James & Ecclesiastes - What is Wisdom?

[SilverFox7]

In Luke, repentance is required (Luke5:32; Luke13:3, Luke13:5; Luke24:47), and the prodigal son narrative illustrates this instruction. The son, even if unaware, fulfills this requirement of repentance in turning to restoration (Luke15:17–20; Luke15:7, Luke15:10), expressing functional obedience while the father’s love preexists it; he is brought to willful submission to the father’s requirement for return and only thereby can he experience his father’s love. Likewise, belief in Jesus is functional obedience to God’s commanded requirement (1 John 3:23a), even if the new believer is initially unaware of the command. God is bringing us into willful obedience to Him whether or not we initially understand this.

The father loved his prodigal son, and there wasn't anything he could do to change his reckless behavior when he decided to use up his inheritance on a binge. He had to let his son go and hope/pray he would change his ways and return. "But when he came to himself, he said...I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you...'" (Luke 15: 17-18). Repentance - acknowledging our sin and turning to God for forgiveness and love. It's a true desire to change and submit to God in obedience. That's the only way God can start fixing us from the inside out.

This story hits home. I have a family member who has lived a reckless and selfish life for many years. No matter how we tried to help them, we were used and abused, and there was no desire for change. The person blew up on all of us earlier this year and blamed all of us for the alcoholism and destructiveness. They are off living on the other side of the state the last I heard, removed from the family and friends they once had. I've heard several say they can never forgive this person. But, I told them I will if they hit rock bottom, seek repentance, and ask for forgiveness. The love is there, but there would have to be "obedience" to the behaviors and actions we expect as a family. I'm sorry to say at this point that I don't have a lot of hope. The arrogance and will may beyond the point of no return. I pray I'm wrong and refuse to give up hope.

The prodigal son and the never ending mercy and love of God fuel that hope.

 

[studier]

The father loved his prodigal son, and there wasn't anything he could do to change his reckless behavior when he decided to use up his inheritance on a binge. He had to let his son go and hope/pray he would change his ways and return. "But when he came to himself, he said...I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you...'" (Luke 15: 17-18). Repentance - acknowledging our sin and turning to God for forgiveness and love. It's a true desire to change and submit to God in obedience. That's the only way God can start fixing us from the inside out.

Thanks for your input and for your experiential story that goes with it. I'm sorry to hear of your family member but it seems you have the knowledge of what is involved and that He awaits with the solution. He was there when I reached my lowest point and realized there's truly on one true solution.

What I've highlighted above is actually a good description of coming to the beginnings of genuine faith which includes submission and obedience.

This discussion with @Pilgrimshope has provided some added impetus for me to think and research more deeply on the matter. I'm seeing it even more clearly and have found more company historically, with maybe a slight nuance.

 

[SilverFox7]

“Interestingly, I think you’re simultaneously in agreement with my point and in tension against it.”

yes we aren’t in disagreement about obedience or faith just the small details we’re speaking about and words we are using to express our viewpoint. Sometimes people can same pretty much the same thing but say it differently with a slightly different focus or perspective and so it can seem in opposition when actually the two points add to each other in my thought .

That’s a great point brother. It’s like we’re in a band, and I am playing the bass. The chords I’m playing sound good, but the real power comes when I’m joined by the drums, rhythm guitar, and the lead singer to blend all of our instruments and voices together in a masterpiece like “Carry on Wayward Son” (prodigal son?)– there will be peace when we are done. And, here we are celebrating again our Prince of Peace and His birth in Bethlehem.

Let’s look at how James views faith and works (which is kind of obedience in action, isn’t it?)

James 2:17-18
New King James Version

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [a]your works, and I will show you my faith by [b]my works.

The works are a manifestation of the faith which fuels them. If it’s by our effort and initiative alone leaving God out of the picture, the works are vanity – temporary, empty, and can even descend into arrogance and self-righteousness. “We don’t need God – we can do it ourselves.” Yeah right, we’ve done a great job at that, haven’t we? What a mess we’ve created for ourselves as a race.

James is saying, faith is dead if there aren’t works, which again translate into the fruits of the Spirit, manifesting the character of Christ. Faith can’t function within pride and sin. We have to unconditionally surrender ourselves to God and turn our lives over to Him with a desire for humility and obedience.

Then, that faith begins taking root, and the fruit is manifested. The works/fruit are proof of the faith at work within us. There is no holding it back unless we remove ourselves from the True Vine. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4).

 

[SilverFox7]

James 2:19-20
New King James Version

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [a]dead?

James doesn’t pull any punches here. Believing in the One and only True God is wise. Demons have that belief, too, and they tremble. Our belief in God needs to translate into the right attitude and actions as well. Our fear of God is one of awe and reverence. The demons fear God as their enemy.

The demons are fearful of God, but they don’t want to follow God and live like He does. It seems the choice they made to align with Satan in his rebellion was a permanent one – willful sin and a conscious turning away from God. There are no examples in the Bible that I know of where demons have repented, and it appears they will end up in the lake of fire with Satan and everyone else who has consciously rebelled against God (Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:7-15).

So, how do we understand what “belief” means within the context of salvation? The demons believe in God, but they stand opposed to Him and will eventually suffer permanent defeat. Acts 16:31 seems to give a simple answer, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved….” The person who received this straightforward answer also framed the question first, “…Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (v. 30). He desired salvation unlike Satan and his demons who want no part of it.

What about one of the most beautiful and encouraging teachings from Jesus, who foretells of His future crucifixion, and “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:15-17).

Notice the translation is not “will not perish” but instead “should not perish,” which I think is an important nuance. Should not means it shouldn’t happen but implies that it still could happen – some will chose to reject the gift of salvation through their attitude and actions. Will not means it won’t happen, but that’s not how the translation comes through, and the last thought above reads “that the world through Him might be saved” and not will be saved. That’s an important difference in word choice.

More to come in a future posting on this topic…

 

[studier]

James is saying, faith is dead if there aren’t works, which again translate into the fruits of the Spirit, manifesting the character of Christ. Faith can’t function within pride and sin. We have to unconditionally surrender ourselves to God and turn our lives over to Him with a desire for humility and obedience.

Then, that faith begins taking root, and the fruit is manifested. The works/fruit are proof of the faith at work within us. There is no holding it back unless we remove ourselves from the True Vine. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4).

I think one of the important parts of this is to not fall into the path in which some faith-alone advocates are on where good works become at best secondary if even necessary.

I entered into this James2:17 section showing how the language of it tells us this Faith we have as a result of hearing, believing/obeying God's Gospel Message has works intrinsic within it. Like you say above "There is no holding back" because attached to the Vine and in Spirit, this Faith must produce good works - good works are not optional, nor are they just demonstrative, as if only on display for men, but necessary evidence and the productivity of Genuine Faith and the actual functioning of the Spiritual Life in Christ Jesus.

 

[SilverFox7]

Genuine Faith and the actual functioning of the Spiritual Life in Christ Jesus.

That’s an important point. The belief, faith, and fruit come from Jesus Christ’s work within us, not our own feeble attempts of showing off how “good” we are by our own efforts. Paul says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). This is an intrinsic belief that is powered by the Spirit.

Faith comes from God as well, and we need to listen carefully to His Word: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (v. 17). I have prayed specifically for faith because it isn’t something I can muster up on my own. I’m a doubting Thomas by nature. It’s like Jesus told the disciples about the powerful demon who they could not cast out, “…O faithless [also translated “unbelieving”] generation, how long shall I be with you?...” (Mark 9:19).

Jesus then told the distraught father of the possessed son, “…If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” The father “immediately…cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24). What a great response, and Jesus “…rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!’” (v. 25).

The disciples “…asked Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ So He said to them, ‘this kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’” (Mark 9:29). The disciples had some belief in Jesus, but that wasn’t enough in this instance. They had no power to cast demons out on their own. It had to come through prayer and fasting, being at one with God and having that authority and power come from the Lord.

 

[studier]

That’s an important point. The belief, faith, and fruit come from Jesus Christ’s work within us, not our own feeble attempts of showing off how “good” we are by our own efforts. Paul says “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9). This is an intrinsic belief that is powered by the Spirit.

Faith comes from God as well, and we need to listen carefully to His Word: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (v. 17). I have prayed specifically for faith because it isn’t something I can muster up on my own. I’m a doubting Thomas by nature. It’s like Jesus told the disciples about the powerful demon who they could not cast out, “…O faithless [also translated “unbelieving”] generation, how long shall I be with you?...” (Mark 9:19).

Jesus then told the distraught father of the possessed son, “…If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” The father “immediately…cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24). What a great response, and Jesus “…rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!’” (v. 25).

The disciples “…asked Him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ So He said to them, ‘this kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’” (Mark 9:29). The disciples had some belief in Jesus, but that wasn’t enough in this instance. They had no power to cast demons out on their own. It had to come through prayer and fasting, being at one with God and having that authority and power come from the Lord.

It's all by grace through faith but genuine faith is responsive and cooperative and enduring, etc., and thus involves our willingly functioning under grace. Some speak of synergism, which I don't like because IMO it implies too much on our part. But I do see submissive, responsive cooperation enabled by grace in Christ in Spirit.

I like all you've said above and it does bring to mind Luke17 for me in regard to this obedient faith matter and is a bit of a flip side to Mark9 you've stated above. Jesus commands continued forgiveness to which His disciples reply "increase our faith" - as if this is a tough one, Lord. To which Jesus applies a nice little analogy that basically says, just do what you're commanded, know in humility your position and your duty.

I like how this is coming into Ecc12.

 

[SilverFox7]

It's all by grace through faith but genuine faith is responsive and cooperative and enduring, etc., and thus involves our willingly functioning under grace. Some speak of synergism, which I don't like because IMO it implies too much on our part. But I do see submissive, responsive cooperation enabled by grace in Christ in Spirit.

I like all you've said above and it does bring to mind Luke17 for me in regard to this obedient faith matter and is a bit of a flip side to Mark9 you've stated above. Jesus commands continued forgiveness to which His disciples reply "increase our faith" - as if this is a tough one, Lord. To which Jesus applies a nice little analogy that basically says, just do what you're commanded, know in humility your position and your duty.

I like how this is coming into Ecc12.

Yes, we will be circling back to the great conclusion of Ecclesiastes and having James' teachings firmly in place should yield some good insights. James' letter ties in so nicely with many areas of scripture, and we'll see another example of that in the book of Hebrews.

Determining my part in this relationship with God is still an ongoing learning process. Finding that right balance of grace - "it's all yours Lord..." - with me doing my part of the work is a tricky balance to discover. If I try too hard, it can become a burden. If I try too little, I get lazy.

 

[SilverFox7]

Matthew chapter 25 supports James’ belief that faith must produce works. After giving the disciples the Olivet prophecy of near future (AD. 70) and far into the future (TBD) events documented in Matthew 24, Jesus talks about the wise and foolish virgins along with the profitable and unprofitable servants. The Lord expects action and results from His investment in us. Faith and grace need to produce fruit for the Kingdom. And, again, all the glory goes to God.

Look at the vision Jesus provides us into how we will be judged as a race. I’m including this whole section here because it is so remarkable, and so convicting as well:

Matthew 25:31-46
New King James Version

The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the [a]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer [b]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

 

[SilverFox7]

34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

These are some of the same attributes (i.e. “works”) that James talks about (e.g. James 1:27, 2:1-4, 2:14-16). Jesus talks about good trees bearing good fruit that is generated by the Spirit, and bad trees bearing bad fruit from their own self-righteous or evil intentions.

Matthew 7:21-24
New King James Version

I Never Knew You

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Build on the Rock

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

Hearing, listening to, and studying the Word of God are wonderful blessings. Yet, it’s even more important to put that Word to use by evangelizing and serving the needs of others, especially those who are unable to take care of themselves like orphans and widows. Look at the example Jesus set. He hung out with tax collectors, winebibbers, and sinners, and He came to heal people and save us from our sins. He had no interest in hanging out with royalty or the religious elite of His day.

Look at the ones who are surprised at not entering the kingdom of heaven. They may have talked about Jesus and said they believed in Him, but they didn’t have a true relationship with Him where He could live His life over within us to feed the hungry, be hospitable to strangers, provide clothing for the poor, help to care for and heal the sick, and visit people in prison. It all seems impossible, and that’s true by our own power. “…With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26).

 

[4urenlightment]

I heard an excellent sermon a number of years ago that focused on the book of Ecclesiastes, and the pastor noted that James is an excellent complimentary epistle to Ecclesiastes. Both books fall within the category of "wisdom literature" with their short maxims that emphasize properly living a "righteous" and "prosperous" life in the flesh (Ecclesiastes) and in the Spirit (James).

Ecclesiastes was likely written by king Solomon later in his life. After succeeding his father, David, on the throne at a very young age, he started off down the right path by asking God for wisdom to govern the nation with a "discerning heart" to "distinguish between right and wrong" (I Kings 3: 9). God was pleased with this request and said, "...I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be" (v. 12).

Solomon shares his wisdom through the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms 72 and 127 along with the Song of Solomon. Early on in his career, he built upon David's success and led Israel to the height of their physical power and prestige as a nation. Unfortunately, unlike his father, he fell into heavy idolatry, had wives and concubines from other nations, and neglected his relationship with God to the point that Solomon's salvation is questionable (e.g. he is excluded in the list of "heroes of faith" in Hebrews 11).

Solomon lived a life of experimentation. Rather than focusing on God like David did, Solomon pursued a life of leisure and pleasure, but he sums up the results right at the beginning of Ecclesiastes that he felt emptiness in that lifestyle:

Ecclesiastes 1:1-2

New King James Version

The Vanity of Life

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

James on the other hand begins his letter much differently, emphasizing right up front that he is a servant of God, and life is far from "vanity" when we are living in Christ:

James 1

New King James Version

1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:

Greetings.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

I've been looking forward to tackling these two challenging texts for quite some time, yet I may have bitten off more than I can chew. But, with your help, I'm excited about gaining more "wisdom" hopefully through this study and fellowship with all of you.

Knowledge are the pieces of a puzzle. And wisdom is the ability to put the pieces of that puzzle together, like discerning to understand the meaning or purpose of something or someone.
But we are meant to collect the pieces of these puzzles overtime so we can put everything together. But without knowledge, we will not be able to understand. That is why we must seek knowledge.

The reason why Abraham Lincoln speech was once considered as the best speech in the world. It's because he enlightened the public on the meaning of some verses in the Bible meanings, that he brought those verses to life. Like the people in the temple were amazed at Jesus' understanding of the scriptures when He interpreted its meaning to them.

Matthew 11:15
Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Job 42:3
You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

Matthew 12:42
The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.

 

[SilverFox7]

James 2:21-26
New King James Version

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [a]perfect?

23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [b]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, and Abraham was going to do it without any questions based on the scriptural account. “God tested Abraham” (Gen. 22:1). Why was this necessary since God is omniscient? When Abraham was about to thrust the knife into Isaac, God stopped him and said, “…for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me” (v. 12).

God knows our thoughts and intentions on the whole, yet we are still granted free will and the ability to make choices. How would we react to a crisis situation and what may seem to be an unreasonable request from God? It was clear to Abraham that God told him to sacrifice his son. That’s one important criteria. We need to ensure it truly is God telling us or moving us to go down a certain path, and scripture is our best source. Yet, God also respects our choices and apparently doesn’t always know what those choices may be, especially when we are put to the test.

What strikes me here is the intrinsic rock-solid faith Abraham had in God at this point in life. In the “Heroes of Faith” chapter of Hebrews 11, we are offered some more details that aren’t highlighted in Genesis where Abraham “[concluded] that God was able to raise [Isaac] up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense” (v. 19). Isaac was brought back from death in a figurative sense because Abraham was fully committed to and in the act of carrying out God’s initial command.

What’s even more remarkable is Abraham had faith that God could raise Isaac from the dead. James views Abraham’s “works” as justification. There was no doubt Abraham was willing to do whatever God told him at this point of his life. Consider the example of Abraham’s relationship with God before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. The Lord told him he was going to wipe out those wicked cities, but Abraham reasoned with Him and said, “…Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (Gen. 18:23). He also boldly said, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (v. 25). There were no questions like these when God told Abraham to sacrifice his “only begotten son” (Heb. 11:17) from his wife Sarah.

Sodom and Gomorrah needed to be destroyed for their wickedness. Why would you ask me to sacrifice my son, Lord? It doesn’t appear that Abraham asked this question or any other question on this strange and unusual request from the Lord, who certainly works in mysterious ways at times.

Isaiah 55:8-9
King James Version

8 For my thoughts are not your
thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,
saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts.

 

[SilverFox7]

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

Rahab's story summarized in Joshua 2 is a remarkable one. The Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land, and Joshua sent two men on a reconnaissance mission to scope out the land, especially the city of Jericho, which was the first target. Somehow, the king of Jericho caught wind of this and sent a message to Rahab “…bring out the men who have come to you….” The men were staying in her house that was lodged in the city wall.

Why would the spies go to the house of a harlot? Perhaps word got out about the faith of this woman and/or the Spirit of God led them there. She was a prostitute, but Rahab feared God and was a person of faith. She said to the men after hiding them on her roof, “For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt…And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Jos. 2:10).

Rahab certainly believed in God, and she followed through on that belief and acted in faith to help the spies escape capture. Here’s how the “faith” chapter sums it all up, “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb. 11:31). James says Rahab was “justified by works.” If we look at all the other “heroes of faith” in Hebrews 11, each of them had works generated from faith. And verse 6 hits the ball over the centerfield wall, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

 

[SilverFox7]

I’m going to cruise through the rest of James and pick out a few verses to highlight along the way. @studier is anxious to get to the ending of Ecclesiastes, and so am I. I’m also stoked about diving into the overlooked Book of Ruth, and then I’ll probably tackle one of the minor prophets Lord willing. If there are verses or concepts in James you want to cover that I don’t hit, please bring them up. I’m switching back to the KJV because the language captures the potency of James’ “tongue lashing”.

James 3:1-12
King James Version

1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

 

[SilverFox7]

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

The parallelism in verses 4-5 above really struck me as I read through this section of James again. After seeing the parallelism Solomon uses in Ecclesiastes and diving into the concept in more detail, it stood out to me like a sore thumb in James, who uses the same literary technique to drive home some key lessons. Just as a rudder on a boat or ship, which is a small-sized component comparatively with the rest of the vessel, the tongue is a “little member” that can create large scale devastation in our lives and those around us.

It’s not surprising that James uses parallelism in his writing because he was certainly influenced by Hebrew scripture and the literature of his day. Like the Book of Hebrews that dives deeply into Old Testament laws, writings, and prophecy, James’ letter takes those same concepts and brings them to the next level in Jesus Christ, a new covenant founded on love, grace, and the spiritual fulfillment of the law:

Matthew 5:17: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them".

Romans 10:4: "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes".

Hebrews 8:13: "In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away".

Ephesians 2:15: "by abolishing the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, making peace".

1 Corinthians 11:25: "In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me'".

Where James parallels two ideas, the rudder as a metaphor for the tongue, Solomon also parallels a wise man’s “gracious” mouth to the fool’s “raving madness:”

Ecclesiastes 10:12–14

12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious,
But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
And the end of his talk is raving madness.

This type of parallelism is called “antithetical.” I don’t want to get too deep into the literary theory of antithetical, but in essence two contrasting concepts or ideas are placed side by side to drive the point home. It is an excellent teaching tool. Unlike Solomon and James who often highlight the negative, look at how Psalm 1 uses the positive, how a person who “delights in the law of the Lord” is “like a tree planted by the rivers of water.”

Psalm 1:1-3
King James Version

1 Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel
of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of
sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law
of the Lord;
and in his law doth he meditate
day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of
water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in
his season;
his leaf also shall not
wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall
prosper.

 

[SilverFox7]

James continues with his blunt but true analysis of the tongue and some worthy observations that everyone should heed, especially those of us who are ambassadors of Jesus Christ:

James 3:7-12
King James Version

7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

It’s crazy how conflicting our lives can be as Christians where we have the Holy Spirit hard at work within us on the one hand and our corrupt human nature fighting to the bitter end against Him on the other, especially for those of us prior to conversion who were immersed in the cesspool of this world under the influence of “the prince of the power of the air” who enjoys making our lives miserable. Even after being pulled out of this spiritual Babylon of good and evil by our gracious Lord, we have a never-ending war to wage in this life against sin and the forces of evil.

So, just looking at myself and being honest, how can I on the one hand praise God and share His teachings with others with the same tongue that can say some awful things as well? And often, I just blurt something out and then afterwards think to myself, why in the world did you say that?! Those instances often occur in the heat of a battle say, for example, when an aggressive coworker spouts off some offensive language my way. Like James says, “these things ought not so to be.”

That’s why I’m in a never-ending state of asking for forgiveness, striving for repentance, and seeking out grace. I’m not alone in this battle; none of us are. Look at a pillar of Christian faith and leadership, the apostle Paul, who shared his spiritual struggles as well in this area:

Romans 7:22-25
King James Version

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

 

[SilverFox7]

The final section of James 3 focuses on two types of wisdom – demonic vs. Holy. The “wisdom” from Satan contains bitterness, selfishness, lustful sensuality, envy, and “every evil thing.” In contrast, the wisdom from the Holy One above yields meekness (humility), good conduct, pureness, peace, gentleness, conciliation, mercy, and all the “good fruits” of the Spirit at work within us.

James 3:13-18
King James Version

13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

The Holy Spirit resides in our minds, hearts, and souls as Christians. That’s the true Source of Wisdom that doesn’t show partiality, is without hypocrisy, and it generates “the fruit of righteousness [that] is sown in…them that make peace.” Paul says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). Jesus tells us about this incredible gift He and the Father have given us in the Holy Spirit – we have the God of Peace living in us as His temple.

John 14:26-27
King James Version

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

[SilverFox7]

Since the fall in the Garden, we are a violent species as a whole. Look at all of the wars that have been fought throughout history, and this present age is no exception. If we’re not careful, more lives could be lost in the near future than the combined total of war losses up to the present.

Are all wars evil? No, there are just reasons to wage war, and it’s a sad fact of our corrupt nature as James discusses in the first part of chapter 4. God commanded the Israelites to wipe out the inhabitants of the Promised Land due to idolatry and a perverted lifestyle under the influence of demonic evil.

All we have to do to see the horrors of war is look at what is happening in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip being turned to rubble, and once again Africa has bloodshed spilling throughout the continent, primarily in the Sudan. According to one estimate, 240,000 died as a result of wars on this planet in 2025. That would fill up two University of Michigan football stadiums.

James 4:1-4
King James Version

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

We as a race are responsible for war, and the root cause is lust. We lust for power, money, resources, and a never-ending desire for pleasure. If we haven’t learned the lesson yet that we are powerless without our Creator, then that lesson will not be learned until Jesus Christ returns.

We have the wars because we don’t ask God to stop them, and we have selfish motivations for what we do ask for in prayer. Being friends of the world makes us enemies of God. How is that possible? How can we be in the world but not of the world? As Christians, we are aligned with Christ, called out of this world. And, I’ve met many people who are not Christians who are on the side of Peace as well.

More to come on this important topic next time, and we’ll see how this might all tie back to what we’ve learned in Ecclesiastes so far.

 

[SilverFox7]

As Christians, we have a war waging within us: “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Gal. 5:17).

We are at war with the evil in this world: “ These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

And ultimately, we are at war with Satan: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6: 11-12).

The foes we face are much more powerful than we are individually. However, we band together as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, and we will be victorious. "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage…” (Joshua 1:5-6). The battle belongs to the Lord! (Joshua 5:13 – 6:21; I Samuel 17:47).

We need to put on the whole armor of God and not just for defensive purposes. We must be on the offense primarily and take the battle straight into the bowels of our enemies with “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17)!

James lays out the battle plan for us:

James 4:5-10
New King James Version

5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Humility Cures Worldliness

7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

 

[SilverFox7]

As humanity who has rebelled against their Creator, we are powerless to prevent war and death. As much as we strive for peace, war just cycles its way back into the world, especially when the “day of the Lord” is upon us (I Thess. 5:2-3).

Ecclesiastes 8:8
New King James Version

8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit,
And no one has power in the day of death.
There is no release from that war,
And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.

Solomon ends his beautiful poem reflecting upon the cyclical forces of this life with “a time of war, And a time of peace” (Ecc. 3:8). I am a hopeful and positive person on the whole, especially understanding God’s plan of salvation for us, yet it appears we are heading into a time of war unlike anything history has ever seen.

Europe is finally preparing for Putin’s lust for “reclaiming” Russia’s former glory and perhaps more, we have a massive armada ready to strike Iran, and don’t forget China who is becoming more aggressive in the Far East.

My goodness, did you see what China unveiled to kickoff their new year last Tuesday? Kung Fu Robots that are capable of performing incredible martial arts’ movements with flow, strength, and balance. It was highly choreographed and driven by AI, but that’s how far the Chinese have come in robotics and artificial intelligence.

In the not-too-distant future, we may have battles taking place where humans are fighting against machines more than human soldiers. How would you like to face off against a battalion of kung fu robots on the front lines? We are entering a whole new phase of battle, destruction, and death, and I don’t think we can control the powers at our disposal.

Only the Lord can do that.