I am Like a Rock, Steady and Unchanging

-----While driving home I was thinking upon the last five years since I began putting effort toward understanding God's Word. My theology must have gone through several thousand permutations during the last few years. I went from saying I was a Calvinist (but really not knowing what that meant and actually being very Arminian) to actually being one. I went from viewing this life from somewhat of a charismatic mindset (that is what happens when an immature Christian reads a book from the used book store because it is recommended by a member of the Newsboys) to being completely anti-charismatic to being a little softer in my stand. I went through various stages of legalism to having an appreciation for Christian freedom. I went from having a futurist eschatology to prescribing to partial-preterism. The list could go on and on, but my theology isn't really the point.

-----I realized that there were two things about me that managed to stay the same through all this. First, I have always been right (no matter what my position) and willing to think others were clueless for not thinking what I think. Second, I have always been awesome for being so smart (at least in my own mind). This was a disgusting realization. It would be nice to say any of this has changed, but it has not. I still cannot believe that people are dumb enough to hold views that I held two years ago. What a wretched man am I. “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance... I hate (Proverbs 8:13).”

I Been Lookin' A Lot Like Baal These Days

Time is a talent, or something like that, according to the quote by Jonathan Edwards (or was it Martin Luther?) that someone taped to the inside of the bathroom door earlier this semester. Whoever it was and whatever they said, their point was clear: time is something that we are given stewardship over. I for one am a wicked steward of this precious gift. God has given me, at this time in my life, enough time to comfortably do all I need to do in any given day. Despite this, however, I find myself often staying up late nights, which often leads to getting up early in the morning and pushing Bible reading and prayer to the evening.

None of this would happen if I was not continually wasting time on the Internet. (The Internet is such an amazing blessing. I cannot believe how media and information have become so streamlined and customizable and readily available these days. Have you seen Photosynth?) I cannot blame the Internet for my poor use of time, however. I am keenly aware that my attention span for work is disgustingly low. I simply do not want to work. I want to put it off just ten more minutes, and, once I have finally started, I feel like I have earned a break after ten minutes of work.

I think all of this is a sign that I need to be more satisfied in what God has given me to do. I should not look at work as an unfortunate thing, but as the grace of God. Imagine that I should be allowed to be creative and productive like my Father in heaven! I remember that He had a ration of 6 to 1 of work to rest. I definitely don't shine forth that character. Perhaps I worship Baal, the one who gets so distracted in his musings and content in his rest that, no matter how much I cut myself, he won't get off his lazy butt.

Only Sinners Have Bank Accounts

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?... Therefore do not be anxious.” So many people read this as though He had said, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?... Therefore do not have barns.” Too many people confuse Jesus' statement of fact, “humans do not gather into barns,” with his command, “ do not. Clearly Christ is talking about being anxious, and the whole reason that He mentions barns is to help us see that humans, of all creatures, should not worry. The birds are taken care of and they are not greatly valued (relative to us) and they do not store for safekeeping. How is it that we worry when we are greatly valued and have so many graces like barns and banks? Therefore, keep the barn, keep the bank account, and lose the anxiety.

Perfection Hurts My Brain

Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect...

-----There are stunning implications to the truth that the Word of God is perfect. Everyone judges. Whatever our eyes fall upon we evaluate. This is fine and natural in almost every single instance because we almost never see perfect things. But this will not work when we come upon the only perfect thing we will see in our lifetimes: the Bible. When we look at it we can no longer evaluate what we are looking at, and yet there are things that are unpleasant to us, that seem completely wrong, and that are offensive. Since we know the Bible is perfect, however, we must attribute all the faults we see to ourselves instead of to it. This is one way I think the Bible is like a mirror. We cannot evaluate it but only ourselves as we look at it. For instance, when someone gets offended that God would command Israel to kill every living thing among the Canaanites, they should be ashamed that their mind is so twisted by sin that they cannot see God's right to command such a thing. Practically, when there is a command that contradicts our lives we must not try to change it, but we must seek for God to change us.

Gospel Illustration

The following is a gospel illustration I saw at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville. I absolutely love it, and I hope you are edified by it also. All Christians need to be aware of the truths it illustrates.

1. We first realize our need for the gospel when we become aware of God's holiness, and our sinfulness. As you can see there is a gap between God and man.
2. We trust that Christ has taken the punishment we deserve for violating God's holiness. The gospel of Christ bridges the gap between us and God.
3. As we grow in our relationship with the Lord we become progressively more aware of how great our sin is and how Holy God is. The gap grows in our understanding.4. Now that the gap is bigger. Therefore, we add our good works to what Christ has done. When we do this, however, we are not relying on Christ alone, and thus we violate the gospel.5. Therefore, as we realize more and more how great our sin is and how holy God is. The gospel must become greater to fill the gap. In this way the work of Christ becomes magnified in the our lives.

James 4:11-12

James 4:11-12
-----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. [12] There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

(Note: When we say “judge” neither James nor I mean simply discerning between right and wrong, but we mean a condemning or despising on the basis of discerning someone's life or action as wrong. Indeed James could not write his letter if he intended the former meaning.)

Which Law?
-----In today's passage is a very hard-to-understand statement: “The one who speaks evil against his brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law.” It is critical that this be understood because James' goes on in the passage to correct his audience for judging the law, a charge that would have seemed outrageous to them. Much like the Pharisees in Jesus' time they would have claimed to have loved God's law, a very righteous sentiment (Psalm 119:13). Therefore it is necessary to defend that they actually judge the law.
-----James says that we can judge our brothers in a way that is in some sense judging the law. When we see the word “law” we naturally define it as God's perfect standard. When we see the word “judge” we naturally think of evaluating something by a higher standard. So, based on these definitions, in judging the law we would supersede or contradict the law. However, when we judge our brother we do not of necessity need to do either one of these (although this does happens, like in the case of the Pharisees). To judge our brother all we need is to apply the law—God's perfect standard—and we will find plenty to slander our brother with.
-----Again I ask, how do we judge our brother in such a way that we judge the law by necessity? Perhaps James doesn't mean law in the sense of God's perfect moral standard. If we search Jame's letter we will find that indeed another sense of law exists in his mind. He says in 2:12, “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.” This law of liberty is a merciful law. If we use this definition it becomes perfectly clear what James means: “When you judge your brother without mercy you are saying that the law of liberty is unrighteous in how it forgives and forbears with the sins of those who trust in Jesus.”

Do the Law.
-----James goes on to say, “But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.” This verse becomes clear as we understand that James is talking about the law of liberty. In 2:12,13 James wrote, “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.” Not only is the law of liberty merciful, but it also demands mercy from us. So in order to do the law of liberty we must be merciful as it is merciful (see the Parable of the unforgiving slave in Matthew 18). So when we become judges of the law of mercy and supersede it we do not do the law.
-----James goes on to show to an even greater degree the offensiveness of judging our brother as he places judging and lawgiving exclusively in the realm of God* by virtue of His ability to forgive and punish sins. Christ decides who He will be merciful to and who He will not. May no man, contradict His authority. If Christ has shown mercy to our brothers and sisters, which he has, then let us follow suit.

Review
Do not speak evil against one another [as when you see wrong in your brother's life and thus use it to slander him], brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother , speaks evil against the law [of liberty] and judges [the kindness of] the law [of liberty as wicked in forgiving your brother]. But if you judge the law [and say it is too lenient], you are not a doer of the law [ by being merciful] but [you are] a judge [and thus unmerciful and a law-breaker]. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor [can you forgive and punish sins]? [Do you dare contradict the One who can?]

*In his commentary on this passage Calvin makes a necessary qualification, “And let us remember that the subject here is not civil government, in which the edicts and laws of magistrates have place, but the spiritual government of the soul, in which the word of God alone ought to bear rule.”

Words as Symbols

-----We must depend on God's revelation in scripture to know ultimate truth for two reasons. First, we must rely on what God has given because He demands that His creatures glorify Him by relying on Him fully. This is not something that has developed as a result of the fall, but the fall occurred precisely because of self-reliance.
-----Secondly, we must rely on the scriptures because this is the means by which God has chosen to most glorify His Son. While we may not know all the reasons why He chose written words, it is significant that the Son is called “the Word.” He is not called “the Word” because God searched high and low to find an appropriate symbol. Rather, God has made a world full of words in order to symbolize the nature of His Son as the Word that bears witness to Himself. God exalts His son in the very use of words, and anyone who rejects what God has revealed through words in the scriptures is demonstrating that they reject Christ as the Word.

Motherhood: An Anchor Against Apostasy

This post is dedicated to my mother and grandmother.

-----“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:14-15).”
-----Paul encourages Timothy to continue in the truth in light of the ones from whom he has learned it. The word “whom” is in the plural and thus must refer to a group of people. Matthew Henry identifies them as the apostles. Others identify them as Eunice and Lois, Timothy's mother and grandmother (1:5). The former explanation does not fit well because the context would, if referring to apostolic teaching, at most point to Paul and not to a plurality of apostles. However, Eunice and Lois is very appropriate as they were the ones who taught Timothy “from childhood.”
-----These verses are part of Paul's warning against false teachers who would rise up within Timothy's life, most likely as part of the great apostasy that would precede the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:2,3,11). Paul contrasts the lives of these wicked men first with his own life, and then, in the above verses, with the lives of Eunice and Lois. While the false teachers had lives characterized by wickedness, Timothy's mother and grandmother were apparently women of godly character.
-----How blessed are these women that the Apostle would commend their lives as an anchor for their boy's faith. When parents live lives of holiness in reliance on the gospel they guard against apostasy in their offspring. This is by the grace of God through the faith of His people as they trust that the Lord “keeps covenant... with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9).” Conversely, we may know that a person might drive their offspring to apostasy through an unfaithful life.
-----This should help Christians strive confidently (“with faith”) in the kindness of God. One should live in such a way that, when one's child is older, he can see stark contrast between his parents' lives and the lives of false teachers. Then that child will clearly see the folly of false gospels and cling to the sacred writings that have nourished him since infancy.

Earthly Wisdom, Heavenly Wisdom

Here is a link to download my sermon on James 3:13-18 for those of you who did not hear it.

Blessed is the man.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

-----We have to ask ourselves why this even needs to be stated?

-----Our temptation is to say, “Look how happy they are; they are always so carefree and jovial. They don't withhold anything from themselves. If they want sex, have sex. If they want to lie, they lie. If they want to be lazy and abandon their responsibilities to find fulfillment, they do. They linger over hard drinks and spend the night in revelry. They don't give any thought to there actions if its good or bad. They have money and power. And when they don't they can just get high and forget about it.”

-----The rest of the Psalm is devoted to defending the thesis that we must depart from such people for happiness' sake.

Call to Ministry

-----During my senior year of high school I went to my first youth conference. God used the speaker at that retreat to put the desire to preach in my heart. During the four times I heard him speak I only remembered him reading from the Bible once. He rejected the doctrine of original sin, and he said nothing of the gospel. His concern was that we would no longer eat at Taco Bell or buy clothes from any corporation that didn’t pay its foreign workers an amount he considered fair.

-----I was dismayed that anyone would pay this man to speak to thousands of youth and was sure that the students left the conference more ignorant of the scriptures than when they arrived. In the days that followed I asked myself, “Where are the teachers that are going to undo what this man has just done?” I decided that I could be such a teacher. Except for a period of about a month when I neglected the Word, I have consistently felt confident that I should dedicate my life to teaching God’s people.

-----My goal ultimately is to spend my life teaching the scriptures. I want to follow in the path of the great expositors who have come before me. I want to faithfully nurture a body of believers. I believe that what the church in America needs more than ever are men who will preach the whole council of God, not men who are blown like leaves to whatever topic strikes them as appropriate. I hope that Southern Seminary will give me the tools I need to faithfully proclaim the Word.

"Of Course It Does Nothin'; It's Only A Symbol!"

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

-Romans 6:3-

What he intimated in the last verse -- that Christ destroys sin in his people, he proves here by mentioning the effect of baptism, by which we are initiated into his faith; for it is beyond any question, that we put on Christ in baptism, and that we are baptized for this end -- that we may be one with him.

-John Calvin-

I do not think it stretches the words beyond ordinary use to say that Romans 6:3-4 describes the symbol of dying with Christ rather than the instrument of dying with Christ.... Now here's the analogy I would suggest to show that this language can be the language of symbol, not instrument: "All of us who have put on the ring of marriage have, by putting on this ring, forsaken all others to cleave only to our wives. Therefore by this ring I am united to my wife alone and dead to all others."... In that analogy, the vows stand for faith in Christ, and the ring stands for baptism. And the point is that we often talk this way. We often speak of the symbol as though it brings about what it only signifies.

-John Piper, October 1, 2000-

What is baptism's effect? Does baptism do anything? Many Evangelicals would say, “Absolutely not, baptism does nothing.” Piper echoes this sentiment. He and many of us, when we hear someone say something like, “Baptism now saves you (1Peter 3:21),” can only hear, “You are justified through the act of baptism.” This is clearly the mindset that Piper was arguing against when he spoke the words above. It is a good thing to argue against, because there are some that reject justification by grace, through faith and say that the act of baptism produces saving grace (ex opere operantis ).

But does baptism do nothing? Calvin clearly didn't think so. He had no problem saying that baptism initiates us into Christ's faith and that it joins us to Him. Does this mean that he rejected Sola Fide (justification through faith alone)? Possibly, but he did say that it initiates us “into His faith.” Plus, I am not about to start accusing Calvin of such things.

I personally do not know what baptism does; although, I have heard some very right-sounding suggestions. I am really only writing to point out the logical fallacy in Piper's argument. When he compares the act of baptism to a wedding ring he is begging the question in a very subtle way. He argues that baptism is only a symbol for the faith by which one is covenanted to God, and to do this he uses the symbol of another covenant. Clearly his argument can only be accepted if you already believe that baptism is only a symbol.

What would happen if we tweaked Piper's argument? What if we replaced the wedding ring with the wedding ceremony (after all baptism is more ceremonial than it is ring-like)? In that case, we must say that even if two people claim to have the devotion that the wedding ceremony corresponds to, they are not united until the ceremony. And if a man convinced a woman to have sex with him because “a marriage ceremony is only a symbol for the devotion that I already have toward you,” she will soon find his devotion fleeting. Perhaps we are united to Christ through Baptism and that ceremony obliges us to be devoted to Christ. Perhaps when a baptized person stops trusting Christ he is being unfaithful to the union he entered through baptism. And perhaps all this can be said without undermining Sola Fide. Of course, that's just a possibility.

A Letter From Africa

For everyone who is wondering how Shawna is doing in Africa I am posting this email from her. I have cleaned it up some. Please pray for her to see and savor Jesus Christ while she is in Africa.

------- I've kinda written a rambling email. A lot of things happen in two weeks. I'll try to write it out before I come to the internet cafe next time. I've made some really good friends. I like it here. Chichewa is the language it's not too hard so that's good. I don't know that much, but that's fine.
-----There are 7 other girls than me. We hit it off quickly. Tessa, Sara, and Monica and I are one group. Monica and I (she's the oldest 27) always stay up the latest and get up first. We've laughed a ton. But we're kinda split. I'm with one group and theirs is another group. There seems to be problems with the split for some people. I think it’s fine, but oh well.
-----It's fun here though. It's really pretty. The people here are the nicest people I've ever met and there are so many beautiful people here too. Africa's not at all what I imagined. The landscape is kind of plain with few trees. But the sky is huge! I don't know why it's so big. The big dipper is upside down from us. And the moon is different too--instead of being half on the side, it's on the bottom so it looks like it's smiling at us. I told everyone what Greg said and they laughed. There aren't that many animals here in Malawi. There are a ton of ants. You can get them all of you in a second. But they don't bite or anything so it's not bad-just annoying.
-----I'm staying in a house on the top bunk. We have running water. I haven't gotten sick at all since we've been here. I've learned how to knit and crochet and we cook from scratch a lot. One of the girls Tessa and I made banana bread for breakfast. A lot of things remind me of Memaw and how she does it. O yeah, we have done a lot of dishes. The short term teams come and it appears that we are the maids. But it's fine. We drink warm tea in the mornings and night. We have guards and I make it for them at night. I take a bath at least every other day.
-----Children of the Nations since we didn't really know before hand has houses with house parents and aunties where around 20-30 kids live. These kids were the worst of the worst. Now they are healthy looking. They were the ones who were abused the most and had worms coming out of their nails. But I'm not sad around them cause they are always so happy and nice. I love being around them.
-----We just got a schedule. On Mondays and Wednesdays we'll be teaching. The books look so old. I'm teaching math, English, and general studies which tomorrow will be about animals, what they're for and how to take care of them. My first day is tomorrow. And each classroom is a small building with even smaller windows. I chose a class because of the brightness of it. They don't have electricity in them. The younger kids don't have chairs. The middle grades have chairs. The oldest have some desks. I don't really know what to do tomorrow. I'm by myself. But I'm sure it will be fine.
-----These kids are the most well behaved kids I've ever seen. They are always dirty. In the outer villages the kids have flies swarming them like on the commercials. We got out there and helped the widows. I've fed pigs and ducks, got water from the well, which the Malawian interpretations said I did a very good job cause the other people's water came very slow. ha. When we do that kind of thing the kids and adults will stand around us and laugh at us. That part is kind of uncomfortable. But the kids just love us. Not to sound boastful, but they want to touch you and play with you.
-----They sweep their dirt floors a lot with brooms made from twigs. To be so dirty and dusty, everything's kept clean. I've washed clothes by hand and shuck the corn kernels off of the cob to make ufa for nsema which is like really thick grits or corn meal with water. That's their staple food. It's all right.
-----The second night we were here we went to church where they had dinner. You wash your hands with just water, then roll nsema into a ball and pick up beans or this relish stuff up and eat it. So I thought, “Oh, good getting sick right off the bat,” but we didn't. And I don't drink the water, but I brush my teeth with it and wash fruits and vegetables with it so it's not bad. I've used the “squatty potty” once. It's a hole in a concrete floor that you squat over. I try to not drink too much if I'm going to the villages.
-----If you have extra time with the kids they expect you to tell them a story or teach them a song. So me and another girl told Jonah. That skit from church helped me out. ha. People can't say my name here very well, and I laugh and talk in my sleep, but I knew that. One day we went to an outer village and I helped water the garden which they said I was a professional. haha. I guess I did it just a little less awkwardly than the other girls.
-----But we tried sugar cane. You just bite off the outer layer and then take a chunk and chew on it for the juice then spit it out. Everyone here almost always has a piece in their hand. It was really good. It was like watermelon but sweeter.
-----One day we went on a scavenger hunt at the market which is like an open market with different things and you barter with them but they charge white people a lot more money. It's really, really crowded. I liked it, but then I didn't. But we got food to take home to make like a Malawian over fire.
-----While we were there a boy on my team took a picture of a woman with her baby which she said was fine. Then the husband said no we need to receive money for it, so a huge crowd gathered around, and a Malawian intern with us talked to him, and we ended up going to the police b/c the man wanted money. Nothing happened. They just said no. He deleted the picture; they were just trying to get money. So that was kinda funny.
-----Then we were riding in this bus like vehicle with too many people so three of us were sitting up front in two seats. They have police stops a lot on the roads to check licenses and insurance, and I got in trouble for sitting up there and they were going to give us a fine so I moved in the next seat behind which was already too full so I sat on someone's lap and the policeman just looked at me and said no. So I squeezed in. That was funny too, and the Malawian men who were with us were in the back kinda hiding! ha. They're really nice.
-----The kids gave us welcoming programs where they introduced themselves and sang and danced. I love dancing with the kids. It's so great. They said Bible verses too. I think they know more than most of us. The head guy over COTN here is-Chris. I don't really like him. He seems very prideful. I like the rest of his family though.
-----There's this guy here, Quamie, from Sierra Leone, he just left actually, but they speak Kreol and it's so funny. Thank you is tankee, and so he taught us a song in Kreol that said, “Tell'em tankee, tell'em. Tell Papa God tankee. What He do for me I go tell'm tankee,”and stuff like that that sounded exactly like English except for funny. And then someone said will you translate that for us? So me and Monica and Tessa were laughing so hard and then no one else thought it was funny but that's probably the funniest thing ever. I should have waited to tell you that, but I just couldn't.
-----I've met a lot of Malawians because we're on the campus of African Bible College a lot, like for lunch and dinner. Oh yeah we kinda eat the same stuff here as in America. And most people gain weight when they come here because we eat a lot of high calorie starchy foods. So forget that idea about coming back thin. ha.
-----It's cold here at night and in the morning or anywhere there's not sunshine. I didn't bring enough warm clothes. I keep wearing one that's so dirty. But we have a washing machine we can use periodically so it's fine. I'm really glad for my sleeping bag though.
-----Thank you for your prayers! I love you all. Forward this to any other people who may want to know what's going on.

Go to my othen blog for further letters from Shawna, and updates from seminary.

James 4:4-10

James 4:1-12

-----What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? [2] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. [4] You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. [5] Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? [6] But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." [7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. [9] Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [10] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

-----[11] 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. [12] There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

Adultery

-----Once James has argued that his audience’s sin was a direct result of idolatrously seeking satisfaction apart from God, he begins to scold them. It is worth noting that James never calls into question their confession of faith or their “decision to follow Christ,” but rebukes them under the assumption that they are united to Christ. He calls them adulterers for being unfaithful to that union.

-----James describes their unfaithfulness as “friendship with the world.” Those who are prone to doubt will use such a statement to inflame their doubts. “I choose the things of the world way too often; I must not really be saved.” Their problem wasn’t that they found themselves frustrated with how much they still loved the world and gave into its temptations. Their problem was that they wanted to make peace with the world. They only relied on God’s grace because they thought it allowed them to love the world with impunity. This was the reason that they found themselves enemies of God. What could possibly stir the fury of God more then one who uses His name to hide one’s disdain for Him, and who, in the process of their hypocrisy, causes much distress and much stumbling for those who take His name in genuine affection?

Push-over God or Harsh Taskmaster.

-----James understood from his audience’s hypocritical religion that they considered God to be a push-over. James, therefore, turns to the scripture to reiterate that He is a jealous God. Still assuming the genuineness of his audience’s profession he argues that the God who made His Spirit to dwell within them would not allow that Spirit to be mocked. This is precisely because He is faithful to Himself, even when we are faithless to Him. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13).”

-----The reason that they considered Him to be a push-over was because of His grace (Jude 1:4), but James quickly guards against another error. James didn’t want them to then serve God was a harsh taskmaster because of His jealousy. Trying to please such a God would inevitably lead to a reliance on strenuous law keeping and a denial of faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).”

-----Understanding that faith seeks to receive from God, James encourages them to consider the abundance of God’s grace in verse 6. They were not sacrificing great reward by turning from their worldly pursuits, but they were gaining it. Yes, it was necessary that they sacrifice, not to prove that they could in some noble way put aside happiness, but only in faith that He would give great grace.

What is this grace?

-----James’ audience was led into sundry sins because they envied (2:6) the rich and desired earthly gain. James wanted them to consider such gain as worthless in comparison to knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8). And so he uses the word “grace” to signify the riches of being a friend of God. A careful look at verses 6 through 10 will make it clear that this is James intent.

-----First, the God opposes the proud. He is their adversary. This is placed in contrast with God giving grace to the humble, which would then have to refer to the opposite reality. Therefore when He gives grace to the humble He becomes their friend, and the power that upholds the universe is for them and no longer against them.

-----Second, the reader is told that if they draw near to God then God will draw near to them. Seeking close communion with God is one of the ways that James tells his readers to act in light of the abounding grace of God. They are also told to do this in light of the fact that He will draw close in love. And so God's abounding grace must be or be related to His affection.

-----Finally, they are told that if they humble themselves before the Lord they will be exalted. This exaltation is parallel with the grace given to the humble in verse 6. Consider this command in place of that proverb, “But He gives more grace. Therefore humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” So the grace that God gives seems to be this exaltation. This isn't a worldly exaltation or it would defeat James' entire argument. This is the exaltation that ultimately exalts God's excellence. He said the poor should boast in in this exaltation in chapter 1 (see commentary on verses 9-11). From verse 5 of chapter 2 we can see that it at least includes God's favor granted (not because of what we have done, of course), being able to trust God, and being part of His kingdom.

-----All these together demonstrate that James appeals to the richness of knowing God to turn his readers from idolatry. Whereas he first used threats he now uses treasure to entice his readers. His audience was to serve God because there is none more desirable to have working for your good. Or to say it another way, his audience was to serve God because His intimate affection is promised. Or to say it another way, his audience was to serve God because He is gracious to grant faith and entrance into His kingdom.

Review

-----You adulterous people [who are unfaithful to your union with Christ]! Do you not know that [affection for] the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world [as you do under the pretense of fidelity] makes himself an enemy of God [for He, as a jealous husband, demands that you be satisfied in Him]. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose [as when the weak and effeminate speak] that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the [Holy] spirit that He has made to dwell in us [, His covenant people]"? But He gives more grace [in that He is not only Jealous, but to know Him is fantastically satisfying]. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace [as He befriends] the humble." [He isn't going to humble you just to make you miserable.] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. [Oh! What precious reward.] . Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. [For all these are part of being humble before the Lord.] Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you [to riches in Him that will make sin unappealing].

James 4:1-3

James 4:1-4

-----What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? [2] You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. [3] You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. [4] You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

The Testimony of Fellowship

-----James has just finished telling his readers that worldly wisdom results in disorder and that godly wisdom produces peace. Now, lest his readers think that they are an exception to this principle, James addresses the reason there is disorder in their fellowship. The discord among them stemmed ultimately from spiritual adultery (v.4). Although James' audience tried to appear righteous, the condition of their fellowship testified against them. As Jesus said, “By this will all people know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

How is quarrellings a manifestation of spiritual adultery?

-----Because Christ creates and sustains all things, He is the only ultimate source all things must turn to for satisfaction. Christ is the only thing that people can pursue whole-heartedly and find riches abundant enough to satisfy themselves while still having abundant enough riches remaining that they may freely give to satisfy all those they are called to love. “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water (John 7:37,38).'”

-----Those who seek satisfaction in other things do so to the detriment of those around them. This is why the second greatest commandment is like unto the first. “'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-39).'” When James saw quarreling among his audience He knew that their religiosity was a false boast.

You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.

-----Those who have their affections set on Christ remember to be satisfied in all God has given. On the other hand, coveting never ends in satisfaction. To covet is to set our affections on those things that God has not given to us. Coveting is an act of rebellion which rejects satisfaction in Christ by seeking satisfaction in what He has not given. One can never obtain what they are coveting because as soon as one receives what they have coveted they continue their rebellion by desiring something else.

-----This constant striving leads to disordered relationships such as those among James' audience. Love and peace are not too high a sacrifice for those who are determined to be satisfied in things that can never satisfy them. While not really engaged in wars and murder, they spoke the poisonous words which characterize the unregenerate (Romans 3:13).

----John Calvin wrote eloquently about this passage, “God, indeed, whom they owned not as the author of blessings, justly disappointed them. For when they contended in ways so unlawful, they sought to be enriched through the favor of Satan rather than through the favor of God. One by fraud, another by violence, one by calumnies, and all by some evil or wicked arts, strove for happiness. They then sought to be happy, but not through God. It was therefore no wonder that they were frustrated in their efforts, since no success can be expected except through the blessings of God alone.”

Welcome to the Overflow

James 3:13-18

James 3:13-18

-----Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. [15] This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. [16] For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. [17] But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. [18] And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Meekness and Wisdom.

-----In the first part of the chapter James corrected his readers’ harsh condemnation of others by demonstrating that those who are condemning and unmerciful will receive and deserve the greater condemnation. He now tells those who are spiritually discerning (wise) enough to judge others that they must demonstrate such competency through humility and good works. James’s makes this exhortation because his readers neither had good works nor meekness. Despite a lifestyle that ignored personal holiness, particularly in their use of the tongue, they arrogantly considered themselves to be religious (James 1:26, 27).

Jealousy and Selfish Ambition.

-----Verse 14 reveals that the reason for the wicked behavior of James’s audience is that they were jealous and selfishly ambitious. James’s readers are jealous of the “worldly rich,” as I have called them (see commentary on James 1:9-11). That is why in two places (1:10 and 5:1-6) James uses the impending judgment upon the worldly rich to motivate his readers to persevere. Their jealousy toward the rich led them to pervert judgment against the poor (2:5, 6). It also led to quarreling, which James addresses in chapter 4.

-----The ambition that James speaks of is his audience’s desire for earthly gain. James calls this ambition “selfish.” This implies that there is unselfish ambition. The difference between the two types of ambition is important. Selfish seeks its own good from another source than Christ. Not only is this ambition idolatry, it also is destructive to everyone involved. Unselfish ambition, however, seeks its own good from Jesus. Jesus continually encouraged his listeners to be ambitious: seek treasures, be shrewd, be violent for the kingdom, and so on. When one is ambitious for Christ it is not selfish, although it is self-serving. When one seeks to live this life in anticipation of enjoying Christ they benefit those around them in many ways, most importantly by pointing them toward Christ.

Destructive Wisdom

-----James then lands a heavy blow against their religious pride. He informs these people who thought they were religious that their wisdom was at best from earth and at worst from hell. James understood (even if his audience did not) that they were not really concerned about righteousness. After all, if they had been, they would have been more concerned with correcting their own sin than in correcting others. James saw that they were not motivated by love, but by desire for worldly status.

----- Imagine the indignation of such people. They had deceived themselves into thinking that they were doing God’s work. They see wickedness in the lives of others and they correct it. They must have considered it ridiculous that James would say they were acting in a way that corresponds with devilish wisdom, when they were working to stop wicked behavior. James, however, says that their judging of others was leading to quarreling and other wicked behavior. They were actually creating more wickedness through their actions.

-----No one should doubt the extent that unworthy desires can affect the intellect. They had so deceived themselves in their desire for earthly prominence that they came to view their standing before God in a way that completely contradicted the evidence. While they were violating justice and leading those in the congregation to more sin they believed themselves to be righteous and executors of righteousness.

Wisdom From Above

-----James then turns to address the qualities of one who is capable of true spiritual discernment, all of which James audience was lacking.

-----First Pure. Those who are wise from above consider personal holiness to be their first priority. There is nothing that grieves them more than their own sin. James’s audience ignored their own purity (James 1:22-24).

-----Then Peaceable. Those who are wise from above take after their redeemer, The Prince of Peace. Next to righteousness, they consider peace to be of supreme value. (Hebrew 12:14) James’s audience was quick to stir up strife (James 1:19-20).

-----Gentle. Those who are wise from above fear the Lord. Realizing how Christ has been gentle with them even though they are by nature repugnant to him, they strive to handle others gently, lest they should stir up the Father’s anger against them. (Matthew 18:28) James’s audience reproved others harshly (James 2:13).

-----Open to Reason. Those who are wise from above take reproof quickly. Because they know their hearts they are quick to question their intent. (James 1:19) James’s audience ignored the reproofs of scripture (James 1:26).

-----Full of Mercy. Those who are wise from above, because of god’s infinite mercy to them, overflow with the desire to forgive offenses. (Matthew 18:21-35) James’s audience was unmerciful.

-----Full of Good Fruits. Those who are wise from above give evidence of the indwelling spirit through their manner of life. (Galatians 5:22) James’s audience’s twisted understanding of justification by faith allowed them to be confident in their salvation despite their fruitlessness (James 2:14-26).

-----Impartial. Those who are wise from above rejoice in truth and justice. Perversion of justice is an aversion to their character (Deuteronomy 16:19).

-----Sincere. Those who are wise from above do not feign religion. James’s audience loved the world under the pretense of loving Christ (James 4:4)

-----James reiterates that only through these things can a body of believers grow in righteousness.

My P.O.E.

"I am much afraid that schools will prove to be the gates of hell unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures, engraving them in the hearts of youth. I advise no one to place their child where the Scriptures do not reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not increasingly occupied with the word of God must become corrupt." Martin Luther, A.D. 1537

James 3:1-12

James 3:1-12

-----Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. [2] For we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. [3] If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. [4] Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. [5] So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

-----How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! [6] And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. [7] For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, [8] but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. [9] With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. [10] From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. [11] Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? [12] Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Context.

-----Once James has thoroughly refuted the objection of those who would misuse the doctrine of justification by faith to defend wicked behavior, he returns to correct their conduct. In chapters 3 and 4 James reemphasizes concerns that he has already addressed in his letter: abusive speech, spurious religion, and spiritual adultery.

Not many of you should become didaskalos.

-----Most translations leave the impression that James’s concern is only about teaching. “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” The fullness of the word for teachers, “didaskalos,” is lost in translation. The word can be translated, “instructor,” “master,” or “teacher.” The verb, “teach,” is generally added to the verse by translators. More accurately the verse reads, “Not many of you should become teachers/masters, my brothers, for you know that we shall receive greater judgment.”

-----Most commentators understand James to be arguing that because of their greater stewardship teachers will be judged with greater judgment, but there is a meaning that fits more closely with the general context: “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. (Matthew 7:1,2)” Some in James audience practiced a very self-exalting, worldly form of religion (James 1:26,27). This boastful religion led them to judge others harshly. James warns, however, that they would be judged according to their own unmerciful standards (James 2:12,13). This would be a major problem for them because, as we have seen (1:19-21, 26-27), these very same people practiced no restraint with their tongue, and those who do not restrain their tongue do not restrain their body either, and they will not be able to stand if they are to be judged with the strictness they apply to others.

-----The passage that James begins in 3:1 ends with an exhortation (James 3:9) to cease speaking evil of, cursing, the brethren, “With [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.” If we go to 4:11 we see with more clarity what the cursing of the brethren is. “The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law.” So the wicked use of the tongue that will testify against them is the same as the harsh judgment they are applying to others.

A Judgment Parable.

-----James presents a major problem for these Christians who love to put themselves in the position of judging others. Their harsh judgment of others will result in a harsh judgment of themselves, and their harsh judgment of others will testify against them that they have failed to live up to their own standard. Let me illustrate this truth with the following parable from Matthew 7:

-----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? [4] 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? [5] 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.

-----There once were two men. The first, “Dan Logman,” has a log in his eye. Logman’s log is nourished by its root. This rout is named “Worldly Pride” and it runs deep into his heart. Worldly Pride has deceived Logman into believing himself to be a righteous man because he has no speck of wood in his eye. He sees other people in his congregation walking around with specks and says, “These sinners are disgusting; they need to get rid of their specks.”

The second, “Pete Speckman,” has a speck in his eye. Unlike Logman’s log, Speckman’s speck is a dead shard of wood from a maple that the LORD killed long ago. One day the speck is noticed by Logman. In his fury, Logman tries to remove the speck, but in the process he remove’s Speckman’s eye. Dan Logman is confused, “I wonder why that wicked man’s eye came out. It probably was God’s judgment.”

-----James comes up to Dan Logman and says, “Dan, you injured Pete when you tried to remove his speck.”

-----Logman replies, “Oh, year right. Don’t make me out to be wicked like that Pete Speckman. I applied no more force to removing that Speck than I thought I needed, but it does take a lot of force to remove a wicked speck. Besides, I was really careful.”

-----James comes back, “No, you hacked at his eye with a pair of tweezers! That’s violent! You shouldn’t be quick to put yourself in the position to remove specks from people’s eyes because the amount of violence that you apply in removing debris from the eyes of others will be applied to you.”

-----“Big deal, James. It isn’t like I have any debris in my eye.”

-----At this point James hands Dan a mirror, and shows him a log in his eye that has engraved on the side, “The Log of Violent Speck Removal.”

-----James explains, “That log grows from a root: Worldly Pride. The root makes specks seem larger than they are. It impairs your judgment so that you are violent in removing other’s specks. Your debris is much greater than Dan’s was. The Lord is coming soon to remove debris. He’ll remove your log with the same violence with which you removed Dan’s speck. If you don’t get rid of that log of violent speck removal you won’t just lose an eye, but you will die as that log is run through the back of your head.”

A Perfect Man?

-----James 3:2 seems to destroy all hope for the one who wants to gain control of his tongue. “We all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” Everyone stumbles. Those who can bridle their tongue do not stumble. Therefore no one is able to bridle their tongue. This is a sound logical argument, but a closer look at James’s letter rules-out such a meaning. His purpose in 3:2 is not to make his audience despair that there is no hope for overcoming their wicked tongues. We can know this because he commands control of the tongue elsewhere in the letter. “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. (James 1:19)” “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. (James 1:26)” “Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. (James 4:11)” “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold; the Judge is standing at the door. (James 5:9)”

----- Even as James expects his audience to bridle their tongues, he admits that there is no taming the tongue (v.8). We may lament always at the wickedness of our tongue (as James seems to in this passage), but through the strength the Spirit provides we continually try to bring it into submission to Christ. In using the word “perfect” it is likely that James is responding to the high opinion they had of themselves. They judged others as if they themselves needed no mercy so they must have believed they were perfect. James here begins his demonstration (v.3-5) that if they really want to be perfect they must restrain their wicked tongues. Also, James’s idea of perfection is not necessarily a lack of moral failing. Perhaps when he says “perfection” he means Christian character that is consistent with true faith. James said in 2:22 that Abraham’s faith was completed (“teleios” the same word as in 3:2) by his works. In 1:4 his concern is that his audience would be perfect, not lack the steadfastness which comes from true faith.

The Exceeding Wickedness of the Tongue.

-----In verses 3-12 James uses several illustrations to demonstrate why wicked speech is worse than other sins. The horse and the ship illustrations demonstrate that those who do not restrain a harsh, condemning tongue do not restrain themselves as a whole from wickedness. The fire illustration demonstrates that wicked speech leads to other evils. The beast illustration demonstrates that in the fight for holy speech is a continual battle in this life.

A Final Warning.

-----James expresses that using his tongue against his brother is not something that is foreign to him (v.9). “We bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people.” Even as an apostle he bares witness to the fact that the tongue may be bridled, but it is never tamed in this life. Unless we might think, however, that this makes an abusive, judging tongue acceptable James reiterates his point. Verses 9-11 is a repeat of a warning that he has already given his readers: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. (1:26)” No one should think that he belongs to Christ if he will not turn from his wickedness. To that end he says that no one can think that they are worshipers of God, if all they care to offer him is salt water.

-----To that end let us spend our lives working to control our tongues and offer the Father the freshest water possible. Let us look to Christ, the living water, and seek to imitate his endless founts. Then may we come before the Father weeping because our sacrifice is still far too salty for a king. Then may we look to Him who is the living water to make the sacrifice in our place.

Review

-----Not many of you should become [masters], my brothers, for you know that we who [judge] will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways [and need God’s grace], and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. [So how will you who sin in what you say stand before a stricter judgment?] If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. [Similarly you who do not direct your tongue are neglecting the greatest part.]

-----So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things [so don’t think that your sins are less than those of others]. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. [Is it clear yet that you judge your sins too lightly?] With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. [Don’t be satisfied with such a situation!] Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. [So don’t think you can be a worshiper of God if you are happy with dark things proceeding from your mouth (1:17,18).]