Wisdom and Faith

Now, if any of you lacks wisdom ask God the one giving generously to all and not asking with reproach and it will be given him. Now, ask in faith without thoroughly judging for the one thoroughly judging is like a sea wave driven by the wind and tossed about. (James 1:5-6)

Ask God for wisdom, without judging according to circumstances of this world but ask with the right mindset, in faith believing it will be done. Now picture what is happening here, there is a trial going on, endurance and wisdom are needed, and to have wisdom so to endure one must ask of God and ask in faith. This intrinsically connects receiving the wisdom of God with faith in overcoming the trial. Maturity, James writes is the outcome of the work of endurance and the fruit of maturity is wholeness, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-5). 

Maturity produces a "lacking in nothing," thus the statement "if any of you lacks wisdom ask God" ties maturity to receiving wisdom from God. Certainly not a wisdom of the world. The intended work of endurance is maturity, thus wisdom from God is needed to endure unto maturity. In the parable of soils one doesn't endure because they do not have deep roots or they are choked out by thorns. God, who did not hold back the giving of His Son, will graciously give us all things. (Romans 8:32). So ask our gracious Father, but ask in faith with the right mindset, so to be brought into wholeness, lacking in nothing, a maturity that brings us into fullness in Christ.

until we all attain unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto mature adulthood, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ... (Ephesians 4:12-13)

Maturity is a purpose of the Church, to grow up the body in the knowledge of Jesus, into mature adulthood, into the fullness of Christ. Why is this needed? so that we are no longer children tossed to and fro in every wind of doctrine in human cunning, in craftiness, towards deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14). Certainly, it is the work of the devil to keep God's children from growing up. So the person James speaks of "like a sea wave driven by the wind and tossed about" is the same as the one who has not grown into mature adulthood in the knowledge of Jesus? And if the purpose of the church is to provide such growth, who is to blame? The child being a child or those who call themselves mature but neglect growth, or possibly they themselves are really children themselves or worse false?

Jesus is the light of the glorious knowledge of God and he is wisdom from God, and in him we grow in the knowledge of God.* Many of Paul's prayers for the Church are directed toward this spiritual growth in Christ.*

... ask God, the one giving generously to all and not with reproach and it will be given him. Now, ask in faith without judging...

The word reproach ὀνειδίζω (oneidizō) means to heap insults on, denounce, find fault, rebuke; to censure; to reproach or revile. It is often translated as demanding, which surely it can be said demanding something from God is not the right way to receive from God. Webster defines it as the act or action of reproaching or disapproving; to attribute blame to.*  Blaming God, disapproving of what is happening as God's fault. Blaming circumstances or others. 

This is a big issue in our society in general today. I believe a reason for such division in our country and in our politics is because we look outwardly judging others instead of looking inwardly, looking intently into the truth. This is not of faith but is judging according to earthly circumstances. 

Another snare of the devil in receiving wisdom is focusing on the justifiable wrong done to us. Or when we neglect holiness, or when a root of bitterness defiles because we forfeit grace (Hebrews 12:14-15). 

Also, we will struggle in the trial if we have been taught a false gospel of earthly prosperity. We will say things like why God is this happening to me? I thought you loved me and I was told if I gave money and served and did good works I would receive a hundredfold in return but now I've lost my business, my job, my health... It is a trial, an affliction, suffering, and if we look or judge according to the circumstances of this world and do not look through faith we will not endure.

 The scriptures say we will suffer for Christ. The thorns and weeds the devil planted are there for this very reason, to choke us with the anxiety and cares of this world, including persecution... (Matthew 13:21-26) But the one who has grown deep roots in good soil, who hears and understands the word, who asks for wisdom from God, asking in faith, will grow up to bear fruit. 

Now, ask in faith without thoroughly judging for the one thoroughly judging is like a sea wave agitated by the wind and tossed about." (James 1:5-6)

The word for "thoroughly judging" is διακρίνω (diakrinō, from diá, "thoroughly back-and-forth," which intensifies krínō, "to judge") which gives us the definition of a double-minded person, he goes back and forth from faith to judging according to the earthly circumstances. Certainly, this includes doubt which is διστάζω (distazō) and unbelief which is ἀπιστία (apistia) which ties us into this thought that if we are lacking wisdom ask God.

Thus even if we lack in faith ask God, like the man who said to Jesus "I believe, help my unbelief." Romans 4 is good to help us understand this. God had promised Abraham to make him the father of many nations through his wife Sarah, but being a hundred years old and Sarah barren, Abraham and Sarah thought to have a son through their maidservant. But the faith of Abraham overcame such judging according to his circumstances.

[Abraham] not thoroughly judging (diakrinō) the unbelief to the extent of the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, also fully convinced because what God had promised, existing powerfully able to do (Romans 4:19-22). 

Having the faith of Abraham, is basically what James writes, do not judge according to unbelief during the trial, suffering, affliction, persecution, but be strengthened in faith, look intently into the truth, see by faith to what God has promised and be fully convinced that He is able to do, and you will endure. 

If anyone lacks wisdom from God, ask in faith looking to Jesus the author and perfecter of faith. Abraham could be fully confident of God's word because he was strengthened in the faith which exists assurance and proof, he could hope against hope as faith exists hope, existing these things unseen.* In the trial, ask God for wisdom, asking in faith, so that you lack in nothing. 

For this exists the love of God so that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome... (1 John 5:3). 

"For this exists the love of God so that we keep his commandments" is to say the love of God is fulfilled in us when we obey His commands.* "When we bear fruit, after being deeply rooted, and growing up truth in love, the love of God is fulfilled." Why does John say it is not a burden to obey his commands? "Because everyone born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world, that our faith. Who is it that conquers the world, if not the one believing because Jesus exists the Son of God!" (2 John 5:3-5). The strength comes not from us but because we are in Christ. I will conquer because Jesus has made me his own! How can I obey his commands? Ask God, ask in faith, he is powerfully able to do above all that we ask, think, or imagine.    

... so that you are filled to the extent all the fullness of God. Now, the one powerfully able to do abundantly above all that we ask or imagine accordingly of the effective power in us... (Ephesians 3:20-21) 

God wants to bring us into fullness in Christ, a wholeness, lacking in nothing, not an earthly prosperity, but the wellness of our soul. Paul prays that God grants us from the riches of his glory, his might and power through the Spirit in our inner being, Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith, rooted and grounded in love so that we have the strength to lay hold together with all the saints the breadth, length, height, and depth, so to know the love of Christ so that we are filled to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:13-19). We see here how the love of God brings us into the fullness of God. 

To be filled to all the fullness of God, God is able to do above all that we ask or imagine. This lacking in nothing, wholeness, this fullness is the goal, so within the trial ask for wisdom from God, asking in faith, and if you struggle do not judge according to unbelief but be strengthened in faith until you believe God will do as he has promised, and you will receive wisdom from God.