WHERE DO? "What is the source of all the fights and quarrels which take place both among you Christians and against the non-Christians?" THEY COME FROM. The crimes which James condemns were so horrible and done so openly, that we can hardly believe Christians would be guilty of such behavior! Yet hu... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU WANT THINGS. The _Expositor's Greek Testament_ says: "It must be confessed that these verses are very difficult to understand." Yet I think _MacKnight_ gives the _key_ by viewing James as a _unity._ He says: "Next he told them, they never could succeed in converting the heathens, and destroying... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE YOUR MOTIVES ARE BAD. "Even when you do ask God for success, you do not receive it, because you ask God to bless your wicked and unspiritual efforts, rather than changing your methods to match his instructions!" Their motivation in wanting to make converts, was not to bring God glory, but to... [ Continue Reading ]
UNFAITHFUL PEOPLE! "As an adulterous wife is unfaithful to her husband, so your spiritual adultery is unfaithful to your God!" DON'T YOU KNOW? "You gain the friendship of worldly people by sharing in their sins, but in doing this, you make yourself God's enemy!" Compare John 15:18-20.... [ Continue Reading ]
DO NOT THINK. James 4:6 shows it is not the Holy Spirit, but the human spirit, which James is talking about here. "The human spirit which God placed in us is filled with fierce desires which can destroy us if we do not control them!" [This exact quotation is not found, but it is a lot like Galatians... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE GRACE. "God gives us the grace to overcome our human spirit! And God shows us a better way of making converts to Christ!" GOD RESISTS THE PROUD. Proverbs 3:34. "God makes the schemes of the proud fail, and frustrates their desires." BUT GIVES GRACE. "God helps the humble to succeed!" Compare... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN. "Submit yourselves to God, especially when you try to convert the pagans!" RESIST THE DEVIL, who by filling you with pride and anger, seduces you to use unholy methods to spread your religion." AND HE. _Benson_ says: "We may chase away the Devil, not by holy water, the sign of the cross, or... [ Continue Reading ]
COME NEAR TO GOD. "Worship God with your life, with a deep sense of his holiness and justice, deal with others as he deals with you, and he will bless and assist you in your efforts to serve him! _Johnson_ says: "If we wish God very near to us we must seek to dwell very near to him." Wash your hands... [ Continue Reading ]
BE SORROWFUL! These words show the contrast between the vulgar gaiety of the pleasure-seeker, and the humility of the one who has turned away from sin and turned to God. Joel 2:12-13. [This does not mean that a Christian must go around with a _long face!_ See 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and note.]... [ Continue Reading ]
HUMBLE YOURSELVES. See Matthew 23:12 and note.... [ Continue Reading ]
DO NOT CRITICIZE. "Do not slander each other because of your opinions in religion," Whoever. "In criticizing and judging your brother in matters of conscience (Romans 14:1-4), you are opposing the Law of both Moses and Christ, which does not permit such things." IF YOU JUDGE THE LAW. The _Expositor'... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD IS THE ONLY LAWGIVER AND JUDGE. The _Expositor's Greek Testament_ says: "The words are intended to show the arrogant impertinence of those who were judging their neighbors on a misinterpretation of the Law." _Taylor_ says: "Give every man the benefit of the doubt.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW LISTEN TO ME. "You act as though everything were yours to decide, and that God had nothing to do with the events of the world!... [ Continue Reading ]
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. "You speak confidently of the future, but you don't even know for sure if you will even be living tomorrow!... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE LORD IS WILLING. "This is the proper way to plan things, because it will make you more aware of how much you depend upon God!" _"You may make your plans, but God directs your actions"_ (Proverbs 16:9). See Hebrews 6:3 and note.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW. "You are proud of your words and you boast about the future as if you were completely independent from God. All such boasting is wrong, because it shows you are ignorant both about yourselves and about God!... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN. "If you know what is right and good and fail to do it, this makes you guilty of sin. Your guilt is even greater, because you _knew better,_ yet did not do it!" This proves there are _sins of omission._... [ Continue Reading ]