Hello Friends!
This week we’ll continue to work our way through this serious “study” series solemnly surveying the powerful book of James in considering the TRUE calling of the “Christian” life as directed throughout this excellent Epistle – “Putting Faith to Work!”
The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 4: Verses 7-12)
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? – James 4:7-12
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: If we have “studied” this wonderful epistle carefully up to this point, we will have “learned” here from “James” that he has made us very much aware of his woe-filled WARNINGS wrought concerning “unbelievers” of whom are woven within the faithful “fellowship of God” in having a worldly waning “wisdom” and a lustful lethargic “love” for this wicked “world” but who ARE in fact the engulfed – ENEMIES of God!
This practical PROMISE provided here by “James” represents a very CLEAR great “Gospel” given as an intentional invitation for the “unbeliever” to come to a SAVING firm foundational “faith” fomented in “Jesus Christ” alone. Therefore, he continues to willingly WARN the pious “professing” people in his “assembly” of whom do NOT pass the many TESTS of the true found “faith” of which perfectly – PLEASES God…
The FIRST true TEST is perfectly proven by “patience” through “various trials“ of “suffering” and heralded – HARDSHIPS!
The SECOND true TEST is perfectly proven by “asking” for the “wisdom” of “God” granted by – GOD!
The THIRD true TEST is perfectly proven by “rejoicing” in various financial – FACTORS!
The FOURTH true TEST is engagingly enduring the “temptations” in life – ENDURANCE!
The FIFTH true TEST is the direction of blame for the “temptations” in life – RESPONSE!
The SIXTH true TEST is totally trusting in God’s “perfect” provision in life – TRUST!
The SEVENTH true TEST is being a “doer” of the “Word of God” in life – OBEDIENCE!
The EIGHTH true TEST is being able to “bridleth” of our “tongue” in life – MOUTH!
The NINETH true trying TEST is have no ranking “respect of persons” as such – PARTIALITY!
The TENTH true trying TEST is willfully deciding to “bridle the whole body” fully – CONTROL!
The ELEVENTH true trying TEST is to seek the “wisdom that is from above” in heart – WISE!
The TWELFTH true trying TEST is to forgo the fiendish “friendship of the world” in full – REJECT!
These Sovereign “salvation” surely confident COMMANDS expressed by “James” in this powerful passage are dully directed at those who are “double-minded” and are thus FULLY governed by their inner lustful darkened “desires” dictated – Fleshly FOLLY!
Submission OR Slander!
Our great “God” indeed “desires” that ALL people would come to “know” Him, to “worship” Him and to “adore” Him through the “knowledge” of His ONLY Begotten Son “Jesus Christ” as their loving “Lord” and sure “Savior” for the FULL firmly founded “forgiveness” of “sin” just as the Sovereignly submitted “scriptures” themselves declare. Therefore, here in the middle of this excellent chapter, “James” mindfully marshals SEVERAL straight confident “commands” of which are ONE of the clearest and most precise Divine INVITATIONS unto soul “salvation” solidified through the sure Justifier – Jesus Christ!
Humble SUBMISSION!
“James” will now aptly ANSWER an incredible eternally important intentional QUESTION by providing for “us” some very CLEAR instructions incited for the “double-minded” dabbling slothful “sinners” of whom ARE being ardently addressed here in this poignant passage:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up – James 4:7-10
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The Greek word for “Submit” is “Hupotasso” of which means to “align one’s self” under the authority of our glorious “God” above. It is a direct ACT of each of “our” own personal will in saying NO to self and YES to His Holy AUTHORITY appointed over our lives. And “we” must readily “Resist the devil” taking a solemn “stand” against this fallen FOE and he will then “flee from you” in kind:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you – James 4:7
This is indeed SUPERNATURAL surly sanctioned – Spiritual WARFARE!
The Greek word “Hamartolos” used here regarding "sinners” is indeed predominantly provided THROUGHOUT the narrative of our New Testament to refer to the unrepentant and harshly HARDENED herald who openly disregards the “law of God” having a rank REPUTATION for personal public immorality inferred:
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded – James 4:8
The Jewish beheld “brethren” hearing “James” would have NEVER assumed these sordid “sinners” to be true “believers” as such. WHY? Because these phony people were openly “wicked” and set APART from the “law of God” manifested IN their “lying” lives! Again, it is IMPORTANT to note that this particular passage is approaching “salvation” from the side of our human RESPONSIBILITY in full. The “double-minded” lauded LOST are thus instructed intently by “James” to diligently “draw near to God” of which means to KNOW Him so intimately through a REDEEMING righteous “relationship” with “Jesus Christ” alone. Yes, the “Word of God” is indeed very CLEAR that sure saving “salvation” is indeed a Sovereign act of our great “God” through His “predetermined” and “predestined” purposes. However, He also DEMANDS a determined human – RESPONSE Rendered!
TRUE soul “salvation” is a “living” constant COMMUNION with our grand “God” through cleanly “cleansed hands” of ardent action and a “pure heart” of affection for Him:
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness – James 4:9
Also, to mindfully "mourn" means to feel much WORSE before you can ever feel BETTER as such. HOW? To willingly “weep” over your “sins” set against “God” Almighty. Incidentally, the Greek word for "laughter" is “Gelos” and is used ONLY here in the New Testament narrative indicating the leisurely FOOLISHNESS of mocking mankind indulging in their own demented “desires” and poisonous “pleasures” as they willfully – REJECT God!
The beautiful BENEFITS of His glorious “grace” are indeed NOT poured out freely upon each of “us” wrought without a righteous REQUIREMENT redolent on “our” behalf.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up – James 4:10
Being “Humble” and righteously “regenerated” by the Holy Spirit in the Sovereign “sight of the Lord” Himself, there is NO such thing as an effortless life of personal “holiness” for the true born-again “Christian” life! Thus, “we” are NOT solemnly “sanctified” and made more “holy” set aptly against our human “will” without full “submission” to Him. Therefore, “James” says that “he shall lift you up” as freely “receiving” the grand GRACE of our great “God” as it magnificently manifests a life of “obedience” according to His Holy “commands” contained – Humble SUBMISSION!
Evil SLANDER!
Pastor “James” then soundly shifts his attention BACK to the beloved “brethren” and speaks very strongly to them concerning the “evil” issue of satanic “slander” by which is the BLASPHEMOUS sordid “sin” of deeply defaming another born-again “brother” breeched in “Jesus Christ” as such:
Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? – James 4:11-12
The specified “speech” of the mundane “mouth” is indeed a true TEST of a legitimate “living faith” as was TAUGHT by pastor “James” earlier in chapter 3 in much greater detail. Now here “James” says that “loving” each other as beloved “brothers” born-again in “Jesus Christ” is the “law of God” fully summarized as such. And when we FAIL to fully “love” the other “brethren” we vehemently VIOLATE His proclaimed perfect standard! In other words, when you “slander” your beloved “brother” boldly without care, you fully forgo the lauded “law” that firmly FORBIDS you to do so. Therefore, to caustically “condemn” your “brother” bought by “Jesus Christ” is to jaundicing “judge” the very “law” of the ONE true loving “Lawgiver” and by such antagonistic actions are actually “condemning” one of His – Holy COMMANDS!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: Beforehand, “Jesus Christ” Himself had also WARNED that each and every person is either satanically set UNDER the lurid lordship lauded by Satan or set securely UNDER the loving Lordship lavished by God Himself…
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad… – Matthew 12:30
It is ONE or the other and there is indeed NO maniacal middle ground. Therefore, “James” then utilizes the Greek word “Tapeinoo” of which means to willfully “humble” yourself to a LOW position before “God” Almighty And in line with the “words” of his big half-brother “Jesus Christ” Himself, the just “James” eagerly echoes the exact SAME telling “truth” regarding the phony rank “religious” leaders. HOW? By what you “speak” with your “mouth” mostly indicates your “heart” attitude…
O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh – Matthew 12:34
OUCH! A generated “generation of vipers” is indeed VERY strong language! An on-going unrepentant and unbroken habitually slothful “slanderous” snide speaking “tongue” of enveloped EVIL towards other people boldly BETRAYS an ungodly unchanged heinous “heart” and lethal “life” lived – Vicarious VIPERS!
And “Jesus” then continues His righteous “rebuke” regarding these woefully WICKED waning men…
For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned – Matthew 12:37
The real REASON that “Jesus” and “James” could rightly reiterate this tremendous “truth” concerning the troublesome “tongue” and maniacal “mouth” is because the “words” that one “speaks” represents the revealing of the harsh “heart” of harkened “hate” heralded – Evil SLANDER!
HISTORICAL HINTS: The Old Testament Prophet Isaiah eagerly expressed the guided “guilt” and sure “shame” with an overpowering sense as a “man of unclean lips” lauding over his OWN sordid “sinfulness” set before a thrice Holy God as he lamented in longed languish…
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts – Isaiah 6:5
This word “Woe” is the most obvious expression of Isaiah’s encompassed EXPRESSION of his own “sinfulness” sensed. WHY? Because he “understood” that it is out of the “heart” that the “mouth” will surly “speak” of its TRUE condition – Willful WOE!
In closing:
For further concern of our PERSONAL heralded “holiness” through a sure “salvation” found in “Jesus Christ” alone, someone once said of “evil” speech:
“The mouth is the tunnel through which depravity exits the heart”
As “we” carefully consider the ardent “Apostle Paul’s” intentional instructions INSISTING upon sound “submission” unto the “brethren” beheld in “Ephesus” we find a very SIMILAR and familiar “call” to a proclaimed personal application of “holiness” and real “righteousness” that is practically PRESENT in a lauded life “lived” out for the loving “Lord Jesus Christ” in full:
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness – Ephesians 4:17-24
Beloved, with those solemn “scriptures” in mind, “we” too can fervently AGREE in full with James, Paul, Isaiah and Jesus Christ in kind – AMEN!
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
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Shane K. Morin <><
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