The Disorder and Evil of Earthly Wisdom
James 3:14-17
James 3:14-17
“But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
I have found when Scripture gives a list of items they are not randomly placed but have a sequential order to them. Here we see the characteristics of earthly wisdom in an order of progression:
1. bitter envy and selfish ambition
2. boasting and denying the truth
3. earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil
4. disorder and every evil practice
Compare the similarities of the sin process described in James 1:14-15 with the sequential list of sin above. Notice how both descriptions begin in the heart (or mind) and end with the destructive nature of sin once it is put into action:
1. Sin begins in the heart (mind)
· Each one is tempted by his own evil desire... (James 1:14)
· If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts… (James 3:14)
2. Sin prepares a plan and paves the way for action
· Then sin is conceived… (James 1:15)
· Boasting and denying the truth… (James 3:14)
3. Sin puts the plan into action
· Sin gives birth (James 1:15)
· The sin is seen as earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil (James 3:15)
4. Sin results in death and destruction
· When sin is full grown it gives birth to death (James 1:15)
· There you find disorder and every evil practice (James 3:16)
Compare these qualities to the world we live in today and it is easy to see the type of wisdom society is operating from. Making a list of society’s sin would be easy but let’s apply one particular sin in today’s society to our text and see if it fits with the teaching of James here in chapter three. 
In 1973 the United States made abortion legal throughout the country. A woman’s right to choose has caused a child to die in the United States every 24 seconds. Since its legalization abortion has claimed over 53 million babies. Compare the wisdom of legalized abortion in our society iwith our text in James:
1. Earthly wisdom harbors bitter envy and selfish ambition in the heart. Bitter envy conveys the idea of a harsh and angry attitude toward others. People, operating from earthly wisdom, become bitter towards the teaching of God’s Word and with selfish ambition they began formulating a plan to fight for the right to abort unwanted pregnancies.
2. Earthly wisdom boasts and denies the truth. These individuals begin boasting, protesting, and demanding their right to choose. They want their own way over the truth of God’s Word. They deny God’s truth and change the value God places on human life. This earthly wisdom deceives them so much they decide (in their hearts) that an unborn baby is not truly alive until after it is born...justifying their actions. They trade God’s truth about life and exchange it for a lie that results in the death of their own child.
3. This wisdom is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. The right to kill an unborn child is not of heaven. It is earthly, meaning its roots come from an ungodly society. Abortion is also of the flesh. It is unspiritual meaning its not of the spirit and therefore comes from the sin cursed flesh. Those who embrace abortion only seek to please their selfish desires.
4. In this wisdom you will find disorder and every evil practice. The word disorder carries the synonyms of chaos, confusion, and destruction. With these elements in place it is not hard to find every evil practice as the final result. There can be nothing more evil than the practice of murdering unborn children for the sake of convenience. People want to indulge themselves in the pleasure of sexual intercourse without any guilt or responsibility. We have become a society who sacrifices its children to Satan.
What is especially sad about this is how Christians today are not horrified by the practice of abortion in America. Other counties and cultures wonder how we can call ourselves a “Christian Nation” and murder millions of babies without the slightest reservation. Christians say they are against abortion but do nothing. James calls this attitude dead faith. When is the last time you prayed about the abortion issue? Does abortion hang heavy on your heart? A child is aborted every 24 seconds… that means 12 babies died while you read this study.
Ephesians 4:30 tells us the Holy Spirit (God) is grieved by our sins. To grieve means to be in distress, to be filled with sorrow and to mourn. Having the wisdom of heaven means we should feel the same way about sin as God does. Which type of wisdom are you operating from?
