James 3:13-16 – “Way Down Deep”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹³Who [is] wise and understanding among you? Let him display his works out of the good lifestyle in humility of wisdom. ¹⁴But if you have bitter passion and factiousness in your heart, do not boast over or lie against the truth. ¹⁵Such wisdom is not coming down from above but [it is] earthly, animal, demonic, ¹⁶for, where [there is] passion and factiousness, there [is] disorder and every foul practice.

As I’ve noted earlier, James started this chapter with his admonition that not many should “presume to be teachers.” As he went on discoursing on “the tongue” and as he arrives at the passage before me today, I don’t think he’s ever lost sight of this application to the whole business of teaching. In my last post, I particularly emphasized the “teaching” application.

But, all of that said, I don’t think James’ thoughts are confined to church teaching. His words apply directly to all of us as we live our everyday lives. I believe he is back to helping us examine our hearts. He’s giving us some valuable tools to discern and suppress our evil pride. Here is how I’m seeing his teaching: As I’m living my life, thinking, talking to people, dealing with issues or whatever, I basically always think I’ve pretty well got it “figured out.” It’s only natural to think we’re “right.” But that is obviously a place for our evil pride to hide. What we need to be monitoring is not whether we’re quite sure we’re right but, instead, what is happening in our heart.

He says, “If you have bitter passion and factiousness (selfish ambition) in your heart …” Now, who would know whether in fact there is “bitter passion” in my heart? Who’s supposed to know it? I am. He’s calling me to some very honest self-evaluation. Here I am dealing with life, quite sure I’m right, but God calls me to be deeply honest about what is going on in my heart. He is saying that, if I would be honest, and if I would admit that there are bitter passions and factiousness in my heart, then the next thing I need to do is admit that my “right” (though it may truly be right) is at this very time being fueled by hell, not heaven!

To refuse to do so is “lying against the truth.” It will not produce whatever “good” I have in mind but rather “disorder and every foul practice.”

This is all so deeply profound. When I think I’m “right,” the last thing in the world I could imagine is that at that very time, my “wisdom” is coming from hell and will actually do far more damage than the good I am envisioning. Once again, the sin of pride is hiding itself behind my sense that I’m “right.” And again, the only answer is for me to look past my “right” and take an honest evaluation of my heart.

I have been trying the last week or two to be aware of this. It is surprising to find it nearly a constant problem. I really need the Lord to help me. I find that my heart is often harboring bitter, angry, irritated, or otherwise negative feelings even as I speak. Sometimes, just realizing that helps me to change it on the spot and let the Lord help me to love instead. But sometimes it seems almost impossible to get the ugliness out of my heart. But I would say at least I’m seeing where the battle is. Hopefully, as I see it and as I’m asking the Lord to help me (even if it doesn’t seem to be helping), somehow the power of hell is being restrained. And hopefully, “by reason of use” I can “exercise myself to godliness” and at least improve.

God help me. I’ve never seen the issues this simply before. Obviously I’ve done my share of letting hell’s wisdom do its damage. The Lord alone can deliver us all. He not only needs to help me from here on but also He will have to “give beauty for my ashes” and “restore the years the locusts have eaten.” On the one hand I can deeply regret the swath of pride and evil I have drug through life, but, on the other hand, I can lift up my eyes to the One of whom it was said, “You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” What is amazing is that He knows all about it – He can handle it – He knows when He saves us that, though we try, our lives will be colossal failures. He can handle what we are even while He’s making us what He wants us to be. “Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name, who forgives all your sins and redeems your life from the pit!”

He’s the best Coach there ever was.

What’s exciting is that He will go on in the next few verses to help us understand what true wisdom looks like. I’m looking forward to that study!

Bless the Lord, O my soul!