WISDOM FROM ABOVE

JAMES 3:1

A. "BUT THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE IS FIRST PURE, THEN PEACEABLE, GENTLE, EASY TO BE ENTREATED, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS, WITHOUT PARTIALITY, AND WITHOUT HYPOCRISY."
  1. Our text is a little, and yet complete, gospel of holy living:
    1. It emphasizes heavenly wisdom.
    2. That wisdom finds it embodiment in Jesus Christ, who is made unto us -- WISDOM - 1 Cor. 1:30
    3. He is the wisdom of God - Verse 24
  2. James contrasts the wisdom from above with the wisdom of this world: Compare Jas. 3:13-15 with verse 17.
B. THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE
  1. What is it?
    1. We have shown that Christ is the embodiment of the wisdom from above.
    2. Wisdom signifies the right application of knowledge.
    3. The power of judging rightly. EXAMPLES -
      1. Our Lord and the snares of His enemies - Matt. 22:15-22
      2. Solomon and the two women arguing over a child - 1 Ki. 3:16-28
    4. Making wise decisions - Ps. 119:30-33
  2. Source of Heavenly wisdom:
    1. The Bible is the basic source of true wisdom - 2 Tim. 3:15-17
    2. The commandments of the Lord - Deut. 4:6; Ps. 119:98
    3. Experience - Dan. 4:37; 6:26; Prov. 3:18
    4. Prayer - Jas. 1:5-7; 1 Ki. 3:6-9
    5. The Holy Ghost. EXAMPLES -
      1. Stephen - Acts 6:6-10
      2. Our Lord - Luke 2:46, 47
C. NATURE OF THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE
  1. It is pure:
    1. Without guile - based upon the Word of the Lord - Ps. 12:6
    2. It comes from the commandments of the Lord; they are pure - Ps. 19:9; 119:140
    3. Every word of God is pure - Prov. 30:5
  2. Peaceable:
    1. The God of peace -- its Source - Rom. 15:33; 2 Cor. 13:11
    2. Christ the Prince of peace dwells in the heart - Isa. 9:6
    3. The gospel of Christ is the gospel of peace which makes it the wisdom of peace for the saints.
  3. Gentle:
    1. David - 2 Sam. 22:36
    2. The apostles - 1 Thess. 2:7
    3. A prerequisite of a minister - 2 Tim. 2:24
  4. Easy to be entreated: It allows God and His children to reason with it.
  5. Full of mercy: Matt. 5:7
    1. The Samaritan - Luke 10:33-37
    2. The parable of the debtor - Matt. 18:23-32
  6. Without partiality: This is one of the most severe tests for anyone claiming to be a child of God.
    1. To be impartial takes grace from above for even God's children - Acts 6:1-3; 1 Tim. 5:21
    2. Peter had to learn this lesson in the school of Christ - Acts 10:34, 35; Gal. 2:11-15
    3. Admonition of James to the church - Jas. 2:1-9
    4. Without hypocrisy - Hypocrisy is one of the great sins in the last days.
    5. Even God's professed people are not altogether free from this wickedness - 1 Tim. 4:2; Matt. 23:28


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