Selfishness. When it really comes down to it, sin is a desire to please self over a desire to please God. Read James 4:1. What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? James 4:1 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.4.1.NASB As James is moving from understanding Godly wisdom, he now is going to review things we should be avoiding. Why? If we truly are living each day with Godly wisdom then we would be wise to avoid these things because they cause arguments and anger. James knows that every argument can come down to selfishness instead of being focused on…

Acting out Godly wisdom produces peace. The last few days have shown us just how important having and acting on Godly wisdom is. Now we see the results of those actions. Read James 3:17-18. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:18 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.18.NASB As James goes through and lists all the characteristics that come as a result of acting frim Godly wisdom, we see that it produces fruit. Not just any fruit, but righteous fruit that creates and sustains peace. Do we have peace in our life? Does peace characterize our life? If not, then we need to go…

What is the opposite of wisdom? According to James, the opposite of wisdom is jealousy and selfish ambition. Read James 3:13-16. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. James 3:16 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.16.NASB Just yesterday we saw that Godly wisdom is displayed by acting in gentleness. So what actions characterize a lack of wisdom? Jealousy and selfish ambition. When we are focused on the selfishness and frustration of thinking that we are not held in as high if a regard as we think we should be, we miss the wisdom that God has for us. We miss the chance to see Him use us…

How do you show wisdom? James goes from telling us the difficulty of controlling the tongue to explaining wisdom. What does wisdom look like and how does it act? Read James 3:13. Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. James 3:13 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.13.NASB So, wisdom/understanding = good behavior + gentleness. We often don’t think about the importance of gentleness in all that we do. If we are going to display wisdom that is Godly, then we must realize that our actions must reflect that gentleness. We’ve already discussed that faith without works is dead. So is…

A mouth divided. I’ve seen those sports plates and signs that show two rivalry teams on them with a comment about a house divided. These are great for couples where one is a fan of one of the teams, and their spouse cheers on the other. It’s fun in sports, but absolutely destructive when it comes to our speech. Read James 3:10-12. from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. James 3:10 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.10.NASB Again, James is discussing the tongue and hiw we use it each day. Do we have a mouth divided? We can’t be what God would…

Control your tongue. As James continues warning us about the dangers our own tongue can pose, we must be careful with what we say. As we saw yesterday, even though the tongue is small, it is still extremely influential and impactful in our life. Today we see the dual nature as it can say wonderful, helpful things and then in the next breath say horrible hurtful things. Read James 3:6-9. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; James 3:9 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.9.NASB Have we allowed our tongue free reign to say whatever it wants? In…

It’s the little things in life that direct our path. When we may boast of the great things or the big things that we have done or tried to do, it’s the small things that give us our direction. Read James 3:2-5. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! James 3:5 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.5.NASB If we’re looking at actual physical size, the tongue is one of the smallest members of the body. Our hands, our feet, our legs all are larger in size than our tongue, yet…

Higher level of accountability. While we know that we are all held to a standard of perfection set by Jesus Christ, those of us in a teaching role have a higher level of accountability for what we do. Read James 3:1. Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. James 3:1 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.3.1.NASB The things that we do impact us, and we know we will be held accountable for our own actions. However, those of us that take on any kind of teaching or instruction role will be held to a higher level accountability. We are responsible for what…

How are we saved? This mystery of the grace of God is one that people are constantly trying to understand better. James has been discussing the importance of acting on the faith that we have, so now he makes an important distinction for salvation. Read James 2:24-26. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. James 2:24 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.2.24.NASB Now that verse can seem in contradiction to the idea that our works can’t save us. However, this is actually a key part of the process of salvation. You see, salvation can be thought of in three parts: sanctification, justification, and glorification. Sanctification is the…

Faith + works. It takes both to successfully live out the Christian life. James knew it and he continues to share this truth with us in James 2:20-23. You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; James 2:22 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/jas.2.22.NASB James now gives examples of people who lived out their faith through their works. Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, had amazing faith in God. He also had amazing actions that demonstrated that faith. Without faith, Abraham wouldn’t have taken the actions he took. Yet, if he would have just said he had faith in God and didn’t…