JAMES CHAPTER 1 (A.D. 60) INTRODUCTION 1 James (the Brother of our Lord), a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (he never referred to himself as an Apostle, even though he definitely was one [Gal. 1:19]), to the Twelve Tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (This proclaims the fact that the Twelve Tribes of Israel were still in existence, so ten of them were not lost as some claim.) VICTORY 2 My Brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations (refers not so much to the allurement of sin, as it does testing and trials); 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your Faith works patience. (If it is genuine Faith, testing serves to develop its persistence.) 4 But let patience have her perfect work (means we must not grow discouraged regarding the test or trial we are going through), that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (The goal in view is that Believers “may be mature and complete.”) FAITH 5 If any of you lack wisdom (pertains to proper knowledge of the Word of God), let him ask of God, Who gives to all men liberally (the Lord gives to those who ask, providing they ask the right thing; a greater knowledge of the Word of God is always the right thing), and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (This means when we ask wisdom of Him, He will not reproach or chide us for our past conduct. He permits us to come in the freest manner, and meets us with a spirit of entire kindness, and with promptness in granting our requests.) 6 But let him ask in Faith (some accuse James of denigrating Faith; however, he actually does the very opposite, making Faith a criteria for all things), nothing wavering (nothing doubting). For he who wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (He who continuously veers from one course to another only reveals his own instability and lack of a sense of being under Divine control.) 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. (This points to a particular type of individual, one who has a “doubting heart.”) 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (One cannot place one’s Faith in the Cross and something else at the same time. Such produces instability, a type of Faith that will never be honored by the Lord.) HUMILITY 9 Let the Brother of low degree (refers to one who is “lowly, insignificant, weak, and poor”) rejoice in that he is exalted (refers to the greatest place and position of all, one’s position in Christ): 10 But the rich, in that he is made low (is meant to point toward trust in riches, which lowers one in the sight of God): because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. (Worldly riches are temporal. We lose them quickly, or else we die and leave them.) 11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower thereof falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes (presents an apt illustration for all things that are of this world): so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. (The man fades, whether the riches do or not.) ENDURANCE 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation (refers to the test of Faith): for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life (refers to a reward much greater than the price paid), which the Lord has promised to them who love Him. (If we truly love Him, we will truly keep His Commandments [Jn. 14:15], which we can do with the help of the Holy Spirit, Who requires that our Faith ever rest in the Cross [Rom. 6:3-5, 11, 14].) TEMPTATION 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God (we must not assume that enticement to sin comes from God; it never does!): for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts He any man (God’s omnipotent Holy Will fully resists any direction toward sin): 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (The temptation to sin appeals to a moral defect in us, even in the best, for none are perfect.) 15 Then when lust has conceived (speaks of evil lust), it brings forth sin (as stated, these temptations do not come from God, but from the appetites of man’s sinful nature, which is a result of the Fall; the sin nature can be held at bay, and is meant to be held at bay by the Believer anchoring his Faith in the Cross of Christ, which will then give the Holy Spirit latitude to help): and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. (This refers to spiritual death, because sin separates man from God.) 16 Do not err, my beloved Brethren (James is saying to Believers, “don’t be deceived; sin is the ruin of all that is good.”) GOD’S GOODNESS 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above (presents the Gift of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom every “Perfect Gift” is given), and comes down from the Father of Lights (evil is darkness; light is goodness), with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (This is what God is, and He will never change.) 18 Of His Own Will begat He us with the Word of Truth (presents the imparting of Divine Life through the Word, and is of unspeakable significance), that we should be a kind of Firstfruits of His creatures. (“Firstfruits” represent not only what we have received, which, in effect, is a promise of what we are to receive in the future, but as well recognizes the principle of Divine Ownership and all that we possess.) CHRISTIAN LIVING 19 Wherefore, my beloved Brethren, let every man be swift to hear (refers to the Word of God), slow to speak (could be translated, “slow to murmur”; we shouldn’t murmur at all, but knowing the human heart, “slow to murmur” is more within our reach), slow to wrath (all of these things can be handled at the Cross, and only at the Cross): 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the Righteousness of God. (This proclaims the fact that the anger and irritation of the natural heart do not produce anything God accepts as Righteous.) 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness (refers to moral impurity) and superfluity of naughtiness (increased evil to which moral impurity will lead; these things can be laid aside only by the Believer understanding that all things come to him through Christ and what He did at the Cross, which demands that the Cross ever be the Object of our Faith; in this capacity, the Holy Spirit, without Whom we cannot function, will use His Power on our behalf in order to give us victory), and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (The story of the Bible, i.e., “the Word,” is the story of the Cross.) 22 But be ye doers of the Word (the “Word” has the potential to do great and mighty things within our lives), and not hearers only (while hearing the Word is definitely necessary, at the same time it must be heard properly, and that refers to a heart that wants to receive), deceiving your own selves. (It’s bad enough to be deceived by others, but worse yet to purposely deceive ourselves. If we think we can live this life without total Faith in Christ and the Cross, we are doing exactly what James said not to do, “deceiving ourselves.”) 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass (he sees only that which is external and, therefore, cannot make a proper evaluation): 24 For he beholds himself, and goes his way (which is not God’s Way), and straightway forgets what manner of man he was. (An evaluation of ourselves is necessary. However, it is God Alone Who knows the heart which the Word of God, properly presented, reveals.) 25 But whoso looks into the perfect Law of Liberty (defines the whole body of revealed truth concerning the Word of God), and continues therein (there must be a continuous abiding in the Word), he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (Obeying the Word of God brings great Blessing. However, the only way it can be obeyed is for the Believer to unequivocally place his Faith in Christ and the Cross.) 26 If any man among you seem to be religious (would have been better translated, “if any man among you seems to be spiritual”), and bridles not his tongue (again, only the Holy Spirit within our lives can do this), but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. (This would have been better translated, “profession is vain.”) 27 Pure religion (should have been translated, “pure spirituality”) and undefiled before God and the Father is this (refers to that which pleases God), To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction (proper Faith will always produce proper works), and to keep himself unspotted from the world (Victory in everyday life and living, which again must have the help and Power of the Holy Spirit).
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 14:30:10 +0000
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