Yes. The Greek in
James 3:15 is οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη, ἀλλὰ
ἐπίγειος, ψυχική, δαιμονιώδης, which translated literally is "earthly, soulish,
demonic." When combined with his statement that the tongue is "being set on fire by Hell" (φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης) it is very obvious what he was implying here. The tongue of Christians can be manipulated by demons to speak curses and slanders over their brethren rather than blessings (
James 3:10).
Well, James actually spells out what he meant in
James 3:15 in the verses just preceding, and after, it:
James 3:14-16
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
"
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks," Jesus said (
Luke 6:45), and this is what James confirmed in the passage above. Jealousy and selfish ambition - attitudes of the heart - give rise to arrogance, lying, disorder and every evil thing. Yikes! When a person uses their tongue to speak "deadly poison," cursing others, they reveal the content of their heart, influenced by the demonic as James said, that will produce "disorder and every evil thing."
The highlighted phase is speaking of a body of believers becoming spiritually defiled by constant infighting, which is what he will be discussing when he gets to Chapter 4. But the question then becomes, in what way specifically would demons defile the body of a congregation, and to what extent?
I have my own position, but since you are more discerning, I assume you will know I am not talking about full on demonic possession.
Blessings in Christ, and thanks for the response.
In what way would the demonic "defile the body of a congregation"? I think James gives us a hint: "
earthly, sensual (soulish), demonic."
A congregation under the influence of the demonic grows occupied with earthly things.
Philippians 3:18-19
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
What is it to "mind earthly things"? Paul offered a helpful contrast:
Philippians 3:20 (NASB)
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
Colossians 3:1-4 (NASB)
1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
A congregation that is set upon earthly things is not occupied with eternity and the glory that is to come, investing in the present in things that are eternal and heavenly, but is busy seeking "your best life now" and all the material but temporary comforts and things those "whose god is their belly" seek after.
I prefer the rendering of
psuchikos in
James 3:15 as "sensual" or "natural," especially in light of those Jude described as sensual/natural who are as follows:
Jude 1:4 (NASB)
4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:8 (NASB)
8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.
Jude 1:12-13 (NASB)
12 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted;
13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.
Jude 1:16 (NASB)
16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.
Jude 1:18-19 (NASB)
18 that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts."
19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.
A congregation of people who have the demonic among them will be characterized by the sorts of things James and Jude described: licentiousness, selfish feasting (their belly is their god), shamelessness about the shameful (
Romans 1:28-32), and the pursuit of ungodly lusts (among other things). Jude also indicated that grumbling, advantage-seeking flattery, mockery, divisiveness, rebellion toward authority, filthy dreaming, and sensuality would mark such a congregation, too. All of these things express carnality, a preoccupation with the flesh and its impulses, a desire for stimulation of the physical senses. In extreme cases, this looks like "toking the Spirit," or "Spirit-soaking," or "worship raves," or being "slain in the Spirit"; it looks like worship that purposefully excites the emotions, mistaking high feelings for spirituality; it looks like adulterous/fornicating, or homosexual, pastors; it looks like useless wrangling, and church factions at war with each other, and slanderous gossip; it looks like worldly, seeker-sensitive churches, and split churches, and closed churches.
Many years ago, I attended a downtown church in my city that was a perfect example of a church in which the demonic had got a foothold. The service started with a young, busty, peroxide-blonde woman in a skin-tight, red, tube-dress, in matching stilettos strutting out onto the stage singing a Sass Jordan song! As a young, single guy at the time, my thoughts were not on God as she bounced around, belting out her totally godless tune, every curve and crevice of her form on vivid display. This was followed by a guy reading the lyrics of a song by the pop singer, Sting, that had nothing whatever to do with the Lord. And so it went, the pastor eventually preaching a sermon that was weak as water spiritually. Ugh. I never went back.
A congregation "defiled by the demonic" may also be outright demonic. For example, pagan meditation/visualization may be made a part of the "worship service"; or New Age ideas, like "The Law of Attraction," or spirit-travel, may be taught from the pulpit; or the congregation may be encouraged to see themselves as beings ascending to divinity, little demi-gods on their way to full equality with their Creator; or they may even be taught that God is the Evil One, keeping the best things from humanity, and the devil is the righteous Truth Teller (see
Genesis 3:1-5).
