"So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."
Fear is paralyzing the church of Jesus Christ: Fear of the Spirit's conviction, fear of having to change, fear of persecution, fear of submission, fear of surrendering our will to God, fear of owning our sins, fear of confessing our sins to others, fear of losing control, etc. But if there is one fear that is most pressing today, it would be fear of standing up for the infallibility of Scripture as absolute truth despite cultural opposition, and obeying what it says in humble application. As Christians, we believe God's Word is inerrant (incapable of being wrong), and as such it is our only foundation of absolute truth and standard of righteousness. We believe Scripture is not conditionally based on time, but is culturally relevant today as it has been for over 2,000 years since it was first penned. It does not contradict itself in any way, but is historically, scientifically and archaeologically accurate. Most of all, we trust that the Bible is not just a book of words, but absolute truth spoken from the mouth of almighty God, through the person of Jesus Christ, and inspired by the Holy Spirit to men, chosen by God to relay His Word in written form. The Bible is simply God's perfect wisdom, manifested in law and love.
It is important we establish how Scripture is the foundation of Christianity. For Jesus warned, "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void" (Luke 16:17). In other words, we cannot assume that anything written in Scripture is void because of the era in which it exists, nor is Old Testament (OT) law deemed irrelevant because of New Testament revelation. OT law reflects God's character, which is always true despite how difficult it may be to understand or comprehend at times. More importantly, Jesus came to fulfill OT law and clarify the truth and wisdom God revealed in days of old to help us apply righteousness in every facet of our lives today. The interesting fact is that we tend to forget how blessed we are to witness OT prophesy fulfilled in the life of Christ. That is a privilege we have that God's people in the Old Testament did not--knowing Jesus took on human form to fulfill God's will of eternal salvation as promised through OT prophesies.
James presupposes in verse 17 that we not only believe and trust the Word of God, but know to apply its truth. It echoes all of James' earlier exhortation that faith without works is dead, because our works testify to the truth of God's Word alive in our hearts. Therefore, we cannot simply believe Scripture is true without personal application, for that was the predominate mistake the Pharisees made that Jesus emphatically rebuked time and time again. God's Word demands action and application, just as Jesus expressed when He cautioned, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more" (Luke 12:48b). If we believe and accept Christ's gift of salvation, then we must understand the package-deal that comes with that offer: Surrender of our will to God's authority, obedience to God's will as revealed in Holy Scripture, and submission to apply what Scripture declares as truth unconditionally and without hesitation. Make no mistake, there is a cost associated with salvation, and it was paid for by Jesus on our behalf. Our response is simply to accept that gift in reverence and humility, and in thanksgiving offer our lives as a sacrifice unto Christ to live under His authority as revealed in His Word, regardless of the cost. It is the "cost" though that fuels the fear that is stifling the church from accomplishing all God intends.
The Bible testifies that "whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked" (1 John 2:4-6). This is a powerful statement of the Spirit's conviction in the heart of every man, woman and child who calls on the name of Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. No one can read what John has written and not comprehend how we are expected to live. Yet for many of us, we bristle at the notion that we are liars and the truth of God is not in us if we do not keep His commandments. We do not want to admit how often we choose to walk in darkness, not because we believe that is the right course of action, but because it requires no effort to change and is comfortable and predictable. Truthfully speaking, our laziness feeds our fears and paralyzes us from embracing the light of God's Word to free us from our bondage. Because Scripture states plainly, "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:6-9).
The point John makes simply echoes the words of James. We know the right things to do. We have seen the light. But simply avoiding bad choices is not enough. We must also obey God's Word and not avoid doing the right things by committing sins of omission. It may require us to endure pain and hardship, but again James has already encouraged us by saying, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4). The important thing we must remember is that just as we are identified with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, so too are we identified in persecution for His name's sake and the truth of His Word. "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:18-19). I pray we never lose sight of this truth. Because when the time comes to face our fears, we can reflect upon the promises of God as our source of strength and obediently live out the truth of the Gospel with boldness and love to the glory of His name.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
James 4:15-16 (Devotion)
"Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil."
These verses continue James' admonition to the church that boasting about tomorrow is not only futile, but presumptuous and arrogant in the sight of God. We are not deities. We do not have the power to see the future with absolute certainty. It is only because of God that what we do know comes from the pages of Scripture, which illuminates our minds to His supreme sovereignty and majesty. For He does not reveal Himself with no purpose in mind, but relays His will through His Word for His glory and our sanctification. Therefore, we are most assuredly without excuse because we have access to His will every moment of our lives here on earth through the pages of inerrant Scripture.
James' statement, "If the Lord wills," should compel us to examine how often we seek the will of the Father. Typically, we rely on our own capacities and judgment in the face of decision and discernment. We fail to FIRST go to the Lord in prayer, seeking His wisdom that we may live righteously and in communion with His will. Instead, prayer tends to come into the equation AFTER we make a decision and begin reaping the consequences, or we are so stricken with indecision that we finally cry out to God in frustration and desperation. Why? In truth, it is an issue of priority. And we are foolish to assume we are prioritizing God in all facets of our lives when our insatiable appetite for control hinders what the Holy Spirit seeks to accomplish in our hearts when we do relinquish our will for the Father's. Therefore, we must answer one all-encompassing question, "What is His will?"
If we consider God's will in terms of obeying His commandments, then our Lord answers this question specifically: "Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:29-31). But if we discern God's will from a salvation perspective, Jesus affirms, "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:40). In either case, when we stop and reflect, our purpose and mission in the time we have been given to live on this earth is always one of time and priority. We can easily and introspectively filter our hearts by the grace and mercy of almighty God through the power of His Word by asking ourselves the following questions:
Surrendering our will comes with a cost. We all know that, and honestly that is what drives our hesitancy and indecision to relinquish control to God in all circumstances. For we are creatures of comfort, wired to self-protect when trials come according to the Father's will. We struggle to embrace pain and suffering, and avoid persecution at all costs. But that is where the power of God's Word reminds us that we are not alone, because Jesus modeled obedience to the Father's will above selfish desires. Even in the moments prior to accepting His fate, Jesus could have escaped. Rather, He chose to submit, obey and surrender His will for what the Father prioritized as most important, even His own death for the salvation of mankind. "And he said, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will'" (Mark 14:36). Therefore, let us not cower in fear but embrace the cross of Calvary by the power of God's Word as our ultimate authority, in all circumstances and at all times, because He is worthy to be praised for what He has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.
These verses continue James' admonition to the church that boasting about tomorrow is not only futile, but presumptuous and arrogant in the sight of God. We are not deities. We do not have the power to see the future with absolute certainty. It is only because of God that what we do know comes from the pages of Scripture, which illuminates our minds to His supreme sovereignty and majesty. For He does not reveal Himself with no purpose in mind, but relays His will through His Word for His glory and our sanctification. Therefore, we are most assuredly without excuse because we have access to His will every moment of our lives here on earth through the pages of inerrant Scripture.
James' statement, "If the Lord wills," should compel us to examine how often we seek the will of the Father. Typically, we rely on our own capacities and judgment in the face of decision and discernment. We fail to FIRST go to the Lord in prayer, seeking His wisdom that we may live righteously and in communion with His will. Instead, prayer tends to come into the equation AFTER we make a decision and begin reaping the consequences, or we are so stricken with indecision that we finally cry out to God in frustration and desperation. Why? In truth, it is an issue of priority. And we are foolish to assume we are prioritizing God in all facets of our lives when our insatiable appetite for control hinders what the Holy Spirit seeks to accomplish in our hearts when we do relinquish our will for the Father's. Therefore, we must answer one all-encompassing question, "What is His will?"
If we consider God's will in terms of obeying His commandments, then our Lord answers this question specifically: "Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:29-31). But if we discern God's will from a salvation perspective, Jesus affirms, "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (John 6:40). In either case, when we stop and reflect, our purpose and mission in the time we have been given to live on this earth is always one of time and priority. We can easily and introspectively filter our hearts by the grace and mercy of almighty God through the power of His Word by asking ourselves the following questions:
- Who do I prioritize? God or myself?
- What do I prioritize? God's will (irregardless of the cost), or my (calculated and comfortable) selfish will?
- When do I prioritize? At all times, when it's convenient, or when it's my last resort?
- Where do I prioritize? Are all areas of my heart open to the Spirit's conviction, or is my heart compartmentalized to only allow the Spirit access to certain areas of my life?
- How do I prioritize? In prayer to God, or by self-reliance, logic, emotions, and/or personal experiences?
- Why do I prioritize? To glorify God, or to satisfy my selfish desires above all others?
Surrendering our will comes with a cost. We all know that, and honestly that is what drives our hesitancy and indecision to relinquish control to God in all circumstances. For we are creatures of comfort, wired to self-protect when trials come according to the Father's will. We struggle to embrace pain and suffering, and avoid persecution at all costs. But that is where the power of God's Word reminds us that we are not alone, because Jesus modeled obedience to the Father's will above selfish desires. Even in the moments prior to accepting His fate, Jesus could have escaped. Rather, He chose to submit, obey and surrender His will for what the Father prioritized as most important, even His own death for the salvation of mankind. "And he said, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will'" (Mark 14:36). Therefore, let us not cower in fear but embrace the cross of Calvary by the power of God's Word as our ultimate authority, in all circumstances and at all times, because He is worthy to be praised for what He has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
James 4:13-14 (Devotion)
"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."
It is easy at times to fall into a habit of presumption. We presume we know more than we do. We presume we can predict the future. We presume to know what others are thinking. We presume to think we have some semblance of control in our lives. While there may be a degree of truth to each of these statements, the overlying point James makes is that we cannot arrogantly presume to know anything apart from the providential control of God Almighty. There is nothing wrong with planning or investing for the future. In truth, that is a wise decision. But if our presumptions become ammunition to boast about what we have, what we know, or who we are, we have fallen victim to leaning more on self-confidence than Scriptural truth.
James asks an extremely introspective question so that we might pause and look at our lives from God's perspective. For when we do wrestle with the question, "What is your life?" we begin to understand that time goes by very quickly and moments in time reflect specific purposes. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). God has anointed our lives with purpose that His will shall be done in us and through us at the moment He ordains for our sanctification and His glory. That is why boasting about tomorrow is futile. We cannot predict what tomorrow will bring, so let us walk in a manner that reflects that truth lest we become prideful and arrogant.
According to many commentaries, the primary audience James addresses in his example is wealthy, merchant Christians (i.e. those who have the means with which to plan and invest). Why would this be such a great concern though that James would need to address it? It could be related to the sermon on the mount where Jesus cautioned, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" (Matthew 6:24). That would certainly give testimony to James emphasizing the role money plays in discerning to whom or what a man worships. Or perhaps James is indirectly touching on the role anxiety plays in our minds concerning the future (Ex: Have we saved enough for retirement, college tuition, or the future weddings of our children?) In this instance, Jesus would admonish us saying, "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:34). It may also be true that James is echoing Jesus' parable of the rich fool, who boasted in the plentiful harvest of his land and chose to tear down his storehouses to build bigger ones that he might relax, eat, drink and be merry for years to come. "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:20-21). In either case, idolatry, worship, anxiety or laziness can all lead to self-reliance where God is no longer our all-encompassing sufficiency, but our secondary fall-back in times of want and need.
When we begin to realize how momentary our lives are, so as to be compared to a mist that temporarily appears and then vanishes, our countenance changes. We begin to understand as John the Baptist did that "He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). We realize that time is is a precious gift to be appreciated here and now. Relationships become more valuable than worldly possessions, serving others trumps selfish desires, and living for personal glory is meaningless compared to the abundant provision of the Spirit's sufficiency. When coupled with perspective, time helps us realize how insignificant we are compared to the power and majesty of God. It destroys our stronghold of self-confidence that produces arrogant boasting because it is stripped of its false identity. Temporal satisfaction is exposed by the eternal Word of truth, Jesus Christ, and we are forced in that moment to acknowledge that our plans and presumptions of tomorrow are not consistent with God's Word.
In the end, we cannot assume we ultimately control time, events, and their outcome, nor allow any idol to be the object of our worship. We can certainly plan, hope and pray that God's will be done in any circumstance or situation we encounter, but the result may not be how we presume, assume or expect. The key is to relinquish control to God's sovereignty by abandoning our self-confidence and embracing humility over arrogance, for time is not subject to our rule and authority and we are not guaranteed each day's 24-hours if God so chooses. Therefore, we have no room to boast in ourselves but trust in the Holy Spirit. For "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25), obeying the direction and trajectory God wills rather than presuming we know what the future holds. Perhaps then we will embrace the moments in time we are given as opportunities to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16), rather than being arrogant in our abilities or presumptuous of what we think we know.
It is easy at times to fall into a habit of presumption. We presume we know more than we do. We presume we can predict the future. We presume to know what others are thinking. We presume to think we have some semblance of control in our lives. While there may be a degree of truth to each of these statements, the overlying point James makes is that we cannot arrogantly presume to know anything apart from the providential control of God Almighty. There is nothing wrong with planning or investing for the future. In truth, that is a wise decision. But if our presumptions become ammunition to boast about what we have, what we know, or who we are, we have fallen victim to leaning more on self-confidence than Scriptural truth.
James asks an extremely introspective question so that we might pause and look at our lives from God's perspective. For when we do wrestle with the question, "What is your life?" we begin to understand that time goes by very quickly and moments in time reflect specific purposes. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). God has anointed our lives with purpose that His will shall be done in us and through us at the moment He ordains for our sanctification and His glory. That is why boasting about tomorrow is futile. We cannot predict what tomorrow will bring, so let us walk in a manner that reflects that truth lest we become prideful and arrogant.
According to many commentaries, the primary audience James addresses in his example is wealthy, merchant Christians (i.e. those who have the means with which to plan and invest). Why would this be such a great concern though that James would need to address it? It could be related to the sermon on the mount where Jesus cautioned, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" (Matthew 6:24). That would certainly give testimony to James emphasizing the role money plays in discerning to whom or what a man worships. Or perhaps James is indirectly touching on the role anxiety plays in our minds concerning the future (Ex: Have we saved enough for retirement, college tuition, or the future weddings of our children?) In this instance, Jesus would admonish us saying, "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:34). It may also be true that James is echoing Jesus' parable of the rich fool, who boasted in the plentiful harvest of his land and chose to tear down his storehouses to build bigger ones that he might relax, eat, drink and be merry for years to come. "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:20-21). In either case, idolatry, worship, anxiety or laziness can all lead to self-reliance where God is no longer our all-encompassing sufficiency, but our secondary fall-back in times of want and need.
When we begin to realize how momentary our lives are, so as to be compared to a mist that temporarily appears and then vanishes, our countenance changes. We begin to understand as John the Baptist did that "He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). We realize that time is is a precious gift to be appreciated here and now. Relationships become more valuable than worldly possessions, serving others trumps selfish desires, and living for personal glory is meaningless compared to the abundant provision of the Spirit's sufficiency. When coupled with perspective, time helps us realize how insignificant we are compared to the power and majesty of God. It destroys our stronghold of self-confidence that produces arrogant boasting because it is stripped of its false identity. Temporal satisfaction is exposed by the eternal Word of truth, Jesus Christ, and we are forced in that moment to acknowledge that our plans and presumptions of tomorrow are not consistent with God's Word.
In the end, we cannot assume we ultimately control time, events, and their outcome, nor allow any idol to be the object of our worship. We can certainly plan, hope and pray that God's will be done in any circumstance or situation we encounter, but the result may not be how we presume, assume or expect. The key is to relinquish control to God's sovereignty by abandoning our self-confidence and embracing humility over arrogance, for time is not subject to our rule and authority and we are not guaranteed each day's 24-hours if God so chooses. Therefore, we have no room to boast in ourselves but trust in the Holy Spirit. For "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25), obeying the direction and trajectory God wills rather than presuming we know what the future holds. Perhaps then we will embrace the moments in time we are given as opportunities to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16), rather than being arrogant in our abilities or presumptuous of what we think we know.
Friday, October 16, 2015
James 4:11-12 (Devotion)
"Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?"
"Don't judge me!" is a popular phrase in our culture today. Used often in self-defense, it warns us who are casting judgment or misinterpreted as appearing to be, that we are to cease and desist immediately. The role of judge is not ours, therefore who are we to judge others? We are just as sinful as those we fairly or unjustly accuse as guilty before God, are we not? Why do we believe we have the right to act as judge and jury over one another in the body of Christ? We must remember that James is addressing the church in this passage. He is not focused on judging others who do not share the same theology, for how can we hold non-believers accountable if their standard of righteousness is not our shared belief? Their judgment is one that God alone will administer because they have rejected His Word completely. But is it not fair to apply the same logic as it pertains to our fellow brethren? Is not God the only judge and jury we must answer to as Christ-followers? The answer is simple: Yes.
The prophet Isaiah stated plainly, "For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us" (Isaiah 33:22). God is ultimately the one who every man, woman and child will be required to give an account on the day of judgment when we pass from this earth and take our permanent residency in heaven or hell. Not everyone in our world believes that truth, but we who trust Holy Scripture as absolute and inerrant believe that the choices we make here on earth echo an eternity. That means we are held accountable to apply the wisdom found in God's Word with an expectancy of judgment if we fail to live up to the standard we hold as our theology. It is not complicated to understand. If we believe we are saved by grace through the shed blood of Jesus, then we accept God's Word is true. And in order that our faith not be discredited, that which is written alongside such truth pertaining to the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be held in the same regard as inerrant and true.
It is imperative we firmly establish what we believe because it directly impacts how we interpret James 4:11-12. For if we believe God's Word is true, then as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ we must reconcile our misunderstanding regarding the issue of judging others. James states clearly that he is concerned with the evil that believers speak against one another. What he called out previously as vices of division within the church (jealousy, selfish ambition, boasting, pride, etc) have come to fruition in the form of evil spoken. James spoke at great length concerning the dangerous power our tongues exhibit if not tamed, and that lack of restraint is plaguing the church through evil spoken in judgment. It was true at the time James penned these words, and it is unequivocally true today as well. When we choose to speak evil against our Christian brothers and sisters, we assume a role of judgment that is sinful and divisive to the church of Jesus Christ.
The biggest misinterpretation we make is that we assume we are not allowed to judge at all. That is not Biblical though. Consider what Jesus taught within His sermon on the mount: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5). When taken in proper context, we learn that Jesus is conveying the importance of judging our own hearts first and foremost. We must sift our hearts in order to remove the impurities that plague our fellowship with God and one another (Matthew 13:24-30). For how can we look at our neighbor and call out their sin without reconciling the sin within our own hearts first? That is hypocritical, and we who practice such behavior are pronouncing judgment upon ourselves. Does that mean we are not allowed to hold others accountable within the church body? Absolutely not. But I would caution that the attitude of our heart must be evaluated before we open our mouths and speak truth in love rather than judgment. Make no mistake, Jesus does not contradict himself here. In the same token as Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus also provides the course of action we are to take if we find our fellow brother or sister in sin (Matthew 18:15-20). Therefore, there is a spirit of judgment we are called to make with our brethren, but with hearts that recognize our own sinful attitudes and actions first and foremost when we come alongside our church family in loving accountability.
Some of the greatest pain the church has caused itself rests on the sinful judgments Christ-followers have made against one another. Our over-saturation of church buildings strewn across the landscape of our country is evidence of this carnage. For history often repeats itself, and we have proven over the time that we have not learned from the same mistakes James called out to his brethren roughly 2,000 years ago. But that is not a reason to be discouraged and lose hope, for Scripture promises that each day brings fresh perspective and an opportunity for positive change if we so choose, because the Lord is rich in grace and mercy. "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him'" (Lamentations 3:22-24). Are we called to judge? Yes. Are we called not to judge? Yes. What is the difference? In truth, it is the attitude of our heart and the purpose which precedes the words of accountability or judgment we speak toward our brothers and sisters in Christ, so as not to quench the Spirit's conviction by our selfish ambitions. "Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother" (Romans 14:10-13).
"Don't judge me!" is a popular phrase in our culture today. Used often in self-defense, it warns us who are casting judgment or misinterpreted as appearing to be, that we are to cease and desist immediately. The role of judge is not ours, therefore who are we to judge others? We are just as sinful as those we fairly or unjustly accuse as guilty before God, are we not? Why do we believe we have the right to act as judge and jury over one another in the body of Christ? We must remember that James is addressing the church in this passage. He is not focused on judging others who do not share the same theology, for how can we hold non-believers accountable if their standard of righteousness is not our shared belief? Their judgment is one that God alone will administer because they have rejected His Word completely. But is it not fair to apply the same logic as it pertains to our fellow brethren? Is not God the only judge and jury we must answer to as Christ-followers? The answer is simple: Yes.
The prophet Isaiah stated plainly, "For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us" (Isaiah 33:22). God is ultimately the one who every man, woman and child will be required to give an account on the day of judgment when we pass from this earth and take our permanent residency in heaven or hell. Not everyone in our world believes that truth, but we who trust Holy Scripture as absolute and inerrant believe that the choices we make here on earth echo an eternity. That means we are held accountable to apply the wisdom found in God's Word with an expectancy of judgment if we fail to live up to the standard we hold as our theology. It is not complicated to understand. If we believe we are saved by grace through the shed blood of Jesus, then we accept God's Word is true. And in order that our faith not be discredited, that which is written alongside such truth pertaining to the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be held in the same regard as inerrant and true.
It is imperative we firmly establish what we believe because it directly impacts how we interpret James 4:11-12. For if we believe God's Word is true, then as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ we must reconcile our misunderstanding regarding the issue of judging others. James states clearly that he is concerned with the evil that believers speak against one another. What he called out previously as vices of division within the church (jealousy, selfish ambition, boasting, pride, etc) have come to fruition in the form of evil spoken. James spoke at great length concerning the dangerous power our tongues exhibit if not tamed, and that lack of restraint is plaguing the church through evil spoken in judgment. It was true at the time James penned these words, and it is unequivocally true today as well. When we choose to speak evil against our Christian brothers and sisters, we assume a role of judgment that is sinful and divisive to the church of Jesus Christ.
The biggest misinterpretation we make is that we assume we are not allowed to judge at all. That is not Biblical though. Consider what Jesus taught within His sermon on the mount: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5). When taken in proper context, we learn that Jesus is conveying the importance of judging our own hearts first and foremost. We must sift our hearts in order to remove the impurities that plague our fellowship with God and one another (Matthew 13:24-30). For how can we look at our neighbor and call out their sin without reconciling the sin within our own hearts first? That is hypocritical, and we who practice such behavior are pronouncing judgment upon ourselves. Does that mean we are not allowed to hold others accountable within the church body? Absolutely not. But I would caution that the attitude of our heart must be evaluated before we open our mouths and speak truth in love rather than judgment. Make no mistake, Jesus does not contradict himself here. In the same token as Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus also provides the course of action we are to take if we find our fellow brother or sister in sin (Matthew 18:15-20). Therefore, there is a spirit of judgment we are called to make with our brethren, but with hearts that recognize our own sinful attitudes and actions first and foremost when we come alongside our church family in loving accountability.
Some of the greatest pain the church has caused itself rests on the sinful judgments Christ-followers have made against one another. Our over-saturation of church buildings strewn across the landscape of our country is evidence of this carnage. For history often repeats itself, and we have proven over the time that we have not learned from the same mistakes James called out to his brethren roughly 2,000 years ago. But that is not a reason to be discouraged and lose hope, for Scripture promises that each day brings fresh perspective and an opportunity for positive change if we so choose, because the Lord is rich in grace and mercy. "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him'" (Lamentations 3:22-24). Are we called to judge? Yes. Are we called not to judge? Yes. What is the difference? In truth, it is the attitude of our heart and the purpose which precedes the words of accountability or judgment we speak toward our brothers and sisters in Christ, so as not to quench the Spirit's conviction by our selfish ambitions. "Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother" (Romans 14:10-13).
Thursday, October 15, 2015
James 4:10 (Devotion)
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."
There are no greater issues we wrestle with on a daily basis than pride and humility. Both themes are interwoven throughout Scripture both in theory and experiential examples. They represent perhaps man's greatest manifestation of sin (pride) and the character quality that most aligns our will with the Father (humility). Yet with all the Bible teaches and all man has to say in response to God's Word, born-again followers of Christ continue to struggle resisting pride and applying humility. We are plagued with the Spirit's conviction but distracted by the schemes of the devil that bind us from making efforts toward positive change. Our desire for righteousness is honest and pure, but our application falls significantly short of achieving our objective. Why?
Simply stated, pride is an indirect form of self-flattery which elevates oneself above others. It is conceited and self-absorbed, arrogant and rude. It represents the complete antithesis of who Jesus Christ is and all He represents because self is worshiped above God and self-protection is its objective. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). In comparison, humility elevates others above self. It does not seek one's best interest but that which serves and blesses others. "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3). Humility maintains a low and reverent posture before God, for it recognizes the chasm that exists between the holiness of God and wretchedness of sinful man. The interesting fact about pride and humility is that both exist at the heart level. They represent a choice man must repeatedly make throughout his faith walk with Christ, and they help monitor the spiritual maturity with which he identifies himself.
What we must keep in mind as we examine verse 10 is that James has already provided concrete examples of the types of behavior needed in order to humble ourselves. He began in verse 7 by reinforcing submission and the imperative need to resist the devil's schemes, emphasized in verse 8 the importance of relational proximity to the Lord and His Word through practical application of cleansing and purification, and finished in verse 9 with a command to mourn and weep over our sin. In all these verses, James has woven a thread of humility that provides foundational structure to our theological application. He has not compartmentalized humility into a box independent of spiritual affinities. Rather, he has reinforced how critical humility is to resisting the temptations of the world within spiritual warfare.
Humility is not a commodity we can purchase, but it is something we can manufacture. For man cannot go and simply be humble; He must achieve humility through selfless acts of service. Humility is produced through application, and specifically by seeking opportunities to swallow our pride and serve others unconditionally. Jesus best demonstrated humility when He embraced the position and duties of a servant and washed His disciples' feet the night before he was unjustly beaten and executed (John 13:1-20). Consider the enormity of that teaching moment! Never before had such an extreme spiritual dichotomy been made between theory and application. For it would have been easy for Jesus to simply proclaim, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12), but He knew that faith alone was void if not evidenced by works. He knew that we needed to see humility in action if we were to fully grasp and understand how radical His message of love truly was. Moreover, Jesus exhibited the ultimate example of humility by accepting the role of sin-bearer and willingly being sacrificed for the sins of mankind when He was completely blameless and innocent of wrongdoing. "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8).
It is hard to grasp the reality of Christ's humble sacrifice on our behalf, but we are called to emulate His example in all we say and do, and that must be blanketed in a spirit of humility and self-sacrifice. For if we refuse to die to our love of self, we will remain held captive by our pride and of little use to the kingdom of heaven. But if we choose to submit and obey the truth of Scripture which commands us to humble ourselves, we will be exalted. Keep in mind, our exaltation may not come as we anticipate, hope for, or expect, (i.e. monetary value, exemption of suffering, public praise or adoration, etc.) but God's promise is true regardless of whether we physically experience it this side of heaven. So let us encourage one another to keep proper perspective as it relates to this truth. For we are assured that our efforts to cast pride away from our hearts by embracing humility will identify us Christ-followers even in the midst of persecution. And we can pray that by removing the log in our own eyes, we will see clearly to remove the speck in others through humble hearts and selfless acts of love and servitude, which will open up opportunities for the Good News of Jesus Christ to be shared and lost souls won for the kingdom of heaven.
There are no greater issues we wrestle with on a daily basis than pride and humility. Both themes are interwoven throughout Scripture both in theory and experiential examples. They represent perhaps man's greatest manifestation of sin (pride) and the character quality that most aligns our will with the Father (humility). Yet with all the Bible teaches and all man has to say in response to God's Word, born-again followers of Christ continue to struggle resisting pride and applying humility. We are plagued with the Spirit's conviction but distracted by the schemes of the devil that bind us from making efforts toward positive change. Our desire for righteousness is honest and pure, but our application falls significantly short of achieving our objective. Why?
Simply stated, pride is an indirect form of self-flattery which elevates oneself above others. It is conceited and self-absorbed, arrogant and rude. It represents the complete antithesis of who Jesus Christ is and all He represents because self is worshiped above God and self-protection is its objective. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). In comparison, humility elevates others above self. It does not seek one's best interest but that which serves and blesses others. "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves" (Philippians 2:3). Humility maintains a low and reverent posture before God, for it recognizes the chasm that exists between the holiness of God and wretchedness of sinful man. The interesting fact about pride and humility is that both exist at the heart level. They represent a choice man must repeatedly make throughout his faith walk with Christ, and they help monitor the spiritual maturity with which he identifies himself.
What we must keep in mind as we examine verse 10 is that James has already provided concrete examples of the types of behavior needed in order to humble ourselves. He began in verse 7 by reinforcing submission and the imperative need to resist the devil's schemes, emphasized in verse 8 the importance of relational proximity to the Lord and His Word through practical application of cleansing and purification, and finished in verse 9 with a command to mourn and weep over our sin. In all these verses, James has woven a thread of humility that provides foundational structure to our theological application. He has not compartmentalized humility into a box independent of spiritual affinities. Rather, he has reinforced how critical humility is to resisting the temptations of the world within spiritual warfare.
Humility is not a commodity we can purchase, but it is something we can manufacture. For man cannot go and simply be humble; He must achieve humility through selfless acts of service. Humility is produced through application, and specifically by seeking opportunities to swallow our pride and serve others unconditionally. Jesus best demonstrated humility when He embraced the position and duties of a servant and washed His disciples' feet the night before he was unjustly beaten and executed (John 13:1-20). Consider the enormity of that teaching moment! Never before had such an extreme spiritual dichotomy been made between theory and application. For it would have been easy for Jesus to simply proclaim, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12), but He knew that faith alone was void if not evidenced by works. He knew that we needed to see humility in action if we were to fully grasp and understand how radical His message of love truly was. Moreover, Jesus exhibited the ultimate example of humility by accepting the role of sin-bearer and willingly being sacrificed for the sins of mankind when He was completely blameless and innocent of wrongdoing. "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6-8).
It is hard to grasp the reality of Christ's humble sacrifice on our behalf, but we are called to emulate His example in all we say and do, and that must be blanketed in a spirit of humility and self-sacrifice. For if we refuse to die to our love of self, we will remain held captive by our pride and of little use to the kingdom of heaven. But if we choose to submit and obey the truth of Scripture which commands us to humble ourselves, we will be exalted. Keep in mind, our exaltation may not come as we anticipate, hope for, or expect, (i.e. monetary value, exemption of suffering, public praise or adoration, etc.) but God's promise is true regardless of whether we physically experience it this side of heaven. So let us encourage one another to keep proper perspective as it relates to this truth. For we are assured that our efforts to cast pride away from our hearts by embracing humility will identify us Christ-followers even in the midst of persecution. And we can pray that by removing the log in our own eyes, we will see clearly to remove the speck in others through humble hearts and selfless acts of love and servitude, which will open up opportunities for the Good News of Jesus Christ to be shared and lost souls won for the kingdom of heaven.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
James 4:9 (Devotion)
"Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom."
Continuing his theme, James gives a direct command to the church concerning worldliness that might appear peculiar at first glance. Keep in mind, James is making this statement after reiterating that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble and contrite of heart. Therefore, we must resist the devil by drawing near and submitting to God through the custom of cleansing and purifying ourselves. This is accomplished by James' exhortation to be wretched and mourn and weep over our sin in the midst of selfish pride that takes great pleasure in thwarting the conviction of the Holy Spirit. For worldliness is never satisfied with boundaries, but expands its breadth and depth to areas of our lives we assume have been surrendered to Christ. It feeds upon guilty pleasures and spirals downward in deviance over time, yet most often we seek to keep the fire of sin contained and at bay rather than extinguishing the tempestuous flames altogether.
James states simply that we are to be wretched, which is defined as "very miserable; sunk into deep affliction or distress, either from want, anxiety or grief" (Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary). Wretched is a word rarely used in our native language, but its meaning should invoke a seriousness toward sin which contradicts the assumption that fleshly pleasures satisfy. In truth, there is a moment of clarity at the climax of sin where death is exposed for the naked eye to see. There is no longer a facade of beauty that tempestuously allures a man to abandon common sense and the Spirit's conviction, but a revelation of truth that pierces us at the core of our being (Hebrews 4:12). That is why James earlier reiterated, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:14-15). Physical death is inevitable, but spiritual death is a cancerous epidemic in daily proportions that occurs in the heart of every man who proclaims faith in Christ but continues to be shackled by the desires of his own flesh.
The call to not only be wretched but mourn and weep echoes the words of Jesus in His sermon on the mount. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4) is a phrase often misinterpreted as pertaining to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It is a common mistake because we typically associate mourning with death, and rightly so, for that is a logical assumption based on the surface of our understanding. James recognized this though, and purposed to convey the same sentiment but in proper context of Jesus' command. Christ lovingly encouraged His flock of sinful men and women that comfort comes to those who mourn over the reality of their sin, and we should receive the blessing of that truth when we apply it to our hearts. Yes, sin must be atoned for, but freedom from the bondage of sin and death comes when we weep and mourn in a spirit of wretchedness, which echoes the cry of our spirit for the saving grace of God.
James also makes a stern warning against the desires of the flesh that tempt our hearts to abandon the truth God has revealed to us in Scripture. He could have easily referenced the wisdom of King Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, who regarded the pleasures of this world as vanity and chasing after the wind; or reiterated the example King David gives in chapters 5-7 of Proverbs concerning the man who is willingly led astray like an ox to the slaughter by the adulteress/temptress. Rather, James chose to filter our heart's intent and reveal its true depravity by judging the audacity we exude when our hearts and minds mock the absolute truth of God's Word. For when we laugh and find joy in the pleasures of sin, we discredit the faith we proclaim and testify to how hypocritical we are to intentionally and willfully submit to temptation and obey its command. The apostle Paul stated plainly, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30) as a reminder that when we choose to sin, we forfeit intimacy with Christ and separate ourselves from the will of God. How often though do we fail to heed this warning?
The wake of destruction when we sin is far greater than we could ever grasp or imagine, therefore our posture must be reverent and repentant as we apply James' wisdom. For we have the privilege of knowing that Christ has redeemed us from the power of sin and death. He has paid our ransom. But we cannot be misconstrued into thinking that mourning is no longer needed because forgiveness is readily available from the Father. We must weep and mourn just as the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed to the tribe of Judah who rejected the Lord: "O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us" (Jeremiah 6:26). When we align our perspective with the will of God as revealed in His Word, we find grace, peace, freedom and victory. For God's intent is not to pin us down with the weight of His Law and force us to push harder to free ourselves. Rather, He has provided salvation through Christ and forgiveness of sin because of His everlasting love for us, and we must remind ourselves of that truth if we are ever to abandon our self-sufficiency for the all-encompassing sufficiency of Jesus Christ, His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit which can destroy strongholds.
Continuing his theme, James gives a direct command to the church concerning worldliness that might appear peculiar at first glance. Keep in mind, James is making this statement after reiterating that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble and contrite of heart. Therefore, we must resist the devil by drawing near and submitting to God through the custom of cleansing and purifying ourselves. This is accomplished by James' exhortation to be wretched and mourn and weep over our sin in the midst of selfish pride that takes great pleasure in thwarting the conviction of the Holy Spirit. For worldliness is never satisfied with boundaries, but expands its breadth and depth to areas of our lives we assume have been surrendered to Christ. It feeds upon guilty pleasures and spirals downward in deviance over time, yet most often we seek to keep the fire of sin contained and at bay rather than extinguishing the tempestuous flames altogether.
James states simply that we are to be wretched, which is defined as "very miserable; sunk into deep affliction or distress, either from want, anxiety or grief" (Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary). Wretched is a word rarely used in our native language, but its meaning should invoke a seriousness toward sin which contradicts the assumption that fleshly pleasures satisfy. In truth, there is a moment of clarity at the climax of sin where death is exposed for the naked eye to see. There is no longer a facade of beauty that tempestuously allures a man to abandon common sense and the Spirit's conviction, but a revelation of truth that pierces us at the core of our being (Hebrews 4:12). That is why James earlier reiterated, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:14-15). Physical death is inevitable, but spiritual death is a cancerous epidemic in daily proportions that occurs in the heart of every man who proclaims faith in Christ but continues to be shackled by the desires of his own flesh.
The call to not only be wretched but mourn and weep echoes the words of Jesus in His sermon on the mount. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4) is a phrase often misinterpreted as pertaining to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It is a common mistake because we typically associate mourning with death, and rightly so, for that is a logical assumption based on the surface of our understanding. James recognized this though, and purposed to convey the same sentiment but in proper context of Jesus' command. Christ lovingly encouraged His flock of sinful men and women that comfort comes to those who mourn over the reality of their sin, and we should receive the blessing of that truth when we apply it to our hearts. Yes, sin must be atoned for, but freedom from the bondage of sin and death comes when we weep and mourn in a spirit of wretchedness, which echoes the cry of our spirit for the saving grace of God.
James also makes a stern warning against the desires of the flesh that tempt our hearts to abandon the truth God has revealed to us in Scripture. He could have easily referenced the wisdom of King Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, who regarded the pleasures of this world as vanity and chasing after the wind; or reiterated the example King David gives in chapters 5-7 of Proverbs concerning the man who is willingly led astray like an ox to the slaughter by the adulteress/temptress. Rather, James chose to filter our heart's intent and reveal its true depravity by judging the audacity we exude when our hearts and minds mock the absolute truth of God's Word. For when we laugh and find joy in the pleasures of sin, we discredit the faith we proclaim and testify to how hypocritical we are to intentionally and willfully submit to temptation and obey its command. The apostle Paul stated plainly, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30) as a reminder that when we choose to sin, we forfeit intimacy with Christ and separate ourselves from the will of God. How often though do we fail to heed this warning?
The wake of destruction when we sin is far greater than we could ever grasp or imagine, therefore our posture must be reverent and repentant as we apply James' wisdom. For we have the privilege of knowing that Christ has redeemed us from the power of sin and death. He has paid our ransom. But we cannot be misconstrued into thinking that mourning is no longer needed because forgiveness is readily available from the Father. We must weep and mourn just as the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed to the tribe of Judah who rejected the Lord: "O daughter of my people, put on sackcloth, and roll in ashes; make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us" (Jeremiah 6:26). When we align our perspective with the will of God as revealed in His Word, we find grace, peace, freedom and victory. For God's intent is not to pin us down with the weight of His Law and force us to push harder to free ourselves. Rather, He has provided salvation through Christ and forgiveness of sin because of His everlasting love for us, and we must remind ourselves of that truth if we are ever to abandon our self-sufficiency for the all-encompassing sufficiency of Jesus Christ, His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit which can destroy strongholds.
Monday, October 12, 2015
James 4:8 (Devotion)
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."
The beauty of the Bible is found in its simplicity. Many find themselves burdened by the enormity of Scripture because of its verbiage and content, both in quality and quantity. They fail to recognize that if filtered down, the Gospel is not complicated but quite logical. It is the manifestation of Jesus Christ (John 1:1), and in Him we find law and liberty, love and salvation. For God did not intend His creation to be cut off from His presence, but through free will, man chose to disobey the statutes (law) God set forth in the garden of Eden which consequently allowed sin to separate our fellowship with the Creator. But God did not distance Himself from mankind due to this mistake (love). Rather, He pursued His children over time and inevitably made the ultimate decision to send His Son to suffer and die a criminal's death on our behalf to ensure that we would be saved and not eternally damned (liberty through salvation).
James understood this truth as he reflected upon the worldliness he saw rampant in the church. He understood that like a moth to a flame, man was being drawn repeatedly by temptation to sin, and suffering the consequences for it. Therefore, James' only course of action was to remind his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ of the absolute truths of the Gospel to draw near, cleanse hands, and purify hearts in order that man would turn from his wicked ways and live for righteousness. It is imperative we recognize that freedom is found in Jesus Christ and the power of His Word which reminds us that despite all the mistakes we make, God pursues us with an everlasting love. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35,37-39).
It is foolish to assume we can flee the pursuit of God. Often times, we base our perception of who God is based on the ebb and flow of our emotional experiences rather than the power of His Word. We trust in relative, human capacity and understanding rather than divine wisdom and absolute truth. We play life safe by confining ourselves to human logic and pridefully relying on our own abilities rather than trusting in the power and authority of God as our source of strength. And that is why we find ourselves consumed by the pleasures of this world and desperately needing to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts, because we recognize that our human attempts are futile compared to the unlimited power and majesty of our Creator. James exhorts his brethren to simply draw near to God because He will not ignore the humble and repentant of heart. He longs for fellowship with us because He chooses to love us when we are most unlovable. "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 3:6-7).
Returning to the safety and assurance of the Lord does not constitute a lack of free will. Rather, free will is required in order to make a decision to draw near and return to fellowship with God. It encompasses a recognition of common sense where life is evaluated with proper perspective. Jesus illustrated this point when He taught the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) by reminding His followers that the Father's love is not conditional, but patient and eager to forgive those who come to their senses and seek reconciliation and restoration. How often we remain at a distance though due to pride, shame, and/or regret rather than drawing near to God and allowing Him to heal our broken hearts. That is why James admonishes in verse 7 to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," (James 4:7) in order that we would not be held captive by Satan's attempts to stronghold us from stepping forward in faith, trusting that God will cleanse and purify us when we choose to draw near to Him. Peace and joy are found in the Father's love, and we are wise to relinquish control of our lives so that we may reap the benefits of His saving grace that we need to survive this side of heaven. "How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light" (Psalm 36:7-9).
The beauty of the Bible is found in its simplicity. Many find themselves burdened by the enormity of Scripture because of its verbiage and content, both in quality and quantity. They fail to recognize that if filtered down, the Gospel is not complicated but quite logical. It is the manifestation of Jesus Christ (John 1:1), and in Him we find law and liberty, love and salvation. For God did not intend His creation to be cut off from His presence, but through free will, man chose to disobey the statutes (law) God set forth in the garden of Eden which consequently allowed sin to separate our fellowship with the Creator. But God did not distance Himself from mankind due to this mistake (love). Rather, He pursued His children over time and inevitably made the ultimate decision to send His Son to suffer and die a criminal's death on our behalf to ensure that we would be saved and not eternally damned (liberty through salvation).
James understood this truth as he reflected upon the worldliness he saw rampant in the church. He understood that like a moth to a flame, man was being drawn repeatedly by temptation to sin, and suffering the consequences for it. Therefore, James' only course of action was to remind his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ of the absolute truths of the Gospel to draw near, cleanse hands, and purify hearts in order that man would turn from his wicked ways and live for righteousness. It is imperative we recognize that freedom is found in Jesus Christ and the power of His Word which reminds us that despite all the mistakes we make, God pursues us with an everlasting love. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35,37-39).
It is foolish to assume we can flee the pursuit of God. Often times, we base our perception of who God is based on the ebb and flow of our emotional experiences rather than the power of His Word. We trust in relative, human capacity and understanding rather than divine wisdom and absolute truth. We play life safe by confining ourselves to human logic and pridefully relying on our own abilities rather than trusting in the power and authority of God as our source of strength. And that is why we find ourselves consumed by the pleasures of this world and desperately needing to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts, because we recognize that our human attempts are futile compared to the unlimited power and majesty of our Creator. James exhorts his brethren to simply draw near to God because He will not ignore the humble and repentant of heart. He longs for fellowship with us because He chooses to love us when we are most unlovable. "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 3:6-7).
Returning to the safety and assurance of the Lord does not constitute a lack of free will. Rather, free will is required in order to make a decision to draw near and return to fellowship with God. It encompasses a recognition of common sense where life is evaluated with proper perspective. Jesus illustrated this point when He taught the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) by reminding His followers that the Father's love is not conditional, but patient and eager to forgive those who come to their senses and seek reconciliation and restoration. How often we remain at a distance though due to pride, shame, and/or regret rather than drawing near to God and allowing Him to heal our broken hearts. That is why James admonishes in verse 7 to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," (James 4:7) in order that we would not be held captive by Satan's attempts to stronghold us from stepping forward in faith, trusting that God will cleanse and purify us when we choose to draw near to Him. Peace and joy are found in the Father's love, and we are wise to relinquish control of our lives so that we may reap the benefits of His saving grace that we need to survive this side of heaven. "How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light" (Psalm 36:7-9).
Friday, October 9, 2015
James 4:7 (Devotion)
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
As we have studied previously, submission is topic that is primarily associated with a woman's role in the context of Biblical marriage. In many ways, submission has rose to the surface of western civilization as one of the most controversial and debatable topics within the church and surrounding culture. It has gasoline-like properties, that if ignited, immediately inflame discussions and engulf any chance of understanding as it pertains to Scripture between those of differing opinions. Submission is polarizing because society is infatuated with driving an "oppression against women" agenda, but society also fails to acknowledge that submission is a universal application for women AND men. Yes, Scripture calls for wives to submit to the authority of their husbands, but it also affirms that husbands submit unto Christ and the authority of His Word; just as children are to obey and submit to the authority of their parents.
God has established hierarchy and family order for a reason, irregardless of whether or not our flesh agrees with that decision. Jesus demonstrated submission by obeying the authority of His Father in heaven by accepting His ordained mission to suffer and die on the cross of Calvary for the forgiveness of sin. When He submitted, He relinquished power and control by obeying His Father's authority despite the fact that He was equal with God the Father in status as part of the Holy Trinity (Philippians 2:5-8). Likewise, husbands and wives are equal heirs in their oneness when they commit to a marital covenant. Husbands are not regarded as holier than their wives because of authority, but there is a hierarchy in place to maintain order within the family unit. Decisions have to be made at times, leadership must be exuded, and God has ordained husbands to fulfill that role. Granted, with that role comes the responsibility of judgment and accountability unto God which wives are exempt of because of their submission to the husband's authority. Wives will still be required to give an account on judgment day, but by submitting unto God through the husband's headship role, the wife is yielding to the husband's authority and allowing him to be held accountable by God for the ultimate decision made.
In light of James 4:7, we must recognize that Satan desires nothing more than chaos, disruption and destruction of the Biblical family unit. Therefore, he employs a myriad of tactics to drive wedges between husbands and wives, parents and children, and society in general. One of his most successful strategies is marital role-confusion and submission plays a critical role in that process. He has also swayed our culture into adopting a spirit of independence and selfish desire for power and control, promoting women to bristle at the thought of submitting to male authority in heterosexual marriage. Freedom of speech and the right to have one's voice heard is the marketing ploy, but it is twisted in assuming that those rights are somehow revoked in Biblical marriage. On the contrary, a healthy Biblical marriage absolutely encourages and exhorts transparent dialogue and difference of opinion to ensure all opinions and insights are expressed in order to make the wisest decision possible (1 Peter 3:7). The husband is simply responsible for speaking the final decision on behalf of the family unit or breaking a deadlock when he and his wife are in disagreement and a decision must be made, thus declaring himself as accountable for the final decision in either case.
The challenge with submission is when a husband presents himself as lazy, hypocritical or blatantly sinful and perverse with little to no integrity or character. In those cases, it is imperative to clarify that submission for any wife is made unto Christ, NOT the husband. She submits through the husband's authority unto Christ. This is critical to understand because it alleviates any temptation to elevate the husband higher than God. Universally, all men are sinful and make unwise/sinful decisions at one point or another. So when a husband is not aligned with God's will as declared in His Word, a wife is still encouraged to submit so long as she is not forced to sin in the process. A wife should never be led (for example) to defile the marriage bed or participate in any illegal acts whatsoever simply because her husband insists she must. She is held accountable by the Word as well and must answer according to it, but her marital role of submission is mandated by God to maintain peace and order in the home.
It takes incredible meekness to fulfill a role of submission, and we as husbands can learn a great deal from our wives by how they respect our headship role so much as to submit under our consistently, imperfect authority. For we as men are called to demonstrate submission in our lives 24/7/365 by how we position ourselves under the authority of Scripture and apply in obedience its teachings. We set the tone for our families. But make no mistake, our culture is infatuated with destroying Biblical doctrine and submission is a platform Satan uses to drive division and animosity both in our interaction with non-believers, within the church body, and in our homes. Therefore, it is imperative we take heed James' exhortation to resist the devil just as Jesus exemplified in His forty days in the wilderness when He was tempted to abandon God's will for selfish ambition. The Word is our only offensive weapon at our disposal as the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), and it will demand that Satan abandon his fruitless attempts at destroying our fellowship with God and one another if we use it accordingly. But we must be in communion and synchronicity with the will of the Father, and that only comes when we commit our lives and submit our selfish will for His will, to the glory of His name.
As we have studied previously, submission is topic that is primarily associated with a woman's role in the context of Biblical marriage. In many ways, submission has rose to the surface of western civilization as one of the most controversial and debatable topics within the church and surrounding culture. It has gasoline-like properties, that if ignited, immediately inflame discussions and engulf any chance of understanding as it pertains to Scripture between those of differing opinions. Submission is polarizing because society is infatuated with driving an "oppression against women" agenda, but society also fails to acknowledge that submission is a universal application for women AND men. Yes, Scripture calls for wives to submit to the authority of their husbands, but it also affirms that husbands submit unto Christ and the authority of His Word; just as children are to obey and submit to the authority of their parents.
God has established hierarchy and family order for a reason, irregardless of whether or not our flesh agrees with that decision. Jesus demonstrated submission by obeying the authority of His Father in heaven by accepting His ordained mission to suffer and die on the cross of Calvary for the forgiveness of sin. When He submitted, He relinquished power and control by obeying His Father's authority despite the fact that He was equal with God the Father in status as part of the Holy Trinity (Philippians 2:5-8). Likewise, husbands and wives are equal heirs in their oneness when they commit to a marital covenant. Husbands are not regarded as holier than their wives because of authority, but there is a hierarchy in place to maintain order within the family unit. Decisions have to be made at times, leadership must be exuded, and God has ordained husbands to fulfill that role. Granted, with that role comes the responsibility of judgment and accountability unto God which wives are exempt of because of their submission to the husband's authority. Wives will still be required to give an account on judgment day, but by submitting unto God through the husband's headship role, the wife is yielding to the husband's authority and allowing him to be held accountable by God for the ultimate decision made.
In light of James 4:7, we must recognize that Satan desires nothing more than chaos, disruption and destruction of the Biblical family unit. Therefore, he employs a myriad of tactics to drive wedges between husbands and wives, parents and children, and society in general. One of his most successful strategies is marital role-confusion and submission plays a critical role in that process. He has also swayed our culture into adopting a spirit of independence and selfish desire for power and control, promoting women to bristle at the thought of submitting to male authority in heterosexual marriage. Freedom of speech and the right to have one's voice heard is the marketing ploy, but it is twisted in assuming that those rights are somehow revoked in Biblical marriage. On the contrary, a healthy Biblical marriage absolutely encourages and exhorts transparent dialogue and difference of opinion to ensure all opinions and insights are expressed in order to make the wisest decision possible (1 Peter 3:7). The husband is simply responsible for speaking the final decision on behalf of the family unit or breaking a deadlock when he and his wife are in disagreement and a decision must be made, thus declaring himself as accountable for the final decision in either case.
The challenge with submission is when a husband presents himself as lazy, hypocritical or blatantly sinful and perverse with little to no integrity or character. In those cases, it is imperative to clarify that submission for any wife is made unto Christ, NOT the husband. She submits through the husband's authority unto Christ. This is critical to understand because it alleviates any temptation to elevate the husband higher than God. Universally, all men are sinful and make unwise/sinful decisions at one point or another. So when a husband is not aligned with God's will as declared in His Word, a wife is still encouraged to submit so long as she is not forced to sin in the process. A wife should never be led (for example) to defile the marriage bed or participate in any illegal acts whatsoever simply because her husband insists she must. She is held accountable by the Word as well and must answer according to it, but her marital role of submission is mandated by God to maintain peace and order in the home.
It takes incredible meekness to fulfill a role of submission, and we as husbands can learn a great deal from our wives by how they respect our headship role so much as to submit under our consistently, imperfect authority. For we as men are called to demonstrate submission in our lives 24/7/365 by how we position ourselves under the authority of Scripture and apply in obedience its teachings. We set the tone for our families. But make no mistake, our culture is infatuated with destroying Biblical doctrine and submission is a platform Satan uses to drive division and animosity both in our interaction with non-believers, within the church body, and in our homes. Therefore, it is imperative we take heed James' exhortation to resist the devil just as Jesus exemplified in His forty days in the wilderness when He was tempted to abandon God's will for selfish ambition. The Word is our only offensive weapon at our disposal as the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), and it will demand that Satan abandon his fruitless attempts at destroying our fellowship with God and one another if we use it accordingly. But we must be in communion and synchronicity with the will of the Father, and that only comes when we commit our lives and submit our selfish will for His will, to the glory of His name.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
James 4:6 (Devotion)
"But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, 'God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'"
In the first five verses of chapter 4, James presents a strong argument concerning the propensity of our flesh toward worldly passions and selfish ambitions. He cites these as causes for fights and quarrels within the church in that we are consumed by our fleshly desires to the point where no intervention is profitable for resolution apart from God. This compels us to various introspective questions. Why is God typically our last resort for intervention and not our first line of defense? Do we not trust His sovereignty in the darkest corners of our hearts? Are we not convinced that His grace is sufficient? James assures us that God has an infinite storehouse of grace reserved, despite our inability to comprehend how a Father would sacrifice His beloved Son to save sinful men. But in fact, that is the choice He made to ensure we would never be cut off from His eternal presence if we so choose to accept His free gift of salvation.
In order to fully grasp this truth, let us focus on 4 simple words: HE GIVES MORE GRACE. God (HE) is the author of creation, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the fountain of wisdom and true peace and happiness are found in Him. It is because of His character, He shares (GIVES) who He is through His Word. And not simply what we need for survival, but a bounty of blessing far greater (MORE) than we could possibly imagine. For true blessing has no monetary or intrinsic value this side of heaven, but eternal prosperity given freely as a gift that is unmerited (GRACE). These 4 simple words define the immeasurable love God has for us because they reveal how patient and long-suffering He is despite our stubborn hardheartedness, but it is our responsibility to adopt these words as absolute truth if we are to claim the blessing they promise.
Those who reject the gift of grace God gives do so in a spirit of pride which reveals their foolishness. They trust in their finite capacities because they are unwilling to relinquish universal control of their lives. They assume false attitudes of bondage when truth is presented before their eyes and reject divine revelation in favor of a false sense of worldly contentment. Pride blinds their logic just as it blinds our logic when we assume the same position toward God. Let us not fool ourselves. James speaks these words to us who have been given divine revelation and thus are without excuse. But we must also remember that God’s Word reminds us that while our efforts/works inevitably are insufficient, His grace is more than sufficient to atone for our inability to attain perfection in our Scriptural application.
There is no doubt that we all struggle to one degree or another with worldliness. Temptations abound despite our most honest efforts to turn away from sin and embrace righteousness. However, God has provided a way of escape through grace and because of love. He does not disregard or ignore the wrathful judgment of His law for that is one-half of His character, but His law is balanced by His love through the cross of Calvary that ensures we are saved if we choose to accept His eternal gift of grace. For those that do, we understand that His grace is new every morning because each day presents us with a new myriad of spiritual attacks that magnify our failures and shortcomings. But again, His grace is sufficient and His patience immeasurable to the glory of His name, our Jealous God and Savior, if we accept it freely. The real question is whether we trust in His sufficiency or continue in pride to seek alternative methods of self-control over complete surrender to Christ.
In the first five verses of chapter 4, James presents a strong argument concerning the propensity of our flesh toward worldly passions and selfish ambitions. He cites these as causes for fights and quarrels within the church in that we are consumed by our fleshly desires to the point where no intervention is profitable for resolution apart from God. This compels us to various introspective questions. Why is God typically our last resort for intervention and not our first line of defense? Do we not trust His sovereignty in the darkest corners of our hearts? Are we not convinced that His grace is sufficient? James assures us that God has an infinite storehouse of grace reserved, despite our inability to comprehend how a Father would sacrifice His beloved Son to save sinful men. But in fact, that is the choice He made to ensure we would never be cut off from His eternal presence if we so choose to accept His free gift of salvation.
In order to fully grasp this truth, let us focus on 4 simple words: HE GIVES MORE GRACE. God (HE) is the author of creation, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the fountain of wisdom and true peace and happiness are found in Him. It is because of His character, He shares (GIVES) who He is through His Word. And not simply what we need for survival, but a bounty of blessing far greater (MORE) than we could possibly imagine. For true blessing has no monetary or intrinsic value this side of heaven, but eternal prosperity given freely as a gift that is unmerited (GRACE). These 4 simple words define the immeasurable love God has for us because they reveal how patient and long-suffering He is despite our stubborn hardheartedness, but it is our responsibility to adopt these words as absolute truth if we are to claim the blessing they promise.
Those who reject the gift of grace God gives do so in a spirit of pride which reveals their foolishness. They trust in their finite capacities because they are unwilling to relinquish universal control of their lives. They assume false attitudes of bondage when truth is presented before their eyes and reject divine revelation in favor of a false sense of worldly contentment. Pride blinds their logic just as it blinds our logic when we assume the same position toward God. Let us not fool ourselves. James speaks these words to us who have been given divine revelation and thus are without excuse. But we must also remember that God’s Word reminds us that while our efforts/works inevitably are insufficient, His grace is more than sufficient to atone for our inability to attain perfection in our Scriptural application.
There is no doubt that we all struggle to one degree or another with worldliness. Temptations abound despite our most honest efforts to turn away from sin and embrace righteousness. However, God has provided a way of escape through grace and because of love. He does not disregard or ignore the wrathful judgment of His law for that is one-half of His character, but His law is balanced by His love through the cross of Calvary that ensures we are saved if we choose to accept His eternal gift of grace. For those that do, we understand that His grace is new every morning because each day presents us with a new myriad of spiritual attacks that magnify our failures and shortcomings. But again, His grace is sufficient and His patience immeasurable to the glory of His name, our Jealous God and Savior, if we accept it freely. The real question is whether we trust in His sufficiency or continue in pride to seek alternative methods of self-control over complete surrender to Christ.
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