Writings

Friday, 30 August 2019

Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. James 5:2

In the previous verse, James spoke of the miseries coming upon the rich. Here, he begins to describe what that entails, beginning with, “Your riches are corrupted.” The word sépó, translated as “corrupted,” is found only here in the New Testament. One can see a hint of the modern word “septic” in it. It signifies “to putrefy.” In it, there is a process of rotting and its associated negative happenings – smell, touch, taste, and sight are each brought into the equation.

The reason for this is that the wealth of the rich in ancient times did not only consist of metals and gems, but also of the storing up of food, wine, oil, garments, and etc. Jesus spoke of this type of amassed wealth in Luke 12 –

“‘“Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. ¹⁷ And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’” Luke 12:`6-19

Grains and the like, when they get damp, will begin to putrefy. Wine begins to turn to vinegar when its storage is improperly affected. Solomon speaks of the ruining of oil in Ecclesiastes 10:1 –

“Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment,
And cause it to give off a foul odor;
So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.”

As the rot – whatever type it might be – sets in, the taste, smell, feel, and sight of the once-valuable commodity is turned to corruption. It is good for nothing. James also says, “and your garments are moth-eaten.”

Today, this doesn’t really bother us as much as it did even a short time ago. Throughout history, people generally had very few garments. So important was the single garment of many individuals, that the Lord spoke out this in the Exodus 22:26, 27 –

“If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down. ²⁷ For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.”

The wealthy would have more garments, and of varying qualities and materials. However, they needed to be carefully stored to avoid being destroyed. These would be treated as precious commodities which could be traded or sold, and thus they were their own type of wealth. James shows that such wealth is transitory and can come to an end very quickly. Such sources of wealth that the rich man trusted in are actually not trustworthy at all.

Jesus spoke of exactly this, and where true wealth is –

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Life application: In this verse, and in the verses to come, James really goes on the attack against worldly wealth. The very thing most people treasure above all else is the thing that is often most fleeting. People who once possessed millions of dollars are found homeless and eating out of dumpsters. Wealthy traders have lost everything in a single afternoon leading them to jump out of their high-rise apartments rather than face poverty. Money simply cannot be relied on as a good indicator of what our status will be in 24 hours.

In the past, to flaunt flashy outfits was similar to flaunting lots of money. It showed an arrogance which, unfortunately, hasn’t changed even today. Instead, we put value in labels and designers. To wear something by a noted designer often leads to feelings of superiority over others. But James states that this type of attitude is shallow and reflects poor priorities. Instead of trusting in money or fancy clothing, let us trust wholeheartedly in the Lord – the Everlasting God.

Heavenly Father, we need forgiveness for our times of trusting in wealth, cars, clothing, or any other thing which is so temporary and uncertain. Give us wisdom to use these things without loving them; to enjoy them without clinging to them; and to trust in no earthly thing, but rather in You alone. This we ask that You will be glorified and that we will be found faultless in Your eyes. Amen.

Thursday, 29 August 2019

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! James 5:1

James now speaks in a manner similar to verse 4:13. There he said, “Come now, you who say…” Here he begins with, “Come now, you rich.” This is his way of calling to attention an error in thinking that needs to be corrected. In 4:13, it was to the boastful. Here, it is to the rich who trust that their riches mean they are in God’s favor, and/or that their riches will save them in the day of disaster. Both are decidedly errors in thinking. To show how true this is, he will continue with this thought until verse 5:6.

For those who are rich, he says, “weep and howl.” This is similar to what he has already said in verse 4:9, “Lament and mourn and weep!” James is showing that haughtiness in the Lord’s presence is unacceptable. As he later said, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” This is the same thought process that he will continue with here.

In this verse, the Greek more precisely reads, “weep, howling…” The thought is active and alive. The word translated as “weep” is the standard and common word signifying sobbing, or wailing aloud. However, the word for “howl” is used only here in Scripture, ololuzó. It is an onomatopoetic expression (the sound resembles what it signifies) which means to cry out audibly in order to express feelings which are too intense for mere words. One can think of the mid-eastern sound still made by Arabs today as they wail in agony or shriek for joy – olololololololo (or, ulululululululu).

James tells the rich to sob out and howl in this way because of “your miseries that are coming upon you!” For those who trust in riches, their end will be misery. This is a thought which echoes the words of the prophets. For example, Isaiah says of the coming judgment of Babylon –

“Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand!
It will come as destruction from the Almighty.” Isiah 13:6

Ezekiel shows the folly of believing there is value in being wealthy when the judgment of the Lord comes –

“They will throw their silver into the streets,
And their gold will be like refuse;
Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them
In the day of the wrath of the Lord;
They will not satisfy their souls,
Nor fill their stomachs,
Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity.” Ezekiel 7:19

Such imagery is found in numerous places in Scripture. This is now what James also begins to explain to those who are wealthy in the world, but who have not taken their state before the Lord into consideration.

Life application: One of the great mistakes of our society, and one from which Christians are not immune, is to make assumptions based on wealth:

1) God favors me because I’m rich.

2) I am important because I’m rich.

3) My wealth will save me during times of crisis.

On today’s TV, there are hosts of companies and commercials which speak of the security of gold. But when the ball drops and the economy collapses, that gold will be useless – just as it was in Ezekiel’s time.

What is the time of the Lord’s wrath? Read the terrifying words of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. Such was the case for the Lord’s wrath upon Israel, and such will be the case on a worldwide scale someday. They are words so appalling that despite the gruesome horror of movies we may sit and watch, those shows can’t even compare to the reality of God’s wrath –

“The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her delicateness and sensitivity, will refuse to the husband of her bosom, and to her son and her daughter, ⁵⁷ her placenta which comes out from between her feet and her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of everything in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress you at all your gates.” Deuteronomy 28:56, 57

Horror lies ahead for those who fail to come to Christ and to be healed from their lives of sin. If you are trusting in wealth, gold and silver, or fancy objects, then your trust is in vain. Weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Instead, be secure in the joyous covering of Christ and in the hope of the rapture of the saints. Those left behind will face unimaginable sorrow.

Lord Jesus, may our souls delight in You alone. May our very lives be dedicated to You and Your service. And Lord, may our eyes never stray from Your glory to any lesser object – no, not even gold or gems. All wealth is perishing, and a trust in riches is vanity. But for those who place their trust in You, there is safety and life. Thank You for the hope of life that we possess because of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Wednesday, 28 August 2019

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17

The words here are not unlike those of Paul in Romans 14:23 –

“But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

Doubting, faith, to know – these things are internal, and yet we are shown that we are held accountable for doubting when we do not eat in faith. And faith is something that must be read from the heart. Likewise, knowing to do good may be something that we alone know about, and yet if we do not act on that good thing that we are aware of, we sin.

James begins with, “Therefore.” He is summing up his thoughts concerning the future. The fact is that none of us knows what the future holds except in general brushstrokes of how God has revealed it in Scripture, or as can be logically deduced based on past experience. But ultimately, the future, and our personal interaction with it, is an impenetrable wall. We are bound to the present.

Because of this, James says, “to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” The meaning – in the context of making plans – is that we must submit our future actions to the will of the Lord. This is especially so when we interact with others. If we speak of the future as our own possession, we sin. We have laid hold to that which belongs to the Lord alone. Therefore, we are to include the Lord’s will in our future claims, subordinating what we say to His will.

This statement of James, however, is a general statement as well. It is one which carries truth in it all by itself. When we fail to perform a duty that we know is right, it is no less sinful than committing a known sin. In both, we commit an offense. Jesus speaks of this in Luke 12. In verse 47, He says, “And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.”

When evil will occur because of our inaction, we cannot say, “I didn’t act and therefore I am safe.” Either way, our conduct is an inconsistency in the eyes of God which then results in sin.

Life application: Sin can be divided up in multiple ways, but the three main categories of all sin are:

Sins of commission
Sins of omission
Sins of the mind

We often focus on sins of commission – things that we actively do which are wrong, like stealing, adultery, lying, etc. These make for great sermons and are what the law is mostly based on. The majority of The Ten Commandments are things we are told not to do. Do not lie, for example. When we do, we commit a sin of commission.

Sins of the mind are good to use when witnessing to others –

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27, 28

Our thoughts reveal our corrupt nature and show us how far we really are from holiness. Even if we don’t actually commit adultery or murder, our intent condemns us. The commandment “Do not covet” falls under this category.

The third type of sin, which is that of omission, is no less wrong and covers a vast part of the sin in our lives. We know we should do something – that it is morally right to do it – and yet we make excuses to avoid doing it. James says that when this occurs, it is sin. What does all this tell us? It reveals to us that we really, really need Jesus. We may not have committed adultery, but we sure have thought about it. We may not have stolen, but we failed to stop the person accompanying us when they stole. Such sins separate us from God and only Jesus can restore us. Praise the Lord for Jesus!

Lord, surely we admit that we have committed every type of sin imaginable. We have done that which we ought not to have done. We have left undone those things we should have done. We have also intended evil in our hearts towards others. Yes, all of this is sin and we can only thank You and praise You for Your great mercy revealed in Jesus. It is He alone who cleanses us from all unrighteousness Amen.

Tuesday, 27 August 2019

But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. James 4:16

James is still speaking of the same subject which goes back to verse 13. It is the boasting which arises out of the assumption that we have the future in control, and that we can say, “Today or tomorrow we will do this and that.” Without including the Lord in the matter, we are boasting of possessing that to which we have no right to claim. As he noted in the previous verse, we should say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

However, we fail to do this. In our failure, he says, “But now you boast in your arrogance.” We have, in fact, attempted to lay hold of that which belongs to the Lord alone. It is boastful, and it is arrogant.

This is the final use of the word translated as “boastful” in the New Testament. It is a noun which has been used by Paul 10 times. It is variously translated as boasting, confidence, glorying, and rejoicing. It can be positive (about God’s grace) or negative (about self) based on the context. Here, it is obviously a negative boast.

The word translated as “arrogance” is found only here and in 1 John 2:16. It properly means “a vagabond (‘quack’), making empty boasts about having ‘cures’ to rid people of all their ills (even by producing ‘wonders,’ etc.)” (HELPS Word Studies). Such quackery attempts to set a person in a favorable light concerning matters of which he has no ability or authority.

In this state, James says that “All such boasting is evil.” This is so because it is based on a completely unfounded view of who we are as individuals. We are the created. We are the dependent. We are the unknowing. And yet, we speak in an evil way – as if we are in the place of God – grabbing onto a future which is wholly and solely at His authority. A single moment may destroy our hope of any future at all, and we are to therefore place our lives – from moment to moment – under the caring guidance of God. We are to submit ourselves to His unfurling of the sails which take us from the shores of the present into the endless expanse of the future which lies before us.

Life application: Why is boasting or bragging evil? Think it through and you will see. If a woman is exceptionally lovely, wasn’t it a gift of her birth? What if she highlights herself to look beautiful – then isn’t this temporary and false?

If someone is a natural musician, how can he brag about what he was born with? Suppose he worked hard to become a musician because he lacked natural talent – where did the time, circumstance, and drive to learn the skill come from?

If you are born into a wealthy family, what did you do to deserve it? But what if you became wealthy by playing the lottery – wasn’t this providence and beyond yourself? Or, what if you worked hard and made great wealth? Again, where did the ability, time, and circumstance come from to allow you to become rich?

It doesn’t matter what the issue, what the circumstance, or what the possession, it all ultimately came from one Source – the Creator. Likewise, each breath we take is from His goodness to us. Every heartbeat is under His control. If you don’t believe this, then go back and watch videos of the 911 attack, or click on any of a host of YouTube videos that caught death in the act. None of those people expected what was coming and their plans for the next moment were in vain. How much more tenuous are our long-term plans! Each moment is precious and every sunrise is a gift. Don’t squander your life pursuing the wind, but instead consider Solomon’s sound advice –

“Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
‘I have no pleasure in them.’”

From this, Solomon goes on to point out the many ways death arrives. Now is the time of God’s favor; remember Him now.

Forgive us O Lord for taking credit for the blessings You have provided. Forgive us also for boasting about a future which is within Your control alone. Give each of us a sound and wise attitude toward those things which You have provided. May we ever acknowledge that all things stem from You, belong to You, and are at Your disposal. Amen.

Monday, 26 August 2019

Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” James 4:15

James just spoke of the life of man being a mere vapor which appears for a short time and then it fades away. Because of this, it is boastful to claim that we will do something or another in the future. Now he instructs us on how we should state any future decision or goal, beginning with, “Instead you ought to say.” This is set in contrast to the words of verse 13 –

“Come now, you who say…”
“Instead you ought to say…”

Those in verse 13 proceeded to speak boastfully about what they would do. In fact, however, they didn’t know if they would be taking their next breath. James corrects this by showing that we should approach the future with humility by saying, “If the Lord wills.”

Other than the moment in which we presently exist, we have no idea what will transpire next. The ground could quake under us and the roof could then fall on us – life over. The future is known only to God, and we are to leave that unknown sea of time up to His will. In invoking His will, we can then say, “we shall live and do this or that.”

Both life, and what is done with that life, are up to His allowances. However, this is not a fatalistic approach to the future by any stretch of the imagination. Two things are occurring here –

1) If the Lord wills, we shall live (solely a decision of the Lord).
2) If the Lord wills, we shall do this or that (based on the granting of the first statement that we shall live, we will then act with freedom to choose what we will do).

The concept of free will in man is seen throughout Scripture, and it is revealed even in our acknowledging His sovereignty over the future. The Bible does not portray the fatalistic view of Islam or various other religions. Nor does it portray the autocratic rule of God – even in salvation – which is held to by Calvinism. Instead, it reveals that God is wholly sovereign over all things, and yet He has factored in our free will desires and actions. This is seen for example in Paul’s words, such as in 1 Corinthians 4:19 –

“But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.”

Paul freely chooses to come to those in Corinth, and yet He understands that the Lord may not will him to do so. There is a synergism which is being displayed in the life of man who works within the confines of God’s overall sovereignty.

Life application: If you are ever talking with someone about future plans like traveling, starting a business, etc., and that person says, “I’ll be doing that, the Lord willing,” you can know that they are obeying this particular verse of the Bible. Instead of speaking as if the plans are certain, this individual is willing to acknowledge that God is sovereign and our decisions and hopes are based solely on His allowance of them coming to completion.

This attitude does several things –

1) It rightly gives credit to the Lord for achievements in our life.
2) It removes from us an aspect of the stain of failure should our plans not come to fruition.
3) It keeps us living in the Spirit because we are ever-conscious of His guiding power in all matters.

As God allows or restrains the intentions of the wicked, how can we expect to land safely at the next airport without the Lord’s protection? As God is in control of the natural forces, how can we expect to climb a mountain during an earthquake? As God is in control of our very heartbeat and breath, how can we make plans to see our children’s marriage apart from His allowance of it? As God likewise controls the lives of others, how can we expect even one more visit from our father or mother? Every moment is precious and every moment is controlled completely by Him. Therefore, whatever we plan, it should be with the understanding that it will only come about if the Lord allows it to occur.

Lord, forgive us for looking to the future and thinking that we have any control over it. We can only hope to have what we wish for, but in the end we must rely on Your open hand to provide it. Please remind us to be sure to acknowledge Your sovereign hand over all things when we speak of our plans for the future. Amen.