James (written)

Saturday, 8 June 2019

…he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:8

In this verse, James describes the man who doubts when asking for wisdom. Such a person is “a double-minded man.” The word translated as double-minded is unique to James, being used here and in verse 4:8. It signifies someone who is undecided about things. He can’t make up his mind and thus cannot commit to anything, whether sound or not. In the Old Testament, the heart is used as a metaphor for the mind. Thus, the same type of thought is conveyed in Psalm 12 –

“They speak idly everyone with his neighbor;
With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.” Psalm 12:2

In the case of the one James is describing, it is not referring to one who is deceitful, just vacillating and unsure.

Further, James says he is “unstable in all his ways.” The word translated as “unstable” is another word unique to James, being found here and in verse 3:8. It signifies someone who is not constant in his attitudes and actions because he is double-minded. What this is speaking of is a person who is this way by nature, not necessarily in his prayers for wisdom. Such an attitude defines him. A person with this attitude will be this way in both his requests for wisdom and in his expectation concerning the approval of his requests. It is a pointless mindset which will result in no positive response from the Lord.

Here is why –

1) A person asks God for wisdom.
2) The very fact that one asks God for wisdom supposes that he believes in God.
3) If the One being petitioned is all-knowing, then the wisdom provided will be suitable to the request.
4) Therefore, the person who doubts such wisdom and continues to fret over the possible outcomes is double-minded.

In this scenario, the person is demonstrating a complete lack of faith in the Creator. The future is His responsibility. What is given for today is sufficient for today. It is for this reason that worry, in particular, is so damaging to a relationship with God. He asks us to trust that He is going to handle our lives in the appropriate way. The wisdom He gives us for today will be sufficient for the here and now, but if we doubt it then how can God find pleasure in us?

Life application: Trust isn’t easy to come by – particularly between humans. But trusting is what establishes relationships. God has given us His word and asks us to trust that it is sufficient. When we doubt the promises of the Bible, then there is a rift in our relationship with the One who gave it in the first place. Think it through and you will see that all things occur by His providence and for His purposes. We simply need to trust this is so.

Don’t be double-minded by calling on God and then doubting Him or by worrying about what belongs to Him. Instead, have faith that He is in control.

Lord God, you know our weaknesses when it comes to trusting You. You also know that we can’t see the future, which is yet unknown to us. Therefore, help us to direct our hearts, faith, and future to the care of Your hands – without doubt or worry – knowing that You have all things in Your control. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Friday, 7 June 2019

For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; James 1:7

James now explains what a person who fails to ask for wisdom in faith is like. He had just said for a person to “ask in faith, with no doubting.” For one who doesn’t ask in faith and who does doubt, he says, “For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.”

Who would go to a bank, fill out all the paperwork for a loan, and then hand the paperwork to the loan officer unless he thought there was a chance of getting a loan? It would be a waste of time and energy to do so. How much more then should a person have faith in God, who knows all things and who can do all things. And how much more should he ask without doubting when he is told in advance in God’s word that he will receive the wisdom necessary for the trial at hand! But, as it says in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him.”

Faith is the key to salvation. Christ has done the work, and He offers life to us by grace through faith. Likewise, faith is the key to receiving the wisdom needed for each trial we face.

Life application: This is a chronic problem with us. We receive godly instruction at church through sermons, Bible studies, or personal meetings and then we fail to believe the wisdom imparted to us.

Have you ever sat next to a family member in church who is going through a problem and the pastor speaks to that exact problem that very day? He now has the information necessary to make his decision and yet he doubts what he has heard. The reason why this is so offensive is that God has created him, He has given him His guidance in an obvious way, and then He simply asks him to have faith that what he has received will be sufficient. Instead, he goes home with his hands on his face in frustration – “Oh me, how will this all turn out?” This is the one “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” There is no anchor in such a life; there is no foundation for that soul.

Instead, he actually expects nothing from the Lord, and he will receive exactly what he expected…nothing. If this is you, don’t be overly disheartened. We all face doubts in our lives to varying degrees. But James says that as our faith grows we become mature and complete. There is an end to doubt and worry; there is an end to the tempest. It is found in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is found in the Bible.

This is why a daily study of the Bible is so important. Again and again, Jesus held the “word of God” and the “Scriptures” to the highest level. Why? Because those written prior to His coming point to Him, and those written after His coming explain what His coming means. Look for your firm foundation in its pages – you’ll find it under the name “Jesus.”

Glorious Heavenly Father, thank You for the wisdom You provide from Your word to meet our various trials and troubles. In the end, Your word speaks of Jesus, and so whether through life or death, if we are in Christ our Lord, we have the ultimate answer to our trials – life eternal because of Him. Thank You for this marvelous assurance. Amen.

Thursday, 6 June 2019

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

James just said that those who lack wisdom (speaking of during times of trial) should “ask of God, who gives to all liberally, and without reproach.” He now makes a statement concerning such a request that is a necessary part of it. When asking for this wisdom, the individual is to “ask in faith.”

First, in order to make a request of God, one must believe in God. Thus, the words are to be an act of faith in God. Many people who claim they don’t believe in God will cry out, “Oh God!” when something terrible happens. They may even ask for help at that time – “Oh God, what shall I do?” In essence, they are asking, “Oh God, give me wisdom.” However, they may simply be reaching out in desperation, not having faith that the God they have always denied will hear and respond.

Secondly, the request must be made properly. If one calls out, “Oh God of Islam, give me wisdom,” he is not calling out in faith to the true God. Because of this, no response should be expected from the true God. It would be contradictory for God to give the worshiper of a false religion a response to their petition.

Thirdly, even when someone believes in the true God, he still needs to have faith that his words to Him will be heard and responded to. God is pleased with the prayers of His people. In the case of asking for wisdom as noted in James, His word states that He will give it when it is asked of Him. However, the Bible elsewhere says –

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Therefore, in order for the request for wisdom to be effectual, it must be united with faith that God hears and that He will respond positively. This is in accord with the word of the Lord from the gospels. In Matthew 21:21, 22 we read –

“‘“So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. ²² And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”’”

This is not speaking specifically of wisdom, but the principle holds true to what He said to these disciples. A petition to the Lord must be accompanied by faith in order for it to be realized.

James then goes further and says that it should be a request in faith “with no doubting.” This is not speaking of a lack of faith, but rather the word signifies a “back and forth judgment.” In other words, there is to be no vacillating or doubting in the mind. In this, it reflects a firm conviction of “God has said this will be the case, and I accept that at face value. It will come to pass.” To not have this attitude would necessarily lead to a lack of accepting the wisdom which was afterward provided, and thus a mishandling of it.

To understand this, we can suppose that someone needs wisdom for a particular trial. He has faith that God will provide it, but he vacillates in whether it will meet the need or maybe come up short, or maybe it will be wrong for the circumstances of the situation (and etc.). If God were to give the wisdom needed to handle the trial while the same vacillating attitude existed, the person would still likely say, “I’m not sure that this is what God intended for me to consider in this matter.”

The vacillating in the request has naturally led to a doubting in the reception of the response. Thus, it would be pointless for God to provide His wisdom to the person in such a circumstance. And this is because, as James says, “for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”

The Greek words translated as “driven and tossed by the wind” are unique in Scripture. The first gives the sense of simply being blown by the wind, even the gentle winds. It reflects the person who is easily swayed and has no firm foundation. When the winds blow, he is moved. The second word means “to fan” or “to make a breeze.” It is a person who gets pushed around by the breezes. One blows north, and he goes north. Another pushes west, and he is pushed west. Thus, he is tossed about without direction. He is all over the place.

The imagery is found several times in Scripture. In the 107^th Psalm, the idea is beautifully expressed –

“For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
²⁶ They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
²⁷ They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And are at their wits’ end.
²⁸ Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
²⁹ He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.” Psalm 107:25-29

In Ephesians 4:14, Paul uses the imagery of someone who is unstable in his doctrine –

“…that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.”

The effects of bad doctrine are the same as the effects of praying for wisdom while doubting. One is blown and tossed about without direction. It is unproductive, and it is a wasteful use of that which God has provided.

Life application: James has told us to ask God for wisdom and it will be given. The context of the verse indicated that this wisdom is to help us understand, handle, and endure trials. With this in mind, James says that we need to ask in faith and not doubt. If you ask for wisdom in a trial and God provides it by showing you how to handle it, then it is up to you to take the step of following the wise path. As an example, but this applies to any situation, think on it from this perspective –

You have a disobedient child and don’t know how to handle him or her. You ask God for wisdom in how to handle the situation. You are told there are verses in Proverbs that will help out and you find this one –

“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of correction will drive it far from him.” Proverbs 22:15.

You also notice there are several other Proverbs which deal with this subject. Now, you have a couple choices. You can agree with the Bible and discipline your child in a godly manner; you can reject the Bible (which has been a standard of morality in society for thousands of years) and take the advice of someone who disagrees with spanking; or you can try to figure out your own method of restraining your child – which hasn’t worked so far!

God has given you the instruction which you asked for – take it. Don’t be like a wave which is tossed around by the wind, but stand firm on the Lord’s advice. God, who created you and your child, knows what is right and best for you. When you doubt, you demonstrate a lack of faith in His counsel. Take His advice and don’t be like a wave tossed by the wind.

Thank You Lord that the general issues of life addressed in the Bible can be applied to the specific issues of our lives. You have provided the wisdom; help us to accept it for what it is – divine guidance meant for our good and for Your glory. Help us not to waiver in our convictions when we receive Your wonderful counsel. Amen.

Wednesday, 5 June 2019

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

There is a missed conjunction in the translation. It should read, “And if any,” or, “But if any.” This is a necessary conjunction because it ties the verse in thought to the previous verse. Together, it should read –

“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ And (or But), if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

James has just said that through patience having its perfect work a person will lack nothing. However, lacking wisdom is lacking something. And so he implores his reader, if he is lacking wisdom, to “let him ask of God.”

Before asking of God for wisdom, the context needs to be maintained. What is the lack of wisdom which is being spoken of? It is concerning the facing of various trials which test the faith of an individual. The asking of God for wisdom, then, is concerning such a situation. As Albert Barnes notes, “…to enable them to bear them in a proper manner, for there is nothing in which Christians more feel the need of heavenly wisdom than in regard to the manner in which they should bear trials, and what they should do in the perplexities, and disappointments, and bereavements that come upon them.”

When wisdom is needed in such a situation, and it is then asked for of God, the individual is asking the One “who gives to all liberally and without reproach.” The structure of the Greek states this in such a way that the act of giving represents an attribute of God. It more literally reads, “Let him ask of the giving God.” The intent is, “God the giver.” It is a way of defining His very nature.

This is defined further by, “to all liberally and without reproach.” Because He is the Giver, there is no pretense in His giving. He gives because He is good, and thus there is no mixing in of any evil intent, desire for gain or recognition, or any other such thing. He purely and simply gives in order to bless those who have, by faith, come to Him for the needed wisdom. As this is so, James says, “and it will be given to him.”

The giving is tied into the asking. A need for wisdom is not to be anticipated if the need remains unexpressed. Like prayer, which such a request is a type of prayer, no response is to be expected when no request or petition is made. If a person is facing trials and says, “I need to work through this,” God is excluded. The granting of wisdom to rectify the situation is not to be expected, lest the individual be exalted in his own eyes through his own effort. The pattern holds true in salvation, prayer, and asking for wisdom. One must express his desire in order for it to be acted upon. When it is expressed, God will respond according to His wisdom, and in a manner which is appropriate to the situation.

Life application: James 1:5 is probably the most misquoted verse in the book of James. Almost always, it is cited by itself without the context of the surrounding verses. This is not a blanket granting of wisdom for any and all circumstances. As seen, it is a granting of wisdom for one who is facing trials. If you are facing trials and need to know how to properly respond to the situation, then you should lay your request before the Lord in anticipation of receiving the wisdom necessary to properly handle (not avoid) the situation.

Another point to keep in mind is that it is through the Bible that we understand God’s intent and purposes for our lives. It would be silly to neglect a study of it and then to expect to receive wisdom apart from it when things get difficult. Instead, it would make much more sense that the general answer to the dilemma is recorded somewhere there already. By praying for wisdom in the matter, we can normally expect that God has previously addressed it and that He will direct us to the place in His word where we can find the answer. As Deuteronomy 4:5, 6 says –

“Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. ⁶ Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’”

The more you study and know your Bible, the more you will be prepared for life’s trials. In the time of those trials, when your head may not be screwed on too tightly, we can ask God for wisdom and He will direct us to the passage we forgot during the stress of the moment. Then we can apply it to the particular issue which is generally addressed in His word.

Well Lord, we can see from Your word the importance of studying and knowing what Your word says. If we neglect it, we are neglecting the very source of wisdom You have made openly available to us. What a tragedy if we continue to neglect it. That is to our own hurt. Instead, may we desire to study and know it completely. Assist us in this goal – to Your glory. Amen.

Tuesday, 4 June 2019

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:4

Remember the progression of thought –

1) consider trials as pure joy;
2) because these test faith;
3) faith develops patience.

In this verse, we see what brings us to a state of fullness and maturity. This is not something which comes immediately, but rather it needs to be developed in us. As James says, “But let patience have its perfect work.” Being patient is a part of the process of being molded into what the Lord knows is right for us to be fully developed. Without it, we may possess faith, but our attitude during trials will inevitably be seen as inappropriate to the situation.

Without patience, the devil will find a place to wear us down and bring about an undesirable outcome. And so we are to not only consider trials as pure joy, but to continue to do so, even if they continue on without any seeming hope of their coming to an end. In this, the benefit is not only for us individually, but it is the Lord’s intent that our patient attitude will become an example for others to see and emulate. This is reflected in the words of David –

“I waited patiently for the Lord;
And He inclined to me,
And heard my cry.
² He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,
Out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock,
And established my steps.
³ He has put a new song in my mouth—
Praise to our God;
Many will see it and fear,
And will trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3

When we come to this point, we are lacking nothing in our faith. As James next says, we are to let patience work itself out so “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” The word translated as “perfect” is teleios. It signifies “full grown” or “of full age.” It is completion in all of its parts. It is what Jesus said in the beatitudes, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” There, the same word is used twice. Once it explains how we are to be, and then it reveals how our Father in heaven is.

We are to develop to such a state that we reflect the same maturity of person that is seen in our heavenly Father. It is a high calling indeed. The importance of patience is also spoken of directly in relation to the trials which were to be set before the disciples. Jesus said this to them –

“By your patience possess your souls.” Luke 21:19

Patience is something that reveals one of the aspects of God. He has patiently endured the troubles man has sent His way from the very beginning of our time on earth. And yet, he has preserved mankind despite our bent towards wickedness. As God is so very patient, we are called to be so too. This, so that we can be perfect and mature in His presence.

In these verses of James, a training technique known as an anadiplosis is used. It is a style of writing, using repetition, where the last word of a clause, sentence, or section is then repeated at the beginning of the next clause, sentence, or section. In James’ words, patience led to patience; perfect work led to perfect (in person); lacking nothing will lead to lacking wisdom; asking of the giving of God will lead to that being given; asking in faith and not doubting will lead to he who doubts. Pay attention to such literary devices as they will help you more fully understand what the author is revealing as he progresses.

Life application: What trial are you facing right now (or for even an extended period) in your life? Suppose you are facing a major health problem. This is testing your faith as you learn to trust the Lord in an issue that isn’t simply resolved by medicine or professional help.

As your faith in the Lord increases, you learn to persevere through this particular trial. But there is another important point to learn. All of the other matters which once seemed so burdensome no longer carry the same weight in your life. You learn to discern what is truly of value and that which is trivial in nature. Once you come to trust in, and rely on, the Lord in this manner, you have become a mature Christian. James says you are not lacking anything.

God is our Creator. When we trust Him completely in every way and in all issues, we come to the final point of our faith relationship. We come to rely on the One who we should have been relying on all along. He Created us, He is sustaining us even now, and He is aware of all things at all times. There is nothing that will come our way which is outside of His knowledge or ability to control. It took Job about 40 chapters of the Bible to fully realize that, but when he did he exclaimed –

“I know that You can do everything,
And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.” Job 42:2

As this is so, then why be troubled over difficulties in health, finances, relationships, or any other aspects of which you may have no control? He can handle them and He will in the way that is best. Have faith in His wisdom.

Lord, despite trials which are difficult, help us to persevere through them that our trust and faith in You will be built up to a perfect state. May we lack nothing in our faith as a testimony to our complete trust in Your splendid hand. In the end, may You receive the glory as we walk by faith in this world of trials and hardships. Amen.