These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
Review…
- We must rejoice in TRIALS – knowing they produce patience…
- We must bear good FRUIT – as evidence of our FAITH…
- We must follow the ROYAL law – and LOVE one another…
- We must watch our WORDS – because they can do great damage…
- We must have WISDOM – and show it through our life…
- We must have GRACE – because we are at WAR…
- Where do fights come from – from our desires…
- If we believe the lie of the world that there is something here that will make us happy…
- Then we will desire to find fulfillment in the pleasures that this world offers!
- But to be FRIENDS with the world – causes us to NOT BE a friend of God…
- What is the solution – God resist the Proud but pours out GRACE on the HUMBLE!
Like a vapor…
- 1st – Path to Humility… vs. 7-10
- In light of the revelation that God resists the PROUD – but gives GRACE to the HUMBLE…
- Meaning if we PROUD – we are in trouble – a battle we will NOT win…
- Making it critical to be HUMBLE – so we can receive the GRACE of God…
- James gives us TEN commands [imperatives] – that reveal HOW we can be humbled…
- Interestingly the commands are all one time actions [aorist]
- The thought being all of these commands are something that needs to be done NOW!
- Being HUMBLE so we can receive GRACE is such a huge issue – it URGENT!
- 1st – SUBMIT… vs. 7
- Therefore submit [imperative] to God!
- SUBMIT – [ὑποτάσσω] – is a military command of subordinance…
- We will SUBMIT [passive] – because God will break our PRIDE though consequences in life!
- When a new recruit arrives in BOOT camp – the goal is to BREAK them…
- They are given a rigorous schedule – impossible tasks – all to destroy their PRIDE…
- Because a GOOD solider – is one who SUBMITS to authority!
- In the military when a commanding officer issues an order – it MUST be followed…
- A private does not debate with the General – thinking he knows better!
- In the same way we are called to submit to God – and do what He says…
- God uses life – consequences – to HUMBLE us to teach us to SUBMIT to Him…
- So no matter WHAT He says – we OBEY His commands…
- It would be FOOLISH to think that somehow OUR way is better than HIS way!
- 2nd – RESIST… vs. 7
- Resist [imperative] the devil and he will flee from you!
- RESIST [ἀνθίστημι] STAND AGAINST – know who the ENEMY is…
- DEVIL [διάβολος] – literally the one who THROWS accusations!
- Revelation 12:10 – “The accuser… who accuses [us] before our God day and night…”
- Often in life we miss who the real ENEMY is – we get caught up looking at people…
- And while people can be VERY frustrating – they are NOT our ENEMY…
- They are PUPPETS – being told what to say and do by the God of this world…
- The key is to RESIST the one who is in control – attack the root problem!
- Rather than get upset with the people – pray for them to believe in Jesus Christ!
- How to make satan FLEE…
- Satan tried THREE times to TEMP Jesus – food / compromise / fame – Luke 4
- Every time Jesus response to satan was to quote from the Word of God!
- As Jesus resisted the temptations through the WORD – satan had to flee!
- The key to standing against satan is the Word of God…
- He is powerless when we come against him with the power of the WORD!
- Ephesians 6:12-13 – “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood – but against principalities – against powers… Therefore take up the whole armor of God – that you may be able to withstand in the evil day – and having done all – to stand.”
- 3rd – DRAW near… vs. 8
- Draw near [imperative] to God and He will draw near to you!
- This speaks of the direction we are heading – near to God!
- How good of a relationship would we have if we never spent time with a friend…
- Let me put it on my calendar – I will see you for one hour every Sunday…
- Our friendship would fail before long – because we are far apart…
- We must draw near to them – and as a result – we will find they are near to us!
- How can we have a relationship with God – if we do not spend time with Him…
- Telling God – hey I set aside an hour a week to hear about you – is NOT enough…
- We must make the active choice to draw near to Him – spend time with Him…
- That is when we find that He ALSO draws near to us – God becomes our friend!
- 4th – CLEANSE… vs. 8
- Cleanse [imperative] your hands – you sinners!
- If we have to CLEAN our hands – the suggestion is that they are DIRTY…
- This is not speaking of hygiene – we are NOT being giving healthcare tips…
- Our hands are DIRTY – because of WHAT we do with our hands!
- In case we missed the point – you SINNERS – literally devoted to SIN!
- The solution…
- We pick up dirt every day – get dirt on our hands…
- The way to get clean when e are dirty – is to wash up with a bar of soap!
- In the same way when we get dirty spiritually from being in the world…
- Perhaps an image we see on TV – or something we hear someone say…
- It gets in our head – perhaps temps our heart – and makes us unclean…
- The solution – use a spiritual bar of soap to clean ourselves up!
- I John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
- 5th – PURIFY… vs. 8
- Purify [imperative] your hearts – you double-minded!
- Our hands are not the only things that needs cleaning – so do our HEARTS…
- PURIFY [ἁγνίζω] – comes from the root word to be HOLY…
- The idea is our hears should be HOLY – set apart for the Lord ONLY!
- We are double minded…
- DOUBLE MINDED [δίψυχος] – 2X in NT – both in the book of James…
- Means we have TWO minds – one for God and one for the world!
- I have met so many believers who are miserable – they have no joy in their lives …
- The problem is they think the world has something to offer them…
- Therefore they are miserable in the Lord – because they WANT the world…
- But they are also not happy with the world – because they KNOW the Lord…
- They are miserable wherever they go – because they are double minded!
- 6th – LAMENT… vs. 9
- LAMENT [imperative] – only here in NT…
- From the root words – weigh / trial – to weigh ourselves through trials…
- Giving an honest evaluation of who we are – the answer is NOT good!
- Ask the average person if they are a good person – they will tell you yes…
- But the question is who are they good compared to…
- God does not care who we think is Good – His standard is perfection – Matthew 5:48
- And compared to His standard – all of us are in desperate need of Jesus!
- 7th – MOURN… vs. 9
- MOURN [imperative] – to be affected who we are!
- When we realize we are NOT GOOD – it should cause us to MOURN…
- Because there are only two destinations when it comes to our eternity…
- And because we are NOT GOOD – we are not destined for heaven!
- 8th – WEEP… vs. 9
- WEEP [imperative] – the RESULT when we realize we will be judged!
- Weeping is the natural result when we understand the weight of our sin…
- If we do not repent of our sin – we will weep for eternity – Matthew 25:30
- Better to weep now in brokenness – longing for an answer to our sin!
- 9th – TURNED… vs. 9
- Let your laughter be turned [imperative] to mourning and your joy to gloom!
- TURNED – to turn around – go the OPPOSITE direction…
- This is not something we do [passive] – it is the result of seeing what we have done…
- Our LAUGHTER / JOY – becomes MOURNING and GLOOM…
- GLOOM – only here in NT – shame / dejection / heaviness!
- If someone was standing on a railroad track – with a train speeding towards them…
- How foolish would they be to laugh and rejoice at how great life is – DANGER!
- This is exactly what the world does – seek to be entertained – ignoring the DANGER…
- How foolish to laugh and rejoice as if there are no consequences for our actions…
- When we come to the very HUMBLING reality of who we are apart from Jesus…
- Suddenly all the FUN that we have been having in the world evaporates!
- 10th – HUMBLE yourselves… vs. 10
- Humble [imperative] yourselves in the sight of the Lord – and He will lift you up!
- TENTH command – HUMBLE – is not something we DO…
- It is the RESULT [passive] of something that was already DONE – in this case NINE things…
- When we SUBMIT to God – by RESISTING the devil – and DRAWING near to God…
- We will want to CLEASE our hands – and PURIFY our hearts!
- Because we have repented – LAMENTING our sinful state…
- MOUNRING – WEEPING – because our joy was TURNED to shame / dejection / and gloom!
- The final result being we were HUMBLED in the sight of the Lord…
- And when we are HUMBLE – the Lord will be the one who LIFTS us up…
- Because God resists the PROUD – but He pours out His Grace on the HUMBLE!
- 2nd – Do not JUDGE… vs. 11-12
- 1st – Do not speak EVIL… vs. 11
- Change the subject…
- Rather than talk about OUR need to be HUMBLED – we look at the person next to us…
- Let me tell you – I might not be a SAINT – but they are really a SINNER!
- If you want to look TALL – stand next to the person who is SHORT…
- If you want to look PRETTY – point out the person who is UGLY…
- In the same way – we tend to look for people who are BAD – so we look GOOD!
- Do not speak [imperative] evil of one another – brethren…
- He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother…
- Speaks evil of the law and judges the law!
- But if [since] you judge the law – you are not a doer of the law but a judge!
- Do NOT speak evil of one another – that is JUDGING a brother…
- When we JUDGE others – we are in effect saying WE are the LAW…
- We try and be the HOLY SPIRIT – pointing out their sin…
- But if [since] we judge the LAW – we keep the LAW from doing its work!
- ONLY the LAW of God – can teach us we are NOT GOOD – Galatians 3:24
- ONLY the HOLY SPIRIT – can convict the people of their sin – John 16:8
- When we try and play HOLY SPIRIT – when we try and lay down rules for others…
- We end up becoming a VERY poor substitute for what can actually help them!
- 2nd – Jesus is the JUDGE… vs. 12
- One LAWGIVER…
- There is one Lawgiver…
- LAWGIVER – only here NT – the ONE who establishes the rules…
- The Bible is CLEAR on many issues as to what is RIGHT and what is WRONG…
- But how about issues that are NOT as clear – who makes the RULES!
- Are we allowed to smoke – listen to secular music – see movies [what rating]
- As a believer can we– drink coffee – have tattoos – wear jewelry!
- If I have a PERSONAL conviction that is it wrong to watch R rated movies…
- And I tell you that you should also NOT watch them – I have given you a LAW…
- The problem is I have NOT changed your heart – you still WANT to see movies…
- I have set you up for FAILURE – you will watch a movie – then feel you have SINNED!
- ONLY Jesus has the POWER…
- [Jesus] is able to save and to destroy – who are you to judge another!
- ONLY Jesus has the POWER [δύναμαι] to SAVE us – or CONDEMN us…
- Who are we to play HOLY SPIRIT police on every issue…
- Who are we trying to pass off PERSONAL convictions as RULES to live by!
- Romans 14:4 – “Who are [we] to condemn someone elses servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall.”
- We should be pointing others to the LAW GIVER – ask Him if what we should do…
- God will tell us – and if He says NO – He will CHANGE our heart so we do NOT want to!
- God does not just give us His RULES – He gives us the ability to live up to His RULES!
- 1st – Do not speak EVIL… vs. 11
- 3rd – Planning for the Future… vs. 13-17
- 1st – Just a vapor… vs. 13-14 / 16
- Trusting in the Lord every day…
- Come now you who say – today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city…
- Spend a year there – buy and sell [subjunctive] – and make a profit [subjunctive]!
- COME NOW [imperative] – pay attention – those who have PLANS…
- If we think we know the FUTURE – we are ARROGANT…
- Now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil!
- ARROGANCE – 2x in NT – means empty assumptions – I John 2:16
- The LORD is the ONLY one who knows the future!
- We cannot even see tomorrow!
- Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life…
- It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away!
- None of us KNOW what will happen TOMORROW – much less NEXT year…
- Our LIFE – is just a wisp of SMOKE – that APPEARS for a moment and is GONE …
- APPEARS [passive] – we do not have control over when we come into this world…
- GONE [passive] – we do not know when we will leave this world…
- Why would we think we have any CONTROL over what happens while we are here!
- I often hear people make plans for the FUTURE – and treat them as if they are FACT…
- But we do NOT see the FUTURE – so our plans tend to fall apart…
- The only one who knows the FUTURE is the Lord – only He can SEE tomorrow…
- But trusting the Lord does not mean we do NOTHING – it is good to have a PLAN…
- It means that we do not do anything before SEEKING the Lord…
- We NEVER want to get a head of God – we do NOT want to miss His plan for our life!
- Proverbs 19:21 – “There are many plans in [our] heart – nevertheless the LORDS [plan] will stand.”
- 2nd – If the Lord wills… vs. 15
- LORD willing…
- Instead you ought to say – If the Lord wills – we shall live and do this or that!
- Paul PLANNED to come and visit Corinth a THIRD time – II Corinthians 1:15
- But his PLANS changed – some called Paul a LIAR – he did not keep his WORD…
- Yet Paul had NOT lied to the church – he just did NOT know…
- Paul had made his PLANS – but he remained open to being LED by the Lord…
- Paul could not tell the FUTURE – he could not guarantee the TOMORROW…
- He gave them his PLANS based on what he knew – but he was FLEXIBLE!
- If we try and rely on the PROMISES of men – we will be disappointed…
- Not that all people are LIARS – they just do NOT know…
- The reality is we do NOT know what the FUTURE holds – we need to be FLEXIBLE…
- We can tell people our PLANS – but always add – LORD willing!
- The ELEVENTH commandment – blessed are the FLEXIBLE – for they will not be broken!
- When God says something…
- If we want to know for certain what to do – what the future holds – go to God…
- He SEES everything – from the beginning of time – to the END – Isaiah 46:10
- God CANNOT lie – and He NEVER changes His mind!
- Numbers 23:19 – “God is not a man – so He does not LIE. He is not human – so he does not CHANGE his mind. [He has never] spoken and failed to act. [He has never] promised and not carried it through.”
- 3rd – Doing good… vs. 17
- Therefore – to him who knows to do good and does not do it – to him it is sin!
- We conclude with a CONTRAST and a WARNING….
- Those who chose to go to DO [ποιέω] – buying and selling to make money – James 4:13
- Are ONLY if the Lord wills – will what we DO [ποιέω] be successful – James 4:15
- The question then must be asked – what does God want us to DO [ποιέω]
- We already KNOW [perfect] – we are to DO [ποιέω] good!
- Obeying TEN urgent commands so we are HUMBLED and receive GRACE from Jesus…
- Not JUDGING our brothers – instead pointing them to the Jesus!
- Being FLEXIBLE – so we are dependent on the ONLY one who knows the FUTURE – Jesus!
- Anything less than that would be SIN – because it would be a life defined apart from Jesus!
- 1st – Just a vapor… vs. 13-14 / 16