James 3:17 "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."
True wisdom comes from above, from ALMIGHTY GOD. It brings peace, not confusion, for GOD is the Author of Peace (1Co 14:33) and Jesus CHRIST became the Author of Eternal Salvation, unto all that believe and doeth His Word (Heb 5:9).
Wisdom is the understanding of spiritual truths in GOD's WORD. Prudence is the ability to apply that wisdom from our FATHER, as well as spiritual discernment, which is a higher level of common sense, in your life. Wisdom from above will comfort your soul and influence the folks around you. It doesn't tear down, but builds others up and encourages them in the WORD. True wisdom from GOD makes sense and it's solid and sure as a rock. For the LORD is our Rock, our Fortress and our Deliverer.
Without partiality is not being a respecter of persons. Don't measure yourself and others by worldly standards or carnal measurements. Without hypocrisy is to not be double-minded, to not be conformed to the ways and mindset of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind through GOD's Letter to You. Satan's backward indoctrination and laws of reversal turn men to follow another jesus, another doctrine.
James 3:18 "And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."
Luke 3:22 "And the Holy Ghost [Spirit] descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him [Christ], and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I Am well pleased."
Be peaceable, because the Holy Spirit is peaceful, like a dove. So it is written, "be ye therefore wise as serpents, and peaceful as doves", as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, which is to say, the spiritually dead, satan and his world system.
Can sweet and bitter water come from the same fountain? Or can a double-minded man be stable? The answer to both questions is "No". Don't be a hearer of the WORD only, but be also a doer. Because he that doeth the will of the FATHER shall enter His kingdom. If you hear and don't obey, or follow, you become a hypocrite, a play actor. You don't just go through the motions in your Christian life, neither do you place your spiritual health in the hands of men and their traditions.
Possess prudence and discernment to know when to be gentle and when to exercise a little tough love. When in danger, a dove will do something to protect it's nest. And there will be times, in your life, when you must exercise tough love and correction, for your own protection and for the good of those around you. There are times of war and times of peace.
Matthew 5:14 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."
Matthew 5:15 "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."
Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your FATHER which is in heaven."
Your fruits should match the fruit of the Holy Spirit. You allow your light to shine before men, so they can see your works, and actions, and glorify our Heavenly FATHER. Be approachable, not like an arrogant jerk or punk. You won't be of any use to our FATHER, if you don't allow His Light to shine forth through you. Make it known, lead by example, and share GOD's WORD and Love, through His Son, Jesus CHRIST, with the spiritually lost and hungry. It's your good works that must get out, not your faith. Faith is your personal (f)ull (a)ssurance (i)n (t)he (h)eart in GOD's promises and His Son, Jesus CHRIST, as Lord and Savior. It's based on your belief and sustained by your confidence in GOD's WORD. True faith and obedience leads to good fruits and works. Show me a man's works, and I'll see his faith. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Corrupt trees bring forth evil fruits and false doctrines.
Almost everyone has "likeable" traits or qualities about them, even satan and his fallen angels. Evil people can possess exceptional affection towards animals; they can have a "wicked" sense of humor; they can be really good towards their spouses and children; or they donate lots of money to the poor. You get the idea, but you need to discern the motives and see the full picture.
Don't be so easily deceived by things such as appearance, status, wealth and position. Remember that GOD created everyone unique, with different gifts, DNA, and callings. GOD is generous and gives gifts without repentance. Every person that you see walking, or driving down the street, is just as gifted and talented as you are, perhaps, even more so. You don't measure the man by what kind of car he drives, or by his profession, or his stature. Satan still has his beauty and intelligence from the First Earth, or World, Age.
When the Israelites wanted a man king like the rest of the heathen nations, GOD gave them what their hearts desired, a person that looked the part. That man was Saul. He was a tall and handsome fellow, yet, he had trouble locating his dad's lost asses. Man would have also passed up David for any of his brothers to be king. David penned in the last Psalm:
Psalm 151:5-6 "He [LORD GOD] sent His prophet to anoint me, Samuel to raise me up. My brothers went out to meet him, handsome of figure, handsome in appearance. Although they were tall of stature and handsome because of their hair, the LORD GOD did not choose them."
GOD knows your heart and mind. If you were born to please men, you wouldn't be a servant of Christ.
1 Samuel 16:7 "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."
So, measuring a person purely by "worldly" virtues or qualities is just about the most carnal thing you can do. The Royal Law is to love thy neighbor as thyself. It's impossible to do if you're a respecter of persons, because you're only end up loving and admiring the wrong people.
Titus 1:16 "They profess that they know GOD; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
When a person is a reprobate and double-minded believer, he will turn more individuals off to Christianity, than on. Others, especially non-believers, will see his hypocrisy as well as his superficial appearance of righteousness. Judging people and making second class citizens out of other Christians, based on their repented sins, is telling GOD that Christ's shed blood wasn't sufficient to cover sin. That is blasphemy.
John 8:12 "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I Am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life."
John 1:4 "In Him was life; and the life was the Light of men."
John 1:5 "And the Light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
John 1:9 "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."
Joh 1:10 "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not."
Joh 1:11 "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not."
John 9:5 "As long as I Am in the world, I Am the Light of the world."
Don't take it so personal, when people reject you. For they rejected Christ, and if that happened to Him, what makes you think it won't happen to you? When you abide in Christ, He abides in You. He is the Light, the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Without Him, you have no light. Oftentimes, when people reject you, they are actually rejecting the true Light, which is Jesus Christ within you. The Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. They are in fact showing their rejection of Christ and disobedience towards GOD and His children of Light. Their spirit is of the world, and satan, but your spirit is filled with the Holy Spirit. What fellowship does righteousness have with unrighteousness? And what communion does light have with darkness? (2 Cor 6:14). What's spiritual and what's wordly, and carnal, don't mix together and you'll see the conflict.
When you keep the light of Christ's Word in your heart, people will sense it. It makes you different, because as the salt of the earth, you'll leave a positive, lasting impression on others. The spoken words of the LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Share the Living WORD. The reprobates, who follow the precepts of men, have been tried, deemed worthless, and rejected.
To be continued...
Peace in CHRIST JESUS,
Spread-the-Truth
Mr baptist.
