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Vs. – Part 1
Archived – April 16, 2023

Vs. – Part 1

April 16, 2023

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

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