Read James 3:13-18
What does open to reason mean?
Looking up reason in the Webster’s 1828 dictionary, I found several definitions for reason. Here are a couple that may be helpful here:
reason (n.) – a faculty of the mind by which it distinguishes truth from falsehood and good from evil, which enable the possessor to deduce inferences from facts or from propositions.
reason (v.) – to argue with, to endeavor to inform, convince or persuade by argument.
To reason with someone, we would be trying to persuade that person into a belief or truth. If we are thinking of being open to reason, then there is a willingness to be persuaded, to be reasoned with and even to be taught.
To whose reasoning are we to be open? And what does Scripture show us and teach us about how to understand that the wisdom from above is open to reason?
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (3:17)
Considering the context, the reasoning that we are to be open to is God’s reasoning since it is his wisdom that is open to reason. And it is in the meekness of his wisdom that we are to live out our faith as we do the works of faith.
James, by the Holy Spirit writing the words of God, reasons with believers:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (1:2)
He is commanding them and is reasoning with them to provide the basis for them to be reasonable and obey the command.
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (1:16-18)
Here he is reasoning with them by giving them the truth about God so that they can have the understanding needed to obey the command not to blame God when tempted and to not be deceived about who he is and how he is working, that it is his will to work good in their salvation as they are being made to be like Christ (Romans 8:28-30).
Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (1:19, 20)
Within the command is given the way to be reasonable, to be teachable before the word of God which is the wisdom of God. And then James goes on with another command that follows this reasoning:
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. (1:21)
This is the wisdom of God, the gospel that we continue to live in as believers. It is only by the wisdom of God in Christ and through the Holy Spirit that we can be reasonable, put away the sin in our minds and hearts, and receive his word in meekness.
Knowledge of God and his ways only come from God himself. Jesus speaks of this when he prayed to the Father about those the Father had given him:
…they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. [John 17:6-8; Per usual please be sure to examine this, and any scripture I reference, in the context 😊]
Note the order: Father to the Son and then from the Son to those who are given to him by the Father. This knowledge continues to be imparted by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tells his disciples this in John 14:25-26:
These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
The Apostle Paul, too, writes of how we can only see and understand and believe by the wisdom that is from God in Christ through the Holy Spirit:
Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory…And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God…But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)
A couple of things we can consider here that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the source of his own wisdom and that he has decided when and how and to whom he will reveal it and that having the mind of Christ is necessary to accepting it.
Look at Romans 11:33 – 12:3.
The knowledge and wisdom of God is deep and unsearchable. No one can know his ways or counsel him. All things are from him and through him and to him. Yet, we are commanded that as our worship, we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. To do this, we must stop being conformed to the world and be transformed. Our minds must be renewed so that we can know what is good and acceptable and perfect, the will of God.
Our minds must be changed for us to walk in God’s ways. They can only be changed by God through his wisdom which is open to reason. We are open to reason only as our minds are renewed by the work of the Holy Spirit applying God’s word to our minds and hearts as he continues to change us from the inside out (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Christ prayed, Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth (John 17:17). As God works in us to will and to act according to his good purpose (Philippians 2:12), we work in response by working to hear his word and do his word (2 Timothy 2:15, James 1:22-25).
Since to be reasonable, open to reason, is rooted in knowledge – not just any knowledge, but knowledge of God and his ways – and comes to us only through the work of God in his wisdom, what does that look like? What does other scripture teach us about this?
Read and consider Philippians 4:1-9
What are we being taught about reasonableness?
As with James, this teaching of God through Paul, is to be understood and applied not only to us individually but also within the context of the body of Christ. Before all this, Paul begins with:
I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are written in the book of life.
See how Paul is reasoning with Euodia and Syntyche and calling them to be reasonable by entreating them to agree in the Lord. He then goes further and asks that they be helped giving reasons for why while implying that the one who is helping them would not only be helping them to be reasonable themselves but would himself need to be reasonable as he is doing this.
In verse 5, Paul by the Holy Spirit, commands that it be evident to everyone. [This has a familiar ring like James: by his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. How is our reasonableness perhaps most evident? In our speech? Consider the teaching on the tongue in James 3:1-12.] Before and after the command to show our reasonableness, he speaks of the Lord. In verse 4, there is a command to Rejoice in the Lord always which he emphasizes by repeating. And then in the same verse as the command to be reasonable, he acknowledges the nearness of the Lord. With that comes the command to not be anxious and to make your requests known to God by praying with thanksgiving (v.6).
He brings it together with the promise of God of his peace, peace that is more than we can comprehend, that will guard our minds and hearts in Christ (v. 7). Concluding with the command to work to be prepared to be reasonable and the way to be reasonable, by thinking about the things of God:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, thing about these things. (v. 8)
And with this the command to do what has been learned:
What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (v. 9)
Again, there seems to be a connection here to the ongoing teachableness of those who are the wise and understanding, who are the hearers and doers of God’s word, that is taught in James.