Avoiding Demonic Wisdom (Part 1 of 2)

Context in James Chapter 3

James chapter 3 links speech with behavior. What we say reveals what's in our hearts and private lives. It shows our spiritual condition. To teach, one must control speech and behavior, exemplifying the concepts taught. As John Piper said, if anyone can live up to their teaching, they're teaching too low.

James 3:13-18 builds on earlier themes from chapters 1 and 2: if you claim to be a Christian, what proves it? Does your behavior demonstrate genuine faith, or a demonic faith? The same applies to wisdom—it's possible to have demonic wisdom.

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

Behavior reveals wisdom, which reveals specific sin problems in a person's life.

Two Outcomes of Wisdom

Negative Outcome: Disorder and Vile Practices

The first outcome is negative: disorder and every vile practice. Disorder means chaos, instability, unruliness, and disobedience to authority—like a double-minded person in James 1, tossed by storms with no stability. Vile practices reflect low-grade morality and substandard living.

Positive Outcome: A Harvest of Righteousness

The second outcome is a harvest of righteousness—when things function rightly in every area of life: relationships with God, others, and environment. In the Garden of Eden, righteousness meant walking with God in bliss, work, and worship. Sin disrupted that.

Righteousness permeates all life: school, friendships, dating. It's not perfection without trials—James 1 says to rejoice in trials—but functioning as God intends, depending on Him through suffering without sin.

Who Is Wise and Understanding?

James asks: "Who is wise and understanding among you?" This question benefits us, like God's question to Adam: "Where are you?" It prompts self-examination.

Wisdom means being skilled and experienced in applying biblical principles in every aspect of life—public and private. The Greek word sophia (from which we get "philosophy," love of wisdom) means skill in a craft, like an athlete or artist who excels through practice.

Understanding is expertise in knowing and applying truth. Practice leads to growth; neglect leads to spiritual infancy, like adults needing milk instead of solid food (Hebrews 5).

Criteria for True Wisdom

James provides the test in verse 13: "By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom." Examine yourself, not others. Lack of righteousness shows in lack of humility, leading to disorder.

Demonic Wisdom: Jealousy and Selfish Ambition

There are two wisdoms. Demonic wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, demonic—marked by bitter jealousy (intense hatred of others' success) and selfish ambition (seeking personal success above others). It thinks, "I'm better than everyone." Sin isn't innocent; it's demonic, with no neutral ground.

Disobedience reveals demonic wisdom and unrighteousness. Rebellion against authority—parents, pastors—leads to chaos and vile practices. All disobedience, big or small, is serious but avoidable.

Heavenly Wisdom: The Path to Righteousness

The positive path yields a harvest of righteousness. James lists qualities in sequence, starting with "first" (Greek protos, indicating order):

1. Pure: Holiness, chastity, clear conscience—standing in awe of God. How big is God to you? Does Scripture leave you in awe, like Job's whirlwind encounter or Isaiah 6? Purity prioritizes God over sexual temptation.

2. Peaceable: Peace relates to others, joining those who make peace.

Defining Peace Biblically

Peace is not the absence of conflict. Peace is the absence of non-qualitative conflict relationally, and the absence of non-qualitative reactions to conflict generally. A non-qualitative reaction to conflict is being overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious because of the gravity of a situation.

But if I stand in awe of God, the awe of the circumstance diminishes. When I genuinely see God for how awesome He is, the circumstance decreases in intensity and duration because my God is greater than the circumstance. This peace removes non-qualitative reactions to conflict. I won't react negatively but will consider it all joy when facing trials, knowing this awesome God will carry me through and make me better.

Relationally, peace is the absence of non-qualitative conflict. In marriage, it allows conflict that grows and strengthens the relationship. In engaged or romantic relationships built on purity, conflict can build as we work together peacefully. Among believers, conflict should lead to biblical reconciliation, not offense, gossip, or leaving the church. These issues arise when people don't stand in awe of God or exercise wisdom from above, which impacts and corrects all relationships.

Gentleness and Meekness

Then it's gentle. Meekness is not weakness; it's strength under control—the proper application of strength in a situation. I could use my strength toward my wife properly—providing, protecting, guiding spiritually, washing her with the Word—or wrongly, abusing. Gentleness is properly restraining myself, not being harsh or severe. If you're not at peace with others, this is impossible.

You can see demonic wisdom in how someone treats others—it's black and white. Harshness remains because demonic wisdom lingers; there's an absence of righteousness, and no harvest.

Open to Reason, Mercy, and Good Fruits

This person is open to reason, compliant, obedient—persuaded to do what's right. If I'm prideful, not standing in awe of God, not pure, peaceful, or gentle, I'm not persuadable. But with those qualities, obedience comes easily.

This leads to being full of mercy and good fruits. Having stood in awe of God with correcting righteousness in relationships, seeing someone's need makes it easy to show mercy because I'm gentle toward them.

Impartial and Sincere

Finally, impartial and sincere—non-divisive, non-clique-forming, inclusive, loving people without hypocrisy. Impartial means non-judgmental in the biblical sense: judging others with the same standard for my own sins, recognizing my need for grace. Every Christian is a hypocrite without reliance on Jesus and the cross. Non-judgmental means embracing that I'm as sinful as you, both needing grace, and doing something about my sin. This fulfills Matthew 7's command to help with the speck in their eye.

This produces a harvest of righteousness.

Key Takeaways for the Harvest

Who is wise among you? Where are you in sowing to reap this harvest of righteousness sown in peace?

1. Measuring progress: Not sinlessness, but doing something about sin. Does it advance or hinder sin? Are you sabotaging the future you—making it harder to sin later? Pride denies sin and does nothing; humility recognizes sin, needs Christ, stands in awe of God, and desires change because Christ impresses most.

2. Obedience to authority: Progress requires this.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls (Hebrews 13:17).

3. Embrace humility: Seeing yourself as God defines you. It's the only way to righteousness, victory over sin, obedience, and reaping the bliss of enjoying righteousness.