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WEEKLY
Volume 1 Number 48
29 April 2007
Wisdom from Above
(Message delivered by Pr Hien Nguyen
at the Sunday Worship Service, 2 pm, April 22, 2007)
Text: James 3:13-18
“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”
(Jas 3:17).
Everyone likes to be regarded among the wise. No one
wants to be foolish or be called a fool, but it is miserable for a man
who thinks that he is wise when he is actually foolish, “The way of a
fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is
wise” (Prov 12:15), and “Seest thou a man wise in his own
conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him” (Prov 26:12). The
Bible tells us about the wisdom from above as well as about earthly
wisdom, sensual wisdom and devilish wisdom. Therefore, a man regarded as
a wise man according to this world may not be wise in God’s sight. A
well-known scientist or philosopher or religious leader or scholar in
this world may be respected and admired for his “wisdom” and
achievements, and his words are often quoted by men, but if he does not
believe in the living and true God of the Bible nor receive God’s Word,
he is regarded as a “fool” before God, “The fool hath said in his
heart, There is no God” (Ps 14:1; 53:1). The Bible confirms, “For
the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He
taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the
thoughts of the wise, that they are vain” (1 Cor 3:19-20).
Then do you and I want to be wise in God’s sight and
have the wisdom from above or to be wise before men? What is the wisdom
from above? We have the answer from God’s Word, “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” (Jas 3:17-18). May the Lord graciously help us
understand His Word and have the true wisdom from Him in our lives and
ministry so that in the end we will not be regretful.
Wisdom from Above
Pure: “But
the wisdom that is from above is first pure.” This is the
first and most important quality of the wisdom from God, for God is pure
and holy (1 Pet 1:16; 1 John 3:3). The word “pure” is from the same root
word of “holy”. It is holy and chaste, and pure from faults,
defilements, and sins. Then are you and I pure and holy? Actually, with
our depraved and sinful human nature, no man is pure in God’s sight,
“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Prov
20:9) and “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”
(Rom 3:23). Then, the first wise step for us sinners is to be washed and
cleansed from all our sins, unrighteousness and iniquities by the
precious blood of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by confessing our
sins to Him, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1
John 1:9). It is foolish if we cover our sins, “He that covereth his
sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall
have mercy” (Prov 28:13) and “and be sure your sin will find you
out” (Num 32:23).
We do thank God for His gracious work of cleansing
and sanctification in our lives when we believe in Him and commit our
lives to Him, “but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God”
(1 Cor 6:11). However, it is our responsibility to keep ourselves pure
so that we may be blessed and have a constant fellowship with our Lord
in His light. This is a command from the Lord in the present tense,
“keep thyself pure” (1 Tim 5:22), or literally, Keep on keeping
yourself pure. It means we are to apply Biblical separation in our
personal life and ministry, “Wherefore come out from among them, and
be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I
will receive you” (2 Cor 6:17). Then, it is wise for you and me to
keep our hearts, minds, thinking, deeds, and lives and ministry pure
from sins, self, lusts, worldliness, and from everything that is against
God’s Word.
Moreover, we are expected to be faithful to our Lord
Jesus Christ as a chaste virgin to her husband, “For I am jealous
over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband,
that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor 11:2).
The adjective “chaste” here is the same term of “pure.” What do you and
I feel when our spouse is not faithful to us or lose her first love? The
Bible says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be
a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (Jas 4:4). Sadly, many
church leaders and members nowadays ignore the doctrine of Biblical
Separation and want to make friends with the world and those who are
against God’s Word! They are compromising and unfaithful, not like a
chaste virgin of the Lord! They do not keep themselves pure. Are they
wise in God’s sight? Absolute not! Then are you and I wise in God’s
sight? We have many options to choose in our daily life and ministry.
May God help us to be wise by keeping ourselves pure in what we do, say,
read, watch, or listen to as well as pure in our friendship or contact
with others, “And every man that hath this hope in him (to be
like Christ) purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3).
Another term of pure, which is clean or pure in a spiritual sense from
the pollution and guilt of sin, is in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the
pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Do you and I want to be
blessed and see God? Keep our heart pure and clean always in the blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Peaceable:
This term only has only two occurrences. The other is in Hebrews 12:11,
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Our heavenly
Father loves us and chastises us “for our profit, that we might be
partakers of his holiness” (Heb 12:10), and the peaceable fruit is
to be like Him in His holiness and righteousness (cf. Eph 4:24) “unto
them which are exercised thereby.” Through chastening, we have the
peace of God when we learn to be submissive to God, to His control, His
will and His Word, when there is no conflict between our will and God’s
will, when our rebellious nature, the old man, is crucified with Christ
(Gal 2:20). Then, that is the wisdom from above. With God’s peace in our
heart, we will love peace, want to live in peace with others, and are
peacemakers to help others be reconciled to God. As “pure” is the first
and important quality, we shall not sacrifice this divine purity for the
sake of worldly peace or ecumenical unity as many “Christians” do
nowadays.
Contrary to God’s children, people of this world,
with human sinful nature, envy others’ ability, position, fame,
achievements, wealth, popularity, etc, and “have bitter envying and
strife” in their hearts (v 14), leading to unrest, conflicts, wars,
“confusion and every evil work” (v 16). Are they wise in God’s
sight? Absolute not, as “this wisdom descendeth not from above, but
is earthly, sensual, devilish” (v 15).
Gentle: This
term has 5 occurrences in the NT, and translates as “gentle” three times
(Tit 3:2; Jas 3:17; 1 Pet 2:18), and “patient” once (1 Tim 3:3) and
“moderation” once (Phil 4:5). Then it means gentle, kind, forbearing,
patient, tolerate, yielding, mild, appropriate, considerate, proper,
equitable. We should learn from our Lord Jesus, who is so gentle with
repentant sinners and teachable people, but is strongly against the
religious leaders who twisted the truth and misled people from the
truth. Paul humbly said, “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the
meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you,
but being absent am bold toward you” (2 Cor 10:1).
Easy to Be Intreated:
This term is used only once here in the NT. It means
easily obeying, yielding, persuaded, approachable in a submissive way.
It is wise to give up our self will, self interest, and self importance
to win others to Christ and to His truth. The first and most important
quality is purity. We cannot sacrifice purity for the sake of the
“friendly” or “open-minded” approach.
Full of Mercy and Good Fruits:
Mercy is an attribute of God and we must thank God “for His mercy
endures for ever” (Ps 136). God showed mercy in saving us from the
condemnation to Hell while we deserve it and in helping us and blessing
us while we do not deserve it. As God has mercy upon us, we are to show
mercy to others, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is
merciful” (Luke 6:36). Then it is wise to show mercy to others. And
we can never do this if we do not acknowledge our spiritual poverty and
our eternal condemnation to hell, or do not see and appreciate God’s
great mercy upon us which we do not deserve it. Good fruits here must be
from above, and not worldly conduct, but a godly life in Christ,
“Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree
bringeth forth evil fruit” (Matt 7:17) as well as in a
Spirit-controlled life (Gal 5:22-23).
Without Partiality:
It is impartial, or free from partial regards. “For there is no
respect of persons with God” (Rom 2:11), it is a sin if we are
partial, respecting the rich and the noble while despising the poor and
the lowly, “But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are
convinced of the law as transgressors” (Jas 2:9). Wisdom from above
is without partiality.
Without Hypocrisy:
It is without pretence, and it must be true. Our Lord Jesus severely
rebuked the hypocrites (Matt 23), “for they say, and do not.”
They want to perform their religious duties and good works before the
eyes of men to get respect and praise from men. They appear clean, good,
and righteous outwardly, but within they are full of hypocrisy and
iniquity. They love to have honoured positions and to be called and
greeted with a highly respected title. However, the wisdom from above is
without hypocrisy! Do you and I really desire the wisdom from above? How
can we have it?
How to Have Wisdom from Above
Pray for Wisdom:
First we must realise that we do lack wisdom from above and then pray to
God for it with faith, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall
be given him” (Jas 1:5). “Let no man deceive himself. If any man
among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that
he may be wise” (1 Cor 3:18).
Fear God and Depart from Evil:
The Bible says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and
the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Prov 9-10), and “The
fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil
way, and the froward mouth, do I hate” (Prov 8:13).
Submit to Jesus Christ:
The Lord Jesus Christ is our wisdom, “But of him
are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Cor 1:30), and
“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col
2:3). The more we submit ourselves to the Lord, trust in Him, learn from
Him and follow Him, the more wisdom we shall have, “He that walketh
with wise men shall be wise” (Prov 13:20).
Submit to God’s Word:
God’s Word is able to make us wise (Ps 19:7; 119:98;
2 Tim 3:15). The more we read, keep, obey and submit to God’s Word, the
wiser we shall be, “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of
mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man” (Matt 7:24).
Conclusion
It is so miserable for a man who thinks that he is
wise while he is foolish before God. May God help us realise that we do
lack wisdom from the Lord, and then humbly go to Him and His Word with
fear, trust, dependence and submission. May the Lord keep us pure and
true bearing His good fruits in our lives always for His glory. Amen.
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