The Fruit Of Righteousness

Our Bible passage, introduction to Sunday 1st February service and hymns are below.

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Our principal verses are:

Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Jas 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.

Jas 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

The Fruit Of Righteousness

‘The fruit of righteousness’ is an Old Testament phrase from Amos 6:12. There the prophet is lamenting how those who are ‘at ease in Zion’ had ‘turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock’. Bitterness and poison betrayed the true character of those false professors of a past age. Now James employs the same phrase to nurture true fruitfulness and encourage those God-honouring qualities that reveal the presence of genuine spiritual life.

Christ our wisdom

Our Lord Jesus Christ is often presented as the personification of divine wisdom, rare and precious. The wise man of whom the apostle speaks is one made wise in the truth of Jesus Christ. True wisdom is a metaphor for spiritual life. James is speaking to those who have Christ in their hearts and are wise unto salvation. Such a one reveals his new nature by his persistent walk and talk. James calls this a person’s ‘good conversation’. It is the outward manifestation of the spiritual new creation.

Worldly wise

James contrasts Christ’s wisdom that is from above with wisdom which is natural. Worldly wisdom and earthly knowledge have limited value. This wisdom is fleshy, carnal and preoccupied with natural things. It cannot attain to or enjoy spiritual things. It provokes bitterness, envy and strife in a man’s heart. It does not emanate from Christ. It is wisdom of an altogether different sort. It does not come from heaven like the good and perfect gifts from above mentioned in chapter one ‘but is earthly, sensual, devilish’.

Wisdom and faith

Spiritual wisdom and faith are closely entwined. Those who live by faith in Christ ought to and will perform good works. James says, let such a man do so with meekness of wisdom. This wisdom is Christ in a believer’s heart and the good works following are not showy, proud or self-promoting. They are performed with quietness and meekness so that the glory might be Christ’s and praise might be given to God. Those who boast of religious knowledge and spiritual prominence ought not to glory in their self-proclaimed status. Their bravado is pride. Heavenly wisdom produces good works, earthly wisdom fosters confusion and every evil work.

Christ-likeness

Having exposed the vanity of earthly wisdom, James elevates the wisdom of Christ. This wisdom, or faith, of which Christ is the source and substance, is pure, peaceable, gentle, eager to help, full of mercy and fruitfully productive of good works. What a catalogue of worthy descriptions! This wisdom is not partial. It will not tolerate hypocrisy. Christ is Himself pure and peaceable, gentle and full of mercy. His presence in a believer’s life by faith produces like-qualities.

Pure in Jesus Christ

James shares a beautiful description of a true believer. He is pure because He is justified. He possesses pure wisdom, embraces a pure conscience and follows the ‘pure religion’ James spoke of in chapter one. Such a believer is undefiled before God, righteous and holy in the sight of God, perfect in Christ. Such a believer strives for purity of life, longs to keep his conscience clean and when he cannot through frailty of the flesh, seeks forgiveness and aches to be rid of this body of death.   

Blessed peacemakers

Peaceable men and women enjoy the peace of knowing their sins forgiven and reconciliation with God. As servants to the Prince of Peace they encourage peace amongst the brethren. They willingly extend peace to their neighbours amongst whom they live. With gentleness and meekness they desire to live at peace with all men and offend none. Having been blessed with mercy from God they practise being merciful to their brethren in Christ and those outside of Christ.

Practical faith

This is all the fruit of righteousness. It is the practical exercising of faith in God and the practical outworking of obedience and service to God. The Father has justified His elect by imputing righteousness to the guilty. Christ the Son has cleansed the elect with His own precious blood and made them holy. God the Holy Spirit has sanctified them, quickened them together with Christ, and called them to salvation that they all ‘should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light’.

Amen

Hymn 104

Righteousness Imputed. Rom. 3. 22, 25; 4. 24; 2 Cor. 5. 19

J. Hart                                    8.3.

1
Righteousness to the believer,
Freely given, comes from heaven,
God himself the giver.

2
Christ has wrought this mighty wonder;
God and man by him can
Meet, and never sunder.

3
All the law in human nature
He fulfilled; reconciled
Creature and Creator.

4
Every one, without exemption,
That believes, now receives
Absolute redemption.

5
[Robes of righteousness imputed,
White and whole, clothe the soul,
Each exactly suited.]

6
’Tis a way of God’s own finding;
’Tis his act, and the pact
Cannot but be binding.

7
Here is no prevarication;
Justice stands, and demands
Full and free salvation.

Hymn 932

“The streams … make glad the city of God.” Ps. 46. 4

T. Kelly             8.7.4.

1
See, from Zion’s sacred mountain,
 Streams of living water flow;
 God has opened there a fountain,
 That supplies the plains below;
 They are blessèd
 Who its sovereign virtues know.

2
Through ten thousand channels flowing,
 Streams of mercy find their way;
 Life, and health, and joy bestowing,
 Making all around look gay;
 O believer!
 All thy sins are washed away.

3
Gladdened by the flowing treasure,
 All enriching as it goes;
 Lo, the desert smiles with pleasure,
 Buds and blossoms as the rose;
 Every sinner
 Sings for joy where’er it flows.

4
Trees of life the banks adorning,
 Yield their fruit to all around,
 Those who eat are saved from mourning;
 Pleasure comes and hopes abound;
 Fair their portion!
 Endless life with glory crowned.

Righteousness is a free gift from God. Righteousness is imputed to sinners for their justification and imparted in the new creation. Jesus Christ is the Lord our righteousness and all who are in Him are pure and perfect in the new man as He is pure and perfect in us.