God who made the man. 
 
PRINCIPLE: 
 
One of God’s great values is consistency so He dislikes inconsistency. 
 
APPLICATION: 
 
There is great incongruity in pronouncing two opposite standards of things. At one time, we blow sweet and saccharine thoughts, and the next time, we flame harsh and hurtful words. 
 
Aesop said that the tongue is at once the best and worst of things. 
 
Ps 62: 4 “They only consult to cast him down from his high position;
            They delight in lies;
            They bless with their mouth,
    But they curse inwardly.”
 
The more we walk with the Lord, the more people watch our talk. That is why “these things ought not so to be.” We cannot take it upon ourselves to censure others we do not live up to the light that we have. 
 
The prerogative of censorship belongs to God alone because He alone is totally objective. We cannot trust the role of God to our personal judgments. We cannot portray the idea that we are better than others are.
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James 3:9

Published on October 14, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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“With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.”

 

With it we bless our God and Father,
 
We celebrate the Father with our tongue. The Father watches of over all His creatures all of the time, saved or lost. The word “bless” means to speak well of. We speak well of God’s sovereign care over His creatures. 
 
James is clearly referring to Christians here. We know that James speaks of Christians because he uses the first person “we.” Christians can express hypocrisy with their mouth at the same time they celebrate God. 
 
and with it we curse men,
 
A “curse” is a wish of evil against a person. The word comes from two words: down, against and to pray. The idea is to wish something bad would happen to someone. There are times when we want to call down a curse on someone. Sometimes people call God into this game. However, the bottom line is that when we call down a curse on someone we sense that we ourselves are superior to them. 
 
Ro 12: 14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
 
who have been made in the similitude of God
 
Even in the face of the fall, man retains the image of God. He carries nobility because of this. Notice that God negates more than just cursing other Christians but “men” in general because all people bear the stamp of God on their being. 
 
Ge 1: 26 “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’”
 
The fall of man sullied the image of God but he still carries that image with him. That is why we cannot take vengeance on anyone. We value other men because we are men ourselves. We do not put ourselves on a pedestal by looking on others with contempt. God wants us to honor “all men.” 
 
1 Pe 2: 17 “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
 
PRINCIPLE: 
 
We show duality and contradiction in our speech when we worship God with our mouth and then express vengeance toward others. 
 
APPLICATION: 
 
We cannot celebrate the Creator and then at the same time curse the creature. This is hypocritical inconsistency. This is not only a contradiction but also a violation of God’s design for creation. 
 
Some Christians can express sweetness and light one moment with the people they like and convey deep bitterness with those they do not like the next. They can bless God in the spiritual realm and curse man in the social realm. They see no inconsistency in this. It is a double standard from God viewpoint. There is no call for this in God’s economy. If we bless, there is a consistency that we also bless others. 
 
Mt 5: 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…”
 
1 Pe 2: 23 “…who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…”
 
Vengeance belongs to the Lord so we should not play God. We should leave criticism of all men in the hands of God.
 
Ro 12: 19 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
 
Sins of the tongue produce divine discipline. Sins of the tongue also is an indication of being out of fellowship with God. Conversely, control of the tongue is an indication of fellowship with God. 
 
Ps 64: 8  “So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
            All who see them shall flee away.”
 
Mt 7: 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
 
We must make the distinction between speaking against sin and attacking the sinner. God does not expect us to condone standards that hurt people.
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James 3:8

Published on October 13, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."
 
But no man can tame the tongue.
Literally, "no man" is "any person of men." No human being in his own power can control the tongue. We cannot control our own tongues and we cannot control the tongues of others.
It is an unruly evil,
The tongue is incapable of restraint on the natural level. The word "unruly" means unsettled, unstable, disorderly. It is not subject to control. There is nothing constant about the tongue. It is unstable, vacillating at every turn.
The tongue is also an "evil." This evil is dormant and hidden within the nature of the person. Man can superficially tame his tongue but he cannot deal with it at its root; that is why the tongue is "unruly."
full of deadly poison
The word "deadly" means death-bearing. The tongue has something mortal about it, for it produces a kind of death. Its deadly poison fills its venom in relationships with slander, malice, anger and envy. Verbal malice destroys the reputation of men, leaders and churches.
James does not mean that the tongue is impossible to tame but is something extremely difficult to control. It will take the power of God to tame the tongue.
PRINCIPLE:
Only God’s power can tame the tongue, but it is never at rest and is unstable.
APPLICATION:
Only God can ultimately tame the tongue. Many people think of themselves as wonderful Christians because they do not commit overt sins. Yet, this verse says that a Christian who does not control his tongue is like a snake with deadly venom. Our mouths are like poisonous snakes. Out of the poison sack comes slander, judging and maligning of others. This is spiritual instability.
Ps. 141: 3 "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips."
People who use unruly speech poison the thoughts of people toward friends and relatives. Sometimes we lose longstanding friends because we are not careful with our mouths. Poison is something we must carefully label and handle with care. It can ruin reputations. That is why we must submit our mouths to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
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James 3:7

Published on October 12, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind."
 
Verse seven gives us the third illustration of the uncontrolled tongue.
For
The word "for" explains verse six–that the tongue is wild in nature, defiling the whole body. The tongue defies human control and needs the power of God to restrain it.
every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea,
The word "kind" means nature. Men can tame the natural disposition and characteristic nature of these four kinds of species.
is tamed and has been tamed by mankind
James uses the word "tame" twice in this verse. The idea is to subdue, curb, restrain or control. Man has tamed the whole range of beasts from the wildest to the most domestic. We see this in the circus where men train lions and elephants. It is possible to restrain every kind of creature but it is difficult to hold the tongue in check. It is inherently incorrigible.
PRINCIPLE:
Without the power of God, the tongue is inherently incorrigible.
APPLICATION:
The tongue is inherently uncontrollable. Our mouth is innately undisciplined, irrepressible and irresponsible. That is the primitive nature of the tongue. The tongue meets every effort to control it with difficulty because it breaks bonds and rules. We can control animal nature but we cannot control human nature except by the power of God.
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James 3:6c

Published on October 11, 2000 in James. 0 Comments
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"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell."

 

and it is set on fire by hell
 
The word for “hell” here is Gehenna, the word that Jesus used most often for hell. This is the only occurrence in the New Testament use of this term outside of Jesus’ use of the word. 
 
Gehenna was originally the garbage dump in the valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem to the southeast. They dumped every kind of filth imaginable into Gehenna. They threw dead animals and unburied criminals there. They even sacrificed children there in the name of the god Moloch. The idea of “set on fire by hell” means that the devil uses the tongue to do his damage. 
 
Pr 16: 27 “An ungodly man digs up evil,
            And it is on his lips like a burning fire.”
 
Pr 26: 21 “As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
            So is a contentious man to kindle strife.”
 
PRINCIPLE: 
 
An evil tongue finds its inspiration from hell. 
 
APPLICATION: 
 
The tongue separates people from pastor and parent from child. Just a little gossip or rumor expanded for interest, grows to immense proportions. It will set the rumor mill flying like a raging forest fire. 
 
People will pick on that sly remark, that innuendo or that insinuation and carry it further into greater distortions. The rumor takes on a life of its own. The first thing we know reputations are ruined and numbers of people alienate from one another. 
 
One of the most dangerous weapons we have in our arsenal is our tongue. It all depends on what we have in our soul. If we have attitudes of bitterness and anger in there, the wrong things will come out of our mouths. It is a very destructive instrument. 
 
When a person throws mud, he dirties his own hands in the process. 
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