JAMES 5:1–6 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you (James 5:1). James 5 begins on an ominous note as an excoriating rebuke is pronounced upon the unbelieving rich who oppress the church. We can surmise that this rebuke is directed toward those outside the church … Continue reading “WRATH UPON THE WICKED”
DEO VOLENTE
JAMES 4:13–17 Instead you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:15). James 4:15 says that we should always have the attitude about our plans that we will do this or that “if the Lord wills.” In Latin, this phrase is Deo volente (day-oh … Continue reading “DEO VOLENTE”
BUSINESS AND BUSYNESS
JAMES 4:13–17 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money” (James 4:13). James 4:13–5:6 addresses businessmen. Some in the history of the church have taken this passage, and a few others in the Bible, and erected an … Continue reading “BUSINESS AND BUSYNESS”
THE WAR AGAINST THE SELF
JAMES 4:7–12 Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom (James 4:9). James has been trying to arouse in us an awareness of our sin. He has discussed the evil use of the tongue and how it creates strife in our midst. He has pointed to the envy and … Continue reading “THE WAR AGAINST THE SELF”
THE ORIGIN OF CONFLICT
JAMES 4:1–8 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? (James 4:1). It has been suggested that James is following roughly the order of teaching from the Sermon on the Mount in this section of his epistle. James 3:17 seems to refer to the Beatitudes. Then, … Continue reading “THE ORIGIN OF CONFLICT”
WISDOM: TRUE AND FALSE
JAMES 3:15–18 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). For the ancient Greek, wisdom was abstract learning, but in the Bible, wisdom consists of learning how to understand God’s Word and live a godly life. … Continue reading “WISDOM: TRUE AND FALSE”
THE TONGUE AND WISDOM
JAMES 3:7–12 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom (James 3:13). In James 3:9–12, James tells us that there is a blatant contradiction evident when we use our tongues on the one hand to praise God and … Continue reading “THE TONGUE AND WISDOM”
THE CENTRALITY OF THE TONGUE
JAMES 3:2–8 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check (James 3:2). From the heart flow the issues of life. The place from which they issue forth is the tongue. Paul tells us that … Continue reading “THE CENTRALITY OF THE TONGUE”
THE DANGERS OF TEACHING
JAMES 3:1–2 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1). As we return to our studies in James, we begin chapter 3 where James seems to change subjects. But remember that James did not write his letter in … Continue reading “THE DANGERS OF TEACHING”
JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS
JAMES 2:20–26 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did (James 2:22). In the original text, James uses the very word justify when he writes, “Was not our ancestor Abraham justified for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on … Continue reading “JUSTIFICATION BY WORKS”