Wisdom, James 1:5-8

Previously, we considered what James had to say about trials and the difficult times that come along to test our faith. Trials and problems can take many forms, but James says every one them has a purpose: they develop perseverance in Christian character and that in turn causes the believer to grow and mature.

With this group of verses, it seems as though James introduces another topic, however careful reading will show that this is not the case at all. Indeed, James is about to give two very familiar examples of testing, namely poverty and wealth. Either of these may cause a believer to stumble and result in spiritual disaster for them, but if met with “wisdom,” which comes from God, either state, poverty or wealth, may have the positive result of perfecting a Christ-like character.

It should be noted at this juncture that James has a peculiar style of writing. He introduces a topic briefly then develops it later on. In this case, James touches on the necessity of wisdom, then in chapter 3 he delineates two kinds of wisdom, a heavenly wisdom and an earthly wisdom. This reminds us of Proverbs 14:12–

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

Like the earthly wisdom of Job’s friends, looking at trials in one’s life from an earthly perspective will a ways produce a distorted view of them and come up short in giving one what is need to get through the trial with one’s faith intact.

1. One thing needed, verse 5

The collected writings that make up the epistles of the New Testament put a lie to the notion that the early Christians were just ignorant peasants who were conned into serving the Church because of the signs and wonders they witnessed. The letters written by the apostles without exception show a skill and intelligence in their composition that is unmatched by their secular counterparts. James artfully shows how to write a letter to encourage his readers by arranging the words is such an order so the reader could not possibly miss his point. In verse 3 he stressed the word “perseverance” by placing it at the end of the sentence. In verse 4, “perseverance” is the first expression he uses . The last phrase in verse 4 is “not lacking anything”; the first clause of the next phrase repeats this verb, “If any of you lacks wisdom.” James’ meaning in clear: for the person in the midst of a trial the one thing needed more than anything else is wisdom.

The phrase, “If any of you lacks wisdom,” is a factual proposition. James is not saying this person may lack wisdom, he is saying that this person definitely lacks wisdom. We would word it like this: “You may not like to admit it, but you need wisdom.” Nobody likes to be told they are stupid, makes mistakes and needs help because by nature human beings are independent. We want to solve our own problems. James could have been blunt and informed his readers that they all lacked wisdom, but he uses tack by using the phrase, “any of you.”

John Albert Bengal, 18th century theologian said,

Patience is more in the power of a good man than wisdom; the former is to be exercised, the latter is to be asked for.

Wisdom is not something man possess; it belongs to God. In verse 4, James assured his readers that trials are for a purpose; they have a goal. But from the moment the trial begins to the moment it reaches its goal, there is a period of time where the believer will need wisdom to cope with what they are going through. What they need is not some kind of earthly, speculative wisdom based on a man-made philosophical belief system. Rather, it is the kind of wisdom one finds in the book of Proverbs, for example; a God-given understanding that enables the person to remain on the right path and to live a live of righteousness despite his circumstances (Donald Burdick).

Both the Old and New Testaments explain what wisdom is. Solomon expresses it like this:

For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Paul’s idea of wisdom is this:

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Harper, citing Robertson, makes an insightful comment:

[Wisdom] is more than knowledge, and it beyond any natural attainment. Robertson writes, “With James wisdom is the right use of one’s opportunities in holy living. It is living like Christ in accord with the will of God.”

This wisdom is available to all believers who s imply ask for it. The Greek behind the English phrase, “he should ask God,” is written in the present tense, suggesting that believers must ask God for wisdom repeatedly. The wisdom we need to make right decisions is not given all at once in a moment of time.

There is nothing in God’s character that would keep Him from withholding wisdom, or any other thing, from believers who ask in faith. God is not partial. Kistemaker makes an insightful observation: Giving is a characteristic of God. Giving to His children is as natural breathing is to the children. Believers would do well to understand that and keep that in their minds as they pray.

What’s more, as if God’s generosity weren’t enough, James tells us that He will give this requested wisdom without “finding fault” in the person asking for it. When we ask God for wisdom, we need not fear that God will judge us for making bad decisions or look at us in reproach. God won’t use your prayer request as an excuse to berate you or make you feel guilty. If when you are praying you have those feelings, they are not coming from God.

2. The right way and wrong way to ask, verse 6a

If anybody lacks the ability to face their trials with joy, all they have to do is ask God. The caveat , however, is this: he must believe and not doubt. Our asking must be absolutely sincere. When we ask God for wisdom, it might be wise to ask ourselves these questions (as enumerated by Harpur):

Do we really want the kind of help that God chooses to give us, or do we secretly hope for an easier way? Do we have faith enough in the wisdom of God and in the love of God to let Him transform us into the persons like himself through the gift of himself? Or is there something else we want from Him?

Sincerity is the main point James is making here. John Calvin remarked:

I offer my heart to you, O Lord, promptly and sincerely.

Asking in faith and in sincerity is the right way to approach God. James contrasts this right way with the wrong way: and not doubt. Faith and doubt cannot reside in a believer at the same time. The Greek phrase meden diakrinomenos is a forceful expression that might be better translated “not doubt at all.” A believer can either believe or doubt, but they cannot do both at the same time. Diakrinomenos describes one with two minds in one head. One mind has faith, the other mind has doubt and this person can’t decide with which mind to side; he wavers back and forth like a drunken sailor walking the decks of a storm-tossed ship.

3. The result of the wrong approach, verses 7, 8

When we approach God, we cannot be seen approaching Him like that drunken sailor, walking from side to side, arguing with ourselves to believe or not to believe. God should not have to discern what you are asking for! When believers pray, they should be able to present their petitions to God, in faith, believing that He will answer. But if you are “double minded,” how does God know exactly what you want from Him? The Greek phrase, dipsychos, and translated literally means “double souled” and this condition makes a believer unstable in all he does. One who is double minded cannot be trusted to make a proper decision in any area of their lives. This becomes evident in the counseling arena, where spiritual deficiencies are manifested in failing marriages, faltering financial health and a host of other problems. When we understand that a Christian cannot make a right decision when they are off their spiritual beam, it should give us pause, not only to examine our own lives, but also the lives of those who are influencing us!

A person like this, according to James, should not think they will receive anything from the Lord. In other words, God will not honor a prayer prayed in doubt. A believer must believe with all their heart that the help they need will be given by God.

This can be a very discouraging portion of Scripture. This double minded attitude can block a believer from experiencing joy in the midst of trials, and it can prevent God from helping them at the same time. There isn’t a Christian since the ascension of Jesus Christ who has never doubted or experienced a crisis of faith. Are you and I the people James is addressing? Are we the drunken sailors, wobbling as we approach God in prayer? De we forfeit God’s blessing because of our weakness of faith? Some perspective will help answer these questions.

Consider two examples in Scripture, one from both Testaments. First Abraham, the father of believers. Here was a man whose faith was legendary, but also his periods of doubt and despair. Yet, despite that, Abraham received the promise of God, and God blessed him. Abraham was not of a double mind, he was not like Janus, whose face looked behind and forward at the same time. Despite his times of doubt, Abraham’s actions proved he had faith.

In the New Testament, we think of the desperate father who cried out, “Lord I believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). This sounds like a man with two brains in his head; one that believed and one that did not. However, this father was not double minded. He earnestly wanted to believe and asked for help to that end.

Conclusion

God wants us to come to Him in prayer because He genuinely wants to help us as only He can. We have His promise, not only here in Jam,es, but throughout the Bible. In Malachi 3:6 we read this of God:

I the LORD do not change.

The author to the Hebrews expressed a similar sentiment in Hebrews 6:17-18–

Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.

God’s can be trusted to keep His promise to give us wisdom because He is unchanging and cannot lie. By the same token, He expects those same characteristics in us. We cannot be changing out minds about Him all the time; believing one moment and not the next. God detests instability and a double minded man is just that: unstable. The double minded person will always go their own way, making their own decisions and lives their own lives apart from God. When this person prays, God cannot answer that prayer. It has nothing to do with God’s unwillingness to answer that prayer, but the person’s persistent doubt.