Bible Studies
James
(1)
Introduction
and Turning Trials to Triumphs
James
1:1-8
The theme of the Book of James is
spiritual maturity – how to grow up in Christ. The key verse is James 1:4b “ …so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” Not everyone who grows old, grows up!
There is a difference between age and maturity. The Book of Hebrews, which we
studied a few months ago, and the Book of James go together. The theme of
Hebrews is spiritual perfection. The word “perfect” is used 14 times in
Hebrews. And the key verse of Hebrews is 6:1.
Hebrews explains the perfect salvation in Christ. James exhorts his readers
to build on this salvation and grow to maturity.
To get the most from this study we
must look into it as a mirror. James
1:22-25 We must see ourselves as we
are and then do something about it. (ILLUS: A primitive from the jungle had
never seen a mirror. When he looked into one the first time and saw himself he
was shocked and broke the mirror!) We must be doers of the Word and not hearers
only. We must measure ourselves by the Word, not by other Christians. Not
everyone who grows old, grows up!
A. James is the same name which in the Old Testament is Jacob. There are four men named James mentioned in the New Testament.
1.
There was the disciple James who was the son of Zebedee and
brother of John. He was killed by Herod in 44 AD. Acts 12:1-2
2.
There was another, little known disciple named James who was
the son of Alphaeus.
3.
Then there was James the father of Judas. Judas was also a
disciple, but he was not Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus.
4.
The author of this book was James, the half-brother of
Jesus. Jesus had brothers and sisters whose mother was Mary, but whose father
was Joseph. So they were his half-brothers and sisters. Judas or Jude who wrote
the Book of Jude was another one of them. Like Jude, James didn’t identify
himself as the brother of Jesus, but only as “a servant of God and of the Lord
Jesus Christ”. He also did not write that he was the exalted head of the
church, like the Pope would do today. How humble James and Jude were!
B.
It’s amazing that Jesus’ half-brothers, who did not accept
Him as Messiah and Lord during His ministry, came to be among His staunchest
supporters. At first they thought He was crazy. Mark 3:21 Later they mocked Him. John 7:1-5 Something happened to them during Jesus’ suffering,
death and crucifixion, because they were in the Upper Room praying with the
disciples and women at Pentecost. Acts
1:14 Jesus had appeared personally to James after the resurrection. I Cor. 15:7 Later James became the
leader of the church. Paul called him one of the pillars of the church along
with Peter and John. Gal. 2:9 In Acts 15 we find James as the moderator
of the church council. There is no record of James’ death, but tradition says
that he was martyred in 62 AD. The Pharisees had him thrown down from the
temple and beaten to death with clubs. They probably hated James as much as
Jesus since he was the leader of the church. He died like Jesus, praying for
his murderers.
C.
What kind of man was James? We can draw some conclusions
about him from what he did and what he wrote. He must have been deeply
spiritual to be able to gain the leadership of the church so quickly. From his
leadership of the Jerusalem Council we see that he was wise, permitting all
parties to express themselves, and then bringing peace by drawing on God’s
Word. Tradition says that he was a man of prayer, with knees as hard as camel’s
knees. James was a Jew, raised in the Law of Moses. In his book he didn’t just
suggest. He commanded. There are 50 imperatives in the Book of James. Even
before he believed in Jesus as Lord and Savior, James must have listened to Him
because he makes 6 allusions to the Sermon on the Mount.
A.
To whom did James write? James addressed his letter to the
12 tribes scattered among the nations (v.
1) or the Jews living outside of Palestine. He wrote specifically to
Christian Jews, addressing them 19 times as “brothers”. He was very clear about
the new birth. James 1:18 Why were
they scattered? They were scattered by the persecution. Acts 8:1b Jesus had told them to scatter out and spread the gospel,
but they didn’t obey until they were forced to leave Jerusalem by the
persecution. Since they were Jews, they were rejected by Gentiles. Since they
were Christian Jews they were rejected by Jews! It seems from what James wrote
that most were poor and some were oppressed by the rich.
B.
Why did James write? Each New Testament book had its own
theme, purpose, and destination. You remember how we studied that about
Hebrews. These Christian Jews expelled from their home were going through
difficult testings – facing temptations to sin. One of the major problems in
the church was the failure of many to live what they professed to
believe. Is it any different today? Gossip, cheating, worldliness and division
were hurting their witness to a needy world. What was the cause of all these
problems? It was spiritual immaturity. So James’ theme is: the marks of
maturity in the Christian life. Are our churches playpens for baby Christians
or workshops for adult Christians?
A.
Are we victims or victors in our trials? How are we to deal
with trials in our lives? God tells us to expect trials. Jesus said, “In the world you shall have
tribulation”. John 16:33 Paul
said, “We must through much tribulation
enter the kingdom.” Acts 14:22 Some
trials come just because we are human and others because we are Christians. How
are we to deal with these trials in our lives? James calls us to a very high
standard. He doesn’t tell us to endure or keep a stiff upper lip. He calls us
to consider our trials “pure joy”. That’s asking a lot. The trials may come
from all directions, but regardless where they come from, we are to face them
with joy. How can we? Our values determine our evaluations of our trials:
1.
If comfort is more important to us than character, trials
will upset us.
2.
If material and physical things are more important to us
than spiritual things, we will not be able to be joyful in trials.
3.
If we live only for the present and forget the future,
trials will make us bitter instead of better.
B.
Only an understanding mind can help us to see trials in the
right way. What do Christians know that makes it easier to face trials?
1.
Faith is always tested. God tested Abraham to increase his
faith. God tests us to bring out the best in us, just like a teacher tests her
students.
2.
Testing works for us, not against us. I Pet. 1:7 When a miner takes an ore
sample to the assayer to have him test it for gold, it’s only worth a few
dollars. If it is approved as pure gold it may be worth millions. II Cor. 4:17
3.
Trials rightly used help us to mature. Patience is
courageous perseverance in the face of suffering and difficulty. Immature
people are always impatient. Mature people are patient and persistent.
Impatience and unbelief go together while patience and faith go together. Heb. 10:36
C. God wants to make us patient because that’s the key to other blessings. Abraham was impatient to have a son so he jumped ahead of God’s plan and had a son by Hagar. To this day the descendants of the Ishmaelites are enemies of the Jews. Moses knew he wanted to rescue his people, but he jumped ahead of God’s plan and killed an Egyptian. Peter could have killed the servant of the high priest when he cut off his ear with his sword. The only way the Lord can develop patience and character is through trials – not through reading a book, listening to a sermon or even praying. We must go through difficulties, trust God and obey Him. When we understand this, we can have joy in our trials. Reading about faithful servants of God, or hearing testimonies of fellow believers helps us to understand that God has a purpose in every trial. Being tested, finding it joy, and persevering finally brings us to maturity and completeness, making it possible for us to hold onto our faith till the end.
A.
God cannot build our character without our cooperation. God
wants a finished product, mature and complete. We must begin the Christian life
as babies – being born again into God’s family. But babies must become children
who become young men and women who finally become fathers and mothers. God
works for us in salvation, in us in sanctification, and then through
us in service. Babies cannot serve others, so God builds character and
maturity before He calls to service. Abraham had to wait 25 years before his
promised son was born. Joseph had to wait 13 years before he was ready for the
throne. Moses spent 80 years in preparation for 40 years of service. If we go
through trials without surrendered wills, we end up immature children instead
of mature adults. God disciplined Jonah, but he still didn’t obey God from the
heart. He pouted like a spoiled child outside the walls of Nineveh after God
graciously forgave an entire nation that repented.
B.
But we often find ourselves incapable of facing trials with
the right attitude. We are not wise enough to see through to the end of God’s
purposes. When we go through God-ordained trials, what should we pray about? We
need to ask God for wisdom. Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. That’s why in
this world sometimes we find educated fools! (evolution, etc.) Why do we need
wisdom when going through trials? Why not strength, grace or deliverance? We
need wisdom so we don’t waste the opportunity God is giving us to grow and
mature. (ILLUS: A church secretary was going through hard times. She had a
stroke, and her husband was blind and in the hospital. The pastor told her that
he was praying. She asked, “What are you praying for? Pray that I won’t waste
this opportunity to grow.”)
C.
James not only told us what to ask for but how
to ask. We are to ask in faith, not in doubt or fear. Waves are fickle. You
never know which way they will go. If you are at a beach here where there are
waves, don’t turn your back to them. They may knock you down or drag you out to
sea! Doubt made Peter sink into the sea. Jesus asked him, “Why did you doubt?”
He almost drowned because he was double-minded. Satan wants to use the tests to
tear us down, but God uses them to build us up. We can have a joyful attitude
in trials because we love God and we know He loves us. Where there is love,
there is surrender and obedience. Love and faith go together. Love keeps us
faithful to the Lord. The double-minded person is like an unfaithful husband or
wife, loving both God and the world. Lot was double-minded. He failed under
trials. Abraham was God’s friend. He loved and trusted God, and he was
victorious and matured in his trials. Heb.
10:35-36
Conclusion
We can have wisdom by just asking
God. He gives generously to all who ask without blaming us for being so
foolish. Our problem is that we ask, not believing that God will guide us and
give us wisdom. So what’s the use of asking if we don’t believe that God will
answer? He who doubts that God will answer is like a wave which is tossed to
and fro by every wind. The doubter is tossed around by every new idea. Eph. 4:14 He vacillates from faith to
doubt. This dishonors God and makes Him unwilling to give anything to that
person. The one who vacillates is a double-minded man. His mind is not set only
on God. He also relies on himself, others, circumstances, etc. He is not just
unstable in his prayer life. He is unstable in all he does, flipping
back and forth between faith and doubt. Such a man will not receive anything
from the Lord!
Bible Studies
James
(2)
How
to Handle Temptation
James
1:9-18
Last week we studied James’ words
in verses 2 & 3. We are to consider it pure joy when we face trials because
the testing of our faith develops perseverance. Trials may be tests sent by
God, or they may be temptations sent by Satan and encouraged by our own fallen
nature. What is the relationship between testings without and temptations
within? When things are difficult, we may complain against God, question His
love and resist His will. Satan then provides the way out – temptation! When
there was a famine in Canaan, it was an opportunity for Abraham to trust and
prove God’s faithfulness. Instead, he fell to the temptation to go to Egypt and
there lied about Sarah and brought shame on God’s name.
I.
Rich and poor
are equal
A. James says that we should not judge people and this world by what we see or what seems to be. Actually when Jesus comes into our lives it turns everything upside down. Those in humble circumstances should be proud of their high position in Christ – as sons of God and heirs of an eternal kingdom. The Christian who is rich should be proud of his low position – that he is nothing without Christ, and will pass away like a wild flower, leaving all his money and possessions for others. All it takes is for the sun to rise with scorching heat to wither the plant, causing its blossom to fall and its beauty to be destroyed. It is glorious for a moment, but then is gone.
B.
So the rich man has glories on this earth only for a moment.
He will fade away even as he goes about the business of making money. So rich
and poor should not measure themselves by the world’s standards, but by God’s
great equalizing love. The poor become incredibly rich by walking with God.
They need to think of themselves in that way, not as low and insignificant – of
course, always giving glory to God. The rich need to know that their riches on
this earth are transient and they are nobodies, but for the grace of God.
C.
James then goes back to the subject of trials, which he
mentioned in the first verses. The tests and trials of our faith develop
perseverance. Blessed are those who faithfully persevere under trial. They
don’t quit or turn against God. When that one has stood the test to the end, he
will receive a crown for his faithfulness – the crown of life that God has
promised to those who love Him. Our perseverance under testing proves our love
for Him. Without love, we would give up, quit serving Him, and turn bitter and
angry, blaming Him for our trials.
A.
Some may say when they are tested that God is tempting them.
Look ahead to see where temptation leads – to death! We can’t blame God for
temptation. He’s too holy to be tempted, and too loving to tempt others.
God does test us, but He does not and cannot tempt us. He tests us by the fire
to eliminate the dross and bring out the pure gold of perseverance out of love
for God. Actually, we are not even tempted by Satan to begin with. He enters
into the picture after we have been tempted by our own desires. We are
the ones who turn testing into temptation. A temptation is trying to do a good
thing in a bad way – cheating to pass an exam, or overeating instead of eating
the amount that’s good for our bodies.
B.
The process of sin is in 4 stages. The first stage is desire
(v. 14). Lust is any kind of desire.
Normal desires given to us by God all have good purposes. Those would be the
desires to eat, drink, sleep or love someone. On the other hand, eating can
turn to gluttony and overeating; sleep can turn to laziness; marital sex can turn
to adultery or homosexuality. The secret is to be in constant control of our
desires and to use them properly, as God planned. Our desires must be our
servants, not our masters. We must stand guard over our hidden desires. Unless
purified and committed to God, they may end in death.
C.
The second stage of sin is deception (v. 14). In the kindest terms, James says, “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.” (v. 16) Hunters and
fishermen have to use bait, but they hide it. No animal will step into a trap
if he knows it’s there, and fish don’t bite an empty hook. Temptation carries
bait that appeals to our natural desires. The bait attracts us and also hides
the sorrow and punishment that will follow. David saw only the beautiful
Bathsheba and was not aware of all the sorrow and heartache that would come to
him and his family when he fell to the temptation. Jesus quoted God’s Word when
He was tempted. When God’s Word is first in our hearts and lives we can detect
the bait and deal with it – by walking by faith & obedience, not by sight.
D.
The third stage of sin is disobedience (v. 15). We move from the emotions (desire) to the intellect
(deception) to the will. Desire conceives a method for taking the bait; the
will approves and acts; and the result is sin. Christian living is a matter of
the will, not feelings. Mature people act because it is right, no matter how
they feel. As you exercise your will, God will take control of your life. Phil. 2:13
E.
The fourth and final stage of sin is death (v. 15). Disobedience gives birth to
death, not life. It may take years, but when the sin matures, the result will
be death. God wants to stop this process. Ezek.
18:23 We can see these 4 stages in the very first sin in the Garden.
1.)
The serpent used desire to interest Eve. Gen. 3:5
2.)
Satan deceived Eve. II
Cor. 11:3 Eve only saw the bait and forgot God’s warning. Gen. 2:17
3.)
Eve disobeyed God. She shared with Adam and he disobeyed
God. Adam sinned with his eyes open.
4.)
Both Adam and Eve experienced immediate spiritual death –
separation from God – and eventual physical death. And now all men die because
of Adam and those who die without Christ will suffer eternal death. I Cor. 15:22
Whenever you’re tempted to sin, get your eyes off the bait and look ahead to the consequences: God’s judgment!
A.
One of Satan’s tricks is to convince us that God doesn’t
really love us and care for us. His message to Eve was: “If God really loved
you He wouldn’t keep good things from you.” Satan’s message to Jesus was: “If
Your Father really loved you, He wouldn’t let you be hungry like this.” Knowing
and believing the goodness of God is a barrier against yielding to temptation.
Since God is good, we don’t need any other person to met our needs, including
Satan. If we doubt God and His goodness, we’ll be attracted to Satan’s offers.
Moses warned Israel not to forget God’s goodness when they began to enjoy the
blessings of the Promised Land. Deut.
6:10-15
B. The good and perfect gifts are all from
above – not from below – the world or Satan. There are 4 facts we can know
about the goodness of God.
1.) God gives only good gifts. If it did not come from God, it isn’t good. If it is from God it must be good, even if we can’t see it at the time.
2.)
The way God gives is good. A person can give you a gift with
the wrong motives – to deceive you or gain your favor or buy your soul! What
God gives and how He gives it are both good.
3.)
He gives constantly. “It keeps on coming down.” Even when we
don’t see His gifts or are not aware of them, He is still sending them.
4.)
God does not change. He can’t change for the worse because
He is holy; He can’t change for the better because He’s already perfect. He
does not change like shifting shadows. The devil and godless men do. They are
unstable. (v. 8)
B.
The light of the sun varies as the earth changes, but the
sun itself still shines. If shadows come between God and us, He didn’t
cause them! God had been good to David, but David forgot God’s goodness and
took the bait. The first barrier against temptation is a negative one: the
judgment of God. The second barrier is positive: the goodness of God. We can
obey God because we fear Him or because we love Him for His goodness to us. In
Joseph’s temptation, he was restrained by the goodness of God in providing
everything for him. Gen. 39:9 God’s
gifts are always better than Satan’s bargains. Satan never gives any gifts
because you pay for them dearly. When tempted, think about God’s goodness in
your life. If you think you need something, wait for God to provide it.
A.
In the first barrier to temptation, God says, “Look ahead
and beware of judgment”. In the second barrier, He says, “Look around and see
how good I’ve been to you.” in the third barrier, He says, “Look within and
realize that you have been born from above and possess the divine nature.” 1.)
This birth is divine. Just as we did not generate our human birth, we can’t
generate our spiritual birth. When we put our faith in Christ, God performed
the miracle. 2.) This birth is gracious. We did not earn or deserve it. This
new birth is the work of God – not of relatives or resolutions or religion. John 1:13
B.
3.) This new birth is through God’s Word and God’s Spirit. John 3:6; I Pet. 1:23 The Spirit of God
uses the Word of God to bring us to Him. 4.) This birth is the finest birth
possible. The Jews offered the finest, the firstfruits to God. Of all God’s
creatures, Christians are the highest and finest. We share God’s nature. It’s
beneath our dignity to accept Satan’s bait or desire sinful things. A higher
birth must mean a higher life. God accepts the new birth, not the old birth. If
we let the old nature take over, we’ll fail. We received it from Adam and he
was a failure. If we yield to the new nature, we’ll succeed because it comes
from Christ and He’s the Victor.
C.
It is the Father who gave birth to His children. He did it
through the Word of truth. He made us firstfruits of all He created. Actually,
Jesus is the firstfruit. And we follow as His offspring. Isa. 53:10 All His creation belongs to Him but it has come under
the curse. We, His children, are the first to be delivered, to come to Him as
firstfruits, purchased by the Son, given birth by the Father, and filled with
the Holy Spirit.
When temptation knocks at the
door, send Jesus, not Adam! The old man will fall every time. God has erected 3
barriers to help us in times of temptation. First, we remember His judgment and
the death that is waiting at the end of the road of sin. Second, we remember
His goodness. He has been faithful and loving all our lives. The least we can
do is respond to His love by refusing to disobey Him. Third, we remember that
we are children of God, bought with a terrible price – the blood of Jesus. Our
heart’s desire should be to please Him. If we pay attention to these 3
barriers, we’ll win a crown (v. 12). If
we break through them and insist on our own lustful desires, we’ll find a
coffin (v. 15).
Bible Studies
James
(3)
Stop
Deceiving Yourself
James
1:19-27
Once again James addresses the ones
to whom he writes as “my dear brothers”.
This shows that he is writing to Christians, and that he has a tender heart
toward them. But he doesn’t hold back or mince his words. Of all the New
Testament writers, James is possibly the most straightforward. I believe this
shows his close affinity to Jesus who also spoke in a very straightforward
manner. We don’t always like to hear this kind of teaching because it gets too
close to home. James is not afraid to tackle some of our major faults. We do well
to listen and pay attention!
I.
Receive the
Word
A.
James calls God’s Word the “engrafted word” or “the word
planted in you”(v. 21). It
reminds us of Jesus’ parable in Matt.
13:1-23. There God’s Word is likened to the seed and our hearts to the
soil. There are 4 kinds of soil: the hard, the shallow, the crowded, and the
fruitful. The final test of salvation is fruit! What kind of fruit can God and
others expect to see in our lives? Our fruit should include: growing in
spiritual maturity, the winning of souls, sharing what we have with the needy,
developing of the fruits of the Spirit, the doing of good works, and a life of
prayer and praise. Real fruit has in it the seeds to produce more fruit. John 15:1-5 We must be careful what
we hear and how we hear so that we don’t deceive ourselves into thinking
that we are holier than we are. Attending Church and Bible Studies is good, but
of little value if no fruit is evident from our studies.
B. First we must be “swift to hear” or “quick to
listen”. Over and over again Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Matt. 13:9 A good servant is quick to hear his master’s voice. A
mother is quick to hear her baby’s cry. So we must be quick to hear God speak.
King David yearned for a drink of cool water from the well in Bethlehem, his
home village. He didn’t give an order to his men, but only quietly expressed
his longing. (II Sam. 23:15) Three
of his mighty men heard his sigh and risked their lives to get the water. They
were “quick to listen” to his
whispered longing. Are we close enough to the Lord to hear His whispers of what
He longs for us to do and be?
C.
Second we must be “slow
to speak”. We have 2 ears and 1 mouth, which ought to remind us to listen
more than we speak. Too many times we argue with God’s Word or with others who
are teaching it. Sometimes it seems like a war has been declared in our homes
or our churches. James 4:1 Too much
speaking and not enough listening can bring on the third problem. We must be “slow to become angry”. First, it is a
mistake to become angry at God or His Word. In Gethsemane Peter was slow
to hear, quick to speak and swift to anger. He almost killed a
man and ended up denying the Lord. He might have avoided that if he had
listened more carefully to Jesus. Many church fights are the result of short
tempers and hasty words. Man’s uncontrolled anger does not bring about a
righteous life. Instead it tends toward hatred, bitterness and resentment as
well as high blood pressure and strokes. There is a godly anger against sin (Psa. 97:10), but our natural anger doesn’t produce God’s righteousness (v. 20). In fact, anger is the opposite
of patience. James 1:3-4 If we are
angry we need to calm down and find a quick resolution to the problem. Eph. 4:26
D. The fourth thing we need is a prepared
heart. James saw the human heart as a garden. If left to itself, it will
produce only weeds. He urged us to pull out the weeds and prepare the soil for
the planting of God’s Word. The “moral
filth and evil” he referred to is an overgrowth of useless and harmful
weeds in our hearts. James said that the filth and evil are prevalent. That
means they are everywhere growing like uncontrolled weeds. Today Sodom is right
here on the TV and the Internet. We must be careful to guard our hearts and our
homes. It’s foolish to receive God’s Word in an unprepared heart. It’s like
planting flower seeds in the middle of hard ground full of weeds. How do we
prepare the soil of our hearts?
1.)
We confess our sins and ask for God’s forgiveness. I John 1:9
2.)
We meditate on God’s love and grace and ask Him to plow up
the hardness in our hearts. Jer. 4:3
3.)
We have an attitude of meekness or humility. When you humbly
receive God’s Word, you accept it and honor it instead of arguing with it. You
don’t twist it to conform to your thinking or what you want to hear.
Christians who like to argue and debate
“points of view” may be cultivating weeds instead of promoting spiritual
growth.
A. People think that hearing a message or Bible Study makes them grow. It’s not the hearing but the doing that brings the blessing. Here James compares the Word to a mirror rather than seed. There are two other references to God’s Word as a mirror. We will look at those and see the ministry God’s Word has as a mirror. The first is to use it for examination. The purpose of a mirror is to help us see ourselves to be sure that we are neat and clean. Looking into God’s Word helps us see ourselves as we are. James mentions mistakes that people make as they look into God’s mirror.
B.
Mistake no. #1: They merely glance at themselves in the
mirror. Many sincere believers read a chapter a day, but it’s only a religious
exercise that makes them feel better, but doesn’t really teach them anything.
They read the Bible carelessly. It’s like the difference between a picture and
an x-ray.
Mistake no. #2: They forget what they
see in the mirror. If they looked deeply into their own hearts they would not
be able to forget what they saw. Job was the most righteous man on earth, but
he had to confess what he saw in God’s mirror. Job 42:6
Mistake no. #3: They don’t do what the
Word tells them to do. One of James’ favorite words is “do”. In 4 verses here
he uses it 6 times. In 2:14-26 he
uses “do, does, deeds and actions” 13 times. How many Christians “merely listen” to the Word and so
deceive themselves? They deceive themselves into thinking they are O.K. because
they go to church or read the Bible. They are not O.K. until they do
what the Bible says. They think
hearing is the same as doing, but it isn’t. We Christians tend to substitute
reading or talking for doing. We hold endless committee meetings and
conferences about evangelism and church growth, but never do anything
about it.
C.
If we are to use God’s mirror profitably, we must gaze into
it carefully and with serious intent. This requires time, attention, and
sincere devotions. 5 minutes with God won’t do it. A good doctor takes time for
his examination of the patient and tells him the truth. But some patients avoid
the doctor or don’t want to hear the truth from him. Jesus, the Great
Physician, examines us with His Word. Are we afraid of what we might see? After
seeing ourselves, we must remember what we are and what God says we need to do
about it, and then do what He says. Why does James call the Word, “the perfect law that gives freedom”?
We think of law as binding, but God’s
law and His ways set us free from sin and ourselves. When we obey it, God sets
us free to be the kind of people He wants us to be and we want to
be. John 8:31-32, 34 The one who
continues to look intently into the mirror – who carefully studies the Word
regularly – and does something about what he sees, is blessed in what he
does. The blessing comes, not because he looks or hears, but because he does
what he learned!
D.
The second purpose of God’s mirror is restoration. In
building the tabernacle Moses took the metal “mirrors” of the women and from
them made the laver – a huge basin filled with water in which the priests
washed hands and feet before entering the Holy Place. Water for washing
pictures God’s Word in its cleansing power. As we walk in the world our hands
and feet are defiled. In II Samuel 12
we read the story of how Nathan confronted David after his sin with Bathsheba
and the death of Uriah. Nathan told David a story, ending with God’s Word to
him about his sin. When David confessed his sin, Nathan used God’s Word for
restoration. But what happens when we consider ourselves to be religious and
yet do not control our tongues? Most religious people talk too much –
especially gossip. If someone cannot control his tongue and thinks it is O.K.
to gossip about others, James says his religion is “worthless”. A loose tongue
can cancel out all the good of his religion – in the eyes of God and men!
E.
The third purpose of God’s mirror is transformation. II Cor. 3:18 God wants to transform us
– to help us grow in grace so we don’t commit that sin again. There is a
difference between the Old Covenant of Law and the New Covenant of grace. Moses
used a veil to hide his face so the Israelites wouldn’t see the fading glory.
The New Testament believer has an unveiled face with the glory ever growing as
he matures in Christ. When we look into the Word, God’s mirror, we see the Son
of God and are transformed by the Spirit of God to share in God’s glory. A
caterpillar goes through metamorphosis or change to become a butterfly. It’s a
change on the outside that comes from the inside. With us, the
glory of God’s Spirit on the inside changes us on the outside. Rom. 12:2 We have to take off the veil
and not hide anything. John 1:8
A.
The word “religion” means the outward practice or service of
a god. It is used only 5 times in the New Testament. Pure religion has nothing
to do with ceremonies, temples, or special days. It’s practicing God’s Word and
sharing it with others. It has to do with our treatment of others, and our
personal lifestyle. How are we to share it with others? We share God’s Word
with our tongue. There are many references to speech and the tongue in this letter.
In fact most of the third chapter of James is about the tongue. It seems that
the tongue was then, and is now, a serious problem in the church. If the heart
is right, the tongue will say right things. Secondly, we share God’s Word with
our service. After we’ve seen Christ and ourselves in God’s mirror, then we
need to see others and their needs. Isaiah first saw the Lord, then himself,
then the people to whom he would minister. Isa.
6:1-8 Words are no substitute for deeds of love. We can’t get by with paying
for others to do the ministry we should be doing. Looking after orphans and
widows in their distress and needs shows a loving concern for suffering people
who may be overlooked by others. There’s no glory in helping orphans and
widows. This is an outgoing but quiet demonstration of faith and love. The one
who serves like this expects nothing in return and no honor from doing it.
B.
The third way we share God’s Word is with separation from
the world. The world is society without God, and Satan is the prince of this
world. We are in the world physically, but not of the world
spiritually. We are sent into the world to influence others for Christ.
We have to maintain our separation from the world to be able to serve
and help others. The friendship of the world can lead to love for the
world. James 4:4 We can than become
conformed to this world and end up condemned with the world. I Cor. 11:32 Lot is the illustration.
He chose the plains of Sodom, then pitched his tents toward Sodom, then moved
into Sodom. Finally, Sodom moved in to him, and he lost his testimony. When
judgment fell on Sodom he lost everything. It is not necessary for a Christian
to get involved in the world in order to have a ministry to the people of the
world. Jesus was unspotted, and yet He was the friend of publicans and sinners
– not to join them in what they were doing, but to save them out of it! Luke 19:10
This section of James is on the
dangers of self-deception. If a Christian is deceived by Satan and sins, that’s
bad. But it’s worse when he deceived himself. Many deceive themselves into
thinking they’re saved when they’re not. Matt.
7:22-23 But Christians can deceive themselves into thinking they’re spiritual
when they’re not! It is a mark of a mature believer when a person faces
himself honestly, admitting his faults and sins and recognizing his needs.
Spiritual reality comes with a proper relationship to God through His Word. We
must be willing to receive or accept His Word, practice His Word by being doers
of it, and then share His Word and His love to others who need it.
Bible Studies
James
(4)
Discrimination
in the Church
James
2:1-13
The theme of the second chapter
of James is the practicing of the truth. We know James is directing his words
to Christians because he calls them “dear brothers”. His rebukes and correction
are clothed in kind and loving words. Most churches have a statement of faith
or covenant. These are good, but they are not substitutes for doing God’s will.
James gave us a simple test to help us understand whether we are practicing
God’s Word. He sent 2 visitors to church – one rich and one poor – and then
watched to see how they were treated. The way we treat people indicates what we
really believe about God. I John 4:20
James examines 4 basic Christian doctrines in the light of the way we treat
other people.
Read James
2:1-13
I.
The Deity of
Christ
A. Jewish people in that day coveted recognition and honor. We have the same problem today – in politics, business and the church. Every church has its select groups and cliques. New Christians have a hard time fitting into the groups already formed. Another problem in the church is the use of positions and titles to feel important and gain status. Is this the reason why some people want to be deacons or deaconesses? Is it the cause of some men trying very hard to be ordained? Jesus said that we are to be humble servants. We don’t need a title to be a servant. We only need to serve.
B.
Jesus did not respect persons. Matt. 22:16 Jesus wasn’t impressed with people’s outward appearance
or status. He looked at the heart. The poor widow who offered only a mite was
greater in His eyes than the rich Pharisee boasting about his big donation.
Also, He saw the potential in the lives of sinners. In Simon, the fisherman, He
saw a rock – Peter. In Matthew, a tax collector, He saw a faithful disciple who
would one day write the first Gospel. In the sinful Samaritan woman at the well
He saw a testimony that would shake the town of Sychar. Often we judge people by
their past instead of their future potential. The church in Jerusalem was
afraid to trust Saul of Tarsus after his conversion. We may be afraid to
welcome and love new people because their past sins might damage our reputation
and standing in the church.
C.
Jesus was despised and rejected. Isa. 53:1-3 In spite of Third Wave claims that Jesus was rich, we
know that He was a poor man who was rejected. He said that even the foxes and
birds had homes while He had none. He grew up in the despised city of Nazareth.
He had nothing physically or materially that would attract us to Him. In spite
of appearances, Jesus was the very glory of God, dressed in poor, human flesh. John 1:14 The religious experts in
Jesus’ day judged Him by human standards, and then rejected Him. He came from
the wrong city, didn’t graduate from their schools, and was poor. And His
followers were mere fishermen, tax collectors, and sinners. And yet He was the
very glory of God!
D.
We tend to judge people by their clothes, their nationality,
where they come from, their wealth or lack of it, and their position or status.
We cater to the rich and important to get something out of them, and avoid the
poor because they embarrass us. How do we practice the deity of Christ in our
human relationships? We need to look at everyone through the eyes of Christ.
All of them were made in the image of the glorious God! If they’re Christians,
Christ lives in them in the Person of the Holy Spirit. If they’re unsaved,
Christ cared enough for them to come and die for them! Christ can use anyone
who is willing to give his life to Him.
A.
The next emphasis is on God’s choosing. “Has not God chosen..”? God has truly chosen those who are poor in
the world’s eyes – the Gentiles, the landless, the impaired, the sick. He has
chosen them to be rich in faith though they may never be rich in anything else.
But the day will come when they will inherit the kingdom that He has promised
to those who love Him. This is the same phrase used in 1:12 where it is the crown of life that is promised to those who
love Him enough to stand the test. In this case, the test is being poor, in
whatever way. The question is: Will we love Him to the end, no matter what the
test? But these to whom James writes have discriminated against the poor and
insulted them. On the other hand, they honor the rich who have exploited them,
dragged them into court, and slandered the noble name of Jesus to whom they
belong.
B. This involves the grace of God. Grace
implies God’s sovereign choice of those, like us, who cannot earn, and do not
deserve, His salvation. God ignores national differences. Acts 10:34 The Jewish believers were shocked when Peter went to a
Gentile home, preached to them and ate with them. In the sight of God there is
no difference between Jew and Gentile, Palauan and Chuukese, American and
Marshallese. There is no difference when it comes to salvation. Rom. 10:12-13 There is also no
difference when it comes to condemnation. Rom.
2:9-11 It is a sin for us to make differences and to discriminate between
people when we have been blessed by the God of grace. We, too, must be full of
grace toward others.
D.
God also ignores social differences. Masters and slaves,
rich and poor are all alike to Him. Eph.
6:9 James teaches that the grace of God makes the rich man poor because he
can’t depend on his wealth. God’s grace makes the poor man rich because he
inherits the riches of Christ. God often chooses the poor instead of the rich
just because they are willing to come to Him. I Cor. 1:26-29 God promises the kingdom to those who love Him, not
to those who love this world and its riches. Then, as now, rich people often
exploit the poor. They use them as slave labor or low-paid workers to make
themselves rich. The doctrine of God’s grace forces us to relate to people on
the basis of God’s plan, not human merit or social status.
A.
It is true that we must defend the truth of God’s Word, but
remember that our lives and ministries are our best defense. James reached back
into the Old Testament for one of God’s laws: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In the parable of the Good
Samaritan, Jesus taught that our neighbor is anyone who needs help, regardless
of his nationality, sex or financial status.
The important question is not: “Who is my neighbor?” but “Lord, to whom
can I be a good neighbor?” Why is “Love
your neighbor as yourself” called a royal law?
B. 1.) It
was given by the King! God the Father gave it in the law of Moses, and God the
Son reaffirmed it to His disciples. John
13:34 God the Spirit fills our hearts with God’s love and expects us to
share it.
2.)
It is a royal law because it’s found in both Old and New
Testaments.
3.)
It is a royal law because it refers to all people, and
excludes no one
4.) It is a royal law because it rules all
the other laws. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. 13:10 It eliminates the need of the hundreds of other laws
that the Pharisees added later.
5.)
It’s a royal law because obeying it makes you a king.
Hatred makes a person a slave, but love sets us free from selfishness.
B.
When we make differences between people, it can cause us to
disobey all of God’s Word. If we show favoritism we become lawbreakers.
Honoring the rich can cause us to lie for them. Not respecting our mate or
another’s mate can cause us to commit adultery. If we break one of God’s laws,
we are guilty of breaking all of them. Matt.
5:19 Christian love means treating others the way God has treated me. It is
an act of the will with the motive of glorifying God. Love always builds up the
lives of others; hatred tears down their lives. We only believe as much of the
Bible as we practice. The Pharisees were careful about minor points of law, but
missed the main point. Matt. 23:23
A.
Every orthodox statement of faith includes the return of
Jesus and the final judgment. Both Jesus and Paul taught that Christian
believers will never be judged for their sins John 5:24, Rom. 8:1, but our works will be judged and rewarded. Our
words will be judged. For instance, the words spoken to the rich and poor in 2:3. What we say to people and how we
say it will come before the Lord unless we have repented and asked forgiveness.
Even careless words will be judged. Matt.
12:36 Jesus reminded us to be careful of our words in the Sermon on the Mount.
B.
Our deeds will be judged. It is true that God forgives our
sins and remembers them no more, but our sins affect our character and works.
We cannot sin lightly and serve faithfully at the same time. God forgives our
sins, but cannot change the consequences. David’s sin is a prime example of
this. Our attitudes will be judged. V.
13 James contrasted 2 attitudes: showing mercy to others, and refusing to
show mercy. Mercy and justice both come from God. Where God finds repentance
and faith, He is able to show mercy. Where He finds rebellion and unbelief, He
must administer justice. If we forgive our brothers, we have the kind of heart
that is open to God’s forgiveness.
C.
We shall be judged by the law of liberty. This is the law
that James mentioned in 1:25. The
law that gives freedom is Christ’s law of love. It gives us freedom to live and
act in a way that honors and pleases God. We voluntarily choose to love God
with everything in us, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Why does James
call this the “law of liberty”? First, when we obey God’s law it frees us, and
enables us to walk in liberty. Second, law prepares us for liberty. A child
must be under rules because he’s not mature enough to handle decisions. He is
given outward discipline, so that he will be able to develop inward discipline
and can one day be free of rules.
D.
Third, liberty is not license. License, or doing what
I want, is the worst kind of bondage. Liberty means the freedom to be all I can
be in Christ. Fourth, God’s Word is called the law of liberty. God’s Word can
transform us and give us the desire to do God’s will from our hearts – not from
rules. Our beliefs should control our behavior. If we really believe that Jesus
is the Son of God, that God is gracious, that His Word is true, and that one
day He will judge us, then our conduct will reveal our convictions. Before we
attack the beliefs of others, we must be sure that we practice the doctrines we
defend. Jonah had great theology, but he hated people and was angry at God.
It’s all a question of mercy and
grace. The Good Samaritan was voluntarily merciful to a stranger in need, not
counting the cost to himself. Our problem is that we tend to criticize and
judge others rather than being merciful to them. We feel free to discriminate
against them because they are not like us. Suppose they were all like
us? What kind of world would this be? We must remember that judgment without
mercy will be shown anyone who has not been merciful. V. 13 We can expect God to judge us as we judge others. “Mercy triumphs over judgment”. Mercy
conquers judgment just as Christ’s mercy has conquered the judgment hanging
over our heads. Let us seek to be merciful to others as He has been to us!
Bible Studies
James (5)
Real or Counterfeit Faith?
James 2:14-26
Next we come to James’ famous discourse on faith and works. James’ insistence on doing and deeds or actions is made clear by the 13 times that the words “do”, “deeds”, and “actions” appear in these 13 verses. Faith alone is not enough. It is not good enough to “believe” only. If faith and believing are not linked to commitment and doing, they are only words without proof and substance.
Faith is a key doctrine in the
Christian life. The sinner is saved by faith (Eph. 2:8-9) and the believer must walk by faith (II Cor. 5:7). Without faith it is
impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6)
and whatever we do apart from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). When we studied Hebrews 11, we met men and women of faith
who acted upon God’s Word, no matter what price they had to pay. Faith is not
some feeling that we work up. It’s confidence that God’s Word is true, and
conviction that acting on the Word will bring blessing.
A.
He is appealing as a brother to other members of the family.
He writes that there are 3 kinds of faith, but only one is true, saving faith.
Wherever there is the true, we will find the counterfeit. Matt. 7:21 People with dead faith substitute words for deeds. They
know the correct Christian vocabulary and can even quote the Bible, but their
walk doesn’t measure up to their talk. James gives a simple illustration. A
poor believer came into the church. The person with dead faith noticed the
visitor and saw his needs, but didn’t do anything. He only said a few holy-sounding
words.
B. As believers, we have an obligation to help meet the needs of people, no matter who they are. Gal. 6:10 To help a person in need is an expression of love, and faith works by love. I John 3:17-18 The priest and Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan each had religious training, but neither of them helped the dying man at the side of the road. No doubt if we could talk to them, they would defend their faith, but neither demonstrated that faith with loving works. If a man claims to have faith but has no deeds, can his claim be proven or is it only words? Can such faith – that kind of faith – save him? What kind of faith is James referring to? The kind that is never seen in practical works. Faith in words only cannot save because it isn’t the right kind of faith. What kind is it? Verse 17 tells us that it’s dead faith. “It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone.” “Alone” means “by itself”. True saving faith brings life and life produces good works.
C. The person with dead faith has only an
intellectual experience. He knows about salvation, but has never submitted his
will to God and truly trusted Christ with his whole life. 3 times in these
verses James warns us that “faith without works is dead or useless”. Beware of
a mere intellectual faith. No man can come to Christ and remain the same,
anymore than he can come in contact with a 220 volt wire and remain the same.
Dead faith is not saving faith. It is counterfeit faith, and lulls the person
into a false confidence of eternal life. James says that people tend to fall
into 2 camps – those who say they have faith, and those who say they have
deeds. But James says you can’t separate them that way. It’s not either/or. It
has to be both. How can we show our faith without deeds? We have to show it by
what we do. If we say we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ but we don’t
commit ourselves to obey Him, we are speaking empty words. He is not our Lord!
II.
Demonic Faith
A.
James wanted to shock his complacent readers, so he used
demons as his illustration. Jesus, the disciples, and Paul cast out demons.
Surprisingly enough, demons have faith! What do they believe?
1.
They believe in the existence of God. They are not atheists
or agnostics.
2. They believe in the deity of Christ. Mark 3:11-12
3. They believe there is a place of punishment. Luke 8:31
4. They recognize Jesus as the Judge and so submit to Him. Mark 5:1-13
The Jews’
daily affirmation of faith was “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord.”
James says that the demons believe that and shudder. v. 19 People of other religions also
may believe in “one God”, but if they have not committed themselves to follow
and obey Him, they are like the demons – unsaved.
B. The man of dead faith is touched only
in his intellect. The demons are touched also in their emotions. But it is not
a saving experience to believe and tremble. A person can be enlightened in his
mind and even stirred in his heart and still be lost forever. Even in Christian
churches people can have an “easy believism” which does not save.
True saving
faith involves something more – a changed life. How can a person show his faith
without works? Being a Christian involves trusting Christ and then living
for Christ. You receive the life, then you reveal the life. Faith that is
barren or dead is not saving faith. Then what kind of faith can save the
sinner?
III.
Dynamic Faith
A.
Dynamic faith is real, has power, and results in a changed
life. James describes this true faith in various ways. First, it’s based on the
Word of God. We receive our spiritual rebirth through God’s Word. James 1:18 We receive the Word and this
saves us. James 1:21; Rom. 10:17 James
used Abraham and Rahab as illustrations of dynamic, saving faith since both of
them heard and received the message through God’s Word. Faith is only as good
as its object. No matter how much faith a person may generate, if it’s not
faith in the right Person, it will accomplish nothing. We are not saved by
faith in our faith, but by faith in Christ as revealed in God’s Word.
B.
Secondly, dynamic faith is not only based on God’s Word. It
involves the whole man. Dead faith touches only the intellect. Demonic faith
involves the mind and emotions. Dynamic faith also involves the will. It
requires the whole person. The mind understands the truth; the heart desires
the truth; and the will acts on the truth. Hebrews
11 tells the story of people who heard God speak and obeyed. Thirdly,
dynamic faith leads to action. It leads to obedience on the part of the will.
This obedience continues through the whole life. It leads to works. We are not
saved by our works. Our works prove that we are already saved.
IV.
Two Witnesses
A.
James illustrated his points with the lives of 2 people:
Abraham and Rahab. You couldn’t find two more different people. Abraham was a
Jew – in fact, the Father of the Jews. Rahab was a Gentile. Abraham was a godly
man, while Rahab was a prostitute. Abraham was the friend of God while Rahab
was one of the enemies of God and His people. What did they have in common?
Each of them had saving faith in God! Abraham was called by God who made him a
promise. Abraham believed God and His promise. Gen. 15:5-6 The Lord “counted it to him” for righteousness. As a
sinner, Abraham’s spiritual bankbook was empty. But he trusted God, and God put
“righteous” on Abraham’s account, just as He does when we give our hearts to
Christ. It was a gift.
B.
Abraham was justified by faith. Justification is the act of
God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous on the basis of Christ’s
finished work on the cross. How can you tell that someone is justified? The
justified person has a changed life and obeys God’s will. James uses the
offering of Isaac. Abraham wasn’t saved by obeying God’s command to sacrifice
his son. His obedience proved that he was already saved. “Abraham wasn’t
saved by faith plus works, but by a faith that works.” By faith Abraham was
justified before God. By works he demonstrated and proved his justification.
C.
Abraham was considered righteous because he lived out his
faith in God. His complete faith in a trustworthy God led him to do what the
Lord told him to do though seemingly insane or even wicked. It was the heathen
gods who wanted the sacrifices of children. How could God be understood as
loving and merciful when He required such a sacrifice from Abraham? Faith
transcends human reason. It holds on to a loving God in the face of obvious
contradictions. Abraham could kill his only precious son, the hope of the
promised future on whom God’s covenant rested. He could do that because he
believed that Isaac belonged first to God. And if God could bring Isaac from
Sarah’s dead womb, He could also bring him up off the altar alive. Heb, 11:17-19 If Abraham had not obeyed
God, it would have shown that his so-called faith was dead or useless. Dynamic
faith obeys God and proves itself in daily life and works.
D.
Abraham was considered righteous for what he did, not
just what he believed. His faith and his actions were working together. Faith
and actions can’t be separated, because faith without deeds is no faith at all.
Abraham’s faith was made complete by what he did. Faith begins in the
understanding, but in order to be complete it must be worked out in deeds of
the hands, feet and heart. It was when Abraham climbed Mt. Moriah with Isaac
and a knife in obedience to God that the scripture was fulfilled. Gen. 15:6 True faith results in
righteousness, but faith is not true without commitment to obey. How can we be
considered righteous when we refuse God’s will in our lives? Only a righteous person
can be called God’s friend. Those who love God enough to commit themselves
totally to Him and do His will, no matter what the cost, are the ones who are
God’s friends.
E.
Next James goes from the great patriarch of the Jews to the
Gentile prostitute Rahab. What a shock it must have been to the Jewish mind
when James linked them together by writing, “In the same way…” As Abraham was
justified, and considered righteous, so was Rahab. Heb. 11:31 Rahab believed that the Hebrews worshipped the true God,
and that her city was condemned. She responded with her mind, her emotions and
her will. In believing she chose to align herself with them. Rahab risked her
own life to protect the Jewish spies. She also shared the news of deliverance
with her family. In doing this, she declared that she was leaving her city and
heritage to become one of them. She later married an Israelite and became the
ancestress of David and Christ. Matt.
1:5 Rahab exercised dynamic faith with only a little information. Today we
have the full revelation of God through His Word and His Son. Rahab's faith is
an indictment against the unbelief of today’s sinners.
Conclusion
It’s important that each person who
calls himself Christian examines his own heart and life to make sure that he
possesses true saving or dynamic faith. II
Cor. 13:5a Here are some questions we can ask ourselves:
1.
Was there a time when I honestly realized that I was a
sinner and admitted this to myself and to God?
2.
Was there a time when my heart stirred me to flee from the coming
judgement of God? Have I ever been seriously broken-hearted over my sins?
3.
Do I truly understand the Gospel: that Christ died for my
sins and rose again? Have I realized and confessed that I cannot save myself?
4.
Did I seriously repent of my sins and turn from them? Do I
secretly love sin and want to enjoy it or hate sin and fear God?
5.
Have I trusted Christ and Christ alone for my salvation? Do
I enjoy a living relationship with Him through the Word and in the Spirit?
6.
Has there been a change in my life? Do I seek to grow in the
things of the Lord? Can others tell that I have been with Jesus?
7.
Do I have a desire to share Christ with others, or am I
ashamed of Him?
8.
Do I enjoy the fellowship of God’s people? Is worship of God
a delight to me?
9.
Am I ready for the Lord’s return, or will I be ashamed when
He comes?
Bible Studies
James
(6)
The
World’s Smallest and Largest Troublemaker
James
3:1-12
James has explained 2
characteristics of the mature Christian. He is patient in trouble (Ch. 1). He practices the truth (Ch. 2). The third characteristic is:
he has power over his tongue. Evidently the Christians James wrote to had
serious problems with their tongues, like many Christians today. He had already
warned them, and us, about the dangers of loose tongues. James 1:19, 26 He reminded them in chapter 4 that we have to speak
and act as though we are facing Christ in judgment. From his description, we
wonder about their meetings. James
4:1,11-12 The power of speech is
one of the greatest powers God has given us. With the tongue we can praise God,
pray, teach the Word, and lead the lost to Christ. But with the same tongue we
can ruin a person’s reputation or break his heart. James gives us 6 pictures of
the tongue to impress on us the importance of controlled speech and the serious
consequences of our words. He pictures the tongue as: a bit in a horse’s mouth,
a rudder on a ship, fire, a poisonous animal, a fountain, and a fig tree.
I.
Power to
direct: the bit and rudder
A. The tongue has power to direct like the bit and the rudder. Evidently everyone in the church wanted to teach and be a spiritual leader. James warned them that not everybody should be leaders or teachers. People are often impressed with the authority and recognition of having a position or title. But they forget the tremendous responsibility and accountability required by God. Teachers and Preachers face a stricter judgment. Teachers use their tongues to share God’s truth, but it’s easy to say incorrect things, or say them in a wrong way. Besides this, leaders are required to practice what they teach and preach. Great damage is done by teachers who are unprepared, who teach false doctrine, or whose lives lead others astray.
B.
But teachers are not the only ones who fail. We all
stumble. Sins of the tongue seem to head the list. A person who can
discipline his tongue, can control his whole body. He is a mature Christian.
Why does James connect the sins of the tongue with the whole body? It’s because
words usually lead to deeds. (Illus: During World War II there were posters
around reminding people “Loose lips sink ships!” People who carelessly talked
about movements of war ships or planes could be the cause of the enemy finding
them and sinking their ships. In the same way, loose lips can wreck lives.)
C.
In choosing the illustrations of the bit and rudder, James
presented 2 items that are small in themselves, yet exercise great power – like
the tongue. A small bit enables a rider to control a great horse, and a small
rudder allows the pilot to steer a huge ship. The tongue is one of the small
members of the body, but it has the power to accomplish great things. Both bit
and rudder have to overcome forces against them. The bit must overcome the wild
nature of the horse that makes him want to run free. The rudder must fight
against the winds and currents that would drive the ship off course. Our
tongues must also overcome forces. We have an old nature inside that wants to
lead us astray and make us sin. Also the circumstances around us tend to make
us say things we shouldn’t say. Sin on the inside and pressures on the outside
seek to get control of our tongues.
D.
This means that both the bit and the rudder must be under
the control of a strong hand. When Jesus Christ controls our tongues, then we
don’t have to worry about saying the wrong things – or even the right things in
a wrong way. Psa. 141:3-4 Jesus knew
that the heart is the key to right speech. Matt.
12:34 When Jesus is Lord of the heart, then He is the Lord of the lips and
tongue, too. The bit and rudder affect the lives of others. A runaway horse or
a shipwreck could mean injury or death to the people involved. A judge’s words
- “Guilty” or “Not guilty” – affect the future of the prisoner, his family and
friends. The President speaks a few words and signs some papers and the nation
is at war. Even when parents say “Yes” or “No” to their children, it can affect
their lives.
E.
Our tongues may also be a powerful influence for good
through the guidance and advice we give others. Jesus spoke to the woman at the
well, and her life and the lives of her neighbors experienced a miraculous
change. Peter preached at Pentecost and 3000 came to salvation through faith in
Christ. (Illus: Edward Kimball went into a shoe store and led the shoe salesman
to Christ. His name was D. L. Moody. He became one of history’s greatest
evangelists whose ministry led thousands to Christ.) The tongue has the power
to direct. The tongue has the power to direct others to the right choices. How
very important it is that our tongues direct people in the right way!
A.
The tongue also has the power to destroy, like fire and wild
animals do. (Illus: When I was in California we were driving through beautiful
forests. There was one section that was ugly because it was all burned out.
Millions of dollars of valuable timber were wiped out. I asked how it happened.
They said it was somebody’s lit cigarette!) A fire can begin with a small spark
and grow to destroy a city. In 1871 there was a fire in a barn in Chicago. It
spread until 100,000 people were left homeless, 17,500 buildings were
destroyed, 300 people died, and the loss amounted to 400 million dollars. Our
words can start fires. Prov. 26:20-21 In
some churches there are members or officers who can’t control their tongues and
the result is destruction. When they move out of town, a spirit of harmony and
love takes over.
B.
Like a fire, the tongue can heat things up. Psa. 39:3 Have you had that experience?
A hot head and a hot heart can lead to burning words that we regret later.
David had a temper and he had to have God’s help in controlling it. Prov. 14:29 Fire not only starts small
and grows, creating heat. It also defiles. A fire in the basement of a house
can ruin the upstairs rooms with smoke and fire damage. Fiery words can defile
a house or a church. Fire burns and hurts and our words can burn and hurt
others. One of the sorrows Jesus endured here on earth was the way His enemies
talked about Him. Because He was the friend of sinners, they called Him a
drunkard and glutton. When He performed miracles, they said He was using
Satan’s power. Even at the cross while He was suffering they said cruel things
to Him and about Him.
C.
Fire spreads, and the more fuel you give it, the faster and
farther it will spread. All of life is connected so we can’t keep things from
spreading. A person’s entire life can be injured or destroyed by the tongue.
Time doesn’t correct the sins of the tongue. We may confess our sinful words
and be forgiven, but that doesn’t stop the fire from spreading. The words we
speak have the power to destroy. For every word written in Hitler’s book, “Mein
Kampf”, 125 lives were lost in WW II that Hitler started. Our words may not
cause wars or wreck cities, but they can break hearts and ruin reputations.
They can also destroy souls by sending them to eternity without Christ. How
important it is that we let our speech be always full of grace. Col. 4:6
D.
Our tongues are also like dangerous animals. Wild animals
are restless and unruly. They seek their prey and then pounce and kill. (Illus:
It’s interesting to drive through a safari park where wild animals are roaming
around freely without fences. Because they are safe, they seem to be quiet and
gentle. But there are many warning signs: “Do not leave your car! Do not open
your windows!” Why? Because those seemingly peaceful animals are capable of
great damage and can kill.) Some animals are poisonous, and so are some
tongues. The deceptive thing about poison is that it usually works secretly and
slowly, and then kills. So does gossip! Many times people who want revenge add
a little poison into the conversation, hoping it will spread and destroy the
people they want to hurt. Would you turn hungry lions or poisonous snakes loose
in your church? Unruly tongues can do the same damage.
E.
James reminds us that animals can be tamed. Fire can be
tamed or contained as well. When you tame an animal like a horse you get a
worker instead of a destroyer. When you control fire you generate power for
cooking. The tongue can’t be tamed by man, but it can be tamed by God. Your
tongue does not have to be set on fire of hell. Like the apostles at Pentecost,
it can be set on fire from heaven. If God lights the fire and controls it, the
tongue can be a mighty tool for winning the lost and building up the church. If
the heart is filled with hatred, Satan will light the fire. If the heart is
filled with love, God will light the fire. Matt.
12:34
III.
Power to
delight: a fountain and a tree
A.
The tongue not only has power to direct and to destroy. It
also has power to delight like a fountain or a tree. The fountain provides the
cool water man needs to stay alive. In arid countries, the presence of a
fountain of fresh water is a great blessing. When the 2 million Israelites were
traveling through the wilderness they needed water, not only for drinking, but
for cooking and washing as well. In the Sahara Desert they need water for
farming. Our words can be like life-giving water. Prov. 18:4 However, if water is not controlled, it brings death and
destruction like the tsunami in Southeast Asia where over 220,000 people died. Prov. 18:21 But when we bend over a
fountain for a drink of water, we don’t think of floods. We think only of the
precious gift of refreshment on a hot day. We could not be healthy without
water. Water also cleans. There was a laver in the Old Testament tabernacle for
the cleansing of the priests’ hands and feet. God’s Word is the spiritual water
that cleanses us. John 15:3 Our
words to others can also help to cleanse and sanctify them for the Lord’s work.
B.
The tongue is also delightful because it is like a tree.
Trees are very important. They help to hold down the soil, provide beauty and
shade, and bear delicious fruit. In California they provide lumber for all
kinds of buildings and products. Our words can help to shelter and encourage
those who are weary and sick, and can feed hungry souls. Prov. 10:21 As we share God’s Word with our tongues, we feed and
encourage others. The most important thing about a tree is the root system. If
the roots don’t go down deep, the tree will not be healthy. If we are rooted in
the things of the Lord, our words will be the fruit of our fellowship with Him.
Isa. 50:4 If we want to heave
tongues that delight, we must meet the Lord each day and learn from Him as
Jesus did. We must get our roots deep in to His Word. We must pray and
meditate, allowing the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and our tongues with
God's love and truth.
C.
But James issued a warning: a fountain cannot give forth 2
kinds of water, and a tree cannot bear 2 kinds of fruit. We expect the fountain
to flow with sweet water all the time. A spring produces only one kind of
water, depending on its source and the contaminants it contacts. What is the
source of our spring of words? Is it our Lord, or the flesh or the devil? What
kind of contaminants have we been in contact with that have made our words
bitter instead of sweet? We look for figs on the fig tree, olives on the olive
tree and breadfruit on the breadfruit tree. If the tongue is inconsistent,
there is something wrong with the heart. (Illus: A Christian got angry at work
and started to swear. He was embarrassed and said to his partner, “I don’t know
why I said that. It really isn’t in me.” The partner answered, “It had to be in
you, or it couldn’t have come out of you.”) The tongue that blesses the Father
and then turns and curses men made in His image is sick! Some of the so-called
Christians who write to Sandy do this. Too many of us sing during the worship
service, then get in the car and argue all the way home. The problem of course
is not the tongue, but the heart. Prov.
4:23
The tongue is
the smallest and largest troublemaker in the world. But it doesn’t have to be a
troublemaker. God can use our tongues to direct others in to the way of life,
and to delight and encourage them in the trials of life. The tongue is a little
member but with great power. Give God your tongue and your heart each day and
ask Him to use you as a blessing.
Bible Studies
James
(7)
What
is Wisdom?
James
3:13-18
What is wisdom? Who is a wise
man? The world certainly has its definition of a wise man, but it’s not God’s
definition. The Jewish people understood the value of wisdom. It’s not enough
to have information or knowledge. We need wisdom to be able to use the
knowledge and information correctly. Some people are very intelligent – maybe
geniuses – but their lives are a mess. They can run computers but can’t manage
their own lives. Prov. 4:7 James
here is continuing to exhort those who want to be teachers of the Word. James 3:1 It’s not enough to be able to
talk well. You have to have something valuable to say. Knowledge enables us to
take things apart, but wisdom helps us to put things together and relate God’s
truth to our daily lives. James contrasts true wisdom and false wisdom in 3
different ways.
A. James begins by writing about the origins of true and false wisdom. True wisdom comes from above, but false wisdom from below. Man-made wisdom does not come from God and so is destined to fail. The Bible gives many examples of the foolishness of man’s wisdom. The building of the Tower of Babel seemed like a wise enterprise, but it ended in failure and confusion. It seemed wise for Abraham to go to Egypt during the famine, but the results proved it was not. King Saul thought it was a good idea to put his armor on David to protect him from Goliath, but God had a different plan. The disciples thought it would be wise to dismiss the crowd and let them find their own food, but instead Jesus fed the multitude with 5 loaves and 2 fish.
B.
What is the origin of man’s wisdom? It doesn’t come from
above, but is “earthly, sensual, devilish”. This description lines up with
John’s description of our 3 enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. There
is a wisdom of this world. I Cor.
1:20-21 There is a great deal of knowledge in this world like the theory of
evolution and all kinds of new technology, but very little wisdom. Man unlocks
the secrets of the universe, but doesn’t know what to do with them. (Illus: A
famous Chinese scholar visited a man in Boston. The man met him at the train
station and rushed him to the subway, running and panting for breath. The man
said, “If we catch the next subway we’ll save 3 minutes.” The Chinese asked,
“And what significant thing will we do with those 3 minutes?”)
C.
Anyone who s impressed with the wisdom of this world should
read I Cor. 1 & 2. Paul writes
that man’s wisdom is foolishness to God and God’s wisdom is foolishness to man.
Man’s wisdom comes from reason while God’s wisdom comes to us by revelation –
the Bible. Man’s worldly wisdom will come to nothing, while God’s wisdom will
endure forever. Because the world has turned from God it has lost its wisdom.
This false wisdom has another source. It is sensual or natural. The main idea
is that man’s fallen nature is opposed to the new nature given my God. There is
a wisdom that gets its origin in man’s nature, totally apart from the Spirit of
God. Bu this wisdom from beneath is also devilish and demonic. Ever since the
Garden of Eden, the wisdom of Satan has been at work, deceiving and fighting
against God’s wisdom. Satan convinced Eve that she would be wise like God. Ever
since then, people have tried to be their own gods. This is a common teaching
now among false teachers in the church.
D.
In contrast to this wisdom that is earthly, sensual and
devilish, James describes the wisdom that is from above. The Christian looks to
heaven for all he needs. His citizenship is in heaven, his Father is in heaven,
his treasures are in heaven, his hope and his home is in heaven. So he sets his
affections on things above, not on earthly things. Col. 3:1-4 What is the Christian’s wisdom? The first step toward
true wisdom is receiving Jesus Christ who is our wisdom. Col. 2:3 The Word of God is also our wisdom. The Scriptures make us
wise. II Tim. 3:15 In James 1:5 he told us that we find
wisdom through believing prayer. The Holy Spirit is the One who directs us into
the wisest paths and helps us understand God’s will. Eph. 1:17 To sum it all up, the origin of true spiritual wisdom is
God Himself!
A.
Since the wisdom from above and earthly wisdom originate
from different sources, they must operate in opposite ways. What are the
evidences of false wisdom? The first is envy. This carries the idea of
selfish ambition and zeal. It ties in with James
3:1 where James warns us not to be ambitious for spiritual offices. The
world says, “Promote yourself.” We see this often in politics, but also in the
church. Even the apostles argued over who was the greatest in the kingdom. It’s
easy to mix up our personal ego with spiritual zeal. The wisdom of this world
exalts man and robs God of His glory. I
Cor. 1:31 We must check our motives. Is our zeal for the Lord spiritual or
fleshly? Do we rejoice when others succeed, or are we jealous and critical? Do
we feel burdened and sad when others fail, or are we glad to see their
downfall?
B.
The second evidence of false wisdom is strife. This
word means “party spirit”, like a politician trying to get votes. This spirit
of self-seeking creates rivalry and division in the church. Phil. 2:3 We must avoid strife and
selfish ambition. The third evidence is boasting. Pride loves to boast,
and nothing is prouder than the wisdom of men. There is a way to report
blessing so that God gets the glory, but it can also bring praise to men. Be
careful of your testimonies! When God’s wisdom is at work, there is a sense of
humility and submission when you preach, teach or testify. You want God to get
all the glory. You have no desire to compare yourself with another person
because you see only Christ. Compared to Him, we all have a long way to go! The
fourth evidence of false wisdom is deceit. We can see the progression.
First, there is selfish ambition that leads to a ‘party spirit” and rivalry. In
order to “win the election” we resort to boasting, and boasting usually
involves deceit and lies. God knows not only the words but also the heart. I Cor. 4:5
C.
On the other hand, what are the evidences of true spiritual
wisdom? The first evidence is meekness or humility. Meekness is not
weakness. It is power under control. The Greek word for meekness was used for a
horse that had been broken to allow a rider. Its power was under the control of
the one who was riding it. The meek person seeks to glorify God, not gain the
praises of men. Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit. It can’t be manufactured by
men. There is a false humility which some people think is meekness, but it’s
counterfeit. Meekness is the right use of power just as wisdom is the right use
of knowledge. The truly wise person will show in his daily life and behavior
that he is a child of God. The second evidence of spiritual wisdom is purity.
James writes, “First of all, pure”, indicating the importance of holiness. In James 4:8 he writes, “Purify your
hearts.” God’s wisdom leads to purity of life. Man’s wisdom leads to sin.
Spiritual purity leads to a pure relationship with Christ, our Husband.
Worldliness makes the person a spiritual adulterer. James 4:4
D.
The third evidence of spiritual wisdom is peace.
Man’s wisdom leads to competition, rivalry and war. God’s wisdom leads to
peace. But it’s not peace at any price. It’s a peace based on holiness, not on
compromise. The peace of the church is not more important than the purity of
the church. If the church is pure and devoted to God, there will be peace. Isa. 32:17 The church can never have
peace by sweeping sins under the rug and pretending they’re not there. Man’s
wisdom says, “Cover up sin. Keep things together.” God’s wisdom says, “Confess
sin, and My peace will keep things together.” The fourth evidence of spiritual
wisdom is gentleness. It carries the meaning of moderation without
compromise, gentleness without weakness. The gentle person does not
deliberately cause fights, but neither does he compromise the truth in order to
keep peace. Abraham Lincoln was a gentle, uncompromising person. He was called
“a man of velvet steel”.
E.
The fifth evidence of spiritual wisdom is compliance
or consideration and submissiveness. God’s wisdom makes the believer agreeable
and easy to live and work with. The compliant person is willing to hear all
sides of a question, but he doesn’t compromise his own convictions. He can
disagree without being disagreeable. James
1:19 Many people think that stubbornness is conviction, and they have to
have their own way. When God’s wisdom is at work there is willingness to
listen, think, pray and then obey whatever God reveals. The sixth evidence of
spiritual wisdom is mercy. To be “full of mercy” is to be controlled by
mercy. God in His grace gives us what we don’t deserve, and in
His mercy He doesn’t give us what we do deserve. The parable of
the Good Samaritan illustrates mercy. For a Samaritan to care for a Jewish
stranger was an act of mercy. He couldn’t gain anything from it except the
blessing that comes from doing God’s will and being like God.
F.
The seventh evidence is good fruit. People who are
faithful are also fruitful. God’s wisdom does not make life empty. It makes it
full. The Spirit produces fruit to the glory of God. The eighth evidence is decisiveness
or impartiality. This is single-mindedness – the opposite of wavering. James 1:6 When you lean on the world’s
wisdom, you’re pressured from one side and then another to change your mind.
When you have God’s wisdom you can be decisive and not afraid. Wisdom from
above brings strength from above. The ninth evidence of spiritual wisdom is sincerity.
“Hypocrite” in Greek is one who wears a mask or an actor. When man’s wisdom is
at work there must be insincerity and pretense. With God’s wisdom there is
openness and honesty. Whenever God’s people pretend and hide things, you can be
sure the wisdom of the world is governing their ministry. “Religious politics”
is an abomination to God. There is a great contrast between the operation of
God’s wisdom and the operation of worldly wisdom. It would be profitable for
church officers and leaders to evaluate their lives and ministries in the light
of James’ writing. While the church is an organization, it cannot depend on
methods used in secular businesses as is suggested in “The Purpose-Driven
Church”.
A.
Worldly wisdom will produce worldly results. Spiritual
wisdom will give spiritual results. Worldly wisdom produces trouble. When there
is envy, strife, disorder, and evil practice it is clear that God is not at
work in that church. Wrong thinking produces wrong living. One reason the world
is in such a mess is that men refuse to accept the wisdom of God. Confusion
comes from instability as in James 1:8.
The Corinthian church was confused and unstable. II Cor. 12:20 Today we still use the word “babel” to mean confusion
because the building of the Tower of Babel which looked right ended in
confusion. Confusion sets the stage for every evil work. Evil here means
worthless or of no value. It reminds us of the “wood, hay and stubble” in I Cor. 3:12. A ministry operating in
the wisdom of the world as many of the mega churches do, may appear great and
successful, but in the Day of Judgment it will burn up. The Church at Smyrna
thought it was poor, but the Lord said it was rich. Rev. 2:9 The rich church at Laodicea was declared by the Lord to be
poor. Rev. 3:14-22 The most
important thing we can do is measure our lives and ministries by God’s Word,
not by the wisdom of men.
B.
God’s wisdom produces blessing. There is a great difference
between man-made results and God-given fruit. Fruit is the product of life and
has in it the seeds for more fruit. As we share the fruit of God with others,
they are fed and satisfied, and they in turn bear fruit. Life is a matter of
sowing and reaping. We reap just what we sow. The Christian who obeys God’s
wisdom sows righteousness, not sin, and peace, not war. The life we live
enables the Lord to bring peace and righteousness into the lives of others.
What we are is what we live, and what we live is what we sow in others’ lives.
If we live in God’s wisdom we sow righteousness and peace, and we reap God’s
blessing. If we live in man’s worldly wisdom, we sow sin and war and reap
confusion and every evil work.
It is a serious thing to be a
troublemaker in God’s family. One of the sins that God hates is “sowing discord
among brethren”. Prov. 6:16-19 Lot
followed the world’s wisdom and brought trouble to the camp of Abraham. Abraham
followed God’s wisdom and brought peace. Lot’s decisions led to
good-for-nothing works, and everything he lived for went up in smoke with Sodom.
Abraham’s decisions, in the wisdom of God, led to blessing for his household
and for the whole world. Let’s be sure that we are children of Abraham, not
children of Lot.
Bible Studies
James
(8)
How
to End Wars
James
4:1-12
James has written that envy and
selfish ambition lead to disorder and evil practice. (James 3:16) God’s wisdom is peace-loving and peacemakers who sow in
peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (James
3:17-18) Now he goes on to point out that where peace is lacking, there are
fights and quarrels. War is a fact of life. History records wars with unlikely
names such as: “The War of the Whiskers”, “The War of the Oaken Bucket”, and
”The War of Jenkin’s Ear”. Not only are there wars between nations. There are
wars of one kind or another on almost every level of life. There are even “gas
wars” between gas stations where one station lowers its price for gas by one or
two cents to beat another station. James discussed war in this chapter. He
explained that there are 3 wars going on in this world and how they could be
stopped.
I.
At war with
each other
A.
What causes fights and quarrels among us? Surely brethren
should live together in love and harmony, yet often they don’t. Psa. 133:1 Lot quarreled with Abraham.
Absalom created a war against his father, King David. Even the disciples argued
about who was the greatest in the kingdom. The early churches had their share
of disagreements. In the Corinthian Church they were competing against each
other in public meetings and suing each other. (I Cor. 6: 1-8; 14:23-40) The Galatian believers were “biting” and
“devouring” one another. (Gal. 5:15) Two
women at Philippi couldn’t get along with each other. Phil. 4:1-3
B.
In his book James mentioned several kinds of disagreements
among saints. The first were class wars. James
2:1-9 This is the ancient rivalry between the rich and the poor. The rich
man gets the attention; the poor man is ignored. The rich man is honored; the
poor man is shamed. If fellowship in a church depends on things like clothing
and economic status or color of skin and nationality, then the church is at war
and out of the will of God. Secondly, James mentions employment wars in James 5:1-6. The rich man has the power
to control and hurt the poor man. Laborers are not paid at all or are not paid
fair wages. There are many who cannot get a good job or whose income is not
sufficient to cover their expenses.
C.
Thirdly, James mentions church fights in James 1:19-20; 3:13-18. Evidently the
believers James wrote to were at war with each other over positions in the
church because many of them wanted to be in a leadership position. Perhaps some
wanted to be in control of the money for selfish reasons. When they studied the
Word they argued over it instead of being edified. Each person thought his
ideas were the right ones and his methods the only way to operate. Selfish
ambition ruled their meetings instead of spiritual submission to one another.
D.
The fourth were personal wars mentioned in James 4:11-12. The saints were speaking
evil of one another and judging one another. Here again is the wrong use of the
tongue. Christians are to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), not speak evil in a spirit of rivalry and criticism.
If the truth about a brother is harmful, then we should cover it in love and
not repeat it. If he has sinned, we should go to him personally and try to win
him back. Gal. 6:1-2 James was not
telling us to refuse to judge and evaluate people and what they teach.
Christians need to have discernment. Phil.
1:9-10, but we must not act like God in passing judgment.
E.
First, we must examine our own lives and then try to help
others. It is a sin against God and our brother to speak evil or judge him on
the basis of partial evidence with wrong motives. God is the final Judge, not
us. It’s bad that the saints are at war with each other – leader against
leader, church against church, and denomination against denomination. The world
watches this and says, “Look how they hate one another”, instead of “See how
they love one another”. Jesus prayed that all true believers would be united in
Him. John 17:21 But why are we at
war with one another? We belong to the same family, trust the same Savior, and
are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit – and yet we fight with one another.
A.
What causes these wars with others and even in the church?
We are at war with ourselves. We have evil desires in our hearts like envy and
strife. James 3:14-16 The very
essence of sin is self or selfishness. Eve disobeyed God because she wanted to
be wise like God. Abraham lied about his wife in Egypt because he selfishly
wanted to save his own life. Achan caused defeat for Israel because he
selfishly stole forbidden things. Sometimes we hide our religious quarrels
under “spirituality”. Miriam and Aaron complained about Moses’ wife, but
actually they were jealous of Moses’ authority. We are like James and John who
asked for special thrones in the kingdom, when what we really want is honor
from men now! In the cases of Miriam and Aaron and also James and John, the
Lord brought rebuke and chastening on them.
B.
Selfish desires are dangerous because they lead to wrong
actions. James said they lead to killing, quarreling and fighting. (4:2) They can even lead to wrong
praying. (4:3) When our praying is
wrong, our whole Christian life is wrong. Someone has said, “The purpose of
prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on
earth.” “Thou shall not covet” is the last of God’s 10 commandments, but when
we break it it causes us to break all the other 9. Covetousness can cause a
person to murder, lie, dishonor parents, commit adultery, etc.
C.
Selfish living and selfish praying always lead to war!
People at war with themselves because of selfish desires are always unhappy
people. Instead of thanking God for what they have, they complain about what
they don’t have. They can’t get along with others because they are jealous of
them. Sometimes we use prayer as a cover-up to hide our true desires. Instead
of seeking God’s will, we tell God what He is supposed to do and then get angry
with Him when He doesn’t do it. James makes it clear why we are at war with
ourselves, and, therefore, at war with each other.
A.
The root cause of every war, whether internal or external,
is rebellion against God. At the beginning of creation there was perfect
harmony, but sin came into the world and this led to conflict. Sin is
lawlessness (I John 3:4) and
lawlessness is rebellion against God. How does a Christian declare war against
God? By being friendly with God’s enemies. Today people friendly to the
terrorists are enemies of the US. James names 3 enemies. The first is the world
(James 4:4) or human society apart
from God. The whole worldly system is anti-Christ and anti-God. Abraham was the
friend of God (James 2:23). Lot was
the friend of the world. Lot ended up in a war and Abraham had to rescue him.
B.
A Christian gets involved with the world gradually. First,
we are friendly with the world (4:4).
That causes us to become polluted by the world in order to gain the world’s
approval (James 1:27). Next, we
begin loving the world (I John 2:15-17).
That makes it easy for us to conform to the world (Rom. 12:2). The end result is that we are condemned with the world
(I Cor. 11:32). James compares
friendship with the world to adultery. The believer is married to Christ and
should be faithful to Him. The Old Testament prophets often wrote about
spiritual adultery. Judah committed adultery against her God by adopting the
sinful ways of other nations and worshipping their gods. The world is the enemy
of God. If we choose to be a friend of the world, we can’t be God’s friend.
C.
The same is true of the second enemy – the flesh (4:1, 5). The flesh is the old nature
that we inherited from Adam that is prone to sin. The flesh is not the body.
The Holy Spirit may use the body to glorify God, or the flesh may use the body
to serve sin. When a sinner yields to Christ, he receives a new nature within,
but the old nature is neither removed nor reformed. That’s why there’s a battle
within. Gal. 5:17 Living for the
flesh means grieving the Holy Spirit of God who lives in us. Eph. 4:30 Just as the world is the
enemy of God the Father, the flesh is the enemy of God the Holy Spirit. There
is a holy, loving jealousy that a husband and wife have for each other. The Spirit within jealously guards our
relationship to God. He is grieved when we sin against God’s love. Living to
please the old nature means to declare war against God. Rom. 8:7-8
D.
The third enemy is the devil (4:6-7). The world is in conflict with the Father, the flesh fights
against the Holy Spirit, and the devil opposes the Son of God. Pride is Satan’s
great sin, and it is one of his chief weapons in his warfare against the saint
and the Savior. God wants us to be humble; Satan wants us to be proud. He said
to Eve, “You shall be as a god.” Today false teachers are echoing Satan’s words
saying, “We’re all little gods.” A new Christian should not be put into a place
of leadership because of the problem of pride. (I Tim. 3:6) God wants us to depend on His grace, while the devil
wants us to depend on ourselves. One of the problems in our churches is that we
have too many bosses and not enough servants. Christian workers are promoted so
much that there is very little place left for God to receive the glory.
A.
How can we overcome these 3 enemies? How can we be the
friends of God and enemies to the world, the flesh and the devil? James gives
us 3 instructions to follow if we want peace instead of war. First, we must
submit to God. (4:7) “Submit” is a
military term that means, “Get into your proper rank”. When a private acts like
a general there’s going to be trouble. Unconditional surrender is the only way
to complete victory. If any area of the life is kept back from the Lord there
will be battles. This is why uncommitted Christians can neither live peacefully
with themselves nor with other people. Paul says, “Neither give place to the
devil” in Eph. 4:27. Satan needs a
foothold in our lives to use to fight against God, and we give him that
foothold. The way to resist the devil is to submit to God. When King David
sinned, he hid his sins for a year. He declared war with God. When he finally
submitted, he once again found peace and joy. Psalms 32 & 51 describe both the war and the peace. Submission
is an act of the will: “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
B.
James’ second instruction is: “Draw near to God.” (4:8). How do we do this? By repenting
of and confessing our sins, and asking for His cleansing. “Purify your hearts”
means in Greek to make holy, without adultery. The more we are like God, the
nearer we are to God. Tozer wrote: “Nearness is likeness.” When I was petting
Ashley’s dog on my lap in CA I was not as near to the dog as I was to my family
and friends in far away Hawaii. Why? The dog is nice, but unlike me. God
graciously draws near to us when we deal with the sin in our lives that keeps
Him at a distance. He will not share us with anyone else. He must have complete
control. The double-minded Christian can never be close to God. Abraham drew
near and talked to God about Sodom. Lot moved into Sodom, and lost God’s
blessing.
C.
The third instruction to guide us to peace in the place of
war is: “Humble yourselves before God.” (4:9-10)
It’s possible to submit outwardly and yet not be humble inwardly. God hates
pride, and He will discipline us until we are humbled. Thank Him for it! We
have a tendency to treat sin too lightly, even to laugh about it. James writes,
“Let your laughter be turned into mourning.” Sin is serious. One mark of true
humility is facing the seriousness of sin and dealing honestly with our
disobedience. If we obey these 3 instructions, God will draw near to us,
cleanse us, forgive us, and the wars will stop. We will not be at war with God,
so we will not be at war with ourselves. This means we will not be at war with
others. Let Christ become the Prince of Peace as you put your life in His
hands.
Conclusion
So we see that the rule of thumb for
all of life is simple: “Submit to God; resist the devil”. It’s a matter of
submission and resistance, but we have to be careful that we don’t turn it
around, submitting to the devil and resisting the Lord! It is also a matter of
getting away from and coming near. If we resist the devil, he will flee from
us. We will get rid of him, at least for awhile. If we come near to God
submitting ourselves to Him, He will come near to us with help, comfort,
strength, and peace. I have experienced how this works out in our lives many times.
I will tell you about one. Sandy and I were planning a trip around the United
States in 1998. I retired that year from the Mission, and I wanted to say
good-by and “thank you” to all my friends who had prayed for me and supported
me for 36 years. I also wanted to encourage them to consider supporting Sandy
and Rose as they had supported me. A few days before we were to leave I was
diagnosed with cancer. I couldn’t go with Sandy. He had to go alone. Then I had
a call from my health insurance company saying that they were dropping my
insurance. I was disappointed and sad, but I submitted myself and my life or
death once more to the Lord. Still I felt burdened and uneasy. The Lord showed
me that I needed to resist the devil as well as submit to Him. So
I told the enemy to leave me alone, and then my peace returned. We must submit
and resist!
Bible Studies
James
(9)
James
4:13-17
James began chapter 4 talking
about war with God and he ended it talking about the will of God. The two
themes are related. When a believer is out of the will of God, he becomes a
troublemaker instead of a peacemaker. Lot moved into Sodom and brought trouble
to his family. David committed adultery and brought trouble to his family and
kingdom. Jonah disobeyed God and almost sent a ship full of unbelieving sailors
to a watery grave. In each case there was a wrong attitude toward the will of
God.
Many Christians look on the will of
God as bitter medicine they have to take instead of seeing it as the gracious
evidence of the love of God. He is a God of wisdom who knows what ought to
happen and when. He is also a God of love who desires the best for His
children. I have heard a teen-ager say, “I would give my life to Christ, but
I’m afraid He will ask me to do something dangerous or give me something hard.”
The safest place in the world is right where God wants you. Psa. 33:11 The will of God comes from
the heart of God. His will is the expression of His love.
I.
Ignoring God’s
will
A. James points out 3 attitudes toward the will of God. The first is ignoring God’s will. Maybe James was referring to the wealthy businessmen in the church. Maybe they discussed business deals and boasted about their plans. There is no evidence that they sought the will of God or prayed about their decisions. James presented 4 arguments that revealed the foolishness of ignoring the will of God.
B.
His first argument had to do with the complexity of life.
Think of all that is involved in life: today, tomorrow, buying, selling, making
money, losing money, going here, going there. Life is made up of people and
places, activities and goals, days and years. Each of us has to make crucial
decisions day after day. Apart from the will of God, life is a mystery. When
you know Christ as Savior and seek to do His will, life starts to make sense.
Even the creation takes on new meaning. There is a simplicity and unity to your
life that creates peace and confidence. You can sing, “This is my Father’s
world.”
C.
James’ second argument has to do with the uncertainty of
life. The first part of verse 14 is based on Prov. 27:1. These businessmen were planning for a year ahead when
they couldn’t even see one day ahead! They were saying, “We will”…”We will”…”We
will”… Their attitude reminds us of the farmer in Jesus’ parable in Luke 12:16-21. The man had a bumper
crop, so he planned to build bigger barns and have greater security for the
future. What was God’s reply to his boasting? v. 20 Life is not uncertain to God, but it is uncertain to us. Only
when we are in God’s will can we be confident of tomorrow because we know He is
leading us. (Illus: Are we in control of anything? Think of the space shuttle
that was supposedly in control of space. In the blink of an eye it
disintegrated and the 7 crew members with it.)
D.
James’ third argument is about the brevity or shortness of
life. This is one of the repeated themes of scripture. To us, life seems long
and we measure it in years. In comparison to eternity, life is but a vapor or
mist. Job has many pictures of this: Job
7:6,9; 8:9; 9:25-26; 14:1-2 We
count our years at each birthday, but God tells us to number our days!
Psa. 90:12 We live a day at a time,
and those days rush by quickly as we get older. Since life is brief, we can’t
afford to just “spend our lives”. We certainly don’t want to “waste our lives”.
We must invest our lives in eternal things. God reveals His will in His Word,
but most people ignore the Bible or give it little thought. God gives us
precepts, principles and promises that can guide us into His will.
E.
James 4th argument is the frailty or weakness of
man. He says, “You boast and brag. All such boasting is evil”. Man’s boasting
only attempts to cover his weakness. Man can’t control future events. He has
neither the power to see the future or to control the future. To boast is sin.
That’s trying to take God’s place – to be our own little gods. How foolish to
ignore the will of God. It’s like going through dark jungles without a map or
over stormy seas without a compass. In a visit to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, the
lights were turned off and it was pitch black with not even a pinprick of
light. The tour guide gave a 5-minute sermon before they did this. The theme
was, “Stay close to your guide.” It’s a good message for us every day of our
lives.
A.
Besides ignoring God’s will sometimes people choose to
disobey His will. These people know the will of God but choose to disobey it.
This person says to God, “I know what you want me to do, but I prefer not to do
it. I know more about this than You do.” This is dangerous. II Pet. 2:21 Why do people who know
God’s will deliberately disobey it? There are several possible reasons for
this. First, their pride may be the reason. Some people feel that they must be
the master of their fate and the captain of their soul. Man has accomplished so
much that he thinks he can do anything.
B.
Another reason why a person may choose to disobey God’s will
is his ignorance of the nature of God’s will. He acts as though God’s will is
something he can accept or reject. The will of God is not an option. It’s an
obligation. Because He is the Creator and we are His creatures, we must obey
Him. Because He is the Savior and Lord, we must obey Him. To treat the
will of God lightly is to ask for His rebuke and discipline. A third reason why
we may choose to disobey God’s will is that we believe it leads to misery.
Instead, disobeying God’s will leads to misery! Even if a disobedient
Christian seems to escape difficulty in this life, what will he do when he
faces the Lord? Luke 12:47-48
C.
What happens to Christians who deliberately disobey the
known will of God? They are
disciplined by a loving Father until they submit. Heb. 12:5-11 God’s correction and discipline is the evidence of His
love, not His hatred. Though discipline is hard to take, it is the proof of our
sonship. God doesn’t discipline illegitimate children. Christians who
deliberately disobey are in danger of losing heavenly rewards. I Cor. 9:24-27 In order to qualify for
a crown, the runner has to obey the rules of the race. If a runner disobeyed
the rules he would be disqualified and humiliated and would lose his chance to
win a crown.
A, We don’t have to ignore or disobey
God’s will. When we say, “If the Lord wills”, they are not just words. This is
the constant attitude of a believer’s heart. John 4:34 In his letters Paul often referred to the will of God. He
didn’t feel that it was a choice that bound him, but rather a key
that opened doors and set him free. Everything in the universe works according
to laws. If we cooperate and obey these laws, the universe works with
us. If we fight the laws and disobey them, the universe will work against
us. (Illus: Think about this the next time you fly: Certain laws govern flight.
The engineer who obeys these laws in designing and building the plane, and the
pilot who obeys those laws in flying the plane, will both have the joy of
seeing the plane operate perfectly and safely. You don’t want to be on the
plane when those laws are disobeyed!)
B.
God’s will for our lives is like the laws He built into the
universe, except that those laws are general and His will for our lives is
specific. No two lives are planned to the same pattern. Of course, there is a
general will of God for all Christians. It is God’s will that we yield
ourselves to Him. II Cor. 8:5 It’s
God’s will for us to avoid sexual immorality. I Thess. 4:3 All Christians should rejoice, pray and be thankful. I Thess. 5:16-18 Every commandment in
the Bible is God’s will for every Christian. But God doesn’t call all of us to
the same work or to exercise the same gifts and ministry.
C.
It’s important to have the right attitude toward the will of
God. It’s not some cold, impersonal machine, which God starts up and we have to
keep running. If we disobey Him, the machine stops and we’re out of God’s will
for the rest of our lives. The will of God is a living relationship between God
and the believer. Ths relationship is not destroyed by disobedience. The Father
still deals with His child even though He must discipline him. When you and I
are out of God’s will, it isn’t the end of everything. We suffer, to be sure,
but when God cannot rule, He overrules. This is illustrated in the lives of
Abraham and Jonah.
D.
The believer’s relationship to the will of God is a growing
experience. First, we should know His will. It’s not hard to find God’s
will. If we are willing to obey him, He is willing to reveal His will. John 7:17 God does not reveal His will to
the curious or careless, but to those who are ready and willing to obey Him.
But we should not stop with knowing some of God’s will. We want us to be filled
with the knowledge of His will. Col. 1:9
It’s wrong to want to know God’s will about some things and ignore His will
in other things. He has a plan for each detail.
E.
God wants us not only to know but also to understand
His will. Eph. 5:17 This is where
spiritual wisdom comes in. A child may know the will of his father, but not
understand it. The child knows the “what”, but not the “why”. Psa. 103:7 The Israelites knew what
God was doing, but Moses understood why He was doing it. As we grow into
knowing and then understanding God’s will, we must prove His will. Rom. 12:2 In Greek this means “to prove
by experience”. The more we obey, the easier it is to discover what God wants
us to do. Like learning to swim or play the guitar, you get the feel of it and
it becomes like second nature. People who keep asking, “How can I find God’s
will for my life?” haven’t tried to do God’s will. You start with what you know
you ought to do and do it. Then God opens the way to the next step. We learn
from both failures and successes.
F.
Knowing, understanding and proving God’s will falls short
unless we do God’s will from the heart. Jonah knew the will of God and
after being disciplined, did God’s will, but not from the heart. He did not
love the Lord or the people of Nineveh. He did God’s will to escape further
discipline. What God said about giving can be applied to living. II Cor. 9:7 “Grudgingly” means
reluctantly and painfully. There is no joy in doing God’s will. “Of necessity”
means under compulsion – because we have to. The secret of a happy life is to
delight in duty. When duty becomes delight, then burdens become blessings. Psa. 119: 54 When we love God, His
rules and His ways become songs.
We mustn’t think that a failure
in knowing and doing God’s will affects our relationship with Him. But it does
affect our fellowship with Him. We feel separated from Him until we repent of
our disobedience, confess our sins, and ask for His forgiveness. We can learn
from our mistakes, but if we continue in them we will grieve our loving Lord.
The important thing is a heart that truly loves God and wants to do His will
and glorify His name.
What are the benefits of doing the
will of God?
1.)
You enjoy a deeper fellowship with Christ. Mark 3:35
2.)
You come to know God’s truth on a deep level. John 7:17
3.)
Your prayers are answered. I John 5:14-15
4.)
There is an eternal quality to the life and works of one who
does God’s will. I John 2:15-17
5.)
There is the expectation of reward. Matt. 25:34
Which of these attitudes do you have
toward the will of God? Do you ignore it and just go on with your life? Do you
know it but refuse to do it? Those responses bring sorrow and ruin to the life.
The Christian who knows, loves and obeys the will of God will enjoy His
blessings. His life may not be easier, but it is holier and happier. Psa. 40:8
Bible Studies
James
(10)
Are
You Rich or Poor?
James
5:1-6
James has a very different
viewpoint from the one taken by the world and even most Christians. He told
people to grieve and mourn instead of laughing. (4:9) Here he says that the rich instead of living it up and
rejoicing in their wealth, should weep and wail because of the misery coming to
them. One of the themes in James 5
is trouble. We meet poor people who
are suffering materially because they have been deprived of their wages. We
meet people who are physically afflicted, and we meet people who are
spiritually backslidden.
A second theme in James 5 is prayer. The poor laborers cry out to God. The sick and afflicted
are told to pray. Elijah is given as an example of a man who prayed and
received answers. When we put these 2 themes together we come up with the 5th
mark of a mature Christian. He is prayerful in troubles. Instead of giving up
when troubles come, the mature believer turns to God, praying and believing
that He will help.
In this section on riches, it is
important to notice that James did not write that it is a sin to be rich.
Abraham was a wealthy man, but he walked with God and was greatly used by God
to bless the whole world. Two examples closer to our time are the very wealthy
businessmen, JC Penney and RA LeTourneau. They developed businesses that made
them very rich, but they used close to 90% of their earnings (instead of 10%)
to support God’s work around the world. James was concerned about the
selfishness of most rich people and advised them to weep and wail. He gave 3
reasons for writing this.
I.
The way the
rich got their wealth
A. We are responsible for 2 things regarding finances: how we get our money and how we spend it. James wrote that the rich should fear God’s judgment because of the ways that they got their wealth. The Bible does not discourage the acquiring of wealth. The Jews in the Promised Land owned their own property, worked it, and gained profit from it. In some of His parables, Jesus showed His respect for personal property and private gain. What the Bible does condemn is getting rich by using crooked ways to get money, and by using money for crooked purposes. The prophets Amos, Isaiah and Jeremiah exposed the selfishness of the rich and their tendency to rob the poor. They warned that judgment was coming. James joins them in that warning. James gave 2 illustrations of how the rich gained their wealth. These are still true in some places today.
B.
He wrote that the rich made their money by holding back
wages. Laborers were hired by the day and did not have legal contracts with
their employers. In the Law God had given definite instructions concerning the
laboring man to protect him from an unfair, oppressive employer. Deut. 24:14-15; Lev. 19:13; Jer. 22:13 These
rich men had hired the laborers and promised to pay them a specific amount. The
men had completed their work, but had not been paid. The verb “kept back” in
Greek indicates that the laborers never will get their salaries. “Thou shall
not steal” is still the law of God. It is a law He will enforce. As Christians
we must be faithful to keep our promises and pay our bills. (Illus: A doctor
met his friend who was a Christian. He asked, “How are things going?” The
doctor answered, “I guess O.K.” The friend told him that he was praying for
him. The doctor answered, “Pray for all the people who owe me money, that they
will pay”)
C.
James wrote that another way the rich made money was by
controlling the courts. It is often true that those who have wealth also have
political power and get what they want. (Illus: There was a cartoon in the
paper. One person asked, “What is the Golden Rule?” The other answered,
“Whoever has the gold makes the rules.”) James
2:6 Whenever the name “Watergate” is mentioned, nobody thinks of a
beautiful hotel. That word reminds them of an ugly episode in American history
that led to the discovery of lies and cover-up, and ended with the resignation
of President Nixon. When God established Israel in her land, He gave the people
a system of courts. He warned the judges not to be greedy. They were not to be
partial to the rich or poor. Lev. 19:15 Bribery
was condemned by the Lord. Amos denounced the judges in his day who took bribes
and “fixed” cases for money. Amos 5:12,
15
D.
Evidently the courts in James’ day were easy to control if
you had enough money. As today, poor workers could not afford expensive
lawsuits, so they were beaten down every time. The workers had the just cause
but were not given justice. They were mistreated and abused. The poor man
didn’t resist the rich because he had no weapons with which to fight. All he
could do was call on God for justice. The Bible warns us against gaining wealth
by illegal or wrong methods. We may not be rich, but are we faithful in
small ways not to steal from others? God owns all the wealth, and He permits us
to be stewards of His wealth for His glory. We must put God first
in our lives, and He will provide us with what we need. Matt. 6:33
II.
The way the
rich used their wealth
A.
It is bad to gain money in a wrong way, but to use
the money you gain in a wrong way makes the sin greater. How did they misuse
their money? First, they stored it up. Of course, there is nothing wrong with
saving. I Tim. 5:8 But it is wrong
to store up money for yourself that is owed to your employees. These rich men
were hoarding grain, gold and clothing. Instead of laying up treasures in
heaven by using their money for
God’s glory, they were selfishly
guarding it for their own security and pleasure. 10 years after James wrote
this, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans and all this accumulated wealth was
taken.
B.
What did Jesus mean about laying up treasures in heaven? Matt. 6:19 He told the rich young ruler
to sell all and give to the poor. But that was because Jesus knew that his
riches stood between him and following Christ. To lay up treasures in heaven
means to use all that we have as stewards of God’s wealth. God is the Owner of
everything and we are only His stewards. What a tragedy it is to see people
“heap up treasures for the last days”, instead of laying up treasures in
heaven. The Bible does not discourage saving or investing, but it does condemn
hoarding money instead of using it for God’s work. We must use our money to
bless the widows, orphans and those in need. These people hoarded money in the
last days when probably many will be suffering and dying.
C.
Secondly, the rich kept others from benefiting from their
wealth. The rich robbed the poor. They refused to pay their salaries so that
they could take care of their families. Since we are stewards of God’s wealth,
we have responsibilities to our Master. We must be faithful to use what He
gives us for the good of others and the glory of God. I Cor. 4:2 Joseph was a faithful steward in Potiphar’s house.
Potiphar prospered and God was glorified. Thirdly, the rich lived in luxury.
Luxury is waste and waste is sin. (Illus: a magazine ad told of an oil-rich
sultan who went on a shopping spree. He bought 19 Cadillacs, one for each of
his 19 wives. He also bought 2 Porsches, 6 Mercedes, a $40,000 speedboat and a
truck for hauling it. Besides those, he bought 16 refrigerators, $47,000 in
women’s luggage, 20 Florida grapefruit trees, 2 reclining chairs and a slot
machine. The bill was $1,500,000 plus $194,500 to have it delivered.) That was
a sinful waste!
D.
We are all grateful for the good things of life. It would be
difficult to live in primitive conditions as some missionaries have to. A
Quaker said, “Tell me what you need and I’ll tell you how to get along without
it.” Luke 12:15 These rich men were
feeding themselves on their riches and starving to death spiritually. In Greek
it pictures cattle being fattened for slaughter. There is a great difference
between enjoying what God has given us and living extravagantly on what we have
withheld from others. Even if what we have has been earned lawfully and in the
will of God, we must not waste it on selfish living. Luxury has a way of
ruining character. The rich man in Luke
16:19-31 would have fit right in with these rich men, but he ended up in
the fires of Hades.
A.
The rich men thought they had it made, but James describes
the consequences of misusing riches. First of all, riches will vanish. Grain
will rot, gold will rust, and clothes will wear out. Nothing material in this world
will last forever. The seeds of death and decay are in everything earthly. It
is a big mistake to think that there is security in wealth. I Tim. 6:17 Riches are uncertain.
Prices go up and down and the stock market fluctuates. Actually gold doesn’t rust
like iron does, but the idea is the same. Gold is losing its value. We need to
remember that life is brief and we can’t take our money with us. Then we see
how foolish it is to live for things of the world. Luke 12:20
B.
Secondly, misused riches will corrode your character just
like salt water corrodes metal. James says that the corrosion of riches will
eat your flesh like fire. This is a present judgment. The poison of wealth like
gangrene has infected these rich men and they are being eaten alive. Of itself,
money is not sinful. It’s neutral. It’s the love of money that is the
root of all kinds of evil. I Tim. 6:10 “Thou
shall not covet” is the last of the 10 commandments, but coveting someone
else’s money and things will cause you to break all the other 9. Abraham was a
rich man but he maintained his faith and good character. When Lot became rich
it ruined his character and eventually his family. It’s O.K. to have money in
your hand as long as it doesn’t get into your heart! Psa. 62:10
C.
Thirdly, misused riches will result in certain judgment.
James not only saw the present judgment of their wealth decaying and their
character eroding. He saw a future judgment before God when Christ will be the
Judge. James 5:9 What will be the
witnesses that God will call on in that Day of Judgment? First, their rotten
grain, rusted gold and moth-eaten clothes will bear witness of their
selfishness. Secondly, the wages they held back from their employees will
testify against them in court. These stolen salaries will cry out to God for
justice and judgment. God heard Abel’s blood cry out from the ground, and He
hears this stolen money cry, too.
D.
Then, the workers will testify against them. These rich men
will not be able to bribe the witnesses or the Judge in this court of heaven!
This judgment is a serious thing. The lost will stand before God at the Great
White Throne Judgment. Rev. 29:11-15 The
saved will stand before Christ at His judgment seat. II Cor. 5:9-10 God will not judge Christians’ sins because they
have already been judged at the cross and put under the blood. But He will
judge our works and our ministry. If we have been faithful, we will receive a
reward. If we’ve been unfaithful, we’ll lose our reward.
E.
James shows us that misused riches result in the loss of a
precious opportunity. We must buy up or make use of our opportunities. Eph. 5:16 We must work while it is day.
John 8:4 Think of all the good that
could have been accomplished with that selfishly hoarded wealth. It is good to
have the things that money can buy provided that you also have the things that
money can’t buy. What good is a $500,000 house if it is not really a
home for a loving family? What good is a million-dollar diamond ring if there
is no love in giving it or receiving it?
James didn’t condemn riches or
rich people. He condemned the wrong use of riches, and rich people who use
their wealth as a weapon against others instead of a tool to build up others.
It is possible to be poor in this world and yet rich in the next world. James 2:5 It is also possible to be
rich in this world and poor in the next one. We see this lived out in the story
of the rich man and Lazarus. The return of Christ will make some people poor
and others rich, depending on the spiritual condition of their hearts. What we
keep, we lose. What we give to God, we keep and He adds interest. Although none
of us is rich, we must guard against the love of money also. Are we jealous of
the rich people? Is God first in our money, or do we give Him the leftovers?
Are we generous toward others or only generous to ourselves? What we do with
our money shows whom we love most. Luke
12:21 We need to ask ourselves, “Am I rich or poor toward God and His
work?”
Bible Studies
James
(11)
The
Power of Patience
James
5:7-12
James was still addressing the
suffering saints when he wrote, “Be patient.” In fact, In fact, “patient” and
“patience” is mentioned 4 times in 4 verses. This was similar to his counsel at
the beginning of this letter when he encouraged the brothers to persevere. God
is not going to make right all the wrong in this world until Jesus Christ
returns, so we believers must patiently endure – and expect His coming. 3 times
James reminds us of the coming of the Lord in these verses (v. 7,8 &9). This is the blessed
hope of the Christian. We don’t expect to have everything easy and comfortable
in this present life. Jesus told us that in John 16:33. Paul counseled
his converts the same way in Acts 14:22. We must patiently endure
hardship and heartaches until Jesus returns.
James uses 2 different words for
patience. In verses 7, 8 & 10 it was the word that
means longsuffering. In verse 11 perseverance
or patience means enduring under great stress. Patience means to stay put and
stand fast when you’d like to run away. How can we Christians experience that
kind of patient endurance as we wait for the Lord to return? James gives us 3
encouraging examples.
A.
James’ first example is a farmer. An impatient man better
not become a farmer. No crop appears overnight, and no farmer has control over
the weather. Too much rain can rot and too much sun can burn up. In colder
climates an early frost can kill the crop. Farmers must have patience with the
seed because it takes time for plants to grow. Jewish farmers would plow and
sow the seed in the fall months. The early rain would soften the soil. The
latter rain in the spring would help mature the crop for harvest. They had to
wait months for the seed to produce fruit. Why did the farmer willingly wait do
long? He was willing to wait because the fruit is precious. The harvest is
worth waiting for. Gal. 6:9
B.
James pictured the Christian as a spiritual farmer looking
for a spiritual harvest. Our hearts are the soil and the seed is the Word of
God. There are seasons to the spiritual life just as there are seasons to the
soil. Sometimes our hearts become cold and wintry and the Lord has to plow them
up before He can plant the seed. Jer.
4:3 Here then is the secret of endurance when the going is tough: God is
producing a harvest in our lives. He wants the fruit of the Spirit to grow, and
the only way He can do it is through trials and troubles. Instead of growing
impatient with God and ourselves, we must yield to the Lord and permit the
fruit to grow. The same is true in the lives of our children and those whom we
are discipling.
C.
You can enjoy this kind of harvest if your heart is
established. One of the purposes of the ministry of the church is to establish
the heart. Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica to establish the young Christians
in the faith. I Thess. 3:1-3 The
ministry of the Word and prayer is necessary if the heart is going to be
established. This is brought about through church services, Bible Studies and
personal devotions. A heart that is not established can’t bear fruit. Remember
that the farmer doesn’t stand around doing nothing. He is constantly at work as
he looks toward the harvest. James didn’t tell these believers to put on white
robes, climb a hill, and wait for Jesus to return. “Keep working and waiting”
was his admonition. Luke 12:42-43 Neither
does the farmer get into fights with his neighbors. One of the usual marks of
farmers is their willingness to help one another. Nobody on the farm has time
or energy for disputes with neighbors. (v.
9) Impatience with God often leads to impatience with God’s people, and
this is a sin we must avoid. If we start using the sickles on each other, we’ll
miss the harvest!
II.
The Prophets
A.
The second example James uses is the prophets. In the Sermon
on the Mount Jesus also used the prophets as an example of victory over
persecution. Matt. 5:10-12 What
encouragement do we receive from their example? First, they were in the will of
God, yet they suffered. They were preaching in the Lord’s name and yet they
were persecuted. Satan tries to defeat faithful Christians by telling us that
our suffering is the result of sin or unfaithfulness. The truth is that our
suffering may be the result of our faithfulness! II Tim. 3:12 We mustn’t think that obedience automatically leads to
ease and pleasure. Our Lord was obedient and it led to a cross!
B.
Secondly, the prophets encourage us by reminding us that God
cares for us when we go through suffering for His sake. Elijah announced to
wicked King Ahab that there would be a drought for 3 ˝ years, and Elijah
himself had to suffer in that drought. But God cared for him by providing food
through ravens and through a penniless widow. Afterward, God gave him a great
victory at Carmel. “The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God
cannot keep you.” Many of the prophets had to endure great trials and
suffering, not only at the hands of unbelievers, but also at the hands of
professed believers. Jeremiah was arrested as a traitor and thrown into an
abandoned well to die. God sent him help and kept him alive during the siege of
Jerusalem. Ezekiel and Daniel had their share of hardships, but the Lord
delivered them.
C.
Even those who were not delivered but died for their faith
received a special reward for being true to Him till the end. Why is it that
those who speak in the name of the Lord must endure difficult trials? It is so
that their lives might back up their words. The impact of a faithful, godly
life carries much power. But haven’t many faithful Christians died without any
notice or recognition – as the martyrs in Sudan, China and Indonesia? It’s
true, but when Christ returns He will give them the recognition and reward they
deserve. Rev. 22:12 This example of
the prophets should encourage us to spend more time in the Bible, getting
acquainted with those heroes of faith. The important thing is that, like the
farmer, we keep working, and like the prophets we keep sharing the truth, no
matter how hard the circumstances.
III.
Job
A. James’ third example of patient endurance is Job. You cannot persevere unless there is a trial in your life. There can be no victories without battles and no mountain peaks without valleys. A young Christian prayed, “Lord, teach me the deep truths of Your Word. Lift me up to the heavens to hear and see the wonderful things that are there.” He didn’t know that he was asking for trials. (Illus: When I prayed back in 1961 asking the Lord to give me the faith of Abraham, I didn’t realize that He would answer later, “You have to be willing to sacrifice your children as Abraham did.”) Paul went to the third heaven and learned marvelous things, but as a result God had to give Paul a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble. God has to balance privileges with responsibilities and blessings with burdens so we don’t become spoiled children who are no use to others or ourselves.
B.
When do blessings come? We may experience God’s blessings in
the midst of trials like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did. But James taught
that there is a blessing after we have endured. His example was Job. The
Book of Job is long and filled with speeches. In chapters 1-3 we read of Job’s
distress. He lost his wealth, his health and his family – except for his wife
who told him to commit suicide. In chapters 4-31 we read of Job’s defense as he
debated with his 3 friends and answered their accusations. In chapters 38-42 we
read of Job’s deliverance. First, God humbled Job, and then He honored Job and
gave him twice as much as he had before. What do we learn from Job’s
experiences?
C.
Job did not know what was going on “behind the scenes”
between God and Satan. Job’s friends accused him of being a sinner and a
hypocrite. They said, “God would never permit this suffering unless there were
some terrible hidden sin in your life.” Job disagreed and maintained his
innocence even though he knew he was not perfect. The friends were wrong. God
had no accusation to bring against Job, and in the end, God rebuked the friends
for telling lies about Job. Job 42:7 It’s
difficult to find a greater example of suffering than Job. Circumstances were
against him. He lost his wealth, his health and his beloved children. His wife
and his friends turned against him. It seemed as though God was against
him because when he cried out for answers, heaven was silent.
D.
In spite of everything, Job endured. Satan predicted that
Job would get impatient with God and abandon his faith, but that didn’t happen.
It’s true that Job questioned God’s will, but he did not forsake his faith in
God. Job 13:15 God made a covenant
with Israel that He would bless them if they obeyed His laws. That led to the
idea that if you were wealthy and comfortable, you were blessed of God. If you
were suffering and poor, you were cursed by God. Many people, like the Word
Faith preachers, still teach this today. The story of Job disproves that
theory. Jesus told the disciples that it is difficult for a rich man to enter
heaven. The disciples were shocked. They thought that rich people were
especially blessed by God and therefore would be the first in heaven.
E.
The Book of Job teaches us that righteous people suffer. Job
was a righteous man and yet he suffered. Neither God not Satan could find any
evil in Job. Job’s friends couldn’t prove their false accusations. Job teaches
us that God has higher purposes in suffering than the punishment of sin. Job’s
experiences paved the way for Jesus, the perfect, sinless Son of God, who
suffered, not for His sins, but for the sins of the world. God never wastes the
sufferings of His saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal Himself as full of
pity and tender mercy. Job met God in a new and deeper way, and after that,
received greater blessings from the Lord. Some may ask, “If God is so merciful,
why didn’t He protect Job from all that suffering?” We don’t understand all the
mysteries of God’s working and will, but we do know this: God was glorified and
Job was purified through this difficult experience. If there is nothing to
endure, you can’t learn endurance.
F.
What did Job’s story mean to the believers in James’ day and
what does it mean to us today? Some of the trials of life are caused directly
by Satanic opposition. God permits Satan to try His children, but He always
limits the extent to which he can do it. Job
1:12, 2:6 When you find yourself in the fire, remember that God’s
hand is on the thermostat. Job 23:10 Satan
wants us to get impatient with God because an impatient Christian is a powerful
tool in Satan’s hands. Moses’ impatience cost him his ticket to enter the Holy
Land. Abraham’s impatience led to the birth of Ishmael, the father of the
enemies of the Jews. Peter’s impatience almost made him a murderer. Our
impatience can cause us to run ahead of God and lose His blessing.
G.
What does swearing (v.
12) have to do with the problem of suffering? If you have suffered, you
know the answer. Impatience and anger can cause you to say things you wouldn’t
usually say. It’s easy to say things you don’t mean and even make bargains with
God when you’re going through difficulties. “If you’ll only heal me or give me
the money I need, I’ll…” Then you make promises you will never keep. James is
probably referring back to the Sermon on the Mount. The Jews were great ones
for using various oaths to back up what they said. They were careful not to use
the name of God lest they blaspheme. But if they swore by heaven, that is His
throne, the earth is His footstool, and Jerusalem is His city. Anything you
swear by includes God because it all belongs to Him. If you are a true
Christian with integrity, you only need to say “Yes” or “No” and people will
believe you. Don’t let impatience push you into saying things that don’t
glorify God. Submit to God’s will by saying “Yes” to Him because you love and
trust Him.
Reviewing this section, you can
see how practical it is. Like the farmer we are patiently waiting for a
spiritual harvest - in our lives and
the lives of others. Like the prophets, we patiently look for opportunities to
witness, even when we face opposition. Like Job, we patiently wait for the Lord
to fulfill His loving purpose, knowing that He will never cause His children to
suffer needlessly. Job was blessed after much suffering because he passed the
test, so we will be blessed someday if we pass our test. James 1:2-4,12 In
fact, God honored Job by telling Satan that His servant would be faithful to
the end, no matter what happened to him. Can God trust us like that? When Jesus
returns will He find us patiently faithful and expectantly looking for Him to
come?
Bible Studies
James
(12)
Prayer
Changes Things
James
5:13-20
The gift of speech is a marvelous
blessing if it is used for the glory of God. James had a lot to say about the
tongue, and this chapter is no exception. In chapter 5 He mentions some of the
lowest uses of the tongue: complaining (v.
9) and swearing (v. 12). But he
also named some of the highest uses of the tongue: Proclaiming God’s Word (v. 10) and praying and praising God. (v. 13). 7 times in this section James
mentions prayer. Prayer is certainly a high and holy privilege. As God’s
children we can come freely to His throne to worship Him and tell Him of our
needs and the needs of others. The mature Christian is prayerful in the
troubles of life. Instead of worrying or complaining, he talks to God about it
- and God hears and answers his prayers. James encourages us to pray by
describing 4 situations in which God answers prayer.
I.
Prayer for the
Suffering
A.
What should we do in our times of trouble and sickness, joy
and sorrow? It’s a simple, straightforward answer: “Turn to the Lord”. The
first situation James describes is suffering. “Afflicted” means suffering in
difficult circumstances. Paul used this word to describe the circumstances he
was in as he suffered for the Gospel’s sake. II Tim. 2:9 God’s people must often endure difficulties that are
not the result of sin or of God’s discipline. What should we do in such trying
circumstances? We must not grumble and criticize or be jealous of others who
are having an easier time than we are. (v.
9) Nor should we blame the Lord. We should pray, asking God for the wisdom
we need to understand the situation and use it for His glory. James 1:5 God can remove the problem
through prayer if that is His will.
B.
But prayer can also give us the grace we need to endure
troubles and use them to accomplish God’s perfect will. God can transform
troubles into triumphs. “He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater.” James 4:6 Paul prayed that God might
change his circumstances, but instead, God gave Paul the grace he needed to
turn his weakness to strength. II Cor.
12:7-10 Our Lord prayed in Gethsemane that the cup of suffering might be
removed, and it was not. But the Father gave Him the strength He needed to go
to the cross and die for our sins.
We may have troubles, but God balances
our lives and gives us hours of suffering, but days of singing. “Is any merry?
Let him sing Psalms”.
C.
The mature Christian knows how to sing, not only when he’s
merry, but when he’s suffering as well. God is able to give songs in the night.
Job 35:10 He did this for Paul and
Silas when they were in sticks and suffering in the jail in Philippi. Prayer
and singing were important elements in the early church, and they should be
important to us. The believer’s praise should be intelligent – thoughtful – and
not just the mouthing of words or ideas that mean nothing to him. It should not
put us into a trance by too much repetition. Our praise should come from the
heart and be motivated by the Holy Spirit. Christian singing must be based on
the Word of God, not just the clever ideas of men. Sometimes people learn false
doctrine from the songs they sing in church. If a song is not biblical it is
not acceptable to God.
A. The second situation James describes is sickness. James does not give a blanket formula for healing the sick as some people think he does. We must be careful about using “methods” that we are told will “work”. There was a situation where the pastor and elders prayed for 2 different sick ladies. In one week, one of them was restored in a miraculous way, but the other went to the hospital and later passed away. What are the special characteristics of this case that James is describing? First, the person was sick because of sin. The Greek reads, “If he has been constantly sinning.” I Cor. 11:30 James is describing a church member who is sick because he is being disciplined by God. This is why the elders are called. He can’t go to church, so he asks the spiritual leaders to come to him.
B. Secondly, the person confesses his sins. In the early church the believers practiced church discipline. II Cor. 5 is a good example. Paul told the believers at Corinth to dismiss the sinning member from the assembly until he repented of his sins and made things right. The literal translation of James 5:16 is: “Confess your sins therefore to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed.” Thirdly, the person is healed by the prayer of faith. It is not the anointing that heals, but the praying. The Greek word “anointing” is a medicinal term that could be translated “massaging”. This may indicate that James is suggesting using available means for healing along with asking the Lord for His divine touch. In our day, that could refer to massage, or a doctor’s skill, or medication. God can heal with or without these means, but in each case, it is God alone who heals.
C. But what is the prayer of faith that heals the sick? The answer is in I John 5:14-15. The prayer of faith is a prayer offered when we know the will of God. The elders would seek the mind of God in this matter and then pray accordingly. When I visit the sick I don’t always know how to pray for them. Paul had the same problem. Rom. 8:26 Is it God’s will to heal? Is God using this sickness to accomplish His purposes? Is God planning to call His child home? Unless I have a clear word from the Lord about how to pray, I pray like this,” If it is Your will, heal Your child. But accomplish Your purposes in this life, whatever they are.” Those who claim that God heals every case, and that it’s not His will for His children to be sick, are denying both scripture and experience. But when we have the inner conviction from the Word and the Spirit that it’s God’s will to heal, we can pray the “prayer of faith” with confidence.
D. Notice that James doesn’t tell the believer to send for some “Faith Healer” or go to a “Miracle Healing Meeting”. He is to call for spiritual men of God who seek God’s will and pray. There are some practical lessons in this section that we must not overlook. First, disobedience to God can lead to sickness. Second, sin affects the whole church. We can never sin alone because sin always affects others. This man had to confess his sins to the church by confessing them to the elders. Third, there is both physical and spiritual healing when sin is dealt with. Fourth, the confessing that James wrote about is done among the saints. He was not told to confess to the priest. We confess our sins first to the Lord (I John 1:9), but if there are others who have been affected by them, we must confess to them also. Fifth, we must never confess sin beyond the circle of that sin’s influence. Private sin requires private confession, and public sin public confession. It’s wrong for Christians to hang dirty wash in public.
III.
Prayer for the
Nation
A. The third situation James mentions has to do with prayer for our country. James cited Elijah as an example of a righteous man whose prayers were powerful and effective. (v. 16) The background of this incident is found in I Kings 17 & 18. Wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel had led Israel away from the Lord and into the worship of Baal. God punished the nation by holding back the rain that they needed. Deut. 28:12, 23 For 3 ˝ years there was no rain and the earth was unable to produce crops. Then Elijah challenged the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel. No answer came from Baal to the priests that prayed to him. Elijah prayed just once and fire came down from heaven proving that Jehovah was the true God.
B. But the nation still needed rain. Elijah went to the top of Mt. Carmel and fell down before the Lord in prayer. As he prayed he sent his servant 7 times to see if there was any evidence of rain. Finally on the 7th time the servant saw a little cloud and soon there was a great rain and the nation was saved. Do we need “showers of blessing” in our country today? Maybe we argue that Elijah was a special prophet, so we could expect God to answer his prayers in a wonderful way. But James wrote, “Elijah was a man like us.” He was not perfect. In fact, right after his victory on Mt. Carmel, Elijah became afraid and discouraged and ran away. But he was “a righteous man” – obedient to the Lord and trusting Him. God’s promises of answered prayer are for all His children who are obedient to Him.
C. Elijah prayed in faith on the basis of God’s promise that He would send rain. I Kings 18:1 Unlike the teaching of the Word Faith people, “Prayer is not getting man’s will done in heaven, but getting God’s will done on earth.” You cannot separate the Word of God and prayer, because in His Word He gives us the promises that we claim in prayer. Elijah not only believed, he was persistent. “He prayed… and he prayed again.” (v. 17-18) On Mt. Carmel Elijah continued to pray for rain until his servant reported a small cloud. Too many times we fail to get what God promises because we stop praying. Elijah was also determined and concerned in his praying. “He prayed earnestly”. Many people just say religious words and their hearts are not in their prayers. Prayer power is the greatest power in the world today. Prayer power is greater than nuclear power. Elijah prayed for his nation and God answered. Are we praying for our nation and its leaders? I Tim. 2:1-3
IV.
Prayer for the
Straying
A. Besides praying for the sick, the suffering, our nation and its leaders, we must pray for straying Christians. James didn’t mention prayer in these 2 verses, but it’s obvious from what he wrote that we need to pray for wanderers from the faith. These verses deal with a fellow believer who strays from the truth and gets into sin. Here we have a picture of someone who gradually moves away from the will of God, like a man who wanders off the right path in the jungles or a boat that wanders away from the correct course to the next island. The OT term is “backsliding”. Sometimes a brother or sister is “overtaken in a fault” or has a sudden fall from his walk with God, but usually the sin is the result of slow, gradual spiritual decline.
B. Such a condition is of course dangerous. It is dangerous to the offender because he may be severely disciplined by the Lord. He also could be in danger of committing the sin unto death. I John 5:16-17 But this backsliding is also dangerous to the church. A wandering Christian can influence others and lead them astray like leaven in the dough. Eccl. 9:18 This is why the spiritual members of the church must step in and help the man who wanders away. The beginning of his problem is that he “wandered from the truth”. The truth here of course refers to the Word of God. Unless a believer stays close to the truth, he will start to drift away. Heb. 2:1 Jesus warned Peter that Satan was at hand to tempt him, but Peter didn’t pay attention and ended up denying the Lord.
C. The outcome of this wandering, James says, is “sin” and possible death. The sinner here is a believer. Sin in the life of a Christian is worse than sin in the life of an unbeliever. What are we to do when we see a fellow believer wandering from the truth? We should pray for him but also seek to help him. He needs to be “converted” – turned back into the right path again. Do believers need to be converted? Jesus told Peter that he would need to be converted. Luke 22:32 It’s important to seek the lost, but also to win back our wandering brothers and sisters. If we are going to help a wandering one, we must have an attitude of love. Criticism and gossip will never bring a wanderer back to the Lord. This does not mean that love sweeps the dirt under the rug. Where there is love there must also be truth, and where there is truth there is honest confession of sin and cleansing from God. Love not only helps the offender face his sins and deal with them. Love also assures the offender that those sins are forgiven and forgotten.
Conclusion
Whether we are seeking lost sinners or straying Christians, we need to remember Jesus’ 3 parables in Luke 15. The lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son all needed to be found and returned. The Lord also compared winning souls to catching fish in Mark 1:17. Sin is out to catch and kill. James 1:13-15 We should be out to catch and make alive. Jude 23 pictures the soul-winner as a fireman pulling brands out of the fire. We have looked at many evidences of spiritual maturity in this study from James. Probably the most important, and perhaps the one that is missing the most, is caring for the lost and the wandering. Is this evident in our lives or do we leave it for somebody else? We can start with prayer for the sick, the suffering, the lost and the wanderers, but are we willing to go find them and minister to them?