During the pandemic, I have grown some red hot chilies. Much to my surprise, and to the consternation of my wife, every seed germinated. The plants turned our garden room green. Stalks shot up tall, white flowers opened, and peppers began growing. That is, until sap-sucking spider mites appeared. Leaves began to wilt, promising baby peppers died, and—despite a dish soap-spray remedy—my harvest has shrunk.

Consistent, constant growth is needed to produce abundant crops. There is a parallel to heavenly wisdom. Perhaps that is why James adds two negatives to his heavenly wisdom list (Jas. 3:17). The last is “unhypocritical.” The first is unwavering. This is the aspect of wisdom I want to focus on.

It is interesting to note that most versions translate this term as “impartial” or “without partiality”—that certainly dovetails well with James’s prior apostolic warning of poor–rich prejudice. Spider mites of skin and status doubtless choke the crop of wisdom and surely militate against peace and harmony in the church.

Two versions prefer the translation “without judgment.” Wisdom cannot coexist with a hypercritical church. James might be warning saints by sounding sirens of envy and self: ambitious bitterness will turn the church in on itself and rip Christ’s body apart (3:14–16). Calvin perceptively notes, “James here, by discerning or distinguishing, refers to that overanxious and overscrupulous inquiry, such as is commonly carried on by hypocrites, who too minutely examine the sayings and doings of their brethren, and put on them the worst construction.”

Without missing the practical implication suggested by these alternative translations, perhaps the rendition “unwavering” fits the context most snugly; it ties in well with the fruit-bearing, agricultural metaphor. Instant, short-term thinking is viewed with suspicion by a farmer. Seed sowing demands a longer-term mindset. Horticulturalists commit to a daily regime of steady, sustained, all-season work. Plowing, sowing, watering, growing, feeding, ripening, harvesting, and consuming all have their place. The point seems to be that wisdom is cultivated best by consistent, constant Christianity.

James cements his case by examples at the beginning and end of his book. We need to examine the man who is called to rejoice in trials. Tests of all sizes and shapes come along to rattle faith. When buffeted by winds and tossed around by storms, the biggest danger is doubt—it drains confidence in prayer, tempts hearts to shift, and shrivels up crops; no wise fruit will result. When twisters churn the sea, Christians must not waver in faith. God grants wisdom to steady the ship and steer refuge-seeking believers safely to port (Jas. 1:2–8).

The Book of James cannot conclude without mentioning Job’s unwavering faith. Yahweh permits his depths so Job might champion faith. Initially unshaken by the sudden stripping of assets and offspring, his trial intensifies with shocking loss of health, his embittered wife’s crying curse, and insensitive orthodox friends who blame a man of grief for guilt. Job is content with God and nothing else—unwavering faith results in Job being wiser and more blessed (Jas. 5:10–11).

If the pursuit of celestial wisdom requires unfaltering trust, key considerations should be taken into account. Weak, frail flesh is prone to wobble and waver. All resilience is gifted by Christ, who never shifted from His course, through receiving this Word: His unwavering nerve and unfaltering step were fixed toward the cross where He purchased cleansing for our wobbles, courage not to waver, and conformity to His wisdom. Jesus endured devices of devils and humans to make our trust robust. So, seek unflinching faith in Him.

Consistent prayer stabilizes saints in storms. Resilience toughens us by fervent devotion to the means of grace that springs into a fountain of individual, family, and public worship: we cry for help and delight in truth. Firm resolve is required in congregational life—strife and ambition must be put to death—where we are to bear with brothers in united, unwavering pursuit of the saints’ purity and peace. Firmly entrench yourself to fight all unmerciful or unreasonable talk, speech, or acts. Churches must refuse to be deflected from God’s wise path by fear or fighting, selfishness or slander, and formalism or favoritism. Those irritated by insults must take gentle, reasonable steps to extinguish flares of contentiousness fast. Abundant goodness must be relentlessly craved. Casualties abound when pastors wobble in doctrine. Carnage results if believers waver in wisdom. Congregations may grow for decades and be savaged in a month. Believers must hold fast and not allow the demonic to take root.

Do the world, flesh, and devil battle against wisdom in God’s house? By the blood of Calvary, and by grace in Christ, believers must resolutely wrestle to produce a harvest of peace.

Andrew Kerr | pastor, Knockbracken (Belfast, N. Ireland) RPC