James Expounds on Faith Volume 37

 Heavenly Godly Wisdom vs  Earthly Devilish Wisdom Part 2

James 3:14-16 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James now declares clearly to us what earthly/devilish wisdom looks like as it is manifested or made visible inside the inner man 👨 or inner woman 👩 of individual believers within a group of people who are followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as he writes with these words, "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." (James 3:14-16) (KJV). The English word 'bitter' is translated by the Greek word pikros meaning (through the idea of piercing); sharp (pungent), that is, acrid (literally or figuratively): - bitter. The English word 'envying' is translated by the Greek word zēlos meaning (as used here) properly heat, that is, (figuratively) 'zeal' in an unfavorable sense, jealousy, as of a husband, or an enemy, malice): - emulation, indignation, jealousy, zeal. The English word 'strife' is translated by the Greek word eritheia meaning properly intrigue, that is, to plot something harmful; scheme in an underhand manner  and (by implication) faction, that is, a clique (often secret) that seeks power usually through intrigue: - contention and contentious, that is, involving or likely to cause controversy, strife, that which  brings about bitter conflict; heated often violent dissension. So, then we see what the Apostle James is so vehemently warning these Jewish converts to Christ at the early stages of the Church ⛪ of Christ of things that would hinder, harm, and hurt the Church ⛪ internally, but more importantly destroy its effectiveness for winning souls to our Lord Jesus Christ, for this was and still is the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ for His Bride 👰 the Church ⛪, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me." (John 17:20-23) (NKJV). Concerning bitterness here are two 2⃣ warnings from the Word of God that must be heard and heeded, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;" (Hebrews 12:14-15) (NKJV) and also "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice." (Ephesians 4:31) (NKJV).

The Word of God has these ⚠ warnings about envy and strife, "Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:26) (NKJV) and also "A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones." (Proverbs 14:30) (NKJV) and also "Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy." (Romans 13:13) (NKJV) and also "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;" (1 Corinthians 13:4) (NKJV) and also "If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself." (1 Timothy 6:3-5) (NKJV) and also "I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:2-3) (NKJV) and lastly these words written by the Apostle Peter sums up what the attitude, aim, and actions of the true believer should be out of love for our Lord Jesus Himself and love for our brothers and sisters 'in Christ', "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (1 Peter 2:1-3) (NKJV). The Apostle James calls these things that permeate a Church ⛪ 🌎 earthly/worldly wisdom that is devilish, meaning it is not from above, that is, from our Lord Jesus Christ, but instead it is demonic influence trying to worm its way into the Church ⛪ of Christ to divide it and in so doing render it completely ineffective for spreading the Gospel of Christ/the Gospel of Grace into all the world 🗺, for the way the devil tries to cause problems is by dividing those who are desiring to honor God over what the truth of the Word of God actually is (Genesis 3:1) which is how humanity became seperated from God in the first place and the enemy continues doing the same thing in order to keep non-believers from hearing the true Gospel and Word of God and to render believers from being effective in proclaiming said truth by fostering the English word 'confusion' which the Apostle James uses and this word is translated by the Greek word akatastasia meaning instability, that is, disorder: - commotion, confusion, tumult. The Apostle Paul rebuked the chaos that was festering in the Church ⛪ @ Corinth with these words, "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the Churches of the saints." (1 Corinthians 14:33) (NKJV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 3:14-16, "We have the glorying of those taken away who are of a contrary character to that now mentioned, and their wisdom exposed in all its boasts and productions: “If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, etc., James 3:14-16. Pretend what you will, and think yourselves ever so wise, yet you have abundance of reason to cease your glorying, if you run down love and peace, and give way to bitter envying and strife. Your zeal for truth or orthodoxy, and your boasts of knowing more than others, if you employ these only to make others hateful, and to show your own spite and heart-burnings against them, are a shame to your profession of Christianity, and a downright contradiction to it. Lie not thus against the truth.” Observe, 1. Envying and strife are opposed to the meekness of wisdom. The heart is the seat of both; but envy and wisdom cannot dwell together in the same heart. Holy zeal and bitter envying are as different as the flames of seraphim and the fire of hell. 2. The order of things here laid down. Envying is first and excites strife; strife endeavours to excuse itself by vain-glorying and lying; and then (James 3:16) hereupon ensue confusion and every evil work. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion, and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such disorders raise many temptations, strengthen temptations, and involve men in a great deal of guilt. One sin begets another, and it cannot be imagined how much mischief is produced: there is every evil work. And is such wisdom as produces these effects to be gloried in? This cannot be without giving the lie to Christianity, and pretending that this wisdom is what it is not. For observe, 3. Whence such wisdom cometh: It descendeth not from above, but ariseth from beneath; and, to speak plainly, it is earthly, sensual, devilish, James 3:15. It springs from earthly principles, acts upon earthly motives, and is intent upon serving earthly purposes. It is sensual indulging the flesh, and making provision to fulfil the lusts and desires of it. Or, according to the original word, psuchikē, it is animal of human - the mere working of natural reason, without any supernatural light. And it is devilish, such wisdom being the wisdom of devils (to create uneasiness and to do hurt), and being inspired by devils, whose condemnation is pride (1Timothy 3:6), and who are noted in other places of scripture for their wrath, and their accusing the brethren. And therefore those who are lifted up with such wisdom as this must fall into the condemnation of the devil."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…