Bitter Jealousy and Selfish Ambition

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:13-18 ESV)

We are not wise just if we have a lot of book smarts. A scholastic education does not make anyone wise, necessarily. We can be some of the smartest people on the planet, with high IQs, and know all kinds of stuff other people don’t know, but that doesn’t mean we are wise. For wisdom has to do with applied knowledge, but applied rightly in a way that is wise (sensible, prudent, having good and correct judgment and discernment). For wisdom is the opposite of foolish (thoughtless, reckless, senseless, irresponsible).

So, wisdom is not shown by how intellectually smart we are and what all we know, or think we know. Wisdom is shown by what we do with what we know, i.e. when we respond with good judgment and right conduct. And good conduct is not defined by the flesh, nor by the world, nor by our culture, but by God and by his Word (the Scriptures). And the Scriptures teach that we are to be morally pure, upright, godly, righteous, faithful, honest, trustworthy, and obedient to our Lord and to his commands.

Therefore, if our conduct reveals that we are people whose hearts are filled with bitter jealousy (like Cain with regard to his brother Abel) and with selfish ambition, which stem from earthly, unspiritual, and demonic wisdom, we are to face this reality head on, and not be false to the truth, and not deny what is reality. For those who deny their own sinful conditions and what is stored up in their hearts, and who trivialize their own offenses, or who blame others, will never know the wisdom of God, but will continue in evil.

And pride is one of the hindrances to anyone having and putting into practice godly wisdom and right judgment and good conduct. For pride is selfish by nature, and does not like to be confronted with wrongdoing or to be corrected in any way. So pride stubbornly goes one’s own way, despite knowing the right way to go. It refuses good judgment and wise counsel in favor of having its own way and stubbornly holding on to its own self-will. So humility is necessary if we are to have and to exercise godly wisdom.

But where bitter jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. And that is because the people giving in to these, who are letting these character traits overcome them, are being led by their sinful flesh and not by God, and not by his teachings. And the Scriptures teach that “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” So the evil person, out of the evil treasure of his heart, produces evil (Matthew 15:17-20; Luke 6:45).

So, if you who are practicing evil want to live godly and morally pure lives, you have to get rid of the evil that is stored up in your hearts. You have to forgive all who you believe have offended you. You have to forgive God, who did no wrong, for not performing for you the way you thought he should. You have to let go of all bitterness, resentment, hate, anger, lust, and all that evil, which is stored up in your hearts, and let the Lord fill your hearts with his love and grace, and with uprightness, moral purity, and love for others.

And you do this only by genuine God-provided, and God-gifted, and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ as Lord (Owner-Master) of your life. And this faith requires death to sin and living to God and to his righteousness. We must die with Christ to sin so that we can be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. For if sin is what we obey, what we practice, it leads to death. We will not inherit eternal life with God if we practice sin.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

Near the Cross  

Hymn lyrics by Fanny J. Crosby, 1869

Music by William H. Doane, 1869 

Jesus, keep me near the cross; 

There a precious fountain, 

Free to all, a healing stream, 

Flows from Calvary's mountain. 

Near the cross, a trembling soul, 

Love and mercy found me; 

There the bright and morning star 

Sheds its beams around me. 

 

Near the cross! O Lamb of God, 

Bring its scenes before me; 

Help me walk from day to day 

With its shadow o'er me. 

Near the cross I'll watch and wait, 

Hoping, trusting ever, 

Till I reach the golden strand 

Just beyond the river. 

In the cross, in the cross, 

Be my glory ever, 

Till my raptured soul shall find 

Rest beyond the river.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5gong-PNmY

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