Let Us Pray

James 5:13-20, “Let Us Pray”
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How’s your prayer life? Prayer tends to be one of those things that everyone knows they ought to do often, but rarely get around to doing it. We see the examples of the early church in prayer – we read of Paul’s exhortation to “pray without ceasing” & we think, “Great! That’s exactly what I want to do…later.” After all, we’ve got work to do now; we can pray when we’ve got the spare time. Wrong! Prayer IS the work we’ve been called to & as James closes out his epistle, we find it’s one of the most consistent primary things that we as a Church are supposed to do.

The letter to this point has been a wonderful (if convicting) book of faith in action – what our Christian faith looks like practically. We’ve been exhorted to change our attitude concerning trials – to be doers of the word & not hearers only – to beware of prejudice & favoritism – to put our faith into action – to tame our tongues – to avoid friendship with the world & wars among each other – to not judge, boast, nor oppress – and to be patient & prepared for the Lord’s soon return. There’s been much exhortation of to do & what not to do & James finishes off with one final exhortation to pray. In fact, the end of the letter comes so abruptly, it’s almost as if James is saying, “No – I’m not going to send any other greetings or niceties to you. You need to pray, so get to praying already!”

We’re to pray at all times in all circumstances (as we’ll see) – and whether our need is for physical healing or spiritual restoration, we’re to take our requests before the Lord & be fervent in our prayers. Consistent fervent prayers lead to miraculous answers – whether we recognize them as such or not.

James 5:13-20 (NKJV)
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.

A. Seems obvious…if you’re suffering, then we ought to pray. But it’s precisely because it’s so obvious that we need to be reminded of it. Too often, we overlook prayer. We’ll pick up books for counsel, search the internet, pick up the phone to call friends – all of which can be good & helpful – but none of which ought to be our first resource. Through Christ Jesus we’ve been given bold access to the throne of God – we’ve been adopted as the children of our Heavenly Father who is the Omnipotent Almighty God. When facing suffering, why would we go to battle with a squirt gun when we’ve been given access to Someone infinitely more powerful? Pray!

B. Two striking things about this statement:
__a. Suffering is assumed to exist within the Church. James isn’t surprised by the suffering, nor does he chastise the Christian for experiencing it; he simply tells us how to deal with the suffering. Some so-called ‘preachers’ today give the idea that if we were truly spiritual, we’d never suffer – or we’d overcome it in an instant with the right word or action. To put it mildly, that’s simply false. Christians DO suffer – we’re even told that there is a fellowship of Christ’s sufferings as we’re conformed to His image (Phil 3:10). If our Lord suffered, we ought to expect to go through the same.
__b. There’s no promise given as a result of prayer; we’re just told to pray. IOW, just because we pray doesn’t mean we stop suffering… Indeed, sometimes God has a purpose to our trials & sufferings – goes back to how James began the epistle in Ch 1. [BIBLE: James 1:2-4] What’s the practical method by which we can count it all joy in the midst of trials? Prayer! When it hurts, we go to God & put ourselves at His feet asking for the grace of Christ Jesus. …

C. Question, if the suffering doesn’t necessarily stop, what’s the purpose of prayer? Prayer DOES indeed have an effect (as we’ll see later today) – but sometimes what’s most needed through prayer (by the hand of God) is NOT immediate relief, but rather strength & power to endure.
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…Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

A. Not only is prayer necessary to the Church, so is praise! Praise is actually an essential part of prayer as we take our joys & thankfulness to the Lord. Most of us have fallen into the trap of making our prayer time a spiritual “laundry list” when (as much as we would argue otherwise) the focus is on us & not on God. “Lord, give ME ___, I need ____, Do ____ for ME…” We may have started & ended the prayer muttering God’s name, but the content was all about us! One of the wonderful things about praise is that it helps us keep the right priority in prayer…our focus shifts directly to God & gives Him the praise through Jesus Christ.
__a. Just as we need to be reminded to pray in our suffering, we also need a reminder to praise in our cheerfulness. Do we remember to give God the praise in our good times?

B. Singing the psalms is a wonderful response to God as we express our cheerful gratitude. Why singing? Because sometimes words fall short. Our ideas might be expressed, but our heart is constrained…songs let loose our emotions in joyful praise. The Greek doesn’t specifically reference the psalms – any song of worship could be included in this. Remember that Psalms was basically the worship hymnal of the Hebrews & the early church. … The Psalms (among all songs) are especially good for their theological truth & depth – but whatever song you sing, sing it to express your grateful heart to the Lord.
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14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

A. As with suffering, sickness is also assumed to exist within the Church…it’s simply part of living in a fallen world. The Lord Jesus may have healed all who came in contact with Him, but there were many who remained sick after He ascended to God (Paul mentions several in his letters & he himself was afflicted – despite his gifts of healing.) There will be a time when sickness will be completely done away with – but that’s a heavenly expectation; not an earthly one.

B. So what to do when we get sick? 1st, pray! Get the elders involved & pray for healing & intercession. We need to get past the idea that Christianity is a go-it-alone faith – the Scripture repeatedly calls us the “Body of Christ” & one of the obvious aspects of a body is that every member is dependent upon the other. Instead of suffering through sickness & weakness alone, we ought to call upon each other (in this case the elders) for prayer & seek God together. Not because there’s any “magic number” of elders, or that God won’t listen if we pray alone – but simply because that’s what the word of God tells us to do.

C. 2nd, anoint with oil. Throughout the Scriptures, we see the use of oil as a picture of the Holy Spirit – whether it was for the consecration of the priests (the oil ran down Aaron’s beard – Ps 133:2), or the anointing of the king (David – 1 Sam 16:33), or in the parable of the 10 virgins (Matt 25) – James’ thought is right in line with this. Many scholars tend to think this had more to do with medicinal value than anything else, as rubbing someone with oil was a common way to treat illness at the time & bring refreshment (per Mark 6:13). The modern equivalent might be to pray & then take someone to the doctor.
__a. Going to the doctor is NOT a sign of a lack of faith! … God routinely uses doctors today in ways that would have been considered supernatural miracles in Biblical times. This isn’t something we ought to take for granted; rather we ought to thank God that He has mercifully revealed this knowledge to our generation! Every good & perfect gift comes from our Heavenly Father & modern medical science is no exception…
__b. Is there any reason to think that the anointing mentioned here has more intended than just only medicine? Yes. It’s done “in the name of the Lord” – and there’s an expected result. See vs. 15…
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15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

A. Note that the anointing with oil is inextricably linked to prayer…i.e., it’s not the oil that does the work, it’s God. Whether it’s used as medicine, or as an act of faith as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, when a person is anointed with oil & healed, the healing is always due to the work of the Lord. Thus we seek HIM in all things through prayer. People are not healed according to how loudly & often Isaiah 53:5 is quoted (“by His stripes we are healed”); that would be a work of man – the prayer of faith seeks God Himself & God is the One Who gives the healing.
__a. ALL healing ultimately comes from the Lord…be it miraculous or ‘natural.’ Even at the most basic of all levels, our bodies have been designed to heal themselves from cuts, viruses, bacteria & more…and our designer is none other than the Lord God.

B. Two promises given: “WILL save the sick” “WILL raise him up” — are these promises or general principles? When God wills it to happen, it’s definitely a promise! What happens when that doesn’t happen? Note the word used here: “save” – contextually, it could definitely refer to physical healing, but the NT has a much broader use for the word overall. Could be physical, could be eternal salvation, could be any sort of deliverance. It’d be a mistake to limit it to only a physical cure for illness. Perhaps because of prayers of the church, the suffering person is granted the strength to endure his/her trial. Perhaps the best healing is our ultimate healing as we look forward to our resurrection in Christ Jesus. So do we pray for physical healing? Absolutely! God is the Master Physician. But in the end, we pray in faith, and leave the results to God.

C. Notice the other “healing” that takes place: spiritual healing. Just as we go to the Lord in prayer for sickness of the body, we also go to the Lord in prayer for sickness of the spirit – and through Jesus Christ, we have forgiveness of sins. The word “sick” could technically be translated “weak” which can be true of us both physically & spiritually, and the only One who can bring healing here is the Lord.
__a. Keep in mind this is by far our more important need – no matter how physically ill we might be. [BIBLE: Mark 2:5-12] There are likely some here today who have sought God for physical healing, but have never gone to Jesus for forgiveness of sin. You’re missing what’s most important! Humble yourself before Jesus today & ask Him to forgive your sins & be your Lord – God wants to address that 1st before anything else in your life.
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16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

A. What’s to be combined with prayer when seeking healing? Confession. We tend to think of “confession” as something that only Catholics do in a small booth separated by a small window from a priest. Not the case…confession is a healthy practice for all Christians to maintain. And since Scripture makes it clear we are a holy priesthood of believers in Christ (1 Pet 2:5), we can follow the example of James and confess our trespasses to “one another.” We don’t need an ordination or license to hear a confession; we just need a heart that is submitted to the Lord Jesus!
__a. Is there any particular person we could confess to? Sure – the one we sinned against! To air ‘dirty laundry’ in front of a crowd of people can cause more harm than good. A good measure of confession is to ensure it matches the extent of the sin. If the sin was committed in the midst of a group, the person should go to the group & confess – if it was committed against an individual, the confession should go to the individual.

B. What exactly IS confession? Simply agreeing with God that sin is indeed sin. It’s not some rite or certain memorized statement that is recited without thought; it’s simply telling God (and contextually here, others) that we’ve sinned. Like the prodigal son confessing to his father, “I’ve sinned against heaven & in your sight & am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21) – it’s simple & to the point. Confession is NOT making excuses for yourself or blaming others; it’s admitting you’ve done wrong & accepting the blame. [2-3-4 principle]
__a. Can a lack of confession hold back healing? Apparently so. Both vs. 15 and 16 seem to come to this conclusion. The Bible shows us many examples of Jesus healing the sick in His earthly ministry. Sometimes the sickness was linked with sin; other times it specifically was not.
____i. Sickness with sin: Man by pool of Bethesda – Jesus caused him to walk, yet warned him to “sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” (John 5:14)
____ii. Sickness without sin: Blind man – the disciples were questioning Jesus regarding whose sin (his own or his parents) had caused him to go blind. Jesus responded it was neither his parents nor him, but this was allowed “that the works of God should be revealed in him.” (John 9:3)
__b. Bottom line? Don’t withhold confession. Whether your sickness is or is not linked to sin in your life is only known by God – but if you DO have unconfessed sin (ongoing sin that isn’t dealt with before the Lord), then by all means confess it & be done with it! 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. []

C. Again, just as with anointing with oil, confession is linked to prayer. Prayer is at the heart of a healthy church! … People often ask if prayer actually does anything. After all, we’re supposed to be seeking the will of God. If His will ‘will’ be done, then what’s the purpose of us voicing our requests to God? …Let’s look at the bigger picture: there’s a HUGE difference between God’s predestination (God’s election of us as Christians) & fatalistic determination (mechanistic workings of the universe). Those are big words & hotly debated topics []. Suffice to say that in whatever way God’s sovereign predestination factors into our own salvation (and much is a mystery), it does not follow that we are set into motion like robots & no matter what we do, it’ll always be the will of God. Why else does God continually call out for us to repent? There are some things we do that are absolutely outside of the will of God; that’s why it’s called a “trespass” or “sin.” He may have allowed it to take place, but that does not mean it was His perfect will for you to do it & God certainly did not cause us to sin…our sin is rightfully our own fault of doing things apart from His will. ‘So what – how does that apply to prayer?’ So that means neither we nor God are robots fatalistically playing out what has already been scripted for us to do. Prayer can & does actually have an effect – if for no other reason, simply because God says it does. It “avails much!”
__a. [Abraham & God & Sodom – Gen 18] [Moses interceding for Israel re: golden calf & God relenting – Ex 32:14]
__b. Keep in mind that God invites us to pray… At the most basic level, we pray because our Lord & King invites us to do so! Prayer is not a “have to”; it’s a “get to!”

D. Note the qualifications on prayer. Prayer that avails is:
__a. “Effective, fervent”: One word in the Greek – but the two words here give the sense. ἐνεργέω (‘energy’) = “activity” – that which is productive in its work. (Guzik) “Much of our prayer is not effective simply because it is not fervent. It is offered with a lukewarm attitude that virtually asks God to care about something that we care little about. Effective prayer must be fervent, not because we must emotionally persuade a reluctant God, but because we must gain God’s heart by being fervent for the things He is fervent for.”
__b. Comes from a righteous man/woman of God: Contextually, this seems to refer to one who had already confessed his/her sins & dealt with them before God. Thus they can pray with a clean conscience. More broadly, it’s speaking about Christians. What would be the point in taking a prayer request to an unbeliever? It’d be a waste of words – the one prayer they can make to God would be for their own salvation!
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- Example of effective, fervent, righteous prayer:
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

A. Context: 1 Kings 17-18. God sent a drought to discipline King Ahab – after 3 years Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal, God shows His power & a mini-revival breaks out. Afterwards, God sends the rain at Elijah’s prayer.

B. The point? Elijah was one of the mightiest prophets in all history – he even stood at the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses & Jesus. But in the end, he was just a man like us. He was just a sinner in need of the grace of Jesus, just like the rest of us – Elijah simply submitted himself to God & saw God use him mightily. Question: Is James saying we can control the weather patterns? … No. God is certainly not incapable of doing the same thing today through a believer as He did through Elijah (God’s arm is not shortened!); but James’ point isn’t a prescription for us to go out & do the same thing with the weather (there was a very specific context & culture involved with Elijah) – it’s to go out & do the same thing with prayer. We’re to be earnest with our prayers…
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19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

A. Not really a new topic – just a continuation of what James has already linked with prayer. This time, instead of confession on the part of the sinner, James looks at the role of those who seek to restore the one in sin… … Very similar to what Paul addresses in Galatians 6…
__a. Scholars differ in their interpretations here – some see a clear reference to believers who have backslidden & wandered from God; others see a clear reference to a false convert who needs the gospel for his soul to be saved. Good arguments can be made for either point! Perhaps it’s best to see this as a “both/and” scenario. Only “brethren” can “wander from the truth” & only an unregenerate “sinner” still needs his “soul” to be saved from death. Both exhibit the same symptoms: they are people who once were in good standing with the church but fell away into sin. Both require the same solution: repentance towards Jesus Christ. The born-again brother is reconciled & restored; the false-convert is saved. Let God work out the end result; we simply need to plead with people to be reconciled to Him.
__b. With all this in mind, we also need to remember James’ instructions from Ch 4:11-12…we’re not to wrongfully or spitefully judge one another. There are some issues that are crystal clear (someone committing outright fornication); there are other issues that are not. We need to stay to the clear cut truth of the Scriptures & not additionally impose our own personal preferences upon someone else. Ultimately that brother or sister answers to God & not to us.

B. What does it mean that someone could be saved from death? For the backslidden Christian, it means simply that – the results of their sin could kill them. This isn’t a reference to someone potentially losing their salvation; it’s a reference to the physical consequence that often follows a lifestyle of sin. How are the “multitude of sins” covered? In the same way. When a person stops sinning, they forego the sins they would have otherwise committed… For the false convert, it’s much broader – their soul truly is saved from eternal death!

C. When sin is confronted, the goal is ALWAYS restoration!

Conclusion:
So Church, let us PRAY! Fervent prayer leads to miraculous results. Whether it’s physical or emotional healing, reconciliation with one another, or repentance & restoration to God Himself – all of those things are miracles because none of those things happen outside of the supernatural workings of God. … So if all of these good gifts come from our Heavenly Father (Jas 1:17), and if we have not because we ask not (Jas 4:2), may we be quick to ask! May we be a praying church – quick to hit our knees in praise of the Lord & intercession for others.

When do we pray?
A. In times of suffering
B. In times of celebration
C. In times of sickness
D. In times of sin

It’s during those times of sin that we need to be especially fervent. If we’re the ones sinning, may we be quick to confess… … If we see a brother or sister sinning, may we love them enough to seek a gentle restoration…

Patient Preparedness for Parousia

James 5:7-12, “Patient Preparedness for Parousia”
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If I were to ask how many people wanted prayers to learn to be more patient, odds are not many people would raise their hands. “Don’t pray for patience! God will put you in a situation when you need it!” In truth, we DO need to pray for patience. Despite the cliché, patience is indeed a virtue, and patience is needed in our Christian walk. Usually the real reason we don’t want to pray for patience is that we simply don’t want to be patient at all! We live in a culture today where microwaves take too long – where 75 mph speed limits are too slow – when high-speed internet seems anything like high-speed. As the old prayer request goes, “God, give me patience, and give it to me NOW!”

The Bible specifically tells us that we need to be patient. Patience is a part of the selfless agape love of Christ – patience is a part of the fruit of the Spirit – patience is needed for all sorts of things within our Christian walk. And as James points out, patience is also necessary as we wait for the Lord Jesus to come back.

Sometimes, we tend to forget that Jesus is actually returning for us…but He is! One day in the blink of an eye, we’ll be caught up in the clouds with Him – and we’ll later be with Him as He returns to judge the earth. It could happen at any moment – and we want to be ready! How do we stay ready for the Lord’s coming (His parousia)? By being patient. Patient Christians are prepared to see Christ. As James starts to bring his letter to a close, that’s exactly what he hones in on. We’ve seen much of what the church is supposed to avoid (strife, pride, judging, boasting, oppression); now James turns his attention to what we’re supposed to engage in…and part of that is being prepared for the Lord’s soon return.

James 5:7-12 (NKJV)
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.

A. The overall theme of the section is patience, but this patience is placed within a context. What’s the context? “the coming of the Lord.” The Lord Jesus IS coming for His bride (the church) & He IS coming to judge the world in righteousness. Our patience is based upon a marvelous promise: our King is coming!

B. Define being “patient”: This isn’t “patience” as in, “I’ve been waiting 40 minutes to see the doctor & my patience is running out!” This is “patience” as in “longsuffering” – laboriously holding up under pressure & steadfastly waiting on the Lord to see you through.
__a. Keep our immediate context in mind here. Chapter 5 started out with some pointed warnings to the rich not to oppress the poor within the church. The cries of the oppressed had reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth (hosts) – God knew exactly what was going on. Now the church merely had to be patient in waiting for God to act. … Every unrighteous & unjust deed will be judged one day & people will have to face God Almighty for it – and all vengeance belongs to Him. The judgment is His job; we simply wait upon Him to act.

C. James gives 3 examples of patience (or similar qualities) – the 1st is the farmer. Farmers in Israel historically were very dependent on the early & latter rains…the early rains coming in the fall (useful for plowing) and the latter rains in the spring (necessary prior to the harvest). No rains, no harvest. Not enough rain, no harvest. The historical farmer was completely dependent on the Lord’s provision through the weather to provide his food & income. And when those rains came, he had to act fast. Wait too long to plow, and the ground is hard again. Wait too long to harvest & the crop spoils. He had to be patient & be prepared.

D. The application? We’ve got to be patient until Jesus comes again. Just like the farmer had to be expectantly prepared for the latter rains to come & water his crops, so we need to be watchful & ready for the Lord Jesus to take us home. He promised He would come again to receive us to Himself (John 14:3) – and we want to be both patient & prepared. Like the parable of the virgins, we want to be found waiting for the call of the groom with oil in our lamps ready to go (Matt 25:1-13)…when Jesus calls us home, we don’t want to say, “I wish I would have just done ____!” Be patient & be prepared.
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8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

A. Repeats the thought: be patient! The Lord Jesus IS coming; we are to expectantly wait for Him. How are we to be patient? By strengthening/establishing our hearts & standing firm on the promises of God. It can be tough to be patient because we get so easily distracted. Our culture gives us so many choices in which we can take our eyes off Jesus & our media is filled with so many voices that mock the things of God. How do we get past it all? By sinking deep roots into the gospel & promises of God – standing firm upon His word. Psalm 1 speaks of the godly man whose delight is in the law of the Lord – he is like a tree planted by rivers of water. The more time we spend in the word of God taking in the promises of God, the more our hearts will be established in God.

B. Repeats the context as well: “the coming of the Lord is at hand.” Lest there be any doubt, James declared that the “parousia” of Jesus is at hand. It’s difficult to overstate the emphasis on Christ’s soon coming in the Bible. Even within bare minutes of Jesus ascending to heaven, angels were already reassuring the disciples that He would be coming again in a like manner. Even with all of the passionate debate in end-times theology, the one thing that all orthodox believers agree on is that Jesus is coming again. There’s much debate on the timing & the details (which we’ll see in other books), but there’s no doubt on the fact of His soon coming.

C. How can we be so sure? After all, the early church was convinced that the Lord Jesus was coming soon, and we’ve been waiting 2000 years for His return. Every generation that has come thought that theirs was the generation in which Jesus would come back. Keep in mind, this isn’t a bad thing; this is a good thing! We ought to live every day with the realization that this could very well be the day that we see our Lord face-to-face…that’s part of James’ point! We want to live in such a way in which we’re ready to see our Lord & King. Every generation has lived with the expectation of the imminent return of Christ – it’s good because Jesus told us to be ready for Him… Matthew 24:42-44 (42) Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (43) But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. (44) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
__a. Do we have any reason think our generation is close – as if we’re in the last of the last days? Yes! Prophecy is abundant with indications that the time is near! If there was any time in history to be confident of the Lord’s soon coming, the time is now. For the 1st time in almost 2000 years, there is a nation in the promised land called “Israel”, who’s formation is virtually straight out of the pages of Ezekiel 37. The apostasy written of by Paul where people depart from the faith & give heed to doctrines of demons seems to have already begun (1 Tim 4). The signs the Lord Jesus gave in Matt 24 are coming true every day – Christians are hated by all nations, false prophets are rising up to deceive, lawlessness abounds, and more (Matt 24:9-12). Truly if any generation thought the return of Christ is imminent, ours should!

D. Are you ready? We WILL see Jesus…His coming is at hand! At the very least, every day that passes is one more day that each one of us are closer to seeing the Lord Jesus face-to-face. Whether the rapture takes place this afternoon, or you get hit by a bus tomorrow, we are all only a heartbeat away from seeing the Lord. Are you ready? Are you prepared to see your Lord & Savior? Are you even able to honestly call Him your Savior? Church buildings are filled every Sunday with people who know the facts about Jesus Christ, but who don’t actually know Jesus Christ. Keep in mind that Jesus is not dead; He’s alive right now – every single person here can know Him personally, just as we know any other living person. Whenever a preacher pleads with you to repent from your sins & trust Christ/receive Christ as Savior, that’s exactly what we’re saying…not to just mutter a prayer & put your trust in any ‘magic words’ you’ve said – but to go before the Living God in prayer & give your life to Jesus Christ, asking Him to forgive your sins & forever be YOUR Lord.
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9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

A. One way to know if you’re not ready? If we’re grumbling against each other. Groaning – sighing…carrying on inner grudges against one another. Who would want to be found having that attitude at the Lord’s return? His specific prayer for the church was that we would be one (John 17:21). Grumbling & groaning against one another isn’t very unified – knowing that our Lord is coming soon ought to motivate us to truly forgive one another & be reconciled to one another. [School kids behave much differently when the principal is standing outside of the room…] Likewise, our Judge is at the door! He can come in at anytime; we want to be on our ‘best behavior’ & be ready for Him.
__a. Specifically in the context of those who had been oppressed: What good is their complaint if they are grumbling against one another? They themselves are guilty of the same sin for which they had appealed to the Lord!
__b. Even beyond class warfare & oppression in the church – Christians have no business grumbling against one another. Granted, we’re human – there’s no doubt we’re going to offend one another at some point in time. (If you haven’t, just wait!) But when those offenses happen, we ought to believe the best about one another & be quick to forgive.

B. Question: do Christians really need to be concerned about being judged? After all, our salvation is assured in the work of Christ Jesus… YES! Christians WILL be judged – not for salvation, but for reward. This is what Paul was referring to when discussing the Bema Seat. [place of civic judgment] 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (9) Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. [] (works of gold or straw revealed on the Day – 1 Cor 3:12-14) Christian, this is exactly what we need to be ready for! Everything we’ve done in the Body of Christ will be revealed that day – which ought to be a pretty sobering thought. The good news here is two-fold: (1) Jesus already died for your sins – your salvation is assured in Him & in His work alone. (2) The Bible tells us that Jesus will wipe every tear from our eye – we’ll surely regret our sins (who wouldn’t?), but our Lord will be right there to comfort us.
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10 My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure.

A. 2nd example of patience: the prophets. Some are showcased in Hebrews 11…they experienced incredible miracles, but they endured much suffering. Tortured, imprisoned, false trials, stoned to death, sawn in two, and more – they were those “of whom the world was not worthy” (Heb 11:38).

B. What exactly are they examples of? “suffering AND patience” – for true patience to be exhibited, we’ve got to have trials in which patience is required. The prophets showed this through their suffering. Jeremiah was repeatedly imprisoned & suffered pain in the stocks. Hosea endured the humiliation of having a prostitute as a wife (as a picture of God’s relationship with unfaithful Israel) – yet he still patiently endured by the power of God.
__a. NT Christians are not exempt from this. Sometimes people get the idea that truly godly people never suffer…that’s completely the opposite of what the Bible tells us. Paul specifically wrote that godly people WILL suffer persecution (2 Tim 3:12) & the Lord Jesus warned us that in this world, we will have tribulation (John 16:33). Praise God that Jesus has overcome the world – but we still have to patiently endure in the meantime.

C. Note: those who “endure” their suffering are blessed. Seems kind of shocking to our ears. We think people are blessed if they avoid suffering – which makes sense; we wouldn’t wish suffering on anyone… But once we DO suffer, we need to hold up during it – and when we endure, God considers us blessed. Why? Because when our faith is tested we build up perseverance (Jas 1:3) & in the process God develops our character to be more like Christ, which leads to confident hope (Rom 5:3). The trial or suffering itself is not joyous, but we can definitely rejoice over the work of God that He is doing within us – and in all circumstances we can rejoice in the saving work of the Lord Jesus for us. As we endure, we remember that we’re going to see Jesus, and that should cause us to hope & rejoice.
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…You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

A. 3rd example of patience: Job. Technically, Job isn’t so much an example of patience, but of perseverance. James uses a completely different word here than what he used for “patience” in vss. 7 & 10. “Perseverance” comes from the same root word as “endurance” – instead of speaking of “long-suffering patience,” this word carries the idea of “holding out/standing fast”. The word choice actually makes a lot of sense. Job frequently complained during his sufferings & was a bit impatient toward God at the end – but he DID endure his sufferings. Job may have cursed the day of his birth, but not once did he lose his faith in God (which is exactly the opposite of what Satan thought would happen). On the contrary, despite the immense sufferings Job endured, he could still proclaim “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him,” (Job 13:15) & “I know my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). This was a man who remained standing under MUCH pressure!

B. One of the best aspects about Job’s life? His sufferings didn’t last forever. God had a different end intended for him than what the Devil had planned out – and Job experienced the blessing of the Lord. The beginning of the book shows his lands & possessions taken away, his health stricken – and even his beloved children killed. But after Job had endured & God answered him, God blessed his latter days more than Job’s beginning – he had twice as much livestock & possessions, and God even blessed him with more children. For the believer in Christ Jesus, there will always be a time when suffering ends – all suffering for us is truly temporary. Even if we suffer unto death, our suffering doesn’t continue IN death; we’re forever in the presence of our Lord & Savior. (The same promise cannot be said for the person who refuses Christ; their suffering only begins upon their death!)
__a. This isn’t to say that when we endure patiently in suffering that God will bless us with long life & riches. Just look at Jan Hus & William Tyndale & other reformers who were burned at the stake or otherwise killed… But God DOES provide for us during those times of endurance & we experience His compassion & mercy. That’s what Job experienced in the end, and that’s what we can experience in the midst of our trials.

C. Keep in mind that the Lord isn’t just sometimes “compassionate & merciful”…He’s ALWAYS “compassionate & merciful.” It’s part of His very nature! Exodus 34:6-7 (6) And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, (7) keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” [] That’s part of who He is! Born-again believers in Jesus can always go to God & appeal to Him for mercy & compassion & the Lord delights in giving it (because of the finished work of Christ).
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12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

A. How vs. 12 fits into the overall context isn’t exactly clear…it’s obviously supposed to do so (“above all…”), but it doesn’t seem to fit with the idea of being patient. I suggest vs. 12 doesn’t so much have to do with patience as it does with the idea that the Lord’s coming is at hand. In general, oaths are meaningless. To swear upon your mother’s grave (or whatever) is completely meaningless, because what power do you have over whatever it is you’re swearing by? Swearing absurd oaths (including the “death oaths” of some brotherhood organizations) assumes you have more power than what you do. Only God has the power to actually change anything – when we swear absurd oaths we’re presuming upon God…and that’s not something we’d want to be found doing at the return of Jesus Christ.

B. If Jas 4:12 sounds familiar, it’s because it should – this is virtually a direct quote from the Lord Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:33-37 (33) “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ (34) But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; (35) nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. (36) Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. (37) But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. []
__a. Say what you mean & mean what you say! Everyone is going to misspeak from time to time, and at times circumstances are going to change that might make commitments difficult to keep. But overall, our word should be trustworthy. We shouldn’t need to go through long, elaborate setups to help people know we’re “really” telling the truth – we should just tell the truth from the beginning. If we make a commitment, we ought to keep it.

C. Are ALL oaths bad? Not necessarily – God gave OT laws to His people to guide them in making oaths (Num 30); there were times vows or oaths were necessary. Even in our own culture, we are called upon to take oaths (courtroom, military, political office, etc.) What Jesus & James are both referring to are lengthy, absurd oaths, or oaths that mean you’re telling the truth one minute, but can’t trust your word the next (like crossing your fingers). Oaths that are more of an act of pride than solemnly committing to telling the truth. Bottom line? Make a point of avoiding oaths. We ought to keep our commitments simple & our word ought to be our bond in itself.

Conclusion:
Jesus is coming…are you ready? Prepared Christians are patient Christians. Whether you’re currently enduring a trial right now, or you’re simply just ready to go see Jesus, we need to be patient & steadfast as we wait for our Lord to come. For those who are oppressing the weak, Jesus will bring justice. For believers who are grumbling & swearing, Jesus will bring accountability. Every person in all history will be judged in some way by God – it’s appointed to man once to die & then the judgment (Heb 9:27).

For those who are believers in Christ Jesus, the price for our sins has already been paid (praise the Lord!) – we are completely made new & pleasing in the sight of God. Yet even we will face a judgment…one in which we stand before our Lord & give account. There we’ll be in the presence of His purifying righteousness, and though we have a reverent fear of God, we can be assured He’ll sustain us through that time. But be assured, we will see Him – and we want to be prepared for that time!

Those who reject Christ will also see Him – but unlike the rest of us, unbelievers will see Christ Jesus without hope. If that’s you, the judgment you will face is the Great White Throne Judgment in which everyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life will be cast into Hell. That may sound dramatic, but it’s the truth…and that’s not what God desires for you! God’s will is that all men repent from their sin & turn to Jesus Christ for salvation – He is not willing that any should perish! But many will…simply because they reject the mercy & love of God – and their own sin & rebellion leaves them condemned. If that’s you, I guarantee you’re not ready to see Jesus Christ! But you CAN be…humble yourself before Him today & trust Him as your Lord & Savior by faith.

What the Church is NOT

James 4:11 – 5:6, “What the Church is NOT”
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Have you ever noticed that it’s sometimes helpful to define what something is by describing what it’s not? Example: what’s outer space? A big void of nothing. How do you know when a politician is telling the truth? When their lips don’t move. What’s one way of telling the Church is acting like the Church? When it’s not acting like the world.

There are some sections in our Bibles we just can’t wait to read over & over. We’re left encouraged, uplifted, and we just feel good (“peace that passes understanding” – Phil 4:6-7, “My grace is sufficient” – 2 Cor 12:9, “I’m going to prepare a place for you” – John 14:3). There are other sections that are a bit tougher, when we are exhorted & even rebuked a bit – but those passages are just as necessary! James has been full of the latter so far – and it culminates in this section between Ch 4-5.

We’re going to read a bit of rebuke today, but it’s good medicine. There are many traps the Church can fall into in which we start acting like the world from which Christ Jesus saved us out of: we can get judgmental – we can start boasting in arrogance – we can even oppress the helpless…and none of these things ought to be so. So James takes his readers (and us) to task a bit here – not out of scorn, but out of loving concern. The Church ought to be a lot of things (some of which we’ll look at in the end of Ch 5), but what it ought NOT to be like is the world.

James 4:11-17 (NKJV)
- Don’t judge…
11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

A. Define “speak[ing] evil” – some translate this as “slander”…it could be, but many scholars think it’s more than slander or gossip, but rather just speaking harshly or unlovingly about another believer. Keep in mind that believers are family – we’re brothers & sisters in Christ together. To speak evil of one another would be like going to Thanksgiving dinner & berating your parents about how awful you think your siblings are, whether or not they deserve the description. Your brother or sister in Christ is the son/daughter of God the Father. In the end, “speaking evil” against someone (especially another believer in Jesus Christ) is to pass judgment on them, and that’s not something that’s left for us to do.

B. One of the most quoted passages in Scripture today is “Judge not, lest you be judged”…but it’s often misquoted entirely out of context in order for someone to justify their own sin. You may lovingly confront them about something important, and they turn around & piously declare, “Judge not, brother!” [BIBLE: Matt 7:1-5]:
__a. If we judge, we’ll be judged by the same standard. That ought to be pretty sobering in itself…a great incentive to show much grace!
__b. It’s tough to pass judgment on someone else when we’re guilty of a similar (or worse) offense. We’ve got enough things to take care of in our own life before we start addressing someone else.
__c. But none of what is going on in our own life changes the speck into something else. A speck (sin) is still a speck. And once our issues are taken care of, then we are to help our brother.
__d. Notice that even in proper godly judgment, it’s not a reference to something vindictive. Jesus couches the whole analogy in the context of helping one another. Someone standing on the sidelines piously wagging their finger at someone else doesn’t help. We’re to get in the trenches with one another – bear one another’s burdens & so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2).

C. So is it wrong to ever judge? It’s not quite so black & white; it’s definitely wrong to judge unjustly. It’s wrong to judge hypocritically. But keep in mind there ARE some things we ought to judge – Paul specifically chastised the Corinthians for not doing so. They didn’t rightly judge sin among their members (1 Cor 5:2); they couldn’t judge among themselves in legal offenses (1 Cor 6:5). These were things that the local church ought to have addressed, but they didn’t. The key is to not judge wrongly, but to judge rightly.
__a. To judge rightly, we judge according to the Scripture…it thoroughly equips us for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17).
__b. To judge rightly, we give priority to grace & mercy…we have been shown much mercy [], and mercy triumphs over judgment (Jas 2:13). (Ritchie) “You don’t need grace to live in the land of judgment.”

D. What’s the problem with unjust judging? When we’re wrongly judging a brother or sister in Christ, we’re not loving them…and the royal law commands us to love them! Most likely this is another reference to the 2nd part of the Great Commandment. 1st, we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength…2nd, we’re to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31). It’s this 2nd part that Paul calls a fulfillment of the law (Rom 13:10). Speaking evil of our brethren is certainly not loving towards them. Passing unjust judgment on them isn’t either. Once we’re born again, our responsibility towards God is to obey His word (through the power of the Holy Spirit) – to do it; it’s not to pass judgment on it.
__a. Earlier in the letter, James exhorted the Church to be doers of the word (Jas 1:22). Part of doing the word is to love one another in the body of Christ! Sometimes we tend to limit “doing” to only physical/social things. I.e. people “do the word” when they’re feeding the homeless, taking care of orphans & widows, etc. But it’s not limited to just that; a doer of the word loves his/her neighbor & thus doesn’t pass unrighteous judgment on them in his heart. Doing the word has as much to do with our attitudes as it does our actions.
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12 There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?

A. There is one Lawgiver, and it isn’t you (or me). God is the Judge; we’re not. When we wrongly judge the people of God, we’re placing ourselves into the position of God…and that places us squarely in violation of the 1st Commandment – you shall have no other gods before me (Exo 20:3). …

B. Because God is the One who gave the law & thus the One to judge the law, people will answer to Him; not us. We need to be careful about judging someone of whom God has the responsibility of caring for. Paul addressed this in Romans…wrote of believers that might have different convictions regarding dietary issues & holy days. Romans 14:3-4 (3) Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. (4) Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. [] Ultimately, other believers don’t answer to us; they answer to God.

C. BTW – note that God is “able to save and to destroy.” Every single human in all history will stand before God Almighty on that question: will we be saved, or will we be destroyed? … God wants you to be saved!
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- Don’t boast…
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

A. Sound familiar? Very similar to what Jesus taught in the parable of the rich fool [BIBLE: Luke 12:16-21] All sorts of planning – all kinds of self-satisfaction – no thought to eternity or God. Business-wise, his plans were very good; eternity-wise, he had no clue as to what was coming in the morning. He was completely consumed with building up his treasure on earth & where he should have been building up treasure was in heaven!

B. Is James saying that planning (business plans or otherwise) is wrong? No – he’s making a point about God’s sovereignty & man’s arrogance. Planning is a good thing, as long as we have the right priorities in place. The plans of the diligent lead to plenty (Prov 21:5); we just want to remember that God is God (we’re not) & we are subject to Him.

C. Whatever our plans are, we need to hold them lightly. Why? Because life is a vapor. Could be translated “mist” or “smoke” – something that is present & then quickly disappears [Liv & the smoke]. Life is the same way: here one day & gone the next. Any plans we make need to be kept with that in mind.
__a. It’s exactly because life is a vapor that we need to answer the question of eternity NOW. Every day 150,000 people die. Statistically speaking, at least some of the people you drive past on the highway this afternoon probably won’t be around to drive on it next week. Life is a vapor; are you ready to see the Lord Jesus face-to-face?
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15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

A. Planning isn’t bad; priority is the key… All plans are subject to the will of God… Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. [] Just as God is the Judge; God is also the King. As His servants, our lives are in His hand. Any changes He makes in our plans are glorious (even if we don’t recognize it at the time) – they are simply more opportunities to watch God work & be led by the Spirit!

B. Understand that James isn’t proposing a new legalism here – as if when we didn’t say “If the Lord wills,” we just committed another sin we needed to confess. Instead, we’re exhorted to have a completely different mindset – one in which God is the highest priority, and He has the right to change our plans at His will. But it is a good habit! So, Lord willing, we’ll be around long enough to develop the new habit. 
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16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

A. To assume that we can plan our lives without God is the height of arrogance. As if we could do anything without God?! We can’t get out of bed in the morning without God giving us breath – much less carry on business plans or whatnot…we are absolutely dependent upon Him. (Christians should especially understand this…)
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17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

A. Wherefore the therefore? Seems to come out of nowhere… Actually, it’s a great summary of the previous chapters & a bridge to the next one. James has given many exhortations to the church – if there was any doubt, they now knew what was good to do; now they needed to do it. Moving forward, there were things that the Church ought to have known better, but they still ignored it. This isn’t viewed as ‘oversight’; this was viewed as flat-out sin.

B. We typically think of sins as things we do – sins of commission. Here, the Bible makes it plain that there are also sins of omission – that which we DON’T do. [Awful story of gang-rape at homecoming dance – at least 10 people stood by & watched.] Some things just ought to be done…and we bear guilt when we do not.

C. When’s the best time to do good? Right now! When the Lord brings it to mind, we ought to do it at the soonest opportunity. [(Spurgeon) “Do you say, "I am going to repent"? Your duty is to repent now. "I am going to believe," do you say? The command of Christ is, "Believe now." "After I have believed," says one, "I shall wait a long time before I make any profession." Another says, "I am a believer, and I shall be baptized some day." But as baptism is according to the will of the Lord, you have no more right to postpone it than you have to postpone being honest or sober. All the commands of God to the characters to whom they are given come as a present demand. Obey them now.”] As has been said, the only moment that is guaranteed to us is the present. Our life is indeed a vapor, so it’s not a matter of whether or not you will pray tomorrow, or share the gospel next week, or some day some time getting around to showing compassion to the homeless, or forgiving your family member…do it in the moment that you CAN. When we do not do it, and we know we should, it is sin.
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James 5:1-6 (NKJV)
- Don’t oppress…
1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

A. Get ready…James is going to get pretty blunt here. Laying out woes on the caliber of the OT prophets. James has already had a lot to say about the rich – Ch 1:10, the poor were to glory in their exaltation & the rich in their humiliation – Ch 2:1-7, James decried partiality in the church, showing that it was even illogical…the rich were the ones to drag people into courts; not the poor. It’s evident that the majority of the Church were poor, and obviously there were some cultural prejudices to overcome as wealthy people got saved & expected the poor to kowtow to them. James doesn’t waste words as he shows this kind of attitude to be antithetical to the gospel where we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).

B. Is it bad to be rich? No. God used & blessed many wealthy people throughout the Scriptures… [Abraham, Joseph, Job, Solomon, Joseph of Arimathea, perhaps Barnabas] But to be rich and to be heartless is not a good combination. It’s not good for anyone to be without compassion, but the rich have the power to oppress others… James makes it clear that this kind of evil is going to be judged.
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2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

A. Our lives are but vapors; so are our riches. They don’t last. … You can’t take it with you… No one pulls up to the cemetery with an armored car & a dump truck.

B. Not only are riches temporary, but riches that are gotten by unjust means are tainted – corrupt – corroded. Lists off two categories of wealth: garments & gold. People used fine linen & clothing at the time not only as a status symbol, but in trading. The point? Whatever the rich sees as valuable will be seen as corrupt & useless in the Day of Judgment…not only will they not be able to bribe God, the riches themselves will be used as evidence against them in court.

C. These are the last days! This isn’t a time to exploit people for financial gain; we’re going to see the Judge…
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4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

A. The specific problem is defined here. Those in the church who were rich apparently exploited workers & didn’t pay them what they were owed for their labor. Most day-laborers were very poor & if they weren’t paid at the end of the day (per the parable of vineyard workers, Matt 20), they didn’t eat. The people James is referring to apparently kept back the wages of their reapers, and defrauded them out of what they had agreed to work for.

B. Who will take up their cause? The “Lord of Sabaoth” (not Sabbath, though God is the Lord of the Sabbath) – the Lord of the armies of the heavenly hosts – the Lord Almighty. “Sabaoth” is the exact Greek word used…it’s a transliteration of a Hebrew term (tsaba’ah) = hosts/armies (possibly stars). God is the Lord of all Creation, and the Commander of all the heavenly angelic armies…not the One anyone wants to be messing around with! To oppress the poor is to invoke the wrath of Almighty God.

C. God defends the defenseless. Throughout Scripture, we see this affirmed over & over again. God administers justice for the widow & orphan & loves the strangers (Deut 10:18). Those who are weakest in society have an advocate in God, and God frequently both exhorted Israel to care for them (Isa 1:17) & rebuked Israel when they failed to do so (Isa 1:23). If God expected His people in the OT to show compassion on the poor & defenseless, how much more ought the Church in the NT? In our own nation, the helpless become a pawn in political theater on both sides. Helping the helpless (whether the single parent or the unborn child) isn’t an issue of politics; it’s addressing an issue that is dear to the heart of our Heavenly Father.
__a. BTW, as born-again Christians, we are all beneficiaries of God’s compassion towards the helpless…because spiritually speaking, that’s exactly what we are! Without Christ Jesus, we are dead in our sins & transgressions, permanently tainted by the blood of sin, awaiting death both on earth & in eternity. No good works we do can make us right in the eyes of God, no amount of money can bribe Him – our sins (both little & great) left us utterly condemned in His sight. But God in His great mercy showed compassion on we who were helpless! He sent Jesus when we least deserved it, and provided the help for us we didn’t even know we needed. Praise God for His compassion, mercy & grace!
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5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

A. Picture of the lazy man who doesn’t realize the judgment that is coming. Like a cow fattened for the slaughter, so is the unjust wealthy who fattens themselves off the abuses of other people – they are unwittingly preparing themselves for judgment.

B. There’s a bit of debate here of whether or not James is writing to the church on this point. The things he lists out here are awful acts – completely unjust – things that ought to be abhorrent to believers, and some feel that James couldn’t possibly be writing about born-again Christians, but rather those who are just “playing church.” (And there a huge number of people who qualify in that category today!) Certainly possible, but it’d be very unusual in this letter where James affirms over & over again he’s writing to believing Christians. Others assume these things were awful, but they were still things that existed in the early church nonetheless. And it ought not to be so!
__a. Are we guilty of the same? Have our hearts grown hard to those around us? Do we take advantage of the weak, and enrich ourselves off their labor? I praise God I know of none that do…but God knows. And if it’s you (whether here or listening to the audio), then you know. Stop it! Repent! You WILL face the Lord Jesus for judgment…

Conclusion:
The bottom line in all this? Don’t be like the world. The world is judgmental against the things of God, is arrogant about the authority of God, and is unjust against the people of God (and in general). … The Church is to be different!

A. We’re not to judge another man’s servant; we’re to love one another in the Body as Jesus loves us… That doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to sin, but it does mean responding to one another in compassion, love, and grace.
B. We’re not to boast against God; we’re to be submitted to Him. He’s our Lord & Savior – and if He sees fit to change our plans, then so be it! Praise God for how He watches over us & cares for us!
C. We’re not to oppress the poor & helpless; we’re to show mercy & compassion to them. That’s what God does with them – and that’s what He did with us.

Notice the difference there: when the Church isn’t acting like the world, we’re acting like Christ….and that’s exactly what God intends for us! The more we act like Christ Jesus, the more the world we witness to will see Christ Jesus – and prayerfully the more people will be saved to the glory of God.

It’s easy to make a call out to the Church in general – but change starts with us as individuals. How would you characterize your walk with Christ lately? Have you been looking more like the world – or more like Jesus? It’s easy to fall into old habits & traps & start doing things we ought not to be doing…but it doesn’t need to stay that way. Once we realize what we ought to do, we confess our sin, receive God’s forgiveness by faith, we’re renewed in the Spirit, and we press on by His power keeping our eyes on Christ.

Wars of Selfishness

James 4:1-10, “Wars of Selfishness”
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Wars and fights are not exactly uncommon things in our world – they are to be expected, though tragic. We saw two examples just this week: one was a disgruntled former employee in Orlando who opened fire on former co-workers, killing one & wounding 5 more. The other was the massacre at Fort Hood in Killeen, where it appears an act of domestic terrorism took place. 13 are dead, and 30 are still wounded. These are terrible events, and the families of the victims need our prayers. They are terrible & tragic, but not unexpected, because people in the world are at war with one another. What ought to be unexpected (but sadly isn’t) are wars inside the church among the people of God.

As we need to remind ourselves throughout this letter, James is writing to the very early church. These were people who were primarily Jewish in their upbringing & culture, but born-again believers in Jesus Christ. Time-wise, the records in the book of Acts have not yet ended, but already the church is having to deal with fights, wars, and quarrels among its members. (James written between 45-48; Acts written in 60-63) There were many great things about the early church – but they suffered some of the same exact problems we all do, and fights amongst themselves were one of them.

So what is a Christian to do when quarrels and fighting break out in their homes, among friends, etc? That’s exactly what James deals with in the 1st part of Ch 4. He starts off by defining the problem [“a problem well defined is half-solved…”], then he gives us the solution. The problem? Carnal selfishness… The solution? Godly humility…

James 4:1-10 (NKJV)
- Tackles the problem 1st: carnal selfishness…
1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

A. Do Christians war & fight amongst ourselves? Yes. Ought we to do so? No! Sometimes we fall into a trap of thinking that the love we ought to be displaying as born-again believers in Jesus Christ is only part-time. ‘I’ll be loving and kind when you’re nice to me & agree with me, but don’t you dare turn on me, or I’ll be on you like white on rice!’ … That’s not love at all; that’s convenience. … … True selfless agape love is patient & kind, it doesn’t behave rudely & isn’t easily provoked (1 Cor 13:4-5). Those aren’t qualities that can be tested when everything is peaches & roses; you can only test how easily you can’t be provoked when someone actually provokes you. … So many times we get provoked, and then we don’t respond in agape; we respond in anger, and language heats up, voices get louder, and before you know it, we’re fighting with someone we love. And when fights aren’t dealt with & forgiveness doesn’t take place, those fights turn into wars…
__a. This isn’t what our Lord Jesus desires for us! He obviously knew we would struggle here, which is why He prayed for unity. John 17:20-21 (20) “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (21) that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. [] This doesn’t sound like a people at war with one another! Jesus’ prayer for the church is that we would be one! Neither backbiting one another as individuals, nor breaking fellowship with other churches over non-essential doctrine. Jesus is the head over ONE Church – and every person who’s trusted Christ as Savior & Lord is part of it. When we fight & war with one another, we’re warring against someone for whom Christ died – and in a way, fighting against Christ Himself…it’s part of HIS body.

B. Where do these fights come from? Can we blame them on pressures from the world? Can we blame them solely upon the work of the devil? No. Just like our temptations, our fights come from our own sinful desires. In Ch 1:14, we’re told we’re led away by our own desires & tempted. Likewise here. Our fighting is a result of our own desires, our own covetousness that wants ‘my way & only my way.’
__a. Greek is interesting here. ἡδονή ~ “hedonism” = “that which tastes good”…it’s a reference to personal pleasure & preferred desires. Obviously pleasure is not necessarily a bad thing (we’re to taste & see that the Lord is good! Ps 34:8), but hedonists seek only what is pleasurable to them, regardless of its effects on others. It’s actually the opposite of agape love. Agape love thinks of others 1st; hedonism thinks of self 1st. Those who think of themselves 1st are easily provoked because “I” was offended, and “I” will feel better if “I” lash out in anger, and “I” will feel better if to hold grudges, etc.

C. Internal selfishness leads to external sinfulness…
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2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

A. Notice how this all goes back to selfishness. One person lusts for something & they can’t get it. They do whatever they think they need to do to get it (coveting, character assassination, whatever) and they still can’t get it. So they fight & war with other people until they do get it…but it still doesn’t come. But it all comes back to self. Selfish covetousness is the oldest sin in the book. Satan wasn’t happy with his place; he wanted more & so he rebelled against God. Adam & Eve were tempted in the garden because they wanted more. Cain murdered Abel because he wanted his offering to be the best offering – he wanted more. Selfishness is a gateway to all kinds of sin ranging from idolatry to murder.
__a. BTW – was James accusing the church of literally murdering & killing one another? No…this would have been a far different kind of letter! But we can murder people in our hearts far more easily & often. Whoever hates their brother is a murderer (1 John 3:15), and unrighteous anger is just as worthy of judgment as murder is (Matt 5:21-22). Hopefully none of us in this room have held a gun to someone’s head, but how many of us have shot it off in our hearts? This is where carnal selfishness leads…

B. Interestingly enough, the very thing that sets people on a selfish path of destruction could so very easily be solved through submitted prayer! Christians don’t have because we don’t ask. Jesus said to ask anything in His name, and He’d do it (John 14:13) – He said everyone who asks will receive & everyone who seeks will find (Matt 7:8) – He said that we are to ask in prayer, believe that we’ll receive, and we will receive them (Mark 11:24). Over & over through the gospels, Christ Jesus makes this same promise…you’d think we’d actually listen.  We do not have because we do not ask.
__a. ‘Ok, so why is it my prayers weren’t answered?! Why didn’t I get what I asked for?’ See vs. 3…
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3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

A. How to ensure your prayers are NOT answered? Ask in selfishness. Ask amiss. Ask because you want it for your hedonistic desires (same word as in vs. 1) because it’s what you want for you first, without regard of what God wants. [Sears Christmas catalog as a kid] Prayer is not taking a catalog of stuff to God & saying, “I want, I want”; prayer is about submitting ourselves to God & declaring “I want what You want.” We see it in the model prayer the Lord Jesus gave us, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread…” (Matt 6:10-11) Are we invited to ask for our needs? Absolutely! We are utterly dependent upon God for them. But we are 1st submitted to God Himself, and we are to ask for His will to be done 1st & foremost. Jesus personally exampled this in the garden before His crucifixion – Luke 22:41-42 (41) And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, (42) saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” [] Was Jesus asking in faith? Absolutely! But He didn’t ask in selfishness; He asked in submitted faith.

B. Sometimes we hear criticism from certain preachers along the lines of, “If you’re asking for God’s will to be done instead of yours, you’re not asking in faith; you’re invalidating your whole prayer!” How many ways can we say that’s wrong? Let’s be perfectly clear: there can be no more God-honoring prayer than to ask for God’s will to be done. Do we bring our heart’s desire before the Lord? Yes – absolutely. But are we omniscient? Do we know the end from the beginning? Worse yet, do we think we know better than God Almighty? Heaven forbid! God is God & we’re not. When we ask in the type of “faith” that demands God puts His will aside so that our personal request will be accomplished, that is pure carnality & selfish covetousness. And that’s exactly what James condemns.
__a. Although James may or may not have known it was coming, this is a direct hit on the modern “prosperity gospel” movement. We can not bribe God with our gifts, nor manipulate Him with our praise in order that God is forced to do anything for us. There is no magic formula we can work that will make God fatten up our bank accounts & give us luxury cars. If selfish hedonistic pleasures are the reason you’re praying, James (through the Holy Spirit) assures you that you won’t get what you’re asking for.
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4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

A. One aspect of selfishness? It’s an indicator of worldliness. When what goes through our mind is “I want, I want…”, then we can be assured that we have the exact same mindset of the world & thus the sin Christ died for. When we’re wanting the things of the world – and especially when we’re willing to step all over people to get them – then our minds are obviously set on worldly things. Never mind what Jesus wants (you know, the One you call Lord & King), you want what you want, and who cares what the consequences are? If that’s you, be careful! If you’re a born-again Christian (you turned away from your sin, believed Jesus is the Son of God risen from the dead, received Him as Lord), then you are part of the bride of Christ. As Christ’s bride, you’ve just committed adultery with the world.

B. The result? We’re making ourselves into an enemy of God. It may sound a bit extreme, but it’s perfectly logical when we think about it. The world hates Jesus, thus we can’t be friends with the world; the world is an enemy of God. If we’re friends with God’s enemy, that makes us God’s enemy as well…

C. Keep in mind there is a big difference between separation & isolation. Christians are to be different from the world, but we’re not to be completely cut off from it. Jesus specifically prayed that God would not take us out of the world, but that we’d be kept safe from the temptations (and tempter) of the world (John 17:15). Jesus does not call us to be hermits locked away in our own little Christian communes – how then could be salt & light? How could we fulfill the Great Commission? We are IN the world, but we are not OF the world, and thus we are not to commit adultery WITH the world.
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5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

A. If you do a word search in the OT to find this quote, you’re going to come up a bit short. Many scholars think that James isn’t attempting to quote Scripture here, but rather summarize the general thought of God’s holy jealousy for His people which is seen throughout the OT (Exo 20:5, 34:14, Deut 4:24, Josh 24:19, etc.)…
__a. God is jealous? Not like us. God is jealous for US…

B. BTW – Translations differ on this somewhat…scholars have a tough time translating this particular phrase. Some think this is a reference to the human spirit yearning to jealousy & envy, which would stir up pride & worldliness & quarrels. Others believe this is a reference to the 3rd Person of the Trinity as God the Holy Spirit yearns jealously for US to follow God alone & not the world. Personally, I side with those who believe this is a reference to the Holy Spirit – He “dwells in us.” Over & over the NT refers to the Holy Spirit dwelling in us (or looks at demon possessions with the spirits dwelling with the man in question); yet when referring to the spirit of man it almost never separates the man from the spirit. Our spirits don’t “dwell” in us; they’re simply a part of us. It’s by the grace of God that the Holy Spirit of God does dwell in us! And that Holy Spirit is jealous for us to be devoted only to Him.
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- What’s the solution to all this selfishness & worldliness? Godly humility! …
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

A. Quoting the LXX version of Proverbs 3:34. Original Hebrew, Proverbs 3:34 (34) Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. [] Greek word used for “scornful” is a compound word – seems to have root of “over-shining.” The idea is arrogance & haughtiness. [good pride vs. bad pride] Those who come to God with a haughty selfish spirit are going to find themselves resisted by God at every turn. But those who humble themselves & submit themselves to God are going to receive His grace in abundance. Look no further than the kings of Israel – Saul was proud & haughty & had the kingdom ripped away from him… David was humble at times he had opportunity for selfish revenge, and God blessed him…

B. This principle is absolutely key in our relationship with God! Contextually, if we want to avoid fighting & warring against other members in the body of Christ (and thus fighting against God Himself), what do we do? We humble ourselves. Instead of seeking ourselves 1st, we seek 1st the kingdom of God & His righteousness… Instead of showing ourselves proud & arrogant against our brother or sister in Christ, we humble ourselves before God & demonstrate His love & patience with one another.
__a. Humility before God ought to be the 1st step we take in addressing any problems we have with one another. Before we can take the speck out of our brother’s eye, we need to take the log out of our own (Matt 7:5); before we jump down someone’s back about how they offended us, we need to examine our own hearts before the Lord & humble ourselves before Him.
__b. Also a key principle to remember in evangelism… Those who are proud in their sin & self-righteousness will not understand their need for a Savior because they haven’t any idea of how sinful their sin actually is. But the person who is broken because they realize that they’ve sinned against a Holy Perfect Just & Loving God will welcome the gospel…

C. So we know we need to humble ourselves before God. Great spiritual truth, amen! But how do we do that, practically? James gives 3 steps…
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7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

A. Step #1: be submissive… The word has the idea of voluntary submission – a falling in-line – an assuming of duty. Different than mere obedience. A person can be obedient, but not submissive (ask your children!). Obedience may be part of humility, but without submission it’s not humility. If we want to deal with selfishness in our own hearts, we need to stop being selfish – which requires that we voluntarily get off our throne & allow the Lord Jesus to have His proper place in our lives. After all, it doesn’t matter what counsel we receive in the Scriptures if we’re not willing to do it in the 1st place…

B. Beyond humility, this is essential in spiritual warfare. The order here is divinely inspired. We cannot resist the devil if we are not submitted to God. Ever wonder why temptations & spiritual struggles run rampant in your life when you haven’t been spending time in the word & in prayer? It’s because you’re not submitted to God. When we don’t willingly place ourselves at His feet, it’s no wonder that our attitudes start growing arrogant & we begin to get susceptible to all kinds of temptations & are led away by our own desires.
__a. BTW – there’s a wonderful promise here. When we are submitted to God, then when we resist the devil (standing firm against him clothed in the armor of God, Eph 6), then he WILL flee from us! The devil is a very real enemy looking to take down as many people to Hell with him as possible. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But the devil is no match against the Lord Jesus Christ… When you’re submitted to Christ, the devil will run!
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8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

A. Step #2: be sanctified… Goes back to the idea in vs. 4 about being friends with the world… As Christians, we don’t want to draw near to the world, we want to draw near to God. This is the idea of sanctification. Two-fold:
__a. Sanctified towards God: Draw near to God – worship Him, learn of Him, grow close to Him. ‘But how do I draw near to God?’ How do you draw near to your spouse? How is it that your know more of your husband/wife today than you did back when you 1st met them? You spend time with them, talk with them, etc… … It’s the same idea with God. And the wonderful promise is that when we draw near to God, He will draw near to us! The more time you spend in the presence of God through worship & the word, the more you’ll recognize the work of God in your life…which only increases your worship… It’s wonderful!
__b. Sanctified away from the world: Sanctification has both the idea of being holy & being separate. If we are to no longer be friends with the world, then we need to be separate from the world – be cleansed from its enticements & desires & be purified away from it. Obviously this is only possible through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we draw near to God, our hearts will be changed to where we don’t desire the things of the world like we used to…and when our hearts change, then our actions need to follow.
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9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

A. Step #3: be sincere… At 1st glance, this verse might seem opposed to other parts of the Bible where we’re told change out our mourning for dancing (Ps 30:11) & letting the new covenant of Christ change our sorrow for joy (Jer 31:13), but keep the context in mind. When it comes to worldliness within the church, this IS something that should bring us sorrow! When are hands aren’t cleaned, and our hearts aren’t pure before God, we shouldn’t laugh it off, but we should rather mourn over it. IOW, we need to recognize our sin for what it is, and actually show contrition & remorse over it. [David’s repentance] Psalm 51:16-17 (16) For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. (17) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise. [] It’s no surprise when Christians slip up in sin; it is when they show no remorse over it. Remorse over sin is a sign that your heart is being changed into the heart God has…if you don’t have remorse, you need to get on your knees quick.
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10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

A. The result of our humility? God will exalt us in due time… 1 Peter 5:6-7 (6) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. [] God cares for you! God loves you! We don’t humble ourselves in order that we would be abased & wail in dust & ashes, putting on false shows of humility. We humble ourselves in order that we might come to our exalted King & God who invites us to come before Him, that we would enjoy His presence & live as His children. Whether it be now or in eternity, God will lift us up in His time. The 1st will be last & the last will be 1st, and God will be glorified in all things. And His desire is to be glorified in us now just as much as He will be glorified in us in heaven – so put away the selfish desires, and humble yourself before your God who loves you with an everlasting love!

Conclusion:
When there’s fighting among believers, we have a problem. When you war in your heart against another brother or sister in Christ, we have a problem. When you desire the things of the world more than God, we have a problem. The problem is selfishness – worldliness – covetousness, and it’s infected the church. The problem isn’t new, but it IS indeed a problem, and we need to deal with it.

The good news is that God has already dealt with it at the cross, and He calls us to a new way of living as a result. Not in selfishness, but in humility. As we submit ourselves to God, are sanctified by His grace, and are sincere in our contrition, we are coming to God in simple humility by which He gives us grace and lifts us up. And know this: God doesn’t ask us to do what He hasn’t demonstrated already through His Son, Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus is our very example of humility! He was eternally co-equal with God the Father, emptied Himself & came incarnate as a man of no reputation, took on the form of a bondslave, and was humble & obedient even to the death of the Cross – and as a result, God has highly exalted Him & given Him the name which is above every name! One day, every knee will bow & every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God! (Phil 2:5-11)

If the Son of God would humble Himself on our behalf to the glory of God, why would we do any less? A servant is not greater than His master, and our Master humbled Himself – thus we ought to humble ourselves. He will lift us up in due time…even to the point of being co-heirs for all of eternity with none other than the Lord Jesus Himself! So Christian, humble yourself now, and let God exalt you later.

Maybe you’re at war today. You’ve been led away by selfish desires, and it’s caused you to be at war with others, and fighting with the people you love. Let today be the day you make peace. It starts with submission…humble yourself before God today, confess your sin to him in sincerity – ask Him to do His will in you that He wants to do. That’s the starting point…then & only then will you be able to make peace with those around you.

Maybe the One you’re at war with is none other than God Himself. You’ve rebelled against His law, resisted His work in your life, refused to submit to Him as God. In short, you’ve been proud & had no fear of God whatsoever. Know this: you’re setting yourself up for a fall. Whether you want to believe it or not, it’s appointed to man to die once, and then face the judgment. You will stand before God one day and give an account for every thought, word, and deed you’ve ever had. Who can possibly stand in that day? When lust is seen as adultery, hatred is seen as murder, and selfishness is equal to idolatry? The law of God is our standard, and by the law of God, everyone is found guilty – there is none righteous, no not one. But it’s because of that that the gospel is indeed such good news! The punishment we deserved for breaking the law of God has already been poured out upon Jesus Christ… Whereas we are dead in our sin, Jesus through His love offers us life & life everlasting… But you cannot come to Him in your pride. God resists the proud. Humble yourself before Him today & receive His grace…

Taming the Untamable Tongue

James 3:1-18, “Taming the Untamable Tongue”
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Anyone ever had their mouth get them into trouble? … It may be only a tiny muscle, but a little tongue can cause a lot of damage if not ruled correctly. [Rancher vs. the DEA] If we could just tame our tongue – let our words and thoughts be guided by the wisdom given by God, we could save ourselves (and others) a lot of pain!

James 3 (NKJV)
1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

A. The whole subject of Ch 3 relates to the tongue, so addressing teachers is a logical way to start out. Those who teach false doctrine have unruly tongues…not so much in that they can’t control what comes out of their mouths, but what comes out is poisonous & shouldn’t have been uttered in the 1st place. False teachers are nothing new to the Church (Paul encountered many!) – but we can be assured that it will only increase the further along we get in the end times (2 Tim 4:1-3).

B. Teaching the Scriptures is a good thing! To be called as a pastor/teacher is a gift (Eph 4:11), & to desire the position of a bishop/overseer is to desire a good work (1 Tim 3:1). But it’s a weighty thing; it’s not something to be taken lightly. With teaching comes responsibility – after all, this is the very word of God that we handle! Just as a prophet wouldn’t dare speak in the name of the Lord if he were going to lie about it, neither should a pastor/teacher get in the pulpit with a thought of ever mishandling the Scriptures.
__a. The pastoral ministry is not a career; it’s a calling… It’s a dreadful thing to assume & a dreadful thing to deny. Jeremiah couldn’t help but speak because the word of God was like a fire burning in his bones (Jer 20:9)… Yet Simon the sorcerer was rebuked because he looked at the Holy Spirit as a way to make money (Acts 8:18-19)… If God is calling someone & he’s not serving, he’s going to be miserable until he does. And if someone is serving who hasn’t been called, he’s going to be just as miserable.

C. Even beyond pastoral ministry, the idea is clear: anyone who teaches needs to be careful about what it is they’re teaching. There are many who would spout all kind of teaching & then try to hide under the excuse, “But I’m not a pastor.” Doesn’t work… In James’ day, it was common for people who visited different synagogues to get up and share something from the Scriptures (this was Paul’s SOP). Apparently many Christians were eager to do the same thing in an attempt to show off – but the only thing they showed was that they didn’t understand the teaching. It’s a good thing to have the opportunity to teach the word of God (regardless of your personal calling); but if you’re going to teach it, make sure you teach it correctly.

D. What awaits teachers? A “stricter judgment.” Probably a reference to the Bema seat judgment that every believer in Jesus Christ is going to face. At the judgment, every idle word men speak will be called into account (Matt 12:36), so it makes sense that every teaching is going to be answered for. If a pastor wouldn’t say it when standing before the Lord Jesus Christ, then he shouldn’t say it to his congregation either.
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2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

A. The tongue is an easy trap in which to get tripped up…it makes people “stumble”. Ever notice how quickly an argument can come simply through a few careless words? Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. [] It doesn’t take much before a torrent of sinful anger gushes forth… [parents/teens]

B. What does James mean by “perfect”? Perfect perfect?! Maybe – the word could simply mean “mature,” but this is the same word James uses in regards to the perfect gift of God (1:17) and the perfect law of liberty (1:25). A perfect Christ would obviously be mature – but James seems to be holding up an ideal here, that even he doesn’t reach yet. He admits that even he stumbles… But IF someone could fully control their tongue, that would keep them from all sorts of sins that follow.
__a. It may be an ideal in this life, but praise God it is reality in the next! Jesus is moving us towards perfection (process of sanctification), and that’s exactly what we’ll be in eternity (glorification).

C. A mature Christian can reign in his tongue (through the power of the Holy Spirit), which changes the actions that follow…
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3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

A. Example #1: horses & bridles… Example #2: ships & rudders… Unless you’ve got horses on a farm today, or go sailing often, this may be tough to relate to. The same principle applies to automobiles. Compared to the rest of your car, the steering wheel is tiny – and it can be turned easily. The littlest effort can turn several hundred pounds of metal, fiberglass, & rubber. The point? A little thing can make a big difference!

B. ‘So what? What’s the big deal about words?’ Keep our context in mind from last week. Ch 2 ended with an exhortation to do good works; now we see an exhortation to speak good words. Our works & deeds to much to demonstrate our faith in Christ Jesus – they show our faith in action (which is necessary, because although we are saved by grace alone through faith alone through Christ alone, the faith that saves will be a faith that works). But someone can do the right deeds with a wrong attitude. Handing out food to the homeless while cursing them under your breath misses the point. Showing grace to family members while complaining about them isn’t showing grace at all. Our works may be abundant in quantity, but our words make a huge difference in its quality.

C. Note vs 3-4 are mostly good examples…at the very least, ambivalent. Those who ride horses & sail ships need those small devices to drive them, otherwise they’ll never get where they need to go. Likewise, words by themselves aren’t necessarily bad things. We may need to let our words be few, but taking a vow of silence doesn’t solve anything. If it weren’t for someone speaking to us, most of us probably wouldn’t have ever heard the gospel! What’s necessary isn’t that our tongues aren’t used at all, but rather that they are used in the right way.
__a. But there are also bad examples…look at the rest of vs. 5…
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…See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

A. Example #3: a forest fire. In 2007, 38,000 acres in Southern California were burned because a 10-year-old boy was playing with matches (NY Times, Nov 1, 2007). It doesn’t take much of a spark to set a whole forest ablaze. Huge swaths of destruction take place every year in California due to wildfires. []

B. One unguarded phrase can start a world of hurt…and the effects last & last & last. To say “it is set on fire by hell,” James uses the word commonly used by Christ for Hell: gehenna. The picture was well familiar to Jews as a place outside of Jerusalem where fires were always burning & consuming trash, dead animals, & more. Jesus used it to describe a place where the worm never dies & the fire is never quenched – a very real place where very real people go and suffer for eternity (which is exactly what Jesus is offering to save you from!!) Contextually here, the effects from our tongues can last far longer than what we imagine. How many family members bear grudges for years based on some careless comment at a holiday dinner? For Christians, how many opportunities to witness about the Lord Jesus have been ruined because of hateful angry speech that spewed out of our mouths?

C. The tongue is capable of defiling the “whole body” – this is exactly what Jesus was teaching us about our thought life (of which our tongue is merely an extension). [controversy about washed hands] Matthew 15:18-20 (18) But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. (19) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. (20) These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” [] Notice how thoughts & words bookend the list…it’s not just sinful works that show what’s in our hearts; it’s sinful words as well. (Praise God for our forgiveness through Jesus Christ!)
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7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

A. Example #4: taming wild animals… Interesting contrast here with our tongue. We think there are some animals that can’t be tamed – they’re too powerful & deadly. Yet even lions can be trained to do what a person wants them to (to a certain extent). But our tongues (which we ourselves control) have less of a capability of being trained than a wild beast! It’s ready to spew forth poison…and can do so at any time.

B. Seeing the danger with your words yet? James isn’t trying to leave us hopeless here. Man can’t tame the tongue, but God can. What is impossible with man is possible with God because with God, ALL things are possible (Luke 18:27).
__1. Most of the book of James deals with various aspects of our sanctification – that life-long process that begins the moment we’re saved as God continues to grow us in holiness & shape us into the image of Christ…making us the man or woman of God that He wants us to be. What all of this serves to tell us is that sanctification is just as much dependent on the work and grace of God as justification is. We don’t perform good deeds on our own, but as God works in us, we work good deeds for Him, demonstrating our faith. We can’t control our tongue & words on our own, but because we’re new creations & the Holy Spirit lives in us, we can learn to tame our tongue – not based on our work, but based upon HIS work. Goes back to James 1:17 – every good gift & perfect gift comes from God the Father. Every area in which we grow in our character & become more & more like Jesus is due to the grace of God!
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9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.

A. This is the problem with our tongue – it was given us so that we could give praise, honor, and glory to God…but what we actually do with it is far different.

B. Note the hypocrisy being pointed out here: to bless God, yet curse men made in the image of God is flat-out hypocritical. If anyone says they love God & hate their brother, they’re a liar (1 John 4:20). People (though fallen) are made in the image of God – to curse them, hate them, insult them, etc. is to insult the God who made them.
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10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

A. Like the old phrase, “You kiss your mother with those lips?” … Of course it ought not be so! We ought to be giving praise to God – speaking comfort to men – building one another up – exhorting one another to good works – proclaiming the gospel to those around us & more. The Bible gives us many things to do with our tongue other than cursing!
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11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

A. Example #5: unity in nature. Interesting illustration. Nature shows us that one source generates a certain kind of product/fruit…not opposite kinds…

B. If that’s the case with nature, how is it different with us? Here’s the idea: we console ourselves thinking that our mouths are sometimes good/sometimes bad. But the problem is that even in nature, it can’t be both. Thus if it’s sometimes bad with us, then in reality it’s ALL bad because it’s all been spewing from the same place. I.e. even our blessings to God are somewhat tainted because it’s come from a mouth that spews forth curses on His created beings…
__a. This is where grace comes in. Praise God for the righteousness given us by Jesus Christ! Left to our own devices, even our praises are rotten – but in Christ Jesus, we are made pure & perfect in the sight of God. Even when we trip up in sin & accidentally curse our brother, Jesus has already paid the price for that at the cross… God made the bitter waters sweet by the hand of Moses (Exo 15); God made our bitter praises sweet by the grace of Christ.
__b. BTW – it’s precisely because the Lord Jesus already paid the price that our behavior ought to change. The Son of God didn’t pay the price for your sin in order that you could have the liberty to keep sinning as much as you wanted – He paid the price for you & made you a new creation so that you would change! We of all people have even more reason to watch what comes out of our mouths & hearts towards our brothers & sisters…we want whatever it is to honor the Lord Jesus Christ who redeemed us.
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13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

A. Change of subject? Not really…how does someone control their tongue? How do they attempt to tame it through the power of the Holy Spirit? By Godly wisdom. The wise man/woman demonstrates his/her wisdom through “meekness.” The idea here is that meekness is the opposite of wrath & cursing. A wise man has his tongue under control…which is demonstrated though his “good conduct.”

B. Consistency is the key. Virtually everyone has occasional times when they fly off the handle – but wisdom is demonstrated through consistency. The person who praises God in the church building, but lives with outbursts of wrath when they get home in private cannot claim to have shown good conduct. The one who controls their words in public AND private is the one who shows him/herself to be wise & understanding.
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14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

A. What’s “bitter envy & self-seeking”? “Envy” = zeal…but obviously the context here isn’t a godly zeal. “Self-seeking” comes from a word that means to work as a day-laborer. James’ intent is that the person is looking out for their own interests, without regard to others or to the truth. [] It’s easy to think of worldly examples of bitter envy & self-seeking (ambition) – but remember that James is writing to the Church (“my brethren”). What does this look like in the Church? Some might be false teachers/unqualified teachers per vs. 1 who just want the perks of being “in the ministry.” Others might be folks that have a good cause, but go about it in such a way that it demeans Christ & it just serves to build up their own name.

B. So what is someone to do if James is describing you here? Don’t lie about it. Certainly don’t boast in your sin, but don’t lie & claim you’re not self-seeking or zealous with an ungodly zeal. Problems aren’t solved by ignoring them. The Holy Spirit didn’t put these verses in the Bible to condemn us & leave us feeling guilty; if He convicts your heart, He wants you to do something about it! Repent from the sin & submit to the Lord’s guidance…

C. James goes on to describe what this false wisdom is like – see vs. 15…
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15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

A. Selfish egotism is demonic & leads to evil. Just as the demons have a type of “faith” that doesn’t begin to approach real faith (2:19), they have a type of “wisdom” that doesn’t approach the real thing. To be zealous for oneself & one’s own motives is thought of as wisdom in the eyes of the world, but it’s truly soulish & selfish & is precisely the opposite of what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves.

B. Keep the context in mind. Those with unruly tongues do so many times because of envy & self-seeking in their hearts. They’re setting themselves up for the same trap as the Devil who rose up against God in pride & was cast down.
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17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

A. The opposite of “demonic wisdom”… True wisdom is yielded to the things of God & reflects the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). True wisdom is not of the earth; it’s from above (like every other good gift) – true wisdom doesn’t seek itself; it’s willing to yield – true wisdom doesn’t spew forth blessings & cursings; it’s without hypocrisy. We want to be wise with our words…seek true wisdom!

B. Keep the promise of Ch 1 in mind: James 1:5 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. [] Wisdom is something God wants to give you! We have not because we ask not.
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18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

A. Great summation. Those who sow peace with their tongues display a fruit of righteousness with their actions…they demonstrate the wisdom of God & give praises to His name. As Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.” (Matt 5:9)

Conclusion:
Men & women – may we be careful with our tongue & the words of our lips! James tells us many things about our tongue:
• Tongues that teach are judged (vs 1)
• Tongues trip us up & are tough to tame (vs 2-7)
• Tongues can be tainted (vs. 9-12)
• Tongues tell the type wisdom – demonic or Godly (vs. 13-18)

So how’s your tongue? Do you use words as a balm or a whip? It’s easy to fall into the line of thinking that words don’t matter – after all, they just disappear into thin air. But the schoolyard rhyme is a lie: Sticks & stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Wrong. Words DO hurt – and words can hurt for a long time with devastating effects.

Maybe you’re here & have been hurt by words in the past… Turn to Christ Jesus who alone has the words of life. Maybe you’re here & have hurt others with your words – your kids, spouse, neighbors… Ask forgiveness from God – seek to be reconciled to others – and then ask God for wisdom in using your tongue best. Submit your tongue to Him by the power of the Holy Spirit & start sowing peace…

Faith: It’s Alive!

James 2:14-26, “Faith: It’s Alive!”
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Question: What does faith look like? We know we need to have faith in Christ Jesus as the Son of God risen from the dead in order to be saved…the Bible is perfectly clear here. But if faith is necessary to be saved, it’s vital that we can define that faith & demonstrate what faith looks like. To some, ‘faith’ is mere intellectual assent – a kind of holy Bible trivia. To others, ‘faith’ is some kind of force people can claim in order to work miracles. But what does the Bible say about faith – real faith?

To throw one more wrench into the works, is the Bible (as some claim) conflicted on the matter of ‘faith’? This very chapter is at the heart of why Martin Luther did not see the Epistle of James on the same level as the rest of Scripture. At first glance, it seems that Paul & James not only disagree on faith, but are at flat-out opposite ends on it. Eph 2:8-9 states plainly that we are saved by grace through faith & not of works. Couldn’t be any clearer here in Paul’s writings that faith saves us completely apart from works; otherwise we would have something to boast in – something we “achieved” apart from the grace of God.

So what are we left with? Is Paul in one corner & James in the other & we’ve got to let them duke it out in the Bible boxing ring – whoever lasts longest has the right doctrine? Be careful here! The 1st thing we need to remember is that even though James & Paul were the writers of their letters, the ultimate author behind them is God. God is One – and perfectly consistent within Himself – He is not the author of confusion. Thus James & Paul could not be arguing against each other; they must be making different arguments altogether.

And that’s exactly what’s happening. James and Paul are perfectly consistent because they are writing of two completely different aspects of faith. To Paul, we need faith (that God gives us) in order to be made righteous. To James, faith is what we as Christians already have, and it’s demonstrated through righteous acts & works. Paul is describing what happens when someone is born-again; James is describing the ongoing faith of someone who is already born-again. That person’s faith is alive! It’s active! It’s ongoing! And when it’s not, then it’s not really faith – it’s dead.

James 2:14-26 (NKJV)
14. What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

A. At 1st glance, this is a shocking statement…and perhaps it’s meant to be exactly that. It’s the type of thing that makes you sit up & pay attention. ‘What do you mean by questioning whether or not faith can save?! Of course it can save! If it can’t, what hope do we have?’ That may be exactly the reaction the verse is meant to get. We have NO hope of salvation outside of faith in Jesus Christ – our best attempts at righteousness are like filthy rags (Isa 64:6)… Since that is the case, then we better take a close look at what James is talking about here.

B. What’s the issue here? A “faith” which “does not have works.” I.e., this is referring to a type of faith. People have faith in all kinds of things. Some people trust their own intellect alone – some trust in false gods – some trust in their own abilities, etc. But not all faith is of the same value. What determines its value? Its ability to save. [Magical pen/stick] If it can’t save, it’s worthless. The same concept applies here. Apparently in the 1st century church (as today), there were people who claimed to have a completely internal, intellectual faith – they could repeat the creeds & sing the hymns, but that’s as far as it went. There were no works in the person’s life as a result of that faith…no fruit showing what the seed of the gospel had done in him/her. A faith that has no works can’t truly be called “faith”…at least, it’s not a living faith. Thus this faith cannot save him.
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- Example of this kind of ‘faith’…
15. If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16. and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

A. Can you imagine it? You’re walking down the street one day, and you see someone from church in desperate straits. Their clothes are in tatters while the wind is blowing cold, and it looks like they haven’t eaten in days. Our pious response? “Trust in the Lord, brother! He’ll provide for you!” And then we walk off. How pious & how pathetic! It may be theologically true, but it’s practically useless. Such religiosity wouldn’t “profit” anyone…neither the person in need, or us. How so? Because we would have just proven our so-called faith was dead!
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17. Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

A. That’s about as straightforward as it gets. Dead faith is useless faith. Dead faith is a faith that cannot save. Thus dead faith is dangerous because it gives people a false assurance of salvation. Dead faith is what Jesus condemns at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 7:21-23 (21) “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ [] On one hand, we could argue that these people had works in their faith because of all the religious things that they did. But Christ Jesus sets us straight. Their faith was dead because their faith was left to mere religious ritual; their actual lives were filled with ongoing lawlessness. …

B. We don’t want a dead faith; we need a faith that is alive & vibrant! A faith that’s alive is a faith that works. A living faith shows itself through actions & deeds.
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18. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

A. The proof is in the pudding… Living faith can be (and is) demonstrated in works.

B. What kinds of works is James talking about here? Actually, James has already given many examples (and will give many more) – most famously Ch 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Internal & external examples:
__a. Internal: Purity in spirit… Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)…
__b. External: Compassion… Purity in deed…

C. Note that none of the works James mentions throughout the letter are ritualistic. It’s not a matter of how many prayers we can pray (though prayer is good) – it’s not a matter of how much money we can give (though giving is good) – it’s not a matter of how many rituals we can participate in… The works that show our faith are works of love & purity. These are works of faith because they are works that began in faith.
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19. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

A. Believing is good! Believing is foundational – and we’ve got to believe essential doctrine correctly. James references the 1st part of the Hebrew Shema – from which Jesus gives us the Great Commandment: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (4) “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! (5) You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. [] Faithful Jews would repeat this at least twice daily & affirm their belief in the One God. But for those who would equate “belief” with mere knowledge, the Bible shows us knowledge isn’t anywhere near enough. Even demons have right doctrine. The Devil himself has more Scripture memorized than most people. Faith begins with belief, but it cannot remain in our intellect…living faith shows itself.
__a. (Wiersbe) “Beware of a mere intellectual faith. No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same any more than he can come into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same.”

B. It actually seems that demons believe more than some people do. At least they have a more appropriate response to the awesomeness of God: they tremble in fear! Is this an act of faith for the demons? No; they tremble because they know 1st hand the holiness of God. Yet they still rebel against Him. The person who claims to be a Christian but yet has a dead faith is in a similar category as the demons…a bunch of head knowledge, but no repentance. The difference is that the person with dead faith isn’t trembling yet!
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20. But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

A. Case study #1: Abraham… [Context of Gen 22]

B. Was Abraham justified by works or justified by faith? This is not the only time Abraham is brought up in the NT: Romans 4:1-4 (1) What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? (2) For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. (3) For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (4) Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. [] So Romans 4 specifically says that Abraham was not justified by works, but James 2 says that he was. What’s going on here? This is James’ whole point. Abraham had faith – amen! But what would have happened if Abraham had told God, “Lord, I believe You. I know that You are God & that my life & my son’s life are in Your hands. I believe that Your promises are true, and that Isaac is the son that will inherit Your covenant. I’ve got no other hope except for You. But I’m not going to put my son on the altar, because I think You’re nuts.”?! It doesn’t matter what Abraham had previously confessed with his lips; his actions would have shown that he had zero faith in the promise of God…

C. But that’s not what happened. Abraham believed God, and his belief was demonstrated when he bound his beloved son to the altar & lifted up the knife to kill him. He knew that God was going to keep His promise – even if it meant resurrecting Isaac from the dead… Abraham’s intellectual belief was proven to be heartfelt faith in this singular act – and he was declared righteous by God & called the father of all those who believe (Rom 4:4).
__a. All of this is ultimately a foreshadowing of what God does with His only begotten Son Jesus at the cross!
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22. Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

A. Faith & works go hand-in-hand…it’s not ‘either/or’; it’s ‘both/and’. [Swindoll – goalpost.] Abraham’s work showed that his “faith was made perfect”…it was complete. IOW, his faith was shown to be a mature, living faith through his act of obedience and trust in the Lord.

B. Notice that these are not works of the Law. The Law hadn’t even been given by this point… And even the prior covenants of God (Adam, Noah, etc.) had nothing to do with Abraham’s act of faith. No one is EVER made perfect by keeping the law! The law stops our mouths & show us to be guilty before God (Rom 3:19) – the law shows us our sin & shows the holiness of God (Rom 7:7) – the law is our tutor to bring us to Christ, and once we are in Christ we are no longer in need of a tutor (Gal 3:24-25). Nowhere in the book of James do we find an exhortation to go back to the Law of Moses. This is not a book of legalism; this is a book that calls us to a living faith!

C. What’s the difference? Abraham’s work was not a work of the Law; it was a work of faith. It was a work borne out of his faith… His faith came first, and it was proven through his actions…see vs. 23.
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23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.

A. The timing here is really interesting & helps us to understand James rightly. He writes “And the Scripture was fulfilled…” Which Scripture is it? Genesis 15:6, after Abram had met Melchizedek (the mysterious king & priest who’s a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ), and when God cuts a one-sided covenant with Abram. God promised that Abram would bear a son of his own body & that God would make him into a great nation – and Abram believed God & it was accounted to him for righteousness. With that in mind, when did Abraham put Isaac on the altar? 30+ years later in Genesis 22! Was Abraham’s faith valid all that time? Yes! He was made righteous the very moment God accounted it to him in Gen 15:6. But it wasn’t until Gen 22:10 that the Scripture was “fulfilled” & his faith was proven/confirmed through his actions. Faith always comes 1st; whether or not it is alive is shown by our works.

B. Abraham was not justified in reward for any righteous deed (he didn’t buy God off) – he was not justified by any work of the law (God wasn’t forced to give it to him) – Abraham was only justified by the grace of God through faith, which was shown to be complete though his work…his work of faith.
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24. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

A. It ought to be so clear. If we’re trying to reduce “faith” to some sort of list of doctrines we claim to believe, and then tell God, “I’m cleared to be saved now; I can pass the test!”, then we’re fooling ourselves. We’re certainly not fooling God into thinking that our faith is real! … Works are absolutely essential to a living faith, in that we see the reality of our faith through our works.

B. Keep in mind that the entire NT is consistent here. The gospels tell us that we need to believe & have life in the name of Christ (John 20:31), but also tell us that he who has Jesus’ commandments & keep them, that’s the person who truly loves the Lord Jesus & that’s the person Jesus loves (John 14:21). The 1st evangelistic sermon given on the day of Pentecost challenged the Jews to show their faith by their works by repenting (action) & being baptized (declaration of faith) & if they did so, they could be assured of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). Even the apostle Paul makes it perfectly clear that we are saved through faith alone, but still calls us to walk worthy of the calling with which we were called. Even his most famous writing on the subject makes the point: Ephesians 2:8-10 (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. [] We are to walk in faith, so we want a real faith – a living faith. And a faith that’s alive is a faith that works!

C. This is a truth the American Church needs to be reminded of today! We’ve done a perfectly good job of separating faith from works, with camps on both extremes declaring the other to be heretics. Generations of people have come up in churches where it’s works, works, works, and nothing but works. Ritualistic works – social works – priestly works. Miss a work, and you miss salvation… On the other hand, we’ve got the other extreme where all someone has to do is walk forward, mutter a prayer, and they’ve been declared to be saved for all eternity. Never mind the fact that they have no fear of God; no respect for the Lord Jesus. They know the bare facts about the gospel, but it made no difference in their lives whatsoever – yet they’ve been assured that they’re “saved” & they never need to worry about examining their own heart ever again…
__a. Both extremes are wrong! We are saved by grace through faith alone, but true faith is never alone. Faith is always accompanied by works; when it isn’t, it’s probably a sign that the faith wasn’t real in the 1st place.
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25. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

A. Case study #2: Rahab. [Context… Joshua 2] What makes Rahab such a good 2nd example is that she’s such a stark contrast from Abraham. Abraham was THE patriarch of the Hebrew faith; Rahab was a Gentile woman. Abraham was well-known & respected; Rahab was a prostitute. For those who might claim that Abraham was justified because of what such a good person he was, James blasts away that argument with a single shot! Abraham was justified because of his living faith; not because of anything he had earned. And we know this because Rahab was justified in exactly the same way.

B. Just like Abraham, Rahab demonstrated true living faith in the One True God through her actions. She could have easily have claimed to have faith & then let the Hebrew spies be found & killed…but what kind of faith is that? It wouldn’t have been faith at all. Yet she not only declared her faith in words (Josh 2:11), she demonstrated it through her actions…
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26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

A. Concluding statement. Our spirits are what move our bodies into action. Our bodies can actually be kept alive on medical equipment, but once the spirit is gone, that body isn’t going to get up out of bed ever again. Likewise with faith & works. It takes both for it to be real & alive. May God keep us from holding up a shell of so-called faith in place of the real thing!

Conclusion:
Is it clear? A faith that’s alive is a faith that works. It’s such a simple concept, but it’s absolutely foundational! God forbid any of us would stand before Jesus Christ on the Day of Judgment & hear those terrible words: “Depart from Me; I never knew you.” It’s not a matter of whether or not we’re claiming to have faith for ourselves because we know the right answers to Bible trivia questions; it’s whether or not we truly have faith – a living faith, an active faith, a faith that shows that we’ve received Jesus as Lord because there’s no way that could actually happen without something changing.

So here’s the million dollar question: is your faith alive? Is your faith the type of faith that’s merely intellectual, that’s had no impact on your life? You’re still living in just as much sin as you always did prior to claiming Jesus as Savior – you’ve had no outpouring of compassion on your neighbors to love them as yourself because of what Jesus did for you? That’s a dead faith! It’s an empty shell. You need to take the test of 2 Cor 13:5 & examine yourself to see if Jesus Christ is in you. And then get on your face before God & seek Him.

What if your faith seems to be inconsistent (like the rest of us)? Some days it seems to be alive & vibrant, and other days it seems to be dead? That’s just life. Keep in mind that we don’t put our faith in the Lord Jesus for salvation, and then try to hold onto our salvation through our works…as if the 1st time we mess up, God will throw us out of the family. Both James and Paul (and the rest of the Bible) would affirm your salvation rests in the hands & grace of Jesus Christ. It is HIS work on the cross that saves you; not your own. The works we do in Christ are simply the evidence of the work Jesus has already done within us through our faith in Him. So let James 2 be a wake-up call to you. If you’re falling into the trap of a lazy intellectual faith, beware of what that faith looks like – and then take action. Ask Jesus for forgiveness & then repent…

Mercy to ALL

James 2:1-13, “Show Mercy to ALL”
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We’ve all seen it on TV. There’s a big ministry event or a huge church service, and as Camera 1 cuts away from the face of the preacher, Camera 2 focuses in on some celebrity that attends church there. One massive church in Florida at one point had a reputation for how many famous-name athletes attended there…they had great seats (right in view of the cameras), preferential parking, and exclusive private time with the pastor & his wife.

How can we put it gently? It was sinful – a prostitution of the gospel of grace that they claimed to preach. And it is exactly what James is referring to in this passage.

Think about it…those of us who are born-again have been given the most glorious privilege and grace in all the universe: we’ve had our incomprehensible sins forgiven & we’ve been saved by the Son of God! Whatever we had done in the past, it’s all wiped away in Christ Jesus…our punishment has gone upon Him, and He gave us His righteousness in return (not exactly a fair trade!). We have been shown mercy…we have been shown grace…we have been given a status that we most certainly did not deserve in that when we received Christ as Lord we were given the right to become the children of God (John 1:12).

With that in mind, who are we to show preference to one person over another – especially for entirely superficial reasons? We who have been shown mercy/grace ought to show mercy/grace to others. None of us deserved the blessings we’ve received in Christ, so none of us have any reason to withhold that blessing from others.

Remember our context from Ch 1: James challenged us to change our perspective regarding trials & temptations. In trials, we are to count it joy because God is sovereign, and we can trust Him to work good in our character (patience) & give us what we need to walk through it (wisdom). We were told how temptations arise (by us being enticed by our own desires), and what God gives us instead of temptations (every good thing & what we need to endure). Ch 1 ended with an exhortation to put our faith into action. Whether it is how we walk in trials, or how we live in purity or how we show the compassion of Christ, we are to DO the word & not just hear it.

This gives us a great transition to Ch 2. How better to apply “doing” the word than to look at how our faith is put into action regarding the rich man & poor man James referenced in 1:9-11? We do the word, but we do it equally – without regard to person.

James 2:1-13 (NKJV)
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

A. The focus of this passage is how we are to hold our faith, but it’s worth looking at what we are holding in the 1st place. “the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ” Talking about the gospel…the faith (sure steadfast belief) that Jesus is God incarnate who went to the cross for our sin & rose again on the 3rd day in victory in righteousness. This message is given to all the world so that all who would put their faith IN Jesus would be brought into the faith OF Jesus. Who is Jesus?
__a. The “Lord”: He’s the ruler – the master – the teacher…but more than that, Jesus is GOD. That’s exactly what “Lord” is referring to. Even his half-brother James acknowledges it, Jesus is “our Lord” – He’s our God & King who is worthy to be praised!
__b. The “Christ”: The awaited anointed Messiah of God – the promised deliverer of Israel & the world…the one who offers salvation to all who call upon Him.
__c. The “Lord of glory”: He is at the same time glorious, worthy of glory, and the brightness of the glory of God (Heb 1:3). ‘Glory’ is sometimes thought of as a quality that really ‘spiritual’ Christians are to seek after. Not so! Biblical glory is either the radiant majesty of God Himself or honor, praise, & worship…and there is only One who is worthy of it: God! God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit is worthy of all the glory for all time…

B. How are we to hold our faith in Christ? Without “partiality.” This seems to have been a very Jewish word in Greek – James likely took a Hebrew concept and made up a word to describe it. Literally, it means to “hold/lift up the face”…a greeting of acceptance. By itself, it’s not necessarily a bad thing – when Jacob returned to Esau, he sought to be accepted by him (Gen 32:20)…the same sort of idea. But when used among one another (as if choosing someone to which to give this acceptance), it becomes partial & prejudice. What James is referring to is the act of the church choosing some particular people out from the crowd & lifting them up above the others.
__a. One big reason the church shouldn’t show partiality? God doesn’t. [Telling Israel to fear God & do justly] Deuteronomy 10:17-18 (17) For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. (18) He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. [] That God does not show partiality is something for which we can give Him praise! That’s the very reason we are saved! The gospel was given to the Jew 1st because the Lord Jesus went to the Jews in fulfillment of Jewish prophecy…but God didn’t keep it to the Jews. Whether Jew or Gentile, God has made salvation through Jesus Christ available to ALL. This is what Peter was amazed at when the Spirit took him to the house of Cornelius for the purpose of sharing the gospel with him (Acts 10:34-35).

C. What does partiality look like? See vs 2…
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2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”

A. Example of partiality… [] We so often see the same thing today. The top givers in a church are identified & given special treatment (gifts, trips, attention), while the single parent who’s struggling to get by can’t even get an appointment with the pastoral staff. Special “nameplates” are bought for huge donations & those seats are reserved for the family who bought them, etc. There are dozens of ways in which special treatment is given to the top-givers of a church (or folks who are being sought after as potential top-donors), and the Bible has a very specific term for it: partiality.

B. This section of Scripture is foundational to how we handle money at CC Tyler. People give cheerfully as they worship the Lord & put money in the box. That box remains locked until Dave (who serves on our board as Treasurer) & another person are able to count the money from that particular week. I neither have a key to the box, nor am I involved in any way with the counting. I’m given a sealed envelope with the offering for the week which I later take to the bank. I know a grand total for each week (which is good stewardship), but I neither know who gives or who gives how much. Why take such specific steps? Because we want to be Biblical in how we handle finances & we want to avoid partiality at all costs.
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4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

A. The Bible doesn’t mince words here. What some would think to be minor, the Lord shows us is evil. When we show partiality, we “become judges with evil thoughts.” It is unfair & unjust judgment, which Jesus specifically warns us away from (Matt 7:1 – judge not…planks & specks) We don’t want to be bad judges; we want to judge rightly…through the eyes of Jesus Christ & according to the word of God! And when it comes to people’s value to God, we don’t judge them at all. As a believer, they are a fellow child of God…as an unbeliever, they are a person for whom Christ died & someone that needs to hear the gospel.

B. Obviously the primary example here is regarding social/economic status, but it’s not the only way in which the church shows partiality towards one another. The biggest reason Sunday mornings are the most racially segregated hours in America today is because for 200 years our countrymen showed partiality & prejudice against one another. And worse yet, although it was condemned by many churches, it was accepted & upheld by others. To this day, our country is still paying the price. Racial prejudice WAS wrong & IS wrong because it is partiality – and the Bible makes it clear that it is evil.
__a. Partiality is the opposite of what God does through the gospel, where He makes His grace & mercy available to every person (John 3:16)… And once we are in Christ, we are all brought to an equal status – Galatians 3:26-28 (26) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. []
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5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

A. Why not to show partiality against the poor: God chose the poor & loves the poor! In Luke’s account of the Beatitudes, Jesus makes it perfectly clear – “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). If your bank account is empty in this world, but you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then you are truly rich!
__a. Why are the poor blessed in this way? Because oftentimes, it is a person’s riches that keep him from humbling him/herself before God. Money is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim 6:10), & one of the most common evils as a result is pride. It is tough for a rich person to see their spiritual poverty & their need for God’s forgiveness. [rich young ruler. BIBLE: Matt 19:16-22]

B. Is God’s blessing based on anything the poor have done? No – it’s based upon God’s promise…His word… He’s promised to give it to those who love Him. IOW, being poor is not a ticket to heaven. Selling off everything you gave is not going to bribe God (even with the rich young ruler); we have to love God & follow Christ. And God is true to His word – to those who believe Christ Jesus by faith, He has us His children & co-heirs with Christ for all eternity (Rom 8:17).

C. BTW, to all those who claim that the Bible’s sign of blessing is that God makes you rich…you’re 100% wrong. The Bible says exactly the opposite. God certainly can provide money & riches to someone, but James 2:5 makes it absolutely clear that God loves & blesses the poor who love Him.
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6 But you have dishonored [insulted/treated shamefully] the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?

A. It’s not even logical to dishonor the poor & show partiality against him. Historically, to “drag” someone into court usually referred to debt repayment. It was common for poor people to take short-term loans from the rich & many times if the rich (of the loan-shark variety) weren’t paid back immediately, they could apprehend the debtor on sight, and were legally allowed to physically drag them to court & have them placed in jail until the debt was paid. Obviously this wasn’t something the poor were even capable of doing to one another. If the poor can’t hurt you, why would you treat them badly? You’ve got even more reason to treat them with honor & respect…it doesn’t even make sense to dishonor them.

B. It’s not much different today. A wealthy person may not be able to physically drag anyone into court, but if someone crosses them, they can sure afford the attorney to get a subpoena that would force the poor to be there.
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7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

A. Another contrast with the rich. Many times they have a lot of cash, but can’t afford good manners. At the time, slave owners would speak ill of Christianity because it raised up the slaves & brought down the owners to the same level, among other reasons. Sometimes it was because slaves would no longer lie for them – other times it was because slaves took time for worship & they found respect in the church. The rich would “blaspheme” the name of Christ as a result.
__a. We again see the same thing today. How many times have we heard a rich person disdain the “religious superstition” that the poor person has to cling to? Thus James is correct to be confused as to why we spend so much time trying to impress the rich…

B. Question: is it wrong to be rich? Does God bless only the poor? No… Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob were all very wealthy. Job was wealthy, poor, then wealthy again. The kings of Israel (especially David & Solomon) were all very rich. In the NT, we find Joseph of Armimathea (who’s wealth enabled him to purchase the tomb for Jesus’ burial), the Ethiopian eunuch, Cornelius the centurion, and more. … Keep in mind that partiality can go both ways: against the poor AND against the rich. (Barclay) “We do well to remember that it is just as much a sign of favourtism to pander to the mob as it is to flatter a tyrant.”

C. BTW – did you notice how James puts our Christianity? “that noble name by which you are called…” The terminology is similar to how a newlywed bride is now called by the name of her husband – she’s been brought under his protection & his love. Likewise with Christ Jesus! We are His bride & we’ve been brought under His protection – His grace – His love – His name…
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8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

A. At this point, some might object to James, “But by showing favor to the rich man who walks through the door, I’m just loving my neighbor!” James isn’t fooled – if we are really loving our neighbor by showing a lot of favor to the rich, then we’re going to show equal amount of favor to the poor. That’s the essence of keeping the royal law.

B. ‘But I thought Christians weren’t under the law any more; that we’re under grace!?’ True, but we need to clarify which ‘law’ we’re talking about. When referring to the Law of Moses & the 613 (give or take) commandments regulating the nation of Israel & their covenant with God, we are most definitely not under that (hence the reason why we don’t have a problem wearing mixed fibers, eating BBQ pork ribs, etc.). When referring to the Law of God (i.e. the 10 Commandments), God’s moral law is still very much in effect, but completely fulfilled in Christ Jesus. Thus although we’ve broken that law (and still break it), the punishment has been meted out on Jesus, and we have been given His righteousness in return.

C. ‘So what law is left?’ The commandments that the Lord Jesus specifically gave to His church, including the greatest commandment (to love God – Matt 22:37), the 2nd greatest/royal commandment (to love your neighbor – Matt 22:39, Rom 13:9), and the new commandment (to love each other as Jesus loved us – John 13:34). All of this is part of comprising the “law of Christ”, which we are take part in fulfilling (Gal 6:2).
__i. ‘So if we’re commanded to obey the law of Christ, where’s the grace in that?’ Exactly how is it do you think that we’re able to obey Christ at all?! It’s only by the grace of Jesus & the power of the Holy Spirit that we’re enabled to obey God in the slightest way… …

D. Notice God wants us to do it. “If you really fulfill…you do well.” God wouldn’t tell us to do something He doesn’t want us to do! He’s our Lord – our King – our God – and we are to obey Him by His grace. (To obey is better than sacrifice… 1 Sam 15:22). So by all means, show grace to the rich when they come in – but be sure to show favor to the poor. When the homeless man walks in smelling of the street, we’re to show as much grace to him as if Donald Trump pulled up in a limo. Anything less is not keeping the royal law by the grace of God.
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9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

A. Reiterates that partiality/prejudice is flat out sin. There is literally zero excuse for it among people who are redeemed by the Lord Jesus…

B. Why does the royal law convict us? Because partiality simply isn’t loving…it’s actually the opposite! When we show grace to one person & despise another, we’re showing disdain in our hearts & certainly not serving them in selflessness. Our culture has treated this as something minor…after all, we just looked down at someone; we didn’t actually hurt them physically. But it’s not. Being prejudiced against one another/showing partiality is breaking the very royal law that Christ Jesus has given us to keep. Hatred in our hearts towards one another convicts us as “transgressors.”
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10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

A. Crucial point to understand about sin! There are not major sins & minor sins; there are just sins… Our temporary consequences may vary between different actions, but all sin is rebellion against God & ultimately all sin has the same consequence: death. … Hence the example James gives. It doesn’t matter whether we’re an adulterer, a murderer, an idolater, or a liar (or all 4) – ultimately we’re all transgressors of the law & in dire need of grace & mercy. This is why the Psalmist declared (as quoted by Paul) that none is righteous, no not one! (Rom 3:10) All of us have broken the law in one way or another…

B. This is also why we are so dependent upon Christ Jesus – why we can never take the Cross & empty tomb for granted. Living a perfect life & committing one act of pride on one’s deathbed (by looking back at your perfection) would still bring us under the weight of the entire law… … Yet Jesus DID fulfill it perfectly, and He makes us perfectly righteous in the sight of God…
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12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

A. Not only do we have a law to keep, we will be judged by that law… [the Bema seat] 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 (9) Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. [] Note this is not a judgment for salvation; both James & Paul are writing to believing Christians. Our eternal judgment has already taken place at the cross, and because of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, we have been found “not guilty” because God now sees us clothed in Jesus’ righteousness. The Bema seat is a judgment of reward for the believer (1 Cor 3:14), that which our Lord will give us for all eternity. But one of the specific things we will be judged for at the Bema seat will be how we treated one another & how we judged one another (Rom 14:10). We need to remember that every idle word we speak will be held in account one day & we will stand before our Lord & answer for how we treated one another. Thus we are to speak & act as those who know judgment is coming.

B. This is not a law of burden; this is a “law of liberty!” As others have said, this is not a law to get saved; this is a law of privilege that we get to do because we’re saved. We get to love God – we get to love others… We have been delivered from the law that showed us our sin & death, and we’ve been placed under the law of liberty – free to serve Christ Jesus our Lord!
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13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

A. Because WE are in such need of mercy, and because WE are the ones who have been shown such incredible mercy, we ought to show it to one another. We have received so much grace and mercy at the foot of Jesus Christ, it is unthinkable that we would withhold it from anyone else. God blesses those who are merciful by showing them mercy (Matt 5:7), so what we’ve freely received, we ought to freely give (Matt 10:8).

B. What happens when we show no mercy? We are shown judgment. [Parable of unforgiving servant – Matt 18:22-35] Whether it is showing forgiveness towards our brothers, or showing grace to everyone within our midst, we have been exhorted by the highest authority (the Lord Jesus!) to love one another – and we have every reason to listen to Him.

C. Which is more powerful: mercy or judgment? Mercy, by far! If it weren’t for mercy, none of us would be alive in this room today! Mercy kept God from delivering our death sentence to us the moment we 1st sinned… And His grace is even far better than that!

Conclusion:
So the question from James would be: if we enjoy the blessings of God’s mercy so much, what keeps us from showing it towards others? Apparently, this was a big problem for the early church (notice the past tense in vs. 6, “dishonored”), but it’s certainly not just a problem for the early church…our own version of evangelicalism sees it too. I’ve seen parents tell youth to leave because their hair was the wrong color or because they had habits they didn’t like. We’ve all heard the excuse, “I couldn’t walk into church…I don’t have anything to wear.” Why the pressure? Because so many ‘Christians’ look down on the person in filthy clothes. When a church gets to the point of turning people away for how they look, dress, smell, etc, it’s either time for a church revival or a church burial because they’ve completely forgotten the grace & mercy that had been shown to them in Christ Jesus.

May we be a people who are quick to show mercy! That anyone who walks through the door of this church (and others around the area) would understand that they’ve walked into a place that glorifies God & desires to show His compassion, mercy, and love to those around us.

Maybe you’re here today & you need to repent of the sin of partiality. Now’s the time. Remember that spiritually speaking, you were in the place of the prodigal son at one point: filthy, rebellious, and so spiritually poor that you were eating the slop of pigs. But because of Jesus, your heavenly Father embraced you, put the righteousness of Christ upon you & lifted you up out of the miry pit of sin. How can we possibly withhold our mercy from anyone else in light of that? Turn away from partiality/prejudice & ask God to forgive you & cleanse you, and He will!

Maybe you’re here & just realized what kind of spiritual poverty you really do have. You perhaps thought you were a ‘good’ person, but now realize you are a transgressor of the law – you’ve broken one part & are guilty of it all. You understand the weight of all God’s righteous judgment is resting upon you & you need help! Here’s the good news: Jesus Christ has already done the work to help you! When Jesus died on the cross, He died there for your sins & the sins of the whole world. When He rose again on the 3rd day, He proved that the debt for sin had been paid & He freely offers forgiveness & new life to all those who believe & receive Him as Lord.

Just Do It

James 1:19-27, “Just Do It”
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“Just do it.” It’s an old Nike slogan, but it’s effective! Whatever the sport was, the commercials showed people active & working/playing hard at what they were doing. Anything was better than sitting on the couch…just get out there & do it. As Christians, sometimes we need a similar exhortation! It can be really easy to fall into a rut of just sitting still & become spiritual couch potatoes. We read the word, we hear the word, but when we don’t put the word into action, we get spiritually flabby…after a while, it just goes in one ear & out the other. That’s not how God wants us to be! God want us to hear the word, but He also wants us to DO the word.

This goes right in line with what James has been writing about so far, in dealing with trials and temptations. We started Ch 1 by looking at changing our perspective during trials, and choosing to walk in faith & the wisdom of God. Last time, we looked at how someone is tempted during trials (led away by their own desires) & what God gives us in lieu of temptations (every good & perfect gift). So now that we know why we are tempted, how is it that we go about enduring those temptations & trials? That’s how James 1 ends…we endure trials by doing the word of God. Doing the word shows us to be disciples of Jesus, and He’s the one who gets us through.

James 1:19-27 (NKJV)
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

A. This is what endurance looks like. How do we respond to trials? 3 things:

B. 1st, we are to be “swift to hear”: The epistle of James is full of the unexpected. In vs. 2, we’re told to consider it joy when we fall into trials… In vs. 12 we’re told that the man who endures temptation is blessed… Here we’re told that the 1st step to enduring those temptations & trials is to listen – to be still & hear what God has to say. This is not our natural reaction! Usually when trials come, people panic & scurry or get mad or do all sorts of things – but what we ought to do is listen. [Elijah running from Jezebel; the still small voice – 1 Kings 19]
__a. Are you listening to God? … We’re promised His wisdom when we ask for it, but for us to receive it, we’ve got to be ready to hear what God has to say!

C. 2nd, we are to be “slow to speak”: It’s been often said we’ve been given 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason. Our mouth often is a trap, and can get us into a lot of trouble (as we’ll see in Ch 3). There is definitely a time to speak, but we want to be careful that (1) what we’re saying is edifying to one another, and (2) our own need to talk isn’t getting in the way of what God is trying to tell us. (The best thing Job’s friends ever did was to just sit with him in silence – Job 2:13…)

D. 3rd, we are to be “slow to wrath”: Very rarely does our wrath accomplish anything good. We tend to get all upset & puffed up (at kids, co-workers, parents), but the times when our temper is short & our wrath is quick are usually the times WE are the ones that need to go back & apologize…even when we had a good reason to be angry in the 1st place! [Peter cutting of Malchus’ ear] Our wrath simply isn’t worth much, because our wrath “does not produce the righteousness of God.” (i.e., the practical righteousness of how God wants us to live)

E. BTW, it’s worth remembering that James is writing to believers in Jesus Christ. “my beloved brethren” – if James is a bondslave of the Lord Jesus (vs. 1), then his brothers/sisters are also bondslaves of Christ. This is really important to keep in mind throughout the entire epistle. This is not a letter dealing with “how to get saved”; this is a letter dealing with “how to walk after you’ve been saved.” Throughout the letter (including this section), James is going to exhort us on to do good works (an exhortation the Church desperately needs!), but if we lose the context we might get the false idea that we’re saved by our works. That isn’t what James is saying at all! James is writing to those who are saved by Christ, and now need to show the fruit of their salvation through their deeds.
__a. Apparently, churches then (as today) were filled with people who claimed to be born-again believers, but showed zero evidence of what Jesus had supposedly done in their lives. If we’ve truly been made into new creations by the Son of God, then by definition we’re not the same people – there ought to be some sort of change. It’s this change that James to which exhorts us.
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21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

A. If the righteousness of God does not come by our wrath, how DO we get it? By receiving the “implanted word” … The gospel – the good news of the word of God become flesh – is able to save our souls! [] Even beyond eternal life, we want to get the seed of the word of God into our heart in order that our souls & character in this life would be the character God wants us to have.
__a. The thought here is similar to the Parable of the Sower… We want the seed of the word to be implanted into good soil. And the way we can tell whether or not it has is if it bears fruit…

B. Note how someone needs to receive it: 1st, we have to lay some things aside. Some have likened “lay aside” with taking off clothing – as if we were shedding the sinful skin of the past in order to live in the righteousness of Christ Jesus. Colossians 3:8-10 (8) But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. (9) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, (10) and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, [] Similar listing here. We need to “lay aside all filthiness & overflow of wickedness…” We don’t use words like that too much anymore, but that’s exactly what sin does! Sin works in us internally (filthiness / impurity), and it leads to sin working in us outwardly (overflow of wickedness / malice). These are the very reasons Christ Jesus died on the cross! Because WE were filthy & impure – because WE performed all sorts of wickedness, Jesus had to take our penalty upon Himself. Since these are the reasons He died, why would we continue living in them? Christian – put it aside! Take off the old man, and take up what the Lord Jesus gives you…

C. After all this is done, THEN we can “receive [the word] with meekness.” It’s tough to receive the instruction of God through the word when we’re seething with wrath & anger. Instead, we come humbly before our God & King, and receive the life-giving words He provides for us.
__a. This is talking about repentance! So often we limit the idea of repentance to the moment that we receive Jesus as Lord & are born-again of the Spirit to eternal life (which you can do today!). But repentance is more than just a change of mind; it also indicates a change of direction. Before we met the Lord Jesus, we did live one way (in sin, filthiness, & wickedness), but after we met the Lord Jesus, now we live a different way (walking in His righteousness as the children of God). …
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22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

A. To be assured you’ve truly received the word, you need to do the word… [BIBLE: Matt 7:24-27] What’s the one difference between building our house on the rock & the sand? Doing what Jesus tells us to do. It’s such a simple concept, but so widely neglected (especially here in the USA). A ‘disciple’ could be defined as a student or pupil – but it’s more than a pupil. A disciple is someone who actually follows the teachings of their master in order to be like their master. [Disciples “do”] The Lord Jesus calls us to be His disciples. It’s part of the Great Commission: Matthew 28:19-20 (19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. []

B. Note that “hearing” isn’t bad. We’re to be “swift to hear” (vs. 19) – faith itself comes by hearing & hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17). But we dare not leave things at just “hearing”! We are to be hearers; we’re just not to be “hearers only.” A walk of faith with Christ Jesus begins with hearing, but it continues with doing. James is going to show the difference between the two…

C. Why is this important? Because people can be deceived! We buy into the concept that someone is a Christian if they dress a certain way, listen to the right radio stations, have the right bumper stickers on the back of their car, use the right lingo, etc. None of that is bad, but none of it makes us a disciple of Jesus Christ! A disciple of Jesus receives the word, and does the word.
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23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

A. Example of a hearer… Like when you tell your kids to go wash their face & they come back just as dirty as when you sent them in. They looked at the mirror & got their hands wet, but didn’t really pay attention to anything while they were there & forgot about it when they walked out. It’s a great picture of the person who just hears the word, but isn’t a doer of it. They glance into the Scriptures (and many times pride themselves on doing so), but they either have:
__1. No idea what it said, because they weren’t really paying attention to it. It was just something to fulfill their religious obligation for the day.
__2. A head full of Bible-trivia, but zero experience in application. It’s just a bunch of knowledge that they can be proud of, but they have no desire to actually follow through on what they’ve learned. (Kind of like the lifelong bachelor who feels free to give out advice on marriage & raising children.)

B. That is NOT what the result of learning the word of God ought to be! The word of God ought to wash us (Eph 5:25), sanctify us (John 17:17), transform us by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2), be hid in our hearts to keep us from sin (Ps 119:11), pierce us in conviction & healing (Heb 4:12). When these things don’t happen – when there’s not a change taking place in our lives because of the word – that ought to be a red flag to us that we are being hearers & not doers.

C. What does a ‘doer’ look like? See vs. 25…
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25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

A. Hearers are forgetful; doers are blessed… As the doer of the word humbly walks with Christ, applying what we’ve been told in the Scripture, actually following through on the commands of our Lord & King – then we are blessed! This isn’t to say that God gives us the “Midas-touch” & we experience financial prosperity… Rather, we are blessed as we serve our Lord! The blessing is “in” the doing…

B. What is “the perfect law of liberty”? Different scholars have different ideas of what James meant here. Some think this is a reference to the gospel, but that seems unlikely since James is writing to believers & what to do after they’ve been saved. Some think this is a reference to the 10 Commandments (the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul – Ps 19:7). Others think it’s a reference to the two greatest commandments, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, & strength, and to love your neighbor as ourselves (Love is the fulfillment of the law – Rom 13:10. Loving each other & bearing each others burdens fulfills the law of Christ – Gal 6:2). Which is it? Likely both! The Lord Jesus perfectly fulfilled the law of the Old Covenant in Himself, but the 10 Commandments is still the perfect law of God (it’s complete in itself; no flaw in it) – and the way we continue in it as believers in Christ Jesus is to love God & love one another. It’s in living how Christ calls us to live (and empowers us to live) that we find true liberty! When we keep crawling back to sin, we’re acting as a slave to it…and that was something we’re supposed to be dead to! The Lord Jesus bought us our freedom; so we walk in that freedom as we walk with Him!
__a. A doer looks into this law: If we’re going to ‘do’ the Bible, we’ve got to know what it says. Instead of the ‘hearer’ who just gazes into the mirror, we want to be the ‘doer’ who peers into the word of God, taking in what God has to say.
__b. A doer continues in this law: The lack of a past tense is so obvious here. Someone isn’t a ‘doER’ if they aren’t ‘doING.’ (Otherwise, they’d be a ‘did’ .) We don’t love our neighbor once & then cross it off the list; we are to love our neighbor continually through the power of the Holy Spirit…
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- James gives an example contrasting hearers & doers…
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

A. Goes straight to the heart of religious hypocrisy! People get caught up in the trappings of ‘religion’ & profess all sorts of Christian truths, but then turn around & engage in gossip, backbiting, outbursts of wrath, etc. Like the Pharisees Jesus condemned as whitewashed tombs (Matt 23:27), these people are washed on the outside, but full of death on the inside. They pride themselves on the sins they have (supposedly) kept themselves from, but their tongue betrays a heart unchanged by Christ Jesus.

B. Note their heart is “deceived.” They say they love Jesus & that they surrender everything to Him, but in reality they don’t. They don’t even surrender their tongue to Jesus, much less anything else.
__a. If this is you, wake up! Jesus warned about those who would come to Him on Judgment Day claiming to be His followers & pointing back to all sorts of religious works – yet Jesus will respond to them that He never knew them (Matt 7:23). Religious trappings cannot save you; only the Lord Jesus can!

C. What do we want? Real religion! See vs. 27…
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27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

A. The concept of “religion” gets somewhat of a bad reputation (not undeserved)… But religion (when it is pure) CAN be a good thing! Subtle contrast between “religious” (vs. 26) and “religion”. The 1st term (“religious”) refers to someone who believes he/she is being pious towards God, but the context shows that their piety is all show. They might take part in a lot of ceremonies & listen to a lot of sermons, but their faith in reality is a mile wide & inch deep. On the other hand, “religion” is the actual stuff; the real faith that is put into action & shown to be “pure and undefiled.” We have many examples of defiled religion; what we need are more examples of that which is pure & undefiled!

B. Who is this pure religion devoted to? “God and the Father.” KJV & NKJV may not have the best rendering here…literally the Greek is “the God and Father.” Our God is THE God… And praise God through Jesus Christ, God is not just the Almighty Omnipotent God that we are removed from; He’s actually our “Father”! We are His children, given the spirit of adoption because of His grace. Our sins should have forever placed us square in the sight of the wrath of God, but because Christ Jesus went to the cross in our place, our sins are not only forever forgiven, we are now the children of God; God Himself is our Father. !!

C. Pure religion has 2 defining characteristics: compassion and purity.
__a. Compassion: “to visit orphans and widows.” Over & over throughout the OT, we find exhortations to care for orphans and widows (Exo 22:22, Deut 14:19, Deut 24:17, Deut 24:19, Deut 27:19, etc.)…God cares about the fatherless & the widow! These were the people least able to defend and provide for themselves, so the rest of the people were to demonstrate compassion to them. [I.e. gleaning – Ruth] Likewise, we’re to demonstrate compassion to those who are most in need of it. [GAiN trips]
____i. Don’t limit yourself to orphans/widows! You may not personally know any in those categories, but God has placed many people around you to whom you can demonstrate the compassion of Christ (ETRM – Nursing home, etc.).
__b. Purity: “to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Once we are saved by Jesus Christ, God then calls us to be holy, for He is holy (1 Pet 1:14). To be “holy” is to be “set apart / separated” for use by God. God has already set us apart to Himself, but we’re to continue to walk as that set-apart people – separating ourselves from the influences in our culture that would defile us. Thus we’re to be careful about the movies we watch, books we read, sites we visit, friends we keep, habits we make, etc.

D. Our problem in American Christianity is that we’ve almost entirely separated these two concepts. Churches either promote all compassion or all purity. To the liberal Christian, religion can become all about compassion (social gospel)… To the conservative Christian, religion can become all about purity (spoken gospel)… According to the Bible, pure religion is BOTH! When we’re following the Lord Jesus, doing the word of God, we’re going to live holy lives AND we’re going to demonstrate His compassion to those around us.

Conclusion:
Note how this all ties back together: as we endure trials & temptations, we rely upon the gospel and the Spirit of God as He works in our lives. When we endure, we become doers of the word – which is what God desires us to be, instead of being religious hypocrites. True doers of the word demonstrate the compassion of Christ, and live life in the purity of Christ – not perfectly; but through the grace of Christ, empowered by the Spirit. …

So are you a doer of the word? Are you acting as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ? If you’re like me, you probably immediately think “No! I mess up all the time… So many examples of how I fall short!” Be assured James isn’t trying to lay a guilt trip on you; sometimes we need a gentle nudge & encouragement from the Spirit to keep going. In reality, if you’re a believer in Christ Jesus & truly know that you’re saved, then you probably “do” a lot more than what you realize. So when you mess things up, confess it to God, repent, receive His forgiveness, and keep going. We endure these trials by continually doing the word of God through His power.

But maybe you’re in the place today where the Holy Spirit is telling you, “You’re in danger of just being a hearer!” Listen to Him! Ask God for help in being swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath – ask Him for discernment on knowing when to take action. Don’t forget: as a Christian, you’re a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants you to succeed in walking worthy of the calling with which you were called. So rely upon Him to help you & guide you…

If you’re in the place of religious hypocrisy today, repent! Receive the word of God with meekness & humility today… If you’re not yet a disciple of Christ Jesus, then let today be the day you receive Him as Lord & follow Him… Recognize He’s the Son of God who died for your sins & rose from the grave – turn away from your sins & turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness & new life – trust Him completely with your life & receive Him as your Lord & King.

Enduring Temptation in Faith

James 1:9-18, “Enduring Temptation in Faith”
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If there’s one subject that the church needs to address, it’s this: how to deal with temptation. … The Church is struggling here! Struggling with the same things as listed in 1 John 2:16:

A. The lust of the eye: coveting / materialism…
B. The lust of the flesh: hedonism / carnal lusts…
C. The pride of life: power / prideful titles…

‘But if someone is really struggling with these things, surely what they need most is to get saved?!” What on earth makes us think that Christians aren’t tempted by sin? Even the Lord Jesus was tempted! … The difference (thank God) is that Jesus never sinned. Struggling with temptation is NOT an indication that someone is not a Christian; not struggling with temptation at all is! When someone consistently dives into sin without giving it a 2nd thought, that’s a reason to examine yourself to see if you’re in the faith…that’s an indication of being ruled by the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21). We need the witness of the Spirit within us…and part of that is evidenced by a struggle of our new nature against our old nature.

The struggle against the tempting sin IS a normal Christian idea. Paul goes into depth with his own struggles in Rom 7… Likewise, we see the same thing in James. Just look at who the letter is addressed to: “the twelve tribes” (vs. 1), “my brethren” (vs. 2). These are born-again Christian believers that James is writing to…normal Christians with normal struggles against temptation & sin.

Thankfully the Bible is not silent on the matter. This is exactly what James is teaching about in Ch 1:9-18. James started Ch 1 by looking at what it means to walk in faith during various trials. (We change our perspective from sorrow to joy & seek wisdom from God, Who promised to give it.) Now James looks at what it means to walk in faith during the trial/temptation…

James 1:9-18 (NKJV)
- the example of walking in faith in a temptation…
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.

A. How does a “lowly brother glory in his exaltation”? The poor may not be worth much in the eyes of the world, but they are treasures in the eyes of God! Every man or woman that trusted Christ Jesus for salvation has been bought & paid for by the precious blood of the Son of God (1 Pet 1:18-19). You can’t get any more valuable price than that! They are of value to God & they are of use to God as they intercede for the lost, share the gospel in the Great Commission, and live out their lives as a valuable part of the body of Christ. The lowly brother can truly glory in this! Whether we’re rich or poor, we are all one in the body of Christ!

B. How does the “rich [glory] in his humiliation”? That’s the opposite of what we expect! The idea is that the one who is rich in the world is to glory in the fact that they’ve been brought low; they took on a low estate & been humbled before God Almighty. Keep in mind, the Lord Jesus humbled Himself when He put on flesh in His incarnation; He is our example to do the same! Philippians 2:5-8 (5) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. [] As in vs. 2, this is another matter of changing perspective. The Godly rich man understands his riches are only temporary at best; true riches are found in the grace and salvation of Christ Jesus!

C. Note what the temptation/trial is. For the lowly, the temptation to fret about his lack of wealth. For the rich, it’s to glory in how much he possesses. For BOTH, they are tempted to place more value on stuff rather than the Savior… …
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11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

A. Vivid picture for the temporary nature of riches. Bernie Maddoff was incredibly rich & lived in exclusive Manhattan apartments; now his homes are being auctioned off by the Federal government and he is in prison. Even when riches are gained honestly, it’s all fleeting. Rockefeller eventually died, as will Bill Gates & Donald Trump…and none of them can take their money with them.

B. This isn’t just riches; this is life. Common analogy through the Psalms that man was like grass (Ps 103:15). Life is fleeting & temporary; we need to keep the right perspective in mind in order that we would value the things that are truly important (God!). Christ Jesus made this perfectly clear with the parable of the rich fool (selfish farmer – Luke 12:16-21)…
__a. If earthly life, power, and riches are so temporary & fleeting, why is it we spend so much time & effort seeking after these things? There’s nothing inherently wrong with wealth (God blessed many wealthy people!), but there’s something wrong when we seek gold more than we seek God.
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- why to endure temptation…
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

A. Like Jesus’ beatitudes, James offers one of his own. 1st let’s look at definitions:
__a. “blessed”: supremely blessed – happy – fortunate. I.e, the happiness of heaven, where there is no care or death.
__b. “endure”: to abide/persevere despite the difficulty
__c. “temptation”: trial/proving. Context can either mean a test that proves our faith, or a temptation by which we can stumble into sin (as is the case here).
__d. Now put it all together: ‘How happy & blessed is the one who sticks it out despite the hardship in the midst of trials & temptations.’ It’s no fun in the midst of those temptations (there is hardship there!), but there’s a blessing for those who endure. As with the rich man & poor man, we need to look past our temporary circumstances, fix our eyes upon Christ Jesus & endure!

B. What happens to the man/woman who successfully endures? He gets the “crown of life.” Like the ancient athlete who was crowed in victory at the end of his race, so believers are crowned with life when we endure & persevere to the end in the grace of Jesus Christ. This may not necessarily be a literal crown (Paul was much more specific about the crown of righteousness, 1 Tim 4:8); but rather eternal abundant life IS the crown itself.
__a. Why does someone receive the crown of life? Because the Lord Jesus promised it to them…we have His word on the matter. Not because of their works, but because of His grace – we love Him. Our love for Him is proven by enduring temptations. Thus we receive the reward He promised.

C. Notice this also gives us the “how” of dealing with temptation. We understand “why” we do it is because of the Lord Jesus. HOW we do it is by endurance. Paul exhorts us to stand fast in spiritual warfare, take up the armor of God, and when we’ve done all to take heed & stand (Eph 6:13).
__a. We endure by holding fast to the grace we have in Christ Jesus. Five out of six pieces of the armor of God deal with our salvation & what the Lord Jesus does for us. (truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation)
__b. We endure by holding fast to the truth of the Scripture. This is exactly what Christ did when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. Time after time the devil came after Jesus & every time the Lord parried back with Scripture – the sword of the Spirit which is sharper than any 2-edged sword of man.
__c. We endure by being filled with the Spirit. When the early church was brought before the Sanhedrin (religious leaders of the day) & commanded not to teach in the name of Christ, the church prayed for boldness to continue to do so (and thus not give into the temptation of staying silent). God immediately answered their prayer by shaking the room & filling them anew with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31).
__d. Bottom line, we endure temptations in faith because that’s what our Lord does & He gives us what we need to do the same.
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- how we get tempted… (not by God!)
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

A. Read it again; this is important! God does not tempt you; God is not looking for ways to make you fail. God does not sit up in heaven with a giant magnifying glass & put you under the beam of the sun… People have so many false conceptions here… But the Scripture plainly tells us God does not “tempt anyone.”
__a. ‘What about Job?’ What about him? God did not tempt Job; Satan did. The distinction is that God allowed Job to be tempted, which is a big difference… God actually protected Job during his temptation in that God told Satan how far he was allowed to go in Job’s affliction. The devil couldn’t do one thing more than what God allowed. But make no mistake that it was the Devil who was the one who actually afflicted Job.

B. Not only does God NOT tempt anyone, we learn something wonderful about God’s character here: “God cannot be tempted by evil.” Literally, God is “untemptable” (tempt is in the negative form in Greek). He is so righteous, there is nothing that evil can grab hold of in the heart of God…He cannot be enticed as we are.
__a. ‘If God cannot be tempted, how can the Bible say that Jesus was truly tempted?’ Good question; I’m glad you asked. This goes to the heart of the incarnation of Christ. He is both fully God AND fully man…2 natures in 1 person (mind/soul/spirit). How these 2 natures worked together can be somewhat of a mystery – but it would seem that Christ could not be tempted in His divine nature, but could be tempted in His human nature (being that He is 100% human as well as 100% God). Thus Jesus chose not to exercise His divine nature in His temptation in order to come completely under the weight of that temptation & be our wonderful High Priest. Hebrews 4:15-16 (15) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (16) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. []

C. So how are we tempted? See vs. 14…
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14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

A. That hurts, doesn’t it? But that’s the truth. Temptation comes from within us. Not our parents, not our neighbors, certainly not God…we’re tempted with our own desires… (Pharisees complaining about ritual washing) Matthew 15:18-20 (18) But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. (19) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. (20) These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” [] Same thing with temptation. These things start in our hearts with our own selfish desires. What we need is not someone to blame; we need a new heart! Thankfully, that’s what God provides for us in Christ Jesus when He makes us new creations…

B. Notice our desires “draw [us] away.” This is not something that takes us by surprise, and we don’t realize what’s happened. We might be surprised by a random thought, but we end up entertaining that thought because deep down that is what we desired… So what’s one of the 1st steps in fighting temptation? Taking every thought captive into the obedience of Christ (2 Cor 10:5), and replacing those thoughts with things that are noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, virtuous, & praiseworthy (Phil 4:8). We may not be able to keep things & ideas from popping into our heads, but we CAN control what we do with those thoughts. When we dwell upon them, they stir up our own desires from within our own hearts & draw us away. Beware of the trap! But don’t blame anyone else if you don’t succeed.

C. Does this mean the Devil never tempts us? Of course he does. He plainly did with the Lord Jesus, Job, & Eve…we’re definitely not exempt. The difference is that he can only present the opportunity; we’re the ones who dwell on the possibilities… It’s as if our enemy uses our own sinful desires as bait & wraps it around the hook of sin. Ultimately, it’s our fault for biting… … (Wiersbe), “The next time you are tempted, meditate on the goodness of God in your life. If you think you need something, wait on the Lord to provide it. Never toy with the devil’s bait.” It’s when we think we can toy with the temptation & play around with it that it awakens those old desires – and we will always be led astray by them.
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15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

A. Once we dwell on the temptation – once it leads us away, things pretty much progress on its own. Full-blooded desires naturally “give birth to sin.” James uses an interesting analogy here. From the moment a baby is conceived, what does a mother have to do to keep that baby growing? Other than taking care of herself, not much…the baby naturally grows, and if everything goes well, that baby is going to come out on it’s own, whether the parents are ready or not. This is the way desire works. Once it’s awakened, it’s going to proceed the whole way to sin – despite whether or not we think we can control it.
__a. Our problem is that we think we’re so big & tough that we can stop the boulder from rolling off the cliff. We can stop the process of temptation right in its tracks…so we may as well push things right up to the line. Here’s the sad truth: when you start wondering where the line needs to be drawn before you’ve crossed over into sin, you’ve probably already lost the battle… …
__b. Does this mean you should give up if you’ve already been tempted? Of course not! The moment you realize you’re in trouble of sin, you should fall to your knees & ask God for wisdom & help. But it does mean Christians should stop playing with fire while expecting to get out burn-free.

B. If sin is the natural by-product of desire, what’s the natural by-product of sin? Death. Romans 6:23… (Who says James contradicts Paul? ) Keep in mind that this is broader than just the question of eternity. For every born-again believer in Christ Jesus, that question has been answered – we have life in His name through His grace! But sin can still bring the death of many things in earthly consequences. Death of marriages – death of relationships – even physical death in some cases. Death is simply the natural result of sin.
__a. So what to do? Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to sin (as if you had no choice). Sin brings death; so we ought to consider ourselves dead to sin & alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Rom 6:11)
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16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

A. We can so easily be deceived on this topic! We are regularly lied to regarding the cause of sin & temptation. We’re told:
__a. It’s not your fault; the Devil made you do it…
__b. It’s not your fault; that’s just the way the culture is…
__c. It’s not your fault; blame your parents…
__d. (the worst one) It’s not your fault; God made you this way…

B. Don’t get the wrong idea here. James is not trying to put a guilt trip on anyone (nor am I!); but to deal with a problem, we’ve got to figure out what the problem is. The problem is our own desire… It’s DEFINITELY not God’s fault…
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- What God gives instead of temptation…
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

A. God doesn’t give temptations; He gives gifts! What kind of gifts? Good gifts & perfect gifts! God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). Our heavenly Father loves to give the good gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13). And beyond the idea of salvation, God gives everything that’s good! Your breath this morning – your family – your knowledge – your abilities – your skills – even the good ground you have to walk on. Everything good came from God because He created everything! [atheist vs. God in creation – get your own dirt.]

B. Our God is a giving God! … And He will always be a giving God because He is immutable (never changing). This is simply part of His character. God keeps giving & giving & giving. Why else do we not only have forgiveness through Jesus Christ, but we are given new life, eternal life, sealed with the Holy Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, given the spirit of adoption as the children of God, made co-heirs with Christ & more? God keeps giving because God keeps showering us with His grace. We truly serve a wonderfully good God Who is worthy of praise!

C. Why is God called the “Father of lights”? Because He created the lights! Most likely, this is a reference to heavenly bodies (stars, sun, moon, etc.). God’s held in contrast with His creation. Although the stars seemingly change positions at night with the change in the seasons, God never changes at all. He’s always good, all the time!
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18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

A. The best gift we have received from God? Our salvation! We were “brought forth by the word of truth”… We’ve been born anew & made into new creations! …

B. How did He bring us forth? By “His own will…” We’re saved because God desired that He save us. We’re saved by grace through faith!

C. Why did He bring us forth? For His own glory; we would be His “firstfruits…” I.e., the very best that could be brought; the cream of the crop. For a Jew, to bring a firstfruits offering to the Lord was to bring the 1st & the best you had in sacrifice & praise to God. That’s what God does with us! We are (without question) supremely better in Christ than we ever were without Christ. God not only made us new; He made us better (we’re perfectly righteous in the eyes of God because it’s Jesus’ righteousness He sees; not our own). And not only that, He saves us for Himself, that we would enjoy Him & give Him glory forever – a true ‘firstfruits’ offering!

Conclusion:
We will be tempted to sin, no doubt. The fact that we’re tempted is not a sin, but it can definitely lead to sin depending on how we handle it. So how are you dealing with the temptations can come into your life?
• Are you putting your trust in your own abilities to get you out of trouble?
• Are you just toying with the temptation to see how far you can go?
• Are you blaming someone else for what happens?
• Are you blaming God?

All of that is a recipe for sure failure…and none of it is what God calls us to do. God calls us to walk in faith through the power of the Holy Spirit – and when we do so (holding fast to Jesus & to the Scriptures), we endure! We persevere & hold steady…trusting that God always gives us good things & that the trials we face now only serve to make us stronger in Christ.

So Christian, endure your temptations in faith! Press on – don’t give up! One of the most common lies that get whispered into our ear is: “You’ve already screwed up & sinned…you may as well give up. It’s useless.” Wrong! God gives us good gifts: grace! God gives us perfect gifts: the power of the Holy Spirit. God keeps on giving & giving His forgiveness. Never stop walking in faith; never stop enduring in faith. Press on to the glory of God!

What if you haven’t trusted Jesus Christ as Savior & Lord? What if you haven’t received His forgiveness, and you keep swirling round & round in temptation & sin like it’s a giant whirlpool that won’t let go? Then come to the foot of the Cross. Turn from your sins, forsaking them – and the Lord Jesus will free you. The Bible tells us we’re slaves to sin (Rom 6:16); but one of the reasons Christ died was to set us free to serve God to His glory! Don’t wait – you never know when you’ll see God face to face, but be assured you WILL see Him.

Promises via Faith

James 1:1-8, “Promises via Faith”
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You may have noticed that the book of James follows the book of Hebrews in your Bibles. Although the book order is not considered “inspired” in the same way that the actual text of the Scripture is, I truly believe God superintended the order of these particular books. In Hebrews, Jesus was proclaimed to be better than any prior revelation God had given in the past – Jesus is superior to all of them (angels, priest, prophets, etc.). And the singular call throughout the book is to hold fast to Jesus by faith – never abandoning Him, never letting go, fixing our eyes upon Him. Amen.

There’s a lot of theological truth to that. But it’s easy to follow up with the question: “But what does faith look like?” The book of Hebrews gave us many examples of faithful saints of the past, but what does faith look like in a practical sense today for the believer? When faced with trials or prejudice or infighting – how does a believer respond to these situations in faith? How does the rubber meet the road? That’s what the book of James is all about – if there’s an overriding theme, it’s one of “practical faith.” Whereas the book of Hebrews is one of deep theology, the book of James is one of dramatic application. [preaching vs. meddling] James is going to preach – and to some, he’s going to meddle – but through this little book, the Holy Spirit uses him to help us get to the nitty-gritty of putting our faith into action; making sure that our faith that saves is a faith that works.

So who was James? Several “Jameses” are mentioned in the NT, and it was a very common name in the 1st century. There are only really 2 likely possibilities: (1) James, one of the original 12 apostles – one of the sons of Zebedee & one of 3 in Jesus’ inner circle of friends. (2) James, the half-brother of Jesus (born of Joseph and Mary), who quickly rose up to be one of the primary leaders of the Jerusalem church (as seen in Acts 15). Considering the Apostle James was martyred in Acts 12 (probably in 44AD – 10 years after the Cross), the most likely James is Jesus’ own brother (often referred to as James the Just).

When was this written? If this James was the half-brother of Jesus, then it had to have been written prior to 62AD (when he was martyred, according to Josephus). Some estimate this to be one of the earliest books written in the NT (perhaps even 2nd after Matthew). What’s interesting about this is that it means the Epistle of James is older than any of the letters written by Paul. Some have attempted to argue that James was written to refute Paul’s teaching of justification by faith – but the date proves it couldn’t possibly be… This letter is an independent letter – but actually complements the later writings of Paul (as we’ll see in Ch 2).

To whom was it written? Vs. 1 makes it pretty clear: “the twelve tribes…scattered abroad.” Referring to Jewish Christians throughout the Roman empire. (Which is another indication of its early date. The Church was still primarily Jewish at the time; not Gentile.) Basically – this is written to the church-at-large. Unlike “Galatians” or “Ephesians”, this letter was written to all Christians at the time. It definitely has a Jewish flavor – but that’s to be expected considering the author & the times.

It’s worth noting that James has somewhat of a checkered reputation. The Church Fathers quoted it often, but others like Martin Luther had issues with it & called it a “right strawy epistle” (he included it only in the appendix of his NT translation). His problem was all the calls to action within the book; it didn’t fit well into Luther’s viewpoint of grace. What Luther missed is that when a believer in Jesus Christ follows through in these various exhortations & does all these many works, it’s because of the grace of Christ! None of what James challenges us to do is possible in our flesh – our flesh rebels against all the good works of God! It’s when Jesus saves us by His grace, makes us new creations, and empowers us by the Holy Spirit that any of this is possible…and that makes this a truly God-centered New Testament book for the people it was written to, and for us today.

So how to begin? With a testimony (declaration) & 2 promises. James starts with an introduction (albeit a very brief one) in which he gives his testimony…and it’s glorious! (And it’s not too different from ours.) From there, he gives 2 promises – assurances of things we can know that are available in Christ Jesus; we simply need to trust the Lord & His work to provide them to us.

James 1:1-8 (NKJV)
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.

A. Hope you didn’t miss the testimony; here it is. James describes himself as “a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” This might look pretty standard at first glance, but it’s actually quite spectacular when we take a deeper look.

B. “bondservant” = δοῦλος. At its most basic definition, it simply means “slave.” There were different types of slaves within Hebrew & Greek cultures – but at its core, this is a word that simply denotes someone who does not have ownership of him/herself. He/she has a master/lord/king, and that lord was the absolute ruler over his/her life. How does that apply to James? James knows to whom he belongs…

C. James is a bondslave of God. That’s to be expected of someone in church leadership – but it’s still something worth noting. James apparently was well-respected by Jew & Gentile. Other religious teachers among the Jews may have held their head high in pride – giving the impression that what they received from the Lord, they deserved because they were children of Abraham. [Re: Pharisees & John the Baptist, Luke 3:8-9] Not James; James is simply a bondslave of God. God is God & he’s not.
__a. Many times, this is something we forget. We claim God to be our God & sing praises to Him as our King – but how many times to we attempt to wrest control out of the hands of God & take it to ourselves? “God, I know your word says to turn the other cheek, but I just gotta say _____ to that person!” “God, I know You call me to holiness, but I’m going to do this anyway. Can You just look away for a bit?” When we do that, we’re taking the place in our lives that God rightly deserves. Understand that you (as a redeemed believer) have been bought at a price; you are not your own. When you trusted Jesus as Lord, God became your King/Master/Owner. We are simply slaves/servants of God…and privileged to be so!

D. James is a bondslave of “the Lord Jesus Christ.” Don’t forget the relationship here; James is talking about his own brother. … There was a time that James (along with Jude) did not feel this way (John 7:5). When did this change? Sometime soon after the Resurrection – Acts 1:14 shows the brothers of Jesus with the apostles waiting for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. By this time, James has gone from brother to bondslave – utterly convinced that the same Jesus with whom he played as a boy & grew up with, is none other but Christ (the anointed chosen One of God to take away the sin of the world) and Lord (God in the flesh, having supreme authority).
__a. Quite a testimony!
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2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

A. Talk about starting off with a bang! The church was still new at the time & had been baptized by a fire of troubles. After Stephen was stoned in Jerusalem as the 1st martyr of the church, Christians started scattering out all over Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1), and Saul (and probably others like him) persecuted the church wherever they could find it. Just being a Jew in the Roman empire was hard enough – but to be a Christian on top of that was to be truly outcast from the world. The 1st generation of believers definitely knew what “trials” were. Define “trials” = a proving ground for faith. Perhaps a temptation – perhaps a struggle; anything that would put our faith in the Lord Jesus to the test.
__a. We may not yet be persecuted for our faith – but we all face various trials. (Struggles in marriage – job loss – disease – prodigal children) These things put our faith to the test as we struggle with the question of “why” – to which we may never get an answer.

B. “And you want me to rejoice because of that?!” No…not really. Look at the verse: “when you fall into various trials.” IOW, we don’t rejoice because of the trials (who would?!); but we can rejoice in the midst of the trials… “All joy” has the idea here of “whole joy / unmixed joy”…same phrase is used in Phil 2:29 when Paul asks the church to receive Epaphroditus with “all gladness.”

C. This obviously isn’t our normal 1st reaction… … We need to change our perspective on things. Like James, we no longer belong to ourselves; in Christ, we’re the bondslaves of the Lord Jesus. … Thus our Lord Jesus has control of our lives – and He can use our hurts, our trials, and the results of living in this fallen world for His glory. (Rom 8:28)… Every trial we’re in gives us another opportunity to glorify God in the midst & live as His redeemed people…

D. Something always results in the lives of believers as a result of trials – see vs. 3…
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3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

A. WHY is it we’re to count it all joy in the midst of trials? Because one way in which God chooses to glorify Himself through our trials is through the development of our character. The fruit of tested faith is patience (endurance / steadfastness / perseverance). Gk is a compound word meaning “to remain under” – this isn’t ‘waiting around in the doctor’s office’ sort of patience; this is ‘facing the storms head on with the strength to endure’ sort of patience. Who wouldn’t want that?

B. This is a promise we can bank on! Having patience develop as a result of our trials isn’t something we might hope to one day have; we can “know” this. If we can’t always answer the question of “Why is this happening?”, we CAN always answer the question of “What is God going to do with it?”. God may do many things with a particular situation to glorify Himself – but one of those things is that He’s going to build patience and endurance into the lives of His children. ‘Big deal. So I get more patient. How’s that supposed to help me maintain an attitude of joy when my life is falling apart?’ Trials are still trials – agony is still agony. But as born-again Christians, we never go through the agony alone because the Lord Jesus is always with us. And because we know that the Lord Jesus is with us & still sovereign, we can trust that He’s going to use the pain in our lives (as hard as it may be) to both glorify Himself and to strengthen us in Himself.
__a. Paul wrote much the same thing in Romans. [context: rejoicing in the glory of God re: justification] Romans 5:3-5 (3) And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; (4) and perseverance, character; and character, hope. (5) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. []
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4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

A. There’s another aspect of patience; it helps us be complete in Christ Jesus. This is not to say that until we’re patient Christians, we’re not really ‘true’ Christians. The minute you forsake sin & turn to Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior (as the risen Son of God), you ARE a true Christian. That’s the work of justification… But there’s also the work of sanctification… … Christians who are growing in holiness – Christians who are gradually becoming more and more like Christ NEED to have patience. Why? Because that’s what Jesus was! The Lord Jesus was immensely patient & longsuffering. Over and over again the Jews would want to alternately make Him king by force or stone Him for blasphemy. He endured the rejection of His family, of many of His disciples, of the people He came to save – and was even betrayed by one of the 12. He was grieved at the idea of going to the cross & becoming sin and bearing the wrath of God (so much so that He sweat blood). He bore the physical agonies of the scourging, the nails, and the crucifixion – and He bore the spiritual agony of having His Father forsake Him while hanging there. And yet He endured. The Lord Jesus was not on that cross by force or compulsion (no one took His life; He willingly gave it up – John 10:18). He could have had legions of angels as protection with a word (Matt 26:53). Instead, Christ Jesus chose to persevere & endure to the glory of God. THAT’s the kind of perseverance and patience that God wants to build into your life as a disciple and servant of Jesus Christ.

B. Take that from another angle: without patience, believers in Christ are NOT complete. Not talking about doctrine here; but rather character. An impatient Christian is an immature Christian; God wants to bring us to maturity. I expect my 5-year old to cry and whine about things that are minor to me (which are major to her); but I pray she’s stronger when she’s 15-25-35. Likewise, God wants us to mature. So God allows trials and tribulations to come into our lives to further refine us and mold our character into the character of Christ Jesus. [Peter’s prayer for the church] 1 Peter 5:10-11 (10) But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (11) To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. [] Notice when the maturity comes; after the suffering/trial. Do we rejoice because of the suffering? No – but by faith we can rejoice in the midst of the suffering because God is working upon us.
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5 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.

A. So we know we need faith to have joy in various trials, we know God’s working within us to mature us, we know that this requires us to change our perspective on things. How do we do it?? We need wisdom! And that brings us to our 2nd promise: God promises to give wisdom to those who ask. Notice that James doesn’t write “knowledge” – though knowledge can be very helpful & we shouldn’t hesitate to go to God for knowledge. But knowledge is relatively easy to obtain; the understanding of how to apply that knowledge is far more rare…and that’s wisdom.

B. Note how direct this is. If you lack wisdom, ask God – and He WILL give it! That’s a promise straight from the word of God! It makes sense when we think about it – what father wants their child to be a fool? In God are found all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3); wisdom is ours for the asking! [Solomon’s prayer] 1 Kings 3:11-12 (11) Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, (12) behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. [] What an answer to prayer! God still answers this same prayer! We obviously won’t be made the wisest on earth for all time; but God apparently loves to answer prayer requests for wisdom. Notice how He gives it:
__a. “liberally”: abundantly / generously. God has the treasures of wisdom – and He gives it freely to His children.
__b. “without reproach”: without upbraiding / reprimand. God is not going to get angry with someone for coming to Him for wisdom… We can go to Him over & over again, and God will always give it.

C. Is God where we go for wisdom? God has promised to give wisdom to His children, but do we seek Him for it? Or do we go to the world? Too often, our question isn’t “What would Jesus do? (Or have me to do)” but “What would Oprah do?” It doesn’t matter in the slightest what the world recommends on how to walk through your trials; it matters what God says. We have a book FULL of His wisdom; we need to search it… We serve a God who LOVES to give wisdom; we need to pray to Him for it… Where does it start? The righteous fear of the Lord (9:10); from there all we need to do is ask & keep on asking.
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6 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.

A. We know WHAT God gives: wisdom. We know HOW God gives it: liberally. But how do we ask Him? In faith; not with doubting & being skeptical. “God, give me wisdom. But I’m not really sure if You can or will…so maybe do it, if You want to get around to it.” No wonder James uses the example of being tossed by the wind & waves…that’s not faith! We know that God has wisdom – we know that God desires to give wisdom – we know that we belong to God through Christ Jesus – why then would we ever doubt that God would give us wisdom when we ask Him?

B. So is this saying that as long as we have faith, we can ask for a double-cheeseburger & have one appear in our hands? Of course not. So-called healing evangelists will quote this verse all the time to accuse someone of not having enough faith to be healed – saying that the person had a “negative confession” & canceled out what God would have otherwise done. The theological term for this is “baloney.” James 1:6 does not promote nor teach “positive confession” or the “word of faith” doctrine so often seen on TV. Look at the context: what are we asking for? Wisdom – which God desires to give to all of His children. Whom are we asking? God. Who then has the power to give wisdom? God. The power isn’t in our faith; it’s in God! The word/faith teaching puts all the power into the hands of man (it’s OUR faith, OUR belief, OUR word, OUR claim on the promises). But go back to vs. 1: we are but slaves & bondservants…GOD is God & we’re not. The word of God tells us to ask God for wisdom & the word of God proclaims that God gives wisdom abundantly; so we can stand on faith on that promise. The Bible does not proclaim that every believer in Christ is to drive a Rolls-Royce, or live in a mansion, or grow back an arm, or whatever else we dream up. It does tell us to have faith in God & that certain miraculous faith is a gift of God – but the focus of prayer is never on us (fulfilling every wish we have like Aladdin & the genie); it’s always on God & His glory.
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7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

A. Literally, the “double-minded man” is a “double-souled man.” (Clarke), “The man of two souls, who has one for earth, and another for heaven; who wishes to secure both worlds; he will not give up earth, and he is loth to let heaven go.” Quite the opposite of faith! The man or woman of God who fixes their eyes upon the Lord Jesus and walks in faith according to His word is submitted to God in whatever they do – be it prayer for wisdom, or enduring in trials. If the doubting man is instable – what is the man or woman of God who asks in faith? Stable. Faith in Jesus helps us stand on the Rock of His promises (Matt 7:24-25).

B. Faith isn’t just helpful in our walk with Christ; it’s essential…
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Conclusion:
What a glorious God we serve! He called us & saved us by His grace. This includes heaven, but it’s far more than future glory – we experience His grace in the here & now as God continues to work on our character & conform us to the image of His perfect Son. How does God do this? Through faith!

• We need faith to believe the gospel. We are all to be bondslaves of Christ Jesus…
• We need faith to rejoice in trials. Our perspective changes from sorrow to joy because of the work of God in our lives…
• We need faith to ask for wisdom. God has wisdom & God desires to grant wisdom. Faith keeps us looking to God for wisdom & not the world…

So how’s your faith? Jesus said that if we even have faith the size of a mustard seed, we could move mountains (Matt 17:20) – and that’s exactly what happens when we face trials by holding fast to faith in Jesus Christ! How else can we respond to the biopsy results with solid confidence? How else can we wait patiently upon the Lord to convict our prodigal sons & daughters to repent? Or endure the hundreds of other massive trials that come our way as a result of living in a fallen world? These are mountains! And we can endure!