Meeting Specific Needs

Today we conclude our devotional study of the Epistle of James. I pray this has been insightful for you, and applicable to your daily life. As I said last week, I have greatly enjoyed the preparation and sharing of these studies over the course of the last few months.

As we conclude this study we find James sharing practical words of instruction for the recipients of the letter. As is often the case, there are some portions of the Scripture which need little explanation. The simplicity of the instruction, the directness of the teaching is so clear there is no need for further detail being used as illustrative material. Such is the case with most of the remainder of this epistle. There are a couple of points I do wish to comment on as we read the remainder of James chapter 5.

James 5:12-19 [NASB] 12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

I want to thank Craig Weinberg for producing the podcast, and for hosting it on the Why Milbank Podcast Network. I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together in the recording studio. However, due to health concerns for my mother as well as travel plans and family commitments, we are not going to be doing the podcast this summer. I pray you have a blessed summer and hope to join you again in the Fall.

Patience and Perseverance

We are nearing the end of our devotional study of the Book of James, and I hope it has been beneficial to those who have tuned in to the podcast over the course of the last few months.

On a personal level, it has been beneficial for me to reflect on these truths and to see how they have been evidenced in my life and in those I have had the privilege of serving over the course of the last forty plus years. It has been a reminder of the timelessness of the Word of God to our lives as we remember this letter was written to the early church in the first century AD.

James 5:7 – 11 [NASB] 7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. 8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. 10 As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

As James begins to close the letter to the early church, he reminds them of the importance of patience as they await the coming of the Lord.

This of course has been the hope of the church since the ascension of Jesus as recorded in Acts 1:9 – 11 [NASB] 9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Patience is necessary as we make our spiritual journey through life. In fact, as we remember in the first few verses of this letter James reminded the early church of the importance of patience which was produced in their lives as a result of the tests and trials they endured along the way. For patience and faith were produced in the crucible of adversity.  James 1:2 – 4 [NKJV] 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [a]patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be [b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

To illustrate the importance of patience, James points us to the farmers, who plant their seed, then wait patiently for the rains to come. A lot is happening in the unseen realm before the shoot pushes its way through the soil and grows to maturity. So too, a lot is happening in the unseen realm of the spirit. Patience is essential as we wait for the coming of the Lord.

In the process of waiting James exhorts the listener not to become distracted by their circumstances. We remember how the Children of Israel became distracted by their circumstances as they exited Egypt and began to grumble against Moses. This is a picture of the loss of perspective as they forgot God’s miraculous intervention in their hopeless circumstance, and the raising up of a deliverer to free them from the bondage of slavery. Once delivered they began to grumble against the deliverer and to evidence impatience.

While we may think how foolish the Children of Israel were to grumble against Moses, is not the same dynamic evidenced in the lives of some who having been delivered from the slavery and bondage of sin by Jesus Christ, the Deliverer. In the process of waiting, they have turned on him and, on their brothers, and sisters in Christ with grumbling and judgement.

Listen to what the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 6:7 – 10 [NASB] 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary. 10 So then, [c]while we have opportunity, let’s do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

James points to the prophets of old as examples of patient endurance. The Lord allowed them, by faith, to see what was coming. Unfortunately, they often suffered persecution, and death as they waited for the fulfillment of the prophecies.

I close today with a reading of 2 Peter 3 where the Apostle Peter reminded the early church of the same things James is sharing here.  Listen and be encouraged.

2 Peter 3 [NLT] This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. 2 I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.

3 Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”

5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.

8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.[a]

11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.

14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

15 And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— 16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. 18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

Rich Oppressors Beware

We have heard a lot the past few years about the growing gap between the rich and poor in society. Much has been written regarding the ever-widening gap, and possible solutions to the situation. It is not my intention to side with anyone on this matter, rather to simply listen to the Holy Spirit as He speaks these truths to my heart. Money is a neutral vehicle; it can be used for good or evil. It is the love of money which is the root of evil. What James exposes in our reading today is the exploitation of the poor by the rich and the warning to them of the fleeting nature of riches, and the impending judgement which awaits.

James 5:1 – 6 [NASB]

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! 4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.

The history of humanity is full of the tragic stories of those who had vast fortunes, but lived hollow, empty lives. Who built a fortune on the backs of underpaid workers, or who failed to pay their workers for their labor. Individuals who saw their vast fortunes devoured by foolish investments and who died broken and alone abandoned by the crowds and adoring fans.

Make no mistake about believing the scriptural warning about riches.

1 Timothy 6:9-11 [NASB] 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

Jesus told the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus to illustrate this point as well in Luke 16:19 – 31 [NASB]

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20 And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22 Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 And [r]besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

In summary, Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required.”  Therefore, instead of loving money, let’s put to practice what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 6:11 [NASB] But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

Put God in Charge of Your Plans

As we continue the devotional journey through the Epistle of James, we come to a passage which I find most interesting as it addresses the issue of our plans versus God’s plans for us. We all have a tendency to live our lives as though we are the Captain of our own ship, the Master of our own fate. As we do this we lose sight of the fact we are not in control, and the course of our life can be changed instantaneously.  Let’s take a look at our Scripture today:

James 4:13 – 17 [NASB]  13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

The first thing I see in this passage is the reminder that life is fragile. Those who live in the upper Midwest can relate to the metaphor James uses to illustrate the fragility of life. Who hasn’t stepped outside on a cold winter day and watched their breath form a cloud as the warm moist breath meets the cold winter air? Then watched the cloud disappear in a matter of seconds as the warmth was overcome by the cold air. James says, that is what life is like. In the light of eternity, our 70 – 80-year life span is remarkably brief.

Unfortunately, we live as though we have all the time in the world. We make plans, based on our goals, dreams and ambitions, then we invest heavily of our time, resources, and energy to pursue our plans and goals. James brings us back to reality in these verses.

Over the course of our devotions in James, I have repeatedly said, this Epistle is called the book of proverbs for the New Testament. Let’s look at a passage from the Book of Proverbs as it speaks to the subject of life, plans, goals and dreams. As we look at Proverbs 16:1-9 be alert to the themes which are present in both passages.

Proverbs 16:1 – 9  [NASB]

 The plans of the heart belong to man,

But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,

But the Lord weighs the motives.

3 Commit your works to the Lord

And your plans will be established.

4 The Lord has made everything for its own purpose,

Even the wicked for the day of evil.

5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

6 By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,

And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil.

7 When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord,

He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

8 Better is a little with righteousness

Than great income with injustice.

9 The mind of man plans his way,

But the Lord directs his steps.

To summarize, both Solomon and James point out it is okay to make your plans, but to submit your plans to the Lord.

The problems arise when plans are made with no thought for God’s plans or purpose.  When we insist on doing it our way, in our time we risk being a modern-day Jonah, not just missing the mark with regards to God’s plans, but literally saying “No” to the Lord’s plans, purposes and way. James calls this out as arrogance and categorizes it as sin. For to know what you should do, and then to willfully do the opposite is exactly that.

One of my favorite hymns is titled SUBMISSION by Charles Austin Miles (1868-1946), an American writer of gospel songs who penned at least 398 songs including IN THE GARDEN.

In the hymn SUBMISSION Charles Austin Miles captures the truth James states so simply. Listen to these lyrics:

The path that I have trod, has brought me nearer God,

Though oft it led through sorrow’s gates. Though not the way I choose,

In my way I might lose the joy that yet for me awaits

Refrain

Not what I wish to be, nor where I wish to go,

For who am I that I should choose my way?

The Lord shall choose for me, ‘Tis better far, I know,

So let him bid me go, or stay

The cross that I must bear, if I a crown would wear,

Is not the cross that I should take; But since on me ’tis laid,

I’ll take it unafraid, and bear it for the Master’s sake. 

Refrain

Submission to the will of him who guides me still

Is surety of His love revealed; My soul shall rise above

This world in which I move, I conquer only when I yield.

Refrain

Our greatest joys, and successes will naturally flow out of submitting our plans, goals, dreams and life to Jesus Christ. Life is so much more fulfilling when we walk in partnership with Him.

No Judgement Here

Following the previous teaching on the impact of pride and the power of humility, James zeros in on the most obvious expression of pride in society by tackling the matter of judgement.

James 4:11 – 12  NASB  11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?

We live in a society of critics who specialize in judging others.  If you watch a political event, you will have critics telling you beforehand what to expect, you will have critics afterwards telling you what was said. The implications of what was said will be analyzed from every possible angle, and the news cycles the following day will be filled with the judgements of the supporters, and the opposition party.

The same is true of virtually everything in our world today and the impact of social media has unleashed some devastating judgements from people who hide behind a cloak of anonymity provided by the internet to viciously attack others. People are judged for virtually everything:

Look

Clothes

Hair

Use of makeup

Weight

Diet

Friends

Parenting

Discipline

Lack of discipline

Political affiliation

Religious affiliation

Grammar

Environmental sensitivity

Size of their carbon footprint

The list goes on and on.

Sadly the viciousness of the judgement some have received has resulted in people taking their lives because they couldn’t deal with the shame, rejection and pain caused by the judgement.

James reminds the recipients of this letter they are not to judge another. For to judge is to violate the Law of God. Let’s take a moment to remind ourselves what the Law of God requires of us.

Matthew 22:34 – 40  NASB  34 But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

In summary, Love God, Love people.

According to James when we enter into judgement against another person, we cease to keep the law, rather we elevate ourselves to be their judges as well as judges of the law.

Wow! You talk about a display of pridefulness, it is expressed in our judgement of others. May I remind the listener, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

The Apostle Paul addressed this issue in Romans 2:1-11; 14:1-13

 Romans 14:10 NASB But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,  

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.”

 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

What do we do with those who are opposed to us? Jesus said Love your enemies.

The Apostle Paul wrote the church at Rome these words of instruction:

 Romans 12: 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  NASB

The Power of Humility

Last week we examined James’ warning about pride. To recap he stated the following:

It is the source of quarrels and conflicts.

It results in lust and murder.

It produces envy, fighting and quarreling.

It blinds us to our spiritual needs, and hinders our prayers, due to wrong motives.

As a result of pride, our relationship with the world is like an adulterous relationship, and we are enemies of God. In a phrase, no good thing will come from pride. However, while pride hinders our relationship with the Lord, humility opens the door to God’s blessings.

James 4:5 - 10   5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

This passage is what I call the tale of two spirits. The spirit of this world and the Holy Spirit. James has revealed the nature of the world’s spirit, beginning with the world’s wisdom, the impact of pride, and so forth. The Apostle Paul addresses this in Galatians 5 by contrasting what he called the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-26  16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Those who follow Christ are called to walk in humility. However, it’s a battle and at times we struggle to do so. James reminds us that while the struggle is great, God’s grace is greater. With that in mind let’s walk in these truths today.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, therefore submit yourselves to the Lord. This is the acknowledgement you can’t do it alone. That you need the Lord’s help.

Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Stop making him welcome in your life. Stop listening to his accusations and lies. I heard a Christian musician say the following: “Every time the Devil reminds me of my past, I remind him of his future.”  I think that’s an effective form of resisting.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Take the initiative to come into the presence of the Lord. Through worship and meditation on the Scripture, through prayer and times of quietness press into the presence of the Lord. It will amaze you what sweet times of fellowship, restoration and renewal these times will be.

Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts. This is so important. King David in Psalm 24:3-4 speaks to this matter when he asks:

3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood

And has not sworn deceitfully.  

We are disqualified in ourselves, but by the grace of God we are washed by the water and the Word. The Apostle Paul speaks of the work of Christ in preparing the church for himself. Ephesians 5:25 – 26  25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Sin is fun for a season, but it ultimately leaves you broken. Your self-satisfaction turned to misery, your laughter turned to mourning, your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord and He will lift you up. Remember the story in Luke 7 of the woman washing Jesus’s feet with her tears. She embodies this very principle of Humility and Exaltation.

Impact of Pride

As we continue our devotions in the Epistle of James, chapter 4, we find again truths which are as applicable to our lives today as they were when written to the early church. This is the beauty of the Scriptures, and with the Holy Spirit’s leading our lives are greatly enriched in the faith as we apply these timeless truths to our circumstances.

James 4:1-4

4 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Clearly this passage exposes the impact of pride. As we look personally, or if we expand to a global view, we cannot deny the negative impact of pride. Look at the question James asks in verse 1. What is the source of quarrels and conflicts in our life?

An honest assessment will likely reveal it is pride. The proud always want their way. We always want to be right, and when we think we are right we are not quick to abandon our position, and in so doing allowing another to have the high ground of being right. The truth is it is embarrassing to be shown we are wrong, or misinformed, it is frustrating not always getting our way or winning.  As a result, the prideful person becomes quarrelsome or picks a fight rather than admitting they were wrong, misinformed or lost the contest.

The story of Cain and Abel illustrate this principle as outlined in verse 2-3.

Genesis 4:3-8 NLT  3 The day came when Cain brought a gift of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 But Abel brought a gift of the first-born of his flocks and of the fat parts. The Lord showed favor to Abel and his gift. 5 But He had no respect for Cain and his gift. So Cain became very angry and his face became sad. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why are you looking down? 7 Will not your face be happy if you do well? If you do not do well, sin is waiting to destroy you. Its desire is to rule over you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain told this to his brother Abel. And when they were in the field, Cain stood up against his brother Abel and killed him.

 Cain brought an offering of his labor; he was proud of the produce. Abel brought an offering from the flock and God accepted it, while rejecting Cain’s. What did Cain do? He killed his brother. Why? It seems like an overreaction. However, his pride, his need for acceptance and approval fueled the murderous rage which resulted in his brother’s death.

James exposes the impact of pride even in our prayer life. Too often we fail to receive from the Lord because we fail to ask for help. Additionally, he states wrong motives are often behind our requests.  Have you ever analyzed why you are asking for something? What is your motive? According to James, too often the motive is self. I believe selfish pleasure is crouching at the door of our heart craving validation and expression. But God loves us too much to give us what will harm us.

Several years ago, I experienced the impact of pride in the simple, but powerful lesson. I was riding my bike on a well-travelled bike trail when I had a flat tire. As I started working on my bike, I had multiple other bike riders ask if I needed help. I declined each offer thinking I could easily handle the situation. After all, I have changed many flat bike tires over the years between my personal riding and that of my children as they grew up. Unfortunately, even using my tire tools, I could not get the tire back on the rim. After struggling with the tire for over 30 minutes, a young man who was one of the first to offer help, returned and asked the second time if I needed help. This time my pride was gone, and I readily accepted his kind offer. It took both of us working together to get the tire mounted back on the rim and aired up so I could continue my ride.

In verse 4 James says friendship with the world is hostility towards God. He equates it with an adulterous relationship. When pride is the motivation of our life, we find ourselves living in opposition to the Lord. NOTE: James says it way; Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Heavenly Wisdom -vs- Earthly Wisdom

As we continue to work our way through the Epistle of James, we remember some have called it the Book of Proverbs for the New Testament. It certainly contains practical truths for Christlike living no matter the period of time in which you live.

Today, we continue to work our way through chapter 3, as James shows the stark contrast between Heavenly wisdom and Earthly wisdom. All one has to do is take a good look at society to see just how much we need Heavenly wisdom.

James 3:13 – 18

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 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. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James begins with a question; Who among you is wise and understanding? These are important questions to deal with at the beginning of the teaching on wisdom. Let’s look at the question ourselves. Let’s begin by defining wise. In the Greek it means, skilled. The word understanding means knowing. Those who know and understand and are skillful in the application of what they know, are instructed to live lives which are in agreement with what they know and understand. In other words, their works and words are in agreement. Because there is agreement between their skill and understanding, there is a gentleness which is the evidence of their wisdom.

Conversely, bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, which is evidenced by the motives of the heart, lie against the truth. These characteristics are evidence of earthly, natural, demonic wisdom which manifests itself in jealousy, selfish ambition, disorder and every evil thing.  

This is where our world is today. Wrong is now considered right, and right is now considered wrong. We have normalized rebellion, and sin, and as a result have a nation of confused and lost people. The truths James shared in his letter to the early church speak volumes to our social, political and spiritual situation today. In fact, I would go as far as to say, the abandonment of Heavenly wisdom is leading us down a pathway of destruction.

Let’s remember the words of Solomon from Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death.

Look at the last two verses of chapter 3. Verse 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

For too long we have drunk from the cesspool of earthly wisdom and show the effects both in the world and in the church.

Let us make this our prayer; Lord let your wisdom transform us that we may be purified from all that is earthly, reflecting the beauty of Jesus to those around us. Let us reflect his peace, love, gentleness and mercy, being impartial, reasonable and free from hypocrisy. May we sow the fruit of righteousness in peace that Jesus alone may receive all glory and praise. Amen.

Danger of the Untamed Tongue

As we begin looking at James 3 we want to remember in chapter 2 James said; “Faith without works is dead.” This is especially important as James addresses the issue of accountability. Specifically, he addresses the responsibility of being a teacher, and the accountability for our words.

James 3:1 – 12  1 Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a [a]stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in [b]what he says, he is a perfect man, able to [c]rein in the whole body as well. 3 Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. 4 Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. 5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. 11 Does a spring send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

It seems natural when we have been taught well by others, that we want to pass on the information we have received so others may benefit from what we have learned. In fact, there was, years ago, an evangelism strategy which used the phrase; Each one reach one, each one teach one. However, James warns against many teachers in the Body of Christ. The warning is based on the danger of having faith without works. Or we might say, knowledge without practical application. The reason for the warning is the accountability which comes with being a teacher. James positions himself as a teacher as he gives this admonition. Note verse 2 states that “all” make many mistakes and indicates the source of the mistakes are the result of misspeaking.

No doubt growing up we all heard the old expression; “Sticks and stones may break some bones, but word will never harm you.” The fact is this is false. Words are powerful and can be very harmful. Because of that, James admonishes us to control our tongues stating if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could control ourselves in every other way.

As a good teacher, James illustrates the power of the tongue by using several analogies drawn from daily living.

1 The horse and the bit

2 The ship and the rudder

3 The spark and the forest fire

We easily understand what James is saying as we are most likely familiar with one or all of the illustrations. In each illustration, the small item, whether the bit, the rudder or the spark has tremendous power. If used properly there is great potential for good. However, if used improperly, or abused, the results will be disastrous.  

As we look at verses 7 – 12 James gets to the heart of the matter.

Even though we have the knowledge to train all kinds of animals, the tongue is untamable.

It is described as restless, evil and full of deadly poison.

Sometimes it praises the Heavenly Father, sometimes it curses those who are made in the image of God.

Blessing and cursing comes out of the same mouth, and as James states emphatically, “…this is not right!”

You can’t have it both ways. A spring of water doesn’t bring forth both sweet and bitter water. A fig tree can’t produce olives, and a grapevine can’t produce figs. Neither can you draw fresh water from a salty spring.

It almost seems James has pointed out a problem without providing a solution. So, what are we to do? Let me close with a couple of Scripture verses which speak to this matter.

Luke 6:45

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Proverbs 25:11

Like apples of gold in settings of silver, Is a word spoken at the proper time.

As we continue to look at the letter James wrote to the Early Church, let me remind you of the contextual setting as is recorded in the Book of Acts. Following the birth of the church there was a period of explosive growth with thousands coming to faith. The followers of Christ were still living and worshipping in Jerusalem. James, the author of this letter was the leader of the Jerusalem church. Following the stoning of Stephan, one of the first deacons of the church, and the first martyr, there arose persecution of the church resulting in many believers fleeing Jerusalem to the surrounding regions and nations. As the pastor of the Jerusalem church, James had a burden for those who fled the persecution and wrote this letter of encouragement.

James 2:14-26 - 14 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can [j]that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, [k]be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is [l]dead, being by itself.

18 But someone [m]may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that [n]God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and [o]as a result of the works, faith was [p]perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

This passage of Scripture has been the source of disagreement among theologians throughout the ages. The reason being that it seems to contradict the teachings of the Apostle Paul regarding faith. In Ephesians 2:8-9 the Apostle Paul wrote 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [a]this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Yet here in this passage James declares faith without works is dead.  Because of this seeming contradiction Martin Luther called the Epistle of James an Epistle of Straw.

However, there is no contradiction. James discusses two types of faith in this passage, a dead faith, and a saving faith.

Saving faith is much more than a profession or empty words, it is not just the acceptance of a creed. Saving faith produces a life of obedience.

Let’s look closer at this passage. James begins with a question in verse 14 What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can [j]that faith save him? Then in verses 15 – 17 he presents a scenario which answers the question.  15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, [k]be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is [l]dead, being by itself.

This echoes the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46 - 31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not [i]take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

In other words, there needs to be agreement between what we profess and what we practice.

In verse 19 James shows the emptiness of simply declaring you believe in God. (Which in itself is a good thing, as it is the beginning of faith according to Hebrews 11:6 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.) Even the demons believe there is one God and tremble. But faith without action is dead.

James gives us two examples from the Old Testament showing there is a synergy between faith and works.

First James points to Abraham who was declared righteous when He believed God regarding having an heir.  Genesis 15:4-6  4 Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come from your own [a]body shall be your heir.” 5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your [b]descendants be.” 6 Then he believed in the Lord; and He [c]credited it to him as righteousness.

However, he was justified by works when he offered Isaac on the altar. There is a beautiful harmony or synergy between vertical faith in God and horizontal works to a world in need.

Secondly, James uses Rahab the prostitute as an example of one whose faith was supported by her works. The Book of Joshua chapter 2 details her faith and works which resulted in the salvation of her household.

I close today by reminding the listeners of the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:16 16 Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.