1) The document discusses wisdom according to the book of James, noting there are two kinds - earthly wisdom which is sensual and devilish, and heavenly wisdom which is pure, peaceable, and gentle. 2) It explains how to obtain heavenly wisdom by humbling oneself before God, cleansing one's hands and heart of sin, and mourning over one's faults. 3) The reward for those who humble themselves is that God will lift them up and give them grace to overcome temptation and pride.

1. Lesson 8

2. KEY TEXT
“Humble yourselves
in the presence of
the Lord, and He will
exalt you”
James 4:10

3. James 3:13-4:10
HOW TO BECOME WISE
James 3:13-14
TWO KINDS OF WISDOM
James 3:15-18
“PASSIONATE”
WISDOM
James 4:1-4
WISDOM CONFLICT:
PASSIONATE => PRIDE
FROM ABOVE => HUMILITY
James 4:5-6
HEAVENLY
WISDOM
James 4:7-10

4. What does “the meekness of
wisdom” mean?
Huge knowledge is not enough to make someone
wise. Meekness makes the difference in a wise
person.
If someone is wise and understanding
then his or her behavior will be
coherent, without any jealousy or
rivalry.
According to Deuteronomy 4:6, the
people of God bears powerful and
undeniable testimony to the nations
when “wise and understanding”
believers are found in it.

5. “This wisdom does not descend from
above, but is earthly, sensual,
demonic. For where envy and self-
seeking exist, confusion and every
evil thing are there.” (James 3:15-16)
“But the wisdom that is from above is
first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing
to yield, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in
peace by those who make peace.”
(James 3:17-18)
If an apparent wise and understanding
person causes disputes and jealousy,
then that is not heavenly wisdom. That’s
diabolical wisdom.
Those “wise” people among the church
bear fruit of “contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions,
backbitings, whisperings, conceits,
tumults.” (2 Corinthians 12:20)
The fruit of God’s [“from above”]
wisdom is very different from worldly
wisdom.
We all want a Church like that: “pure,
peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full
of mercy and good fruits, without
partiality and without hypocrisy.”
And we all can live it… let’s begin by
asking God His wisdom from above and
by living according to that wisdom.

6. “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from
your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not
have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you
do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because
you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:1-3)
Living a Christian life involves fighting against “the
flesh” (Galatians 5:17). That battle may affect the
Church and cause problems among believers if it is
not driven by “wisdom from above.”
James made it clear: Getting swept up in passion is
useless.
You lust, and do not
have.
You murder and covet,
and cannot obtain.
You fight and war. Yet
you do not have.
You ask to spend it on
your pleasures, and do
not receive.

7. “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that
friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever
therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes
himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
What kind of adultery are those
“wise people” committing?
“Son of man, cause Jerusalem to
know her abominations… [You]
made for yourself male images
and played the harlot with them…
You also committed harlotry with
the Egyptians… You also played
the harlot with the Assyrians…
you multiplied your acts of
harlotry as far as the land of
the trader, Chaldea… You are an
adulterous wife, who takes
strangers instead of her
husband.” (Ezekiel 16:2-32)
“The Scriptures furnish
abundant evidence that it is
safer to be joined to the Lord
and lose the favor and
friendship of the world, than
to look to the world for favor
and support and forget our
dependence upon God.”
E.G.W. (That I may know Him, October 29)

8. “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in
us yearns jealously’? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God
resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” (James 4:5-6)
“The friendship of church members
for the world grieves the ‘jealous’
Spirit of God, who seeks our
undivided affections. Man’s
jealousy is selfish; God’s jealousy
reflects simply His intense concern
for the welfare of His children.”
(SDA Bible Commentary, on James 4:5)
God gives us His grace to overcome
self-conceit, so we may grow in
humility.

9. “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw
near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners;
and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep!
Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble
yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:7-10)
Heavenly wisdom gives us power to overcome
the devil. We’ll receive it if we first surrender to
God’s will.
1. Cleansing our hands [from sin].
2. Purifying our hearts.
3. Mourning, weeping and lamenting
our sin.
4. Humbling before the Lord.
There’s more work to do after
overcoming temptation:
God will lift us up.
That is our reward.

10. “It is not enough to have knowledge. We
must have the ability to use knowledge
aright. God calls upon us to show a good
conversation, free from all roughness and
vanity. Speak no words of vanity, no words
of harsh command; for they will gender
strife. Speak instead words that will give
light, knowledge, information, words that
will restore and build up. A man shows that
he has true wisdom by using the talent of
speech to produce music in the souls of
those who are trying to do their appointed
work and who are in need of
encouragement.”
E.G.W. (My life today, April 17)

11. JAMES,
THE BROTHER OF JESUS
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