Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (30.4)

The General Epistle of James

James Chapter 3:14-16 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

The display of earthly wisdom (vv14-16)

v14.     James now turns to a discussion on earthly wisdom.  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. Note that bitter envy and strife (self-seeking) are the opposite of the meekness of wisdom mentioned in the previous verse. 

It is interesting to note that bitter envying and strife are both identified here as having their seat in the hearts.  Envy has its root in covetousness, and covetousness is manifested by the bearing of false witness. The Bible says that out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Matt 5:19). So the heart is indeed the seat of bitter envying.

Now strife is associated with pride.  And what is the seat of pride?  Let the Bible answer it: He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat (Prov 28:25). So once again we see that the heart is the seat of strife. 

In fact Paul summarizes it this way: He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings (1Tim 6:4). In other word, a proud heart is the seat of both strife and envy.  But one thing we should know is that envy and wisdom cannot dwell together in the same heart. 

Now notice that James is very careful in the order of his words.  He puts envy first before strife.  This is very logical.  There has to be first of all a desire for an object.  That desire, if uncontrolled, can lead to lust.  And lust produces envy, even bitter envy.  In turn, bitter envy leads to self seeking, or strife. And strife in turn is manifested by pride. 

The Bible puts this beautifully this way: the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1Jn 2:16).  By the way, that is exactly what happened to Eve in the Garden of Eden.  The Bible tells us that when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (Gen 3:6).  Did you get it?  Eve saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh); furthermore, it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eyes); and finally, it was something to make one wise (pride of life).  And that was how Eve sinned when she went on to eat of the fruit from this particular tree that God specifically prohibited her from doing so.

Now the logical question is where does strife leads to?  According to James here, strife endeavours to excuse itself by vain-glorying and lying.  To boast of your wisdom (to glory) is virtually a lying against the truth while your lives belie your glorying.  Paul puts it this way:

Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God.  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? (Rom 2:17, 23).

So therefore, if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, the advice from James is glory not, and lie not against the truth.  The conclusion is that anyone who shows bitter envy and strife (self-seeking) should not deceive anyone (especially themselves) about how "wise" they are; they show a "wisdom' that is more characteristic of the world, the flesh, and the devil than of God.  This is the gist of the next verse.

v.15.            Following from the preceding verse, James now says that this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.   If it is not wisdom descending from above, then it must be wisdom springing forth (or arising) from below.  That’s why it is called earthly, sensual, devilish. 

            In what sense is it earthly?  To start with, the origin is earthly.  This kind of wisdom is based on earthly principles rather than divine principles.  This is wisdom that is marked by bitter envying and strife in the heart.

            Secondly, the motives are earthly as well.  The real motive is self glorification.  God is left out and all that matters is self.  The Bible calls this vain glorying. The problem with this kind of vain glorying is that it can become infectious and spread quickly.  That is why Paul says: Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (1Cor  5:6).

            Lastly, this wisdom is earthly because it serves earthly purposes.  Paul said it this way: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things (Phil 3:19).

            In what sense can we say that this earthly wisdom is sensual?  . Interesting enough, the word “sensual” literally means "animal-like” and thus this kind of wisdom is akin to the lustful desires of animals.   It is sensual indulging the flesh, and making provision to fulfil the lusts and desires of it. This is the wisdom of the natural man, not born again of God, not having the Spirit.  Jude puts it this way: These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit (Jude 1:19).

            And James says this earthly wisdom is not only sensual but also devilish.  How so?  Well, it is devilish in its origin.  Earthly wisdom is from hell (Jas 3:6) but God is the giver of true wisdom (Jas 1:5).  Having its origin from hell, we can expect that earthly wisdom also display character from hell.  What are these?  Pride, accusing the brethren, wrath, strife, anger, etc.  And therefore those who are lifted up with such wisdom as this must fall into the condemnation of the devil.  Earthly, sensual, and devilish, answer to the three spiritual foes of man, the world, the flesh, and the devil.

v16.     The fruit of this earthly wisdom is plain: confusion and every evil work; the wisdom of the world, the flesh, and the devil may be able to accomplish things, but always with the ultimate fruit of confusion and every evil work.  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  

            The envious man stands in his own light. He thinks his candle cannot shine in the presence of another's sun. He aims directly at men, obliquely at God, who makes men to differ. Strife leads to rivalry.  Envying and strife in turn produces confusion (commotion) in society and in the human mind.  This is in contrast to the peace that true wisdom brings. 

            The result of this confusion is evil work.  James does not call this the fruit, but the works.  In contrast, in verse 18 he calls the result of heavenly wisdom as the fruit.  Paul describes this beautifully as the works of the flesh…and the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:19-22).

What more can we say about this earthly wisdom?  Is it any wonder then that the origin is from hell, and that it is devilish?