James (epistles)

Sunday, 18 August 2019

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7

James, having just quoted the proverb which says that God resists the proud but that He gives grace to the humble, now shows how to practically work that precept out. Starting out with, “Therefore,” is given to show this, and also to sum up the other precepts he stated, such as that the person who wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

These things lead naturally to the need for instruction concerning what to do in order to be pleasing to God. And so he says, “Therefore, submit to God.” The word conveys the idea of subjection. Vincent’s Word Studies says –

“The verb means to place or arrange under; as resist (James 4:6) is to array against. God sets himself in array against the proud; therefore, array yourselves under God, that ye may withstand the devil.”

One can see a connection to what Paul says in Ephesians 6:10, 11 here –

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

And this is what James continues to convey. There is a war against the devil going on. Paul gives his insights into this, and James does so as well. He says, “Resist the devil.” This is standing against him and what he puts before us in this fallen world. Because he is working out his devices in this world, it explains why James said (as noted above) that friendship with the world is enmity with God. When we align ourselves with the world, we align ourselves with what the devil offers.

In this, the believer is to make a public and conspicuous stand against what the devil offers, holding fast to the ground on which he should stand, which is the word of God and faith in Christ Jesus. In such a state of mind and with such firm conviction, James says of the devil that “he will flee from you.”

This is what Jesus did in His times of being tempted by the devil. He stood on the word of God and in the glorification of His Father. He prevailed over the devil by resisting him and standing fast. The contrast between Adam and Christ is recorded in Scripture to give us examples that we are to learn from. We can allow our old Adamic nature to rule in us, or we can allow Christ’s nature to rule in us.

Life application: By having a relationship with the world, we place ourselves in a position of enmity with God. But James gives us the remedy, which is to submit ourselves to God. One might think this applies to the general sense of looking up and praying to the unknown Creator as people of any faith would do – but the initial problem of sin isn’t dealt with by “religion.” Instead, the problem is dealt with by Jesus Christ. This verse must be taken in the Christian context. Buddhists, Muslims, etc. cannot bridge the divide by submission to a god that has failed to deal with the over-arching problem of sin.

Interestingly, “Islam” means submission, but it isn’t submission that brings restoration. Instead, the devil is still in complete control of them because the divide hasn’t been crossed.

Jesus – fully God and fully Man – can lay His hand on the Father and on each of us and restore felicity between the two. Once this is done, we need to continue to submit to God and resist the devil all our days. As we do so, the devil will be on the run. When covered by the precious blood of Christ and living in the power of the Holy Spirit, the devil has no way to lay hold on us. The great power of God in Christ causes him to “Run devil,,, ruuuuun” in the opposite direction. Forrest Gump couldn’t run any faster.

If you have come to Christ, then you have the power and force needed to resist the devil. Rely on the Holy Spirit to lead you, protect you, and give you wisdom in dealing with the devil. On your own, you will only live in the flesh and at enmity with God.

Heavenly Father, thank You so very much for the gift of Your Holy Spirit! Give us the wisdom to rely on Him and His power as we walk in this darkened world. May He protect us from the afflictions of the devil and carry us safely through our earthly walk until we come to that heavenly abode that we long to see – the place where Your glory dwells. Amen.

Saturday, 17 August 2019

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

The difficulty of the previous verse is more surely resolved in the words of this verse. As was seen, it is highly debated if the “spirit” referred to in the previous verse was that of man, or if it was speaking of the Holy Spirit. As James is speaking to “brethren,” and as he is referring to “adulteresses,” which implies being in a covenant relationship (because one cannot be an adulteress otherwise), then the previous verse was surely referring to the Holy Spirit.

Having that clarified, James then says of God, “But he gives more grace.” The thought here is based on what he has said already. Because God is jealous, and because we are in a covenant relationship with Him which provokes that jealousy when we stray, one would expect His hand of stern discipline to come down upon us. But instead, because of His love for those who have come to Him, and in whom His Spirit dwells, He is willing to extend us grace when we redirect ourselves toward Him and away from that which is contrary to rightly worshiping Him.

With this understood, James then writes, “Therefore He says.” James now will cite scripture to support his line of reasoning concerning the whole passage thus far. “Therefore” is a way of summing up the way to deal with such things. Knowing this, he next cites the proverbs. This is a citation of Proverbs 3:34. The Hebrew of this proverb says –

“Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.” Proverbs 3:34

James cites not the Hebrew, but the Greek translation. It is a word for word citation. The difference between the Hebrew and Greek is minimal. Those who are “proud” are often “scornful” of God’s chosen path. Therefore, the meaning between the Hebrew and Greek is not drastically changed.

What James is saying is that by dropping one’s prideful attitude, and by pursuing the course laid out by God rather than that of this world, God’s grace can and will be fully realized. This thought looks to the working of the Spirit in the person when he is walking as He should in the covenant relationship with God.

Peter also cites this same proverb in 1 Peter 5:5. In his words, he is also speaking to saved believers and how they should conduct themselves before the elders and towards one another, but more especially how they should humble themselves “under the mighty hand of God.” James and Peter are in one accord concerning this precept.

Life application: Throughout the ages, man has fallen short of the glory of God. Even after the coming of Christ and the forgiveness of sins through His precious blood, man continues to falter and fall into sin – but He gives more grace.

There is no end to the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. And no sin you commit after trusting in Him can ever separate you again from the bonds of adoption – because He gives more grace.

Have you struggled with something that you feel is hindering your walk with God? Don’t try to hide it, He knows full well your limitations and… He gives more grace. Hand your weakness over to Him and ask Him to walk with you during the struggle. He will because… He gives more grace. When you demonstrate your humility through confession and supplication, God is pleased to lavish His grace upon you. Humility opens the doors of heaven to the children of God and restores God’s favor on you.

But God opposes the proud. This is the very reason why Christ Jesus is the only way to salvation. Confessing “Jesus is Lord” means that a person has said, “I can’t do it; I can’t save myself.” At the moment one comes to this realization and calls out, by faith, on the name of Jesus then God is pleased to give the unmerited favor – the grace – that we so desperately need.

At the same moment, God gives us mercy by forgiving us of our transgressions and sins. Unfortunately, if we fail to come to this point, God’s wrath remains and only an expectation of judgment and condemnation is left. If you have called on Jesus and are again stuck in the bonds of sin – call out for help to the Lord. He gives more grace. Thanks be to God – He gives more grace.

Heavenly Father, we surely need Your grace. When we called on Jesus, we knew we were lost. Since then, we have failed You in a million ways. But we know Your grace is greater than all our sins. Cleanse us anew with the precious and eternally purifying blood of our Lord. And we will endeavor to please You all of our days. Amen.

Friday, 16 August 2019

Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? James 4:5

The words of James 4:5 are highly debated, and manuscripts and translations vary widely in what is stated. Some say that the spirit referred to is the spirit of man. Others say it is referring to the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit, some say that the Spirit “lusts against envy,” thus tying it in with Galatians 5:17 –

“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

In other words, this view says that the Spirit “lusts against” or wars against envy which is a fleshly emotion. Others will say (as the NKJV) that “the Spirit who dwells in us years jealousy.” The meaning is that because we are sealed with the Spirit, there is a yearning for us to do that which is right and that the “Spirit which He implanted yearns tenderly over us” (Cambridge).

On the other hand, if it is speaking of the spirit in man (not the Holy Spirit), then one might agree with Albert Barnes –

“The more obvious interpretation is to refer it to our spirit or disposition as we are by nature, and it is equivalent to saying that we are naturally prone to envy.”

The Aramaic Bible would agree with Barnes –

“And perhaps you think the Scripture says in vain, ‘The spirit that dwells within us lusts with jealousy.’”

The first main problem lies in the fact that James begins with, “Or do you think that Scripture says in vain.” The dilemma with this is that there is no verse which can be cited as the source for this. However, the Greek term used, hē graphē, is always used to indicate a quote from the recognized Jewish canon, with the exception of Peter speaking of Paul’s words and equating them to Scripture.

Many attempts to resolve this have been made, one is that it is a general principle found throughout Scripture, and not any specific quote. The noun, however, is singular, implying one quote from a single part of Scripture. For every suggested answer, there is a corresponding difficulty which seems to speak against it. Thus, there are many translations.

One thing is for certain, James is writing to fellow believers. This can be seen, again, in verse 4:11 where he notes that they are “brethren.” Further, one cannot be an adulteress (see previous verse) if that person is not married to a husband. If believers are married, they have a sign of that union. For them, that sign is the Holy Spirit. It was given first at Pentecost, and it comes to any believer since then as a seal and guarantee (Ephesians 1:13, 14) when he believes.

What makes the most sense, simply because of the context (being married to the Lord and having the seal of the marriage) is that this is speaking of the Holy Spirit in us, and that it is yearning jealousy over our actions.

This would then explain the first part of the verse concerning what the Scripture says. The Lord, again and again in the Old Testament, refers to His jealous nature. It doesn’t need to be referring to all of Scripture (meaning the noun must be plural) such as, “as it is written in the Scriptures.” Rather, it can simply be referring to any single occasion, such as –

“They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger.” Deuteronomy 32:16

In this, it then would be an obvious reference to the fact that the Spirit is God; a member of the Trinity. The same God who yearned jealously over the people of Israel due to their adulterous ways now yearns jealously within each saved believer who acts in an adulterous manner. This view on James’ words is in accord with what will next be stated by him.

Life application: Surprisingly enough, this is a good verse for getting doctrine concerning the Spirit straight – not just on the issue of jealousy, but in other areas as well. God caused the Spirit to live in us. This, when taken in context, shows that the Spirit indwells the believer. Paul says this occurs the moment we believe –

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13

There is no “separate” baptism of the Holy Spirit and there is no sign necessary to know that He resides in you (such as a specific “prayer language”). The believer is given the Holy Spirit by faith in Christ.

Another area this verse deals with indirectly is eternal salvation. If we have the Spirit of God living in us and He envies intensely, then it implies that despite our failings, He never leaves us. As Hebrews says, Jesus is the author of “eternal salvation.” The Holy Spirit will never depart the believer in Christ. As this is so, shouldn’t we live in a manner that honors God rather than bringing about discipline for our envy, selfish ambition, strife, and other wayward conflicts?

Take time today to reflect on the nature of your salvation and the eternal rewards that it implies.

Great Lord and God! Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit and thank You that He will never leave us once we have trusted in the work of Jesus. Because of Jesus’ cross, we are free from condemnation and we live with Your presence ever within us! Glory to You in the highest. Amen.

Thursday, 14 August 2019

Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4

There is a difference between source texts here –

Adulterers and adulteresses! (NKJV, et al)

You adulteresses! (BSB, et al)

The latter of the two is probably correct. Somewhere along the line, someone not understanding the uses of the feminine probably added in the masculine. But James is speaking to the believers in Christ who comprise His bride. In Matthew 12:39, Jesus uses similar terminology and equates the people of Israel as a “wicked and adulterous generation.” It implies that they are like an unfaithful wife.

The word translated as “adulteresses” is exactingly translated. It signifies not only a married woman who commits adultery, but it also speaks of people who worship any other than the true God. The same terminology is used of Israel throughout the Old Testament. The adulterous nature of the people against their Husband is highlighted.

James shows that this continues on in the body of believers in Messiah. Even Paul alludes to the bridal covenant, speaking of the Gentiles who are included in it, as a group who are espoused to a husband (2 Corinthians 11:2). Once espoused, the one so espoused is obligated to the betrothal and bears the full responsibility of fidelity.

With the terminology rightly understood, James then asks, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” The “friendship with the world” speaks of placing the things of the world in a position above one’s allegiance to the Lord. A spouse is to put her affections on her husband first and foremost. If she spends her time chasing after other men, she is failing to commit to her husband.

This does not mean that people cannot interact with the world around them. Paul makes that perfectly clear in 1 Corinthians 5 –

“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. ¹⁰ Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹ But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.”

What is obvious from Paul’s words, is that there are two ways that a believer may approach the world around him. The first is living in the world, associating with it, and using it in a manner which is customary to all human interaction. Nothing is forbidden in this. However, the second way is for the believer to act as the world acts. He lists such ways – sexual immorality, covetousness, idolatry, reviling, drunkenness, being an extortioner, etc. The latter are acting as an unfaithful bride because they are placing a higher priority on what the world offers than on their allegiance to the Lord.

But note that Paul calls them believers, and he later says they are “inside,” meaning of the body which is the bride. He does not call into question their status, position, or salvation, but he does call into question their allegiance. For this, they will be judged – not for condemnation, but for reward and loss.

James next states explicitly, “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” He shows that intent is equal to act. It is the heart which is being evaluated. It is not necessary for a person to actually be a friend of the world to be at enmity with God. Rather, whoever “wants to be” has already set the wall between himself and God. This is what Israel desired, and it is even what they did, but the Lord said that despite their ways, as a Husband He would cause it to cease. Follow the similarity in terminology in Ezekiel to what James is saying here –

“Thus says the Lord God: ‘Are you defiling yourselves in the manner of your fathers, and committing harlotry according to their abominations? ³¹ For when you offer your gifts and make your sons pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols, even to this day. So shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I will not be inquired of by you. ³² What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’” Ezekiel 20:30-32

As is evidenced, Israel did – in fact – commit harlotry against the Lord. But the Lord, rather than rejecting Israel forever, twice sent her into exile. And yet, in her exile, He has remained faithful to the covenant which He established with them. What occurs with Israel is a type and picture of how God deals with all of those who come to Him in faith through the New Covenant. We may, in fact, commit harlotry against the Lord, but He will treat us in the New Covenant as He continues to treat Israel under the Old, meaning with perfect faithfulness.

Our friendship with the world does not bring about our excision from the body. But it does bring us into temporal judgment in this world, and it will bring us into negative judgment at the Bema Seat of Christ – a judgment of reward and loss. It is a judgment of salvation, not for condemnation.

James’ words do not speak of a loss of salvation, but what is a proper standing of believers before God. In the coming verses, this will become painfully evident to those who believe that Christians can lose their salvation.

Life application: One should not get upset at James because of his tone. He is writing as if he were an honest pastor speaking to his audience – in general, but direct, terms. What is being said applies to all of us, but he is not simply pointing his finger at everyone else and claiming superiority over them. His point is that the envy and selfish ambition he describes shows a love of the world – the system of the world and all it entails. This would be different than the “world” mentioned in John 3:16 which speaks of the people of the world. When we put the love of the world ahead of our love for God, we are – by nature – at enmity with Him.

As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 concerning money, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Devotion to God must be absolute. However, it doesn’t mean removing yourself from the world. This is what monks and other ascetics do, but the Bible doesn’t teach this either. We are to live in the world but not be “of” the world. We can freely use what is around us, but it is temporary and passing away. Putting our hope in things rather than God separates us from intimacy with Him. What is stealing your joy? If it is a material possession, then you need to let it go because you have lost your focus on God. In all things, remember to put God first and not be distracted by things of the world.

Lord God, we must admit that Your word often speaks directly of us. We often get sidetracked by the things of the world, and we even allow them to steal our joy. In the end, such things only separate us from intimacy with You, so please help us to keep our eyes, hearts, and thoughts on You at all times. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Wednesday, 14 August 2019

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:3

James just said, “…you do not have because you do not ask.” Now, implying that the person has asked, he continues with, “You ask and do not receive.” He is developing his words from one thing to the next in order to show how all things must be in accord with the will of God.

We fight after what we want and we don’t receive it. We have asked for it, but we do not obtain it because the same spirit of coveting existed in our asking as existed in our fighting for what we desired. He says that not receiving (meaning from the Lord) occurs “because you ask amiss.”

The word translated as “amiss” is an adverb which signifies that which is evil – “You ask evilly.” He then defines that by saying, “that you may spend it on your pleasures.” The intent behind the prayer is not that which is godly. Rather, it is self-seeking, and it is worldly.

He again uses the word hédoné from verse 4:1. It is a worldly pleasure with a strongly negative connotation. It is pleasure that is made an end in itself. When asking something from the Lord which is contrary to the nature of the Lord, it is obvious that the request will not be granted by Him.

In these words of James, it appears that what he says contradicts what Jesus says in Matthew 7:7, 8 –

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

However, Jesus elsewhere clarifies this, such as in Matthew 21:22. One must have faith in what they ask for. James, under inspiration of the Spirit, also now qualifies what is stated. Not only are we to have faith that what we request will come about, but we are to have our requests in line with the nature and will of God. Unfortunately, people take single verses of Scripture, such as Matthew 7:7, and they build entire doctrines around them without taking into consideration the whole body of Scripture.

Life application: God is infinitely gracious. It is in His very nature to bestow on His children the things they desire and especially the things they need. However, we tend to ask for things we do not need and with the wrong motives as well.

“Oh Lord, I really need a cell phone.” The fact is that a few short years ago, there was no such thing as a cell phone. For six thousand years, man got along just fine without them. Some people still do. Is the cell phone needed, or is the desire to have one based on a misdirected desire? Intent drives the appropriate nature of the request.

“Oh Lord, I really want to retire at 65.” Until the age of Social Security, people worked until they couldn’t work anymore, regardless of age. After that, families pulled together and took care of the elderly. People who retired at a set age, such as 65, were the exception and not the rule. Now we want to retire at 65 and spend many golden years playing golf. What is our motivation for retirement at a specific age?

Often, these aren’t true needs, but depending on how we prioritize them, they may merely be our selfish desires. The vast majority of what we pray for is exactly that, something to fulfill our wish list. Selfless prayers ask for other’s needs to be met, for peaceable living in our circumstances, and for our own daily bread. Above all, selfless prayers ask that God is glorified through our lives; regardless of level of wealth, location of home, or amount of free time to play.

In all ways, may Jesus Christ be seen in our lives and exalted in the eyes of those who see us. And, may He be the Lord over everything we have, do, and interact with. When we pray for Jesus to be the recipient of glory in the meeting of our needs, we will receive the thing which will accomplish this; in abundance. He is infinitely worthy; so at the end of every prayer of request, make sure you add in a thought that asks for Him to be glorified through the petition.

Lord, our hearts are heavy for those around us; may You bless them. Lord our stomachs need to be filled; may You fill them. Lord, our nations’ leaders have strayed from Your word; please restore them to right sense and turn them back to it. But, Lord, in all that we ask for may You be glorified above all else. Amen.