THE GENTLENESS OF WISDOM

Two Kinds of Wisdom: James 3:13-18

James 3:13-16

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.

I. Earthly Demonic Wisdom Vs. 14-16 James speaking to

those who would teach

What is in your heart?

 Bitter jealousy Selfish

ambition

Proverbs 27:4 --Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,But who can stand before jealousy?

Envy Has No Place in Christianity

Galatians 5:26 – Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Arrogance 2 Corinthians

12:20 -- For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find …strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances….

Demonic Wisdom Leads To:

Disorder Every evil thing

II. Heavenly Pure Wisdom Vs. 13, 17 -- Who among

you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom…But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.

Are You Wise and Understanding?

Show it by your good deeds

 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

Demonstrated by gentleness

Wisdom From Above Is…

Pure Peaceable Gentle Reasonable Full of Mercy Full of Good Fruit Unwavering Without hypocrisy

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

III. The Peaceful Life

James 3:18 -- And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Grows from righteous seed The seed is sown in peace by

those who make peace Galatians 6:7-8 -- Do not be

deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.