Read James 3, verses 13-18.
As we continue looking into the teaching of James, it is good to step back a bit and remember that originally this is a letter that was written to Jewish Christians, bodies of believers in different places, facing many trials as they are tested in their faith by God. The principles and practical wisdom of God that were first written for them as they lived out their faith in Christ were also written for the benefit of those believers who would come after them. That we all may be taught, corrected, rebuked, and trained in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16,17).
Take a moment to see again how James begins the letter by reading the greeting and then on through verse 4. And review his teaching on specific tests of faith in the rest of chapter 1 and then in chapter 2.
At the end of chapter 2, there is a crucial section where James firmly teaches and corrects and thereby warns his brothers (and sisters 😊) in Christ, that for faith to be a true and living faith, it must have works that follow it. Works that come from faith that is itself working (and this which comes, as we know from other scripture we studied, from God, the Father, by the Holy Spirit through Christ).
And in chapter 3, he is again teaching, correcting, and warning. This time a more specific warning about teachers of the word and followed by a challenging section which warns and teaches about the tongue.
This brings us to verses 13-18 of chapter 3 where we are asked a critical question about faith just as we were asked back in chapter 2, verse 14 (What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?). Again, the question here pertains to our works in living out our faith, but this time it is about how those works are shown:
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. (v. 13)
In order that we rightly understand our responsibility here, in the verses immediately following the question we are first taught and warned about what is not the wisdom from above that we would recognize it and deal with it accordingly (see also James 1:21):
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, spiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. (vv.14-16)
Then we are told what wisdom is and that it comes from God again so that we would rightly handle it, speaking and acting in the gentle humility of it. The contrast is truly clear:
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (v. 17)
And that this wisdom from above is for the peacemakers those blessed by the Father in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit with salvation in order that his righteousness would be evident in what they say and do:
And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (v. 18)
As we continue to seek to understand these qualities of wisdom by studying other scriptures, we remember that even though we may consider them specifically at times, we are not considering them separately. That these attributes are together the wisdom of God is key to our right understanding of them. For instance, to understand how the wisdom of God is peaceable, we need to consider it in the light of how it is first pure. And that as it is peaceable, it is also gentle, and so on. All the while remembering that it is first pure.
Because of this, as I am studying there should be an overlap and a repetition and a coherency that comes through from the scripture itself. It is wonderful that God gives us eyes to see wonderful things in his word (Psalm 119). And that the word of God itself is enlightening to the eyes (Psalm 19). Praise God that he works through his word in this way, that as we grow in our knowledge of him and his ways, it is he that first applies his word to our minds and hearts by his Holy Spirit as we study his word and seek him for the wisdom and the strength to obey it.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable…
Note that the purity of God’s wisdom comes first and then what follows is that it is peaceable.
Consider God and how he is first pure, that he is then peaceable towards those whom he favors and saves (Romans 5:1-11; Ephesians 2:13,14).
Though we are ultimately looking to scripture for what God is teaching us about how his wisdom is peaceable, this definition from the Webster’s 1828 might be helpful to our understanding of how he is working in us through his wisdom:
peaceable: quiet; undisturbed; not agitated with passion; disposed toward peace.
That wisdom is from God who is pure and holy, first puts us in a position of fear and humility before him and consequently his wisdom. Not a running away from him type of fear, but a fear that comes along with his grace and mercy towards those he loves. A fear and humility that causes us to be careful with how we handle his wisdom, learning from it and living in it. Not defiling it, by mixing it with our own understanding or the understanding of the world.
Since in living out our faith in Christ, we are called to holy conduct, to religion that is pure and undefiled before God, it follows that we are to be peaceable in how we speak and act. This begins and flows out what is in our minds and hearts. Remembering that this comes from God who has changed us from the inside out and is continuing to change us from the inside out is key to showing our good works in the meekness of wisdom (2 Corinthians 5:17-21).
We know from scripture that it is not our outward acts that save us nor is it our outward acts that purify us. It is the inward work of God in Christ Jesus by his Holy Spirit through his word (John 17:17). That our works are to be done in the meekness of wisdom, implies that changes are first being made to our minds and hearts.
And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
This is a principle that God has put in place and that he is sure to bring about. Scripture tells us that it is God who first works and who continues to work to complete our salvation (1 Corinthians 1:4-9; Philippians 1:6; James 2:18). Our work is what he has for us to do as he first works and then continues to work in us (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:12). He does this through the trials he provides in the testing of our faith. Remember the words James wrote by the Holy Spirit at the beginning of his letter:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.
Here are some scriptures that have come to mind when considering how God calls us to walk in the meekness of wisdom which is first pure, then peaceable. Some references are a few verses and others are whole passages (ok, so with Ephesians it was pretty much half of the book 😊). Trusting that you will study these (and others that you find in your own study) in their context:
Romans 6:12-23
Romans 12:1-21
Colossians 3:12-17
Ephesians 4:1-3, 15, 16, 25-32
Ephesians 5:1,2,11,15-21
Ephesians 6:1,4,5,9,1-20
Philippians 2:1-16
Philippians 4:2-9
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, 11;5:13
2 Timothy 2:20-26
2 Peter 3:14
There is so much to learn about God and his wisdom in this section of James and as we consider it in the light of the rest of scripture. But as I have studied this time, one thing kept coming forward: because God who is holy has made peace with us who are in Christ, we are to continue in that peace, keeping peace towards him and extending his peace towards others.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable…
As we have been already taught in James, we are not to look to the “wisdom” of man for purity. There can be no true peace from the wisdom of man. Man may call it peace, but it is not the peace of God. To harbor selfish ambition and bitter jealousy in your heart, not confessing and repenting of it, results in disorder and every vile practice. This is not what is peaceable.
The pursuit of holiness through the work of God by his Holy Spirit in the meekness of wisdom results in a truly peaceable mind and heart which seeks to continue in the peace with God that he established for us. A peace that we have first with God himself and then with man (Ephesians 2:13-18). This extends to our seeking peace between man and man: in the church, in our families, with friends, with countries, and so on.
When Paul writes to the Galatians, he begins with a peaceful greeting (1:3-5), yet he is writing to admonish them for deserting God so quickly (v. 6). In the wisdom of man, this would appear foolish and harsh. However, in seeking to reconcile them to God he is seeking first to please God and not man (v.10). He is first peaceable towards God by upholding the truth of the gospel, which he then extends to his brothers and sisters in Christ. God has loved the Galatians and freed them in Christ by reconciling them to himself through his salvation. We, too, as servants of Christ, are called to be peaceable in this way and be concerned to uphold this truth in the lives of other believers.
James also addresses this at the end of his letter in chapter 5, verses 19 and 20:
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
Not only are we to pursue personal purity and holiness in our own minds and hearts, but we have this purity and peace in our hearts through God’s wisdom that we may love our brothers and sisters in Christ in such a way that we would all grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:1-3;11-15;1 Peter 1:22-25).
Remembering who God is and how he works we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling knowing that it is God who works in us to will and to work for his good pleasure. As we do all things without grumbling or disputing, that we may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among who whom we shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life. (Philippians 2:12-16)