Vs. – Part 1

Thematic Text

James 3:13–18 (ESV) – ¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Introduction

James 3:13 (ESV): 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

• Wise people are humble.
• Humble people have a generous posture. 

James 3:14 (ESV): 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.

• Foolish people are prideful.
• Prideful people have a stingy posture. 

The Wisdom from Below is Oppositional

The wisdom from below rebrands pride, presenting it as a virtue instead of a vice. 

James 3:15 (ESV): 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

• Each of these qualities has an oppositional relationship to
  • Earthly:
    • “The word does not always have a negative connotation” [Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000), 173.].
    • Its negative quality is emphasized in its comparison to an opposite quality:
      • The location of earth (as opposed to the location of heaven).

• • Unspiritual
    • This word is not inherently negative:
      • (psychikos) – “an adjective derived from the Greek word for “soul.” [Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000), 173.]
      • “It has to do with that part of man ‘where human feeling and human reason reign supreme.’” [Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000), 173.]
    • Its negative quality is emphasized in its comparison to an opposite quality:
      • The nature of the material world (as opposed to the nature of the spiritual world).

     

    • Demonic:
      • Inherently negative,
      • Supernatural beings from the kingdom of darkness (as opposed to supernatural beings from the kingdom of light).
      • Satan’s powers of deception can make the demonic world appear neutral or positive. (2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV) – ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.)

The Wisdom from Below is Centered in Pride

• The wisdom from below rebrands pride, presenting it as a virtue instead of a vice.
  • Earthly: places the focus on what happens in the human realm.
  • Unspiritual: places the focus on human nature
  • Demonic:
    • Pride is a conduit for demonic activity.
    • The satanic world extends its influence on the earthly world through human pride.
    • Pride helps to create a parasitic symbiotic relationship between demons and humans.
      • A symbiotic relationship (or symbiosis) is a relationship between two different “organisms in which the interaction benefits one or both” them. Organisms in this kind of relationship are called symbionts. (https://www.inspiritvr.com/general-bio/ecology/symbiosis-study-guide#)
      • There are multiple categories of symbiotic relationships with varying degrees of benefit to one or both of the symbionts.

Satan is an Influencer

1 Timothy 4:1 (ESV) – ¹Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) – ⁸ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Satan wounds humans while they are children so that they become adult influencers who traffic his doctrines.

A contentious spirit is a sign of worldly wisdom

James 3:16 (ESV): 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

• The wisdom from below makes people who are contentious look intelligent and courageous.
• The wisdom from below compels you to
  • fight for what you need and want.
  • fight against people who get in the way of what you need and want.
• Jealousy and selfish ambition are how we cope with our fallen state:
  • Genesis 3:17–19 (ESV) – ¹⁷ And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; ¹⁸ thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. ¹⁹ By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
  • Because of the fall, we toil with the soil of the ground and the soil of our bodies.

© Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2023