Wise or Wise Otherwise

There is a wisdom that looks spiritual but is driven by envy, self-ambition, and pride. And then there is a wisdom that comes down from above — pure, peaceable, gentle, and full of mercy. James says you can tell them apart by the fruit they produce.

In this message from "A Faith That Works," Pastor Ron opens James 3:13–18 and contrasts two very different kinds of wisdom: earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom.

Earthly Wisdom:

James describes earthly wisdom with sharp language — it is sensual, demonic, and rooted in bitter envy and self-seeking. Where this kind of wisdom operates, there is disorder and every evil thing. It's the kind of wisdom that climbs over others to get ahead, uses people, and confuses ambition with calling. The world is full of it.

Heavenly Wisdom:

The wisdom that comes from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. It is the fruit of a life that is truly submitted to God. And James says the peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

The Fruit Test:

Just as a tree is known by its fruit, a person's wisdom is known by the life it produces. Is there peace in your relationships? Is there humility in how you engage conflict? Is there mercy in how you treat people who don't deserve it? These are the marks of the wisdom God gives to those who ask.