James 1:5-8

TRUE WISDOM IS GOD-GIVEN

Text 1:5-8

5.

But if any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6.

But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting; for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.

7.

For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord;

8.

A doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.

Queries

14.

Why say If any of you lack wisdom? Is there an implication here that some people have sufficient wisdom, and a few may lack wisdom? Is it not true that all men need more wisdom in God's service? Why the if?

15.

Liberally can have meanings other than abundantly. Use an English dictionary and find some other possibilities.

16.

Without looking up any references or other Scriptures, write down your concept of the meaning of upbraideth not. Having done this, try to determine if your present concept is correct. Use a Bible dictionary or commentary as well as other Scriptures. If you were wrong the first time, be sure to write down any correction you may wish to make. (This will fix the new meaning in your mind.)

17.

Is faith a general and necessary aspect of prayer? True, it is mentioned here in connection with prayer, but is this a general teaching concerning the linkage of prayer and faith throughout the N. T.? (see Matthew 21:21; Mark 11:23; Romans 4:20; Romans 14:23; James 5:15; and Hebrews 11:6.)

18.

In what way is a doubter like a surge of the sea (James 1:6)?

19.

Are not all of us driven by circumstances of environment, even as a wave of the sea? Why should we be blamed for this any more than a wave could be blamed for being tossed about?

20.

Why say this man who is like a wave is double minded? To what can this double mind refer?

21.

Is there any similarity or contrast between the patient-minded man of James 1:2-4 and the double-minded man of James 1:8? How would you compare them?

22.

Does James 1:5 end with a promise that God will give to us that for which we ask? If this is true, would it not be dangerous to pray? How could we pray without fear and trembling if God grants us the object of our prayer? (i.e., suppose we, in innocent ignorance, should ask for many things that are harmful to us. Is not this an actual fact in your own experience?)

23.

How can it be said that God will not give that man anything (James 1:7), when God pours out His blessings upon all men.. upon the just and the unjust alike?

24.

Are people who are unstable in some of their ways, necessarily unstable in all their ways? Is it not possible to be doubtful, or unable to make up our minds on some issues, and yet be very stable on other issues? How do we harmonize this with the teaching of James 1:8?

Paraphrases

A. 5.

But if any of you need wisdom in order to continue with this tenacious spirit of a bulldog, then ask God for this wisdom. God gives to all men with an unmixed benevolence that does not resent your asking. Ask wisdom of God, and God will give it to you.

6.

But let him ask believing that God will grant his request. He that cannot make up his mind is like a wave that is blown and tossed about and never gets anywhere.

7.

If a man is like that wave, he will not get anywhere with God, either.

8.

A man who has two conflicting purposes in life, is confused on every issue he faces, and in everything he does.

B.*5.

If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him; He will not resent it.

6.

But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

7, 8.

And every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way, and then that. So if you don-'t ask in faith, don-'t expect the Lord to give you any solid answers.

Summary

God does not leave us to flounder, for He wants us to ask him if we need more wisdom. Of course, we should ask, believing it will happen, or else we will be confused in all our planning and deeds.

Comment

If any man lack knowledge, let him go to college. But wisdom is an entirely different matter. Good teachers may impart to us facts of life, whether of this earthly life or of the spiritual life, in such a way that we can recall these facts and repeat them when necessary. Having learned these facts, we may be enabled to make good grades in school, or to carry on a fascinating conversation. We may be enabled to use the facts in such a way as to demonstrate our ability to recall them. But this is not wisdom.[1] (see below) Wisdom is more than just the use of knowledge.. it is the practical use of knowledge. Thus, wisdom is the ability to use knowledge in such a way that it brings benefit to the kingdom of God, to our fellow man, and to our own way of life.

[1] Wisdom is the ability to apply these facts to practical living.

A good teacher may lead us in the way of wisdom, but a good teacher cannot impart wisdom to us. Wisdom is not contained in a list of facts to be learned, but rather in a process, a way of living. Thus, we speak of those who have common horse-sense (although often it is not so common!)
To continue steadfastly in the way of the Lord, hanging on in spite of all trials and temptations, will take wisdom. We need the ability to keep the end result in mind when it is momentarily lost from sight. We need the ability to keep our life focused on Jesus when the devil has us surrounded with the filth of this life. We need the ability to bear up under spiritual growing pains, to ever be able to recall the temporary nature of sensual pleasures, to see through the camouflage of things seen to the real nature of things not seen. We cannot walk in the way of Christ without motivation; and without wisdom, motivation fades.

Wisdom, although in a measure may come from experience, comes more as a God-given blessing. Having identical experiences, some may end up with wisdom while others have no wisdom. The difference is a blessing and a grace. The difference is God-Given. If one knows his need of wisdom (all men need some wisdom, but not all men know they need it!) then, let him ask of God. The Perfect Teacher (Christ) can do for us what the good teacher cannot do. He not only can impart to us the way of righteousness, but He can lead us in the paths of righteousness. To know, takes knowledge. But to know what to do, takes wisdom.

The liberality of God is evident everywhere. Witness the long-suffering of God with those who refuse to repent. God does not say, He had his chance, but rather, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I. God is not content with giving an opportunity, He gives opportunities. He is not content to give a blessing, He gives blessings. If God pours out His blessings even upon the unjustified, how much more will He bless those who are justified in Christ. If those of this earth are granted a measure of earthly wisdom, how much more will God give to His children who ask Him for wisdom! So often we seek wisdom from an inadequate source. Some of the greatest teachers in the secular colleges of this earth still flounder without the wisdom of God. Man, with all his scientific studies, can at best only offer an inadequate description of his meager observations of God's created world. If you need wisdom, seek it from the real source: God, the giver of wisdom.

This giving God is a God of real love. He gives simply, with a single purpose: profit to the receiver of the gift! He gives without any strings attached. This is the first meaning of liberality. Yet in Matthew 6:22 and Luke 11:34 the singleness of liberality seems to take on an aspect of opposing evil (Perhaps this is another way of saying the double-minded man is evil!) There is no hidden purposes with God's gifts. He gives because He loves us and not because of hidden benefits. He expects to receive. God is lavish in His gifts (especially of wisdom), so let us ask of the giving God who gives without any strings attached!

Since God gives without any hidden and subtle motivations of a selfish nature, then He is not thwarted in His giving. He has no reason to rub it in once He has given. He upbraideth not.

Upbraiding is a selfish, human trait that is ungodly, unlovely, and unbecoming of any man. This is the practice of throwing it up to the man who received the gift. Upbraiding seems to say, I wanted something to hold over your head.. and now I have it, and I-'m not going to let you forget it! Upbraiding seems to say, I have a great psychological need so that I can feel superior. I am not superior until I have given to you; but now that you have received of me you owe me the privilege of gloating.

The good deed of a gift is blemished by throwing it up to the person who received the gift. Sir. 18:15-18) A constant reminder to the grateful receiver of a gift can become far more inconvenient than the lack of the gift would have been in the first place. Perhaps this rubbing it in is one of the reasons gifts from the greatest giving nation in the world have not always been appreciated. The wise man gives the same way as God: he upbraideth not. (Sir. 41:22)

So often are we cautioned in the Scriptures to pray, Thy will be done, that it certainly becomes clear our wisdom is no match for God's wisdom. What we think we desperately need is often seen by God to be the exact thing we do not need. We should seek from God that which we desire with the reservation that He grant to us that which is best for us, even if it means denying us the object of our prayer. We count it an answer to prayer when God in His wisdom says, No, my grace is sufficient for you. Sufficiency is often better than a spoiling over-abundance. Yet there seems to be no such limitations on our request for wisdom.

We are told, It shall be given him. To ask in faith, nothing doubting, seems to say in this place: Ask, believing God will give you the wisdom you request; and make your plans accordingly. God will give it to you! This would then be more than an affirmation that God would hear our prayer: God will grant our request! However, we must point out that the wisdom promised here is for a particular purpose. It is wisdom so that we might be able to hang on to Christ without wavering so that we can be built up in him, having no spiritual need. God is not here promising an ability to make more money than we need. Here God is not saying we shall know how to succeed in politics with this given wisdom. He is not granting us wisdom to find loopholes in the law of grace and so plan our lives that we (being self-deceived) think we can willfully live the life of sin and get away with it. He is not promising us wisdom to become the devil's servants. We can do all this without wisdom. We need the wisdom that we might let steadfastness have its complete work, thus fully completing us in Christ.

My brother, is this the wisdom you want? Does your soul hunger and thirst after righteousness? Do you wish to be bound to Christ with a love that will not be broken? Do you wish to know how to stick to Him and never give up? Then ask God for His wisdom. You have his promise. He will give it.

If Abraham had been like this doubter in James 1:6, he would have had a very difficult time making up his mind to leave Ur. Having left Ur and buried his father in Haran, he might have then returned to Ur, being uncertain as to whether or not God really meant what He said. Also, he would be filled with turmoil not knowing whether or not God really would keep His promises. The doubt of Abraham (thank God, he didn-'t doubt, but was unwavering in His confidence in the promises of God) in this supposed example would have filled his mind with indecision and uncertainty and would have shown up in his very life as complete instability.

The doubter is here at variance with himself, unable to decide whether or not, or to what extent, he should put personal confidence in God. This is opposed to the faithful man here, who has confidence in God to the extent he believes God knows and God cares; and with this confidence he is ready to surrender to God's knowledge and care. The man of faith does not have to know all the answers himself, for he has confidence in God. To say, I don-'t know what is best. may be an expression of faith rather than doubt. If one admits his own inability to know the answers, yet has confidence in the answers God gives him, this man has faith. He has a source of absolute truth. He can build his life on an unshakable rock. He is not to be compared with the doubting man who says: I do not know the answers, and I-'m not certain that God knows the answers.. In fact, I-'m not sure there are answers.
Or, to say again, I do not know the answers. God does know the answers, I am sure; and it is rather sad that man is so far removed from God that he can have no way of knowing, beyond doubt, what to do to become or to remain satisfactory in His sight, is to again express doubt. Whether this attitude should come from an intellectual skeptic or from one who is constantly at variance with himself, the result is the same: a willfully wavering man whose request for wisdom is not granted. Perhaps, it is not granted because his own willful doubt shows he does not really wish it to be granted. Such a one is warned that he has no right to think that a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways, shall receive anything of the Lord, (Marginal reading, A.S.V.) God's promise of heaven is not given to those who show they do not want heaven, Likewise, His promise of wisdom in stedfastness is not given to those who show they do not want to be faithful.