Trailblazin Ministries Devotions

1 Thessalonians Chapter 3 Overview

LaRosa Johnson — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:00:00 +0000

So far, in our overview of 1 Thessalonians, much of what we have encountered has been Paul expressing his love and appreciation for Thessalonica Bible Church and recalling the ministry that was performed during his brief stay in the city. Our study today, in chapter 3, remains very much in line with what Paul has already covered. This chapter is more of a recap, at least for us as readers, and gives us a detailed description of what happened after Paul, Silas, and Timothy were chased out of town. So, if hearts and minds are clear, let's dive into this chapter overview.

As we just said in the opening, this chapter primarily centers around the events that took place after Paul and his team were kicked out of Thessalonica by the unbelieving Jews. Like chapter two, we again have three primary divisions: 1) the ministry of Timothy (vv. 1-5), 2) Timothy's encouraging report (vv. 6-10), and 3) prayer for the church (vv. 11-13).

If you remember, in our survey of chapter 2, it closed with Paul longing to return to Thessalonica so that he could visit with these believers (2:17-20). Well, when you get to chapter 3, you realize that this missionary team has been forced all the way down to Athens by their protesters (3:1), after being forced out of both Thessalonica and Berea. With Paul wondering how the church was doing and wanting to go back, he and Silas decided to send Timothy back into Thessalonica. Because of his youth, Timothy was not involved in any of the scuffle that took place when Paul was chased out; therefore, he was free to return without consequence. As best we can tell from Scripture, this was Timothy's first official training assignment; his primary mission was to encourage and strengthen Thessalonica Bible Church in their faith (v. 2). We also find out in verse 5 that Timothy's secondary mission was to investigate any Satanic activity amongst the believers and report it back to Paul and Silas. This was a tremendous responsibility for such a youth, but Timothy was more than up to the task.

After an undetermined amount of time in Thessalonica, Timothy finally returns to Paul and Silas, meeting up with them in the city of Corinth (v. 6). Timothy's arrival is marked by a very encouraging report, that involves both a continued faith and love, which we find Paul making mention of in the beginning of this epistle (1:2-3). What Paul finds more than anything in Timothy's report is that everything he has felt towards the church has been reciprocated back to him, which will become a lesson for us in the reciprocal nature of spiritual encouragement. Paul thought of them and constantly prayed for the church; and, the church always thought of him and his team, always lifting them up in prayer. And just as Paul longed to see them, they longed to see him also. Because of this two-way rejoicing, Paul couldn't help but to be at a loss for words by which he could offer up praise to His Father in heaven (3:9-10); either way, Paul found a way to rejoice and give thanks.

Finally, after much thanksgiving, Paul offers up a prayer for Thessalonica Bible Church (vv. 11-13). In this prayer, he prays that God would once again lead him to them, since they both longed to see each other. He also prayed that they would continue to increase in their love for one another, but not just each other, but everyone. His desire was for them to continue to be marked by their labor of love (1:3) so that they would be without blame at the Lord's return. In other words, Paul prayed for them to live holy lives unto the Lord.

It's at this point that Paul is done reflecting upon his ministry efforts at Thessalonica. As we move forward into chapters 4 and 5, we find Paul beginning to offer up instructional teaching and doctrine that will help to solidify the truths that they have already learned. We will get into that next time; but, until then, keep your armor on and love one another!

1 Thessalonians Chapter 2 Overview

LaRosa Johnson — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0000

After opening his letter with heartfelt praise and thankfulness toward Thessalonica Bible Church, Paul continues on in the second chapter with his gracious attitude and reminiscence over the abundance of blessings reaped at this church. The bulk of this chapter focuses on the time that Paul spent in Thessalonica and the reception that he received while there. That is going to be our focus today as we take a survey of this chapter and investigate Paul's preaching of the gospel to the Thessalonicans. So, if we're ready for the study of God's truth, let's begin.

When broken down into its parts, more than half of this chapter's attention is given over to Paul remembering the details of what transpired during his brief time in Thessalonica (vv. 1-12). In referring back to our overall outline, we see that this section is labeled "Paul's Conduct & Example" and "Founding the Church." Both of these things are described for us in this chapter. As we walk through the chapter, the very first thing that we notice is that Paul and his team had already been mistreated because of the gospel, only to enter into Thessalonica and face further opposition because of the gospel message (vv. 1, 2). Further detail regarding their opposition is given in Acts 17, as well as later on in the chapter. But moving on, Paul states that amid the trouble, he preached a simple and pure gospel message, that had no pretense for seeking personal gain (vv. 3-6). That's an important point to note, because it would have been one thing if he had come into town seeking glory and fame for himself, but Paul did it with the sole intention of seeing souls come to Christ.

Once Paul had seen souls come to Christ and marked the founding of Thessalonica Bible Church, he didn't just stop there and skip town. Instead, Paul goes on to state that he began to tenderly nurture them by imparting the truth of Scripture and sharing his life with these new believers (vv. 7-12). In many ways, Paul cared for these believers in the same way that a mother would nurse and take care of her newborn child. Furthermore, Paul elaborates on the upright witness that he lived before them as he preached the gospel, living a blameless life, proving that was he spoke was true. And, just as he had cared for them as a mother would her child, he also states that he was firm with them like a father would be toward his sons, urging them to walk in a manner worthy of the God who saved them. The beautiful thing about this passage is that it really shows the love and care that Paul, Silas, and Timothy had for this church, being both gentle and firm in their teaching and ministry.

It is in verses 13-16 that we get into Paul's thankfulness toward the Thessalonicans because of their positive reception toward the word of God. Not only did they believe it, but they believed it for what it was, not mere words from men, but the living and true word of God. And, just like Thessalonica Bible Church became imitators of Paul and his team, he also lets them know that they are following in the example of the believers in Judea who were being persecuted by the Jews because of their Christian faith. In this, there is also a word of encouragement, as Paul lets them know that their persecutors are storing up wrath for their sins and God will repay them in the proper time. So, not only is Paul thankful for them believing in the gospel, but for also standing firm in the face of adversity and ridicule.

Finally, this chapter closes with Paul longing to return to Thessalonica (vv. 17-20). If you remember in Acts 17, Paul and his team were run out of town by the unbelieving Jews, causing them to leave this newly founded church, leaving them behind with much persecution hovering about. He even makes mention that he had made attempts to return, but the adversary prevented him from doing so each time. Either way, Paul reminds them that he is still there in spirit and knows that he will see them again at some point in the future, even if it's in the presence of the Lord. The point that Paul makes, though, is that he really wants to see them face-to-face and trusts that he will do so.

As we wrap up this chapter, we can see pretty clearly that Paul is enthusiastic about this group of believers. Even while facing some difficult circumstances, Paul remains encouraged in knowing that they were able to persevere and stand firm in the truth of God's Word. He is confident in what he's taught them and trusts that they will continue, even in his absence, which he hopes is short. I only hope that, as present day believers, we could live up to the same standard that the Thessalonicans set for us. Until next time, keep walking in a manner worthy of the God who called you!

Evolution - 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

LaRosa Johnson — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:17:51 +0000

Artist: 116 Clique (Sho Baraka)
Song: Evolution
Album: 13 Letters

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This devotion is written with several things in mind and on my heart this morning, and I also think it fits in perfectly with what we recently studied in the epistle of James over the past year or so. On the 13 Letters album put out by the 116 Clique and Reach Records there is a song by Sho Baraka titled "Evolution" that speaks of his growth as a Christian and how he has evolved from an unregenerate sinner into one who now seeks after the things of God and His holiness. I really like this song as it is one that I, and the majority of other believers, can relate to; I used to be that (a sinner), now I'm this (a child of God). Searching the Scriptures, I found one passage in particular that fits well with this, and it happens to be from one of Paul's thirteen letters.

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NASB) - 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

I'm not going to get deep today, I'm just going to lay it out there like it is. When we were sinners, we were a part of the world's system and doing the world's things. We gave headway to the flesh and very easily allowed ourselves to fulfill its lusts and desires without so much as a second thought. We were gladly living the life we wanted to live and didn't care that we were going to hell; instead, we thought it was going to be a party where we could do whatever we want (oh, how unbiblical is that?!). Once we met Christ and were confronted with the gospel, a choice had to be made: 1) continue on the path that leads to sin and death, or 2) accept Christ's atonement and live a life that is pleasing to Him. For the vast majority reading this right now, including myself, you chose the second option and are now striving to live a life that is pleasing to the Father. Simply put, you have evolved from a wretched sinner on his way to hell into a new creation born of the Spirit of God that now seeks to do the Father's will. Even now, we are still evolving from where we are now through the process of sanctification, as we continually grow in holiness.

That's the way it should be, and as we continue to evolve, we take on more of the character of Christ and do the things that He wants, and less of what we used to do. We find passages like Philippians 4:8 and Romans 12:1-2 that tell us to renew our minds and think on these (godly) things. We also hit up passages like Psalm 119:11 that remind us to keep the Word hidden in our heart so that we don't sin against our heavenly Father. And like in James 1:19, we are "quick to hear" the Word of God and we run with brothers and sisters who like to "study Greek and Hebrew." Our evolution is a positive one and it is the kind of image that God had in mind for us when He saved us from the penalty of death and the grave. We are evolving to be made more like Him, and less like the world.

Unfortunately, there are others who seem to be doing the opposite; they appear to have come a long way in the faith, only to halt their evolutionary process and recess into the ways of the world. So many of them try to justify it as simply "a season" or that God ultimately knows their heart, and so many other excuses to fall back into the ways of the world, and many unrepentantly. When I see brothers and sisters like this, I think back to what Paul said in Romans when he rhetorically asked if we should continue sinning (and sin more) so that the grace of God might abound in a greater capacity. Paul's response? Certainly not! Just because God saved us from our sin, doesn't mean that we should keep doing it, thinking that He's going to get more glory out of atoning for those sins. And also remember that this is all a fleshly ordeal and has nothing to do with God. Like in our study of James, we see that God plays absolutely no part in our falling into sin, but only when we take our eyes off God and give in to the lusts of our flesh. And those sins we have to think out very clearly before we act on it, so it's definitely no spur of the moment deal.

No matter who we are in the body of Christ, God calls us to be holy. In 1 Peter 1:16 it says, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." God wants us to strive for holiness. That's what evolution and spiritual growth is all about, growing in holiness. Growing in holiness means putting to death the evil deeds of the flesh and saturating ourselves with the things of God. Only when we do that will we evolve into what God wants us to be. Remember, we are to be in the world, and not of it; and even while we are in the world, we must take on heaven's mentality.

1 Thessalonians Chapter 1 Overview

LaRosa Johnson — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Having looked at 1 Thessalonians as a whole, we now want to begin to digest things a bit further as we begin to survey each chapter. Today, we're going to focus our attention on the first chapter and get a broad look at how Paul opened his letter to Thessalonica Bible Church. So, if hearts and minds are ready for the study of spiritual truth, let's dive in.

First looking back at our general outline for the entire book, notice that we've broken down this first chapter into two primary divisions. The first verse (1 Thess 1:1) serves as the formal introduction, while the remainder of the chapter (vv. 2-10) have Paul expressing his appreciation for their great example of living out the faith. In looking at this breakdown, it's possible to say that there is really only one section, Paul's thanksgiving, but when you look at it deeper, it can be broken down further. So, let's spend some time walking through the text and surveying the chapter.

The first area of importance comes in verses 1-4 where Paul is able to give thanksgiving to God for the faith, love & hope that this church was able to exhibit. In giving thanksgiving to God, a major part of Paul's thankfulness included a constant remembrance of these believers in his prayers. Whenever Paul had the opportunity to think about Thessalonica Bible Church, he went to the Lord in prayer, thankful that they were able to have a steadfastness in their faith, an abundance in their love, and an undying hope for their Savior's return. All things considered, these believers were in the best possible situation in God's eyes, and it was exciting for Paul to have had such a fruitful ministry during his brief stay there.

Not only was Paul thankful for their faith, love & hope, but he was also grateful for their willingness to follow the example that he & his missionary team were able to put on display (vv. 5, 6). Even though his stay was short, Paul, along with Silas and Timothy, was able to impart biblical truth to this newly founded church in the power of the Holy Spirit; and, because their work was done in the power of the Spirit, it allowed them to model a godly lifestyle before these people. Not only did they get to hear the teaching of the Word of God, but they also got to see it lived out in the lives of these missionaries. Seeing that it was authentic, the members of Thessalonica Bible Church quickly became imitators of the godly example set before them. What's more, they did this even when it wasn't convenient to them, facing persecution and trouble all along the way.

Do you want to know the great thing about Thessalonica Bible Church so quickly becoming imitators of Paul, Silas, and Timothy? It's that they immediately applied the doctrine to their lives and became believers who were unashamed of sharing their faith with others (vv. 7, 8). The Thessalonians took advantage of every opportunity given to them, becoming an example to other churches in the regions of Macedonia and Achaia, even spreading to the ends of the known world. In other words, they were active in evangelism and became a hub for expanding the gospel message; I would even dare say that they weren't only converting people to Christianity, but making disciples also. Looking forward into verse 9, we see Paul also stating the fact that the news of this church's faith had spread so fast & far that it had even reached him in Corinth, as well as the places he had traveled & ministered to. It was to the point that people already knew the gospel message before he got there because of the faithful ministry that had been started in Thessalonica.

Continuing on into the remainder of the chapter (vv. 9, 10), we find out what the definition of a Christian is, as well as what their work assignment is supposed to be. The first thing we see is that believers turn away from their idols and choose to serve a living and true God, the only living and true God. That is the first step, turning away from our old life and committing ourselves to live for Christ. Secondly, a believer is to patiently wait for the return of Jesus Christ (God's Son), who will rescue us from the wrath that is to come. At its very essence, that is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian; a Christian is someone who: 1) puts their faith in God for salvation, 2) loves God and serves Him with their life, and 3) patiently hopes & waits for the return of the Savior.

Even though this chapter is only ten verses long and serves primarily as an introduction and thank you, we can see that there's a lot of doctrine to be extracted, and we will do just that. As a recap, the main things that we take away from this chapter are: 1) Paul's thanksgiving for Thessalonica Bible Church, and 2) the work assignment that every believer is to have, as they emulate the model of the Thessalonians. Next time we'll look at chapter two, and further survey Paul's first epistle. Until then, keep serving our Lord!

1 Thessalonians Overview

LaRosa Johnson — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Now that we've taken an adequate amount of time doing the background work and have set the scene, we are now ready to begin taking a look at Paul's first epistle to the Thessalonians, which is his second epistle overall. But we aren't ready to dive into the verse-by-verse study just yet. First, we want to take time to look at the letter as a whole and become familiar with the overarching themes so that we don't lose our context when we're looking intently at single verses of Scripture. To do that, we're going to start with a broad overview of the epistle, and then we will outline each chapter individually, which will then have us prepared to start the in-depth study of the text. If you haven't already read through 1 Thessalonians in its entirety, I recommend that you do so before continuing with the rest of this devotion. If you have, then let's dive in.

As we read through the text of this epistle, especially the first few chapters, one thing in particular should become evident: Paul is writing a big thank you note. In this epistle, Paul is praising God the Father for the growth of Thessalonica Bible Church[1] and for allowing for this young body of believers to persevere in the midst of persecution. Along with that, another thing that we take notice of is the training ground that Thessalonica proved to be for Timothy after he was sent back to the city to reinforce the doctrine that Paul had taught to them before being kicked out of the city by unbelieving Jews. Those are just a few observations that should be obvious, but there is so much more to this letter.

1 Thessalonians has a lot of information in it, but in general, it can be broken down into two primary focuses: 1) reflection on the Thessalonians (1 Thess 1:1-3:13), and 2) instruction and teaching (1 Thess 4:1-5:28). In the first half of the letter, Paul spends his time reminiscing about these believers and his time with them, while the second half consists of a vast array of doctrinal teaching, all of which is applicable to present day believers. But, we can also break these two focuses down further, into multiple divisions per focus. Let's take a moment to look at the divisions for each of these focuses.

The first focus, Paul's reflection on Thessalonica Bible Church, contains at least three divisions. The first division can be found in 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 and details Paul's commendation for the growth of these believers. It's here that he praises them for their faithfulness and growth, even during a time of persecution. Secondly, Paul spends time writing about the founding of the church and the circumstances surrounding that, which can be found in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16. The final section gives details of Timothy's strengthening of the church after his return; this is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13. Much of this portion of Scripture reads like a personal letter to this church, as it is such, but it also provides much detail concerning Paul's time in Thessalonica that we do not get in Luke's account in Acts (Acts 17:1-10). Even though this section is narrative, of sorts, there is still a wealth of application that we will glean from these chapters, so we will be no means rush through them.

The second focus is where Paul answers some of the questions that Timothy brought back with him, as he provides instruction and teaching. This section can be broken down into four divisions. The first division can be found in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, which consists of direction for the growth of these believers and how they conduct themselves. They are doing well, but Paul encourages them to excel all the more. He then moves on to teach and give revelation concerning the dead in Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, which will serve as a great bit of comfort to them. He follows this with the third division as he speaks on the coming Day of the Lord and the orientation that they should; this can be found in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. Paul then ends the letter with instructions for holy living, with a barrage of imperatives in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28. Overall, even with its four divisions, the two overarching themes of this section are the practical exhortation for these believers to continue growing and to look forward to future events. This is likely where we will spend the bulk of our time in studying this epistle, as there is so much doctrine contained within these two chapters.

This provides a very broad overview of the epistle and what we can expect to study. Before we close, I also want to share a general outline that I've put together for our study, which will help guide you along the way as we begin to dive into the depths of Paul's teaching. This will help to keep you properly oriented to the context of the material that we're going to be studying, as well as serve as a means for memorizing the material contained in this epistle. You'll want to bookmark this so that you can constantly refer to it.

General Reflections (1 Thess 1:1-3:13)
1. Chapter One
  1. Greeting (1 Thess 1:1)
  2. Thanksgiving for a Good Example (1 Thess 1:2-10)
2. Chapter Two
  1. Paul's Conduct & Example / Founding the Church (1 Thess 2:1-12)
  2. The Gospel: Received & Opposed (1 Thess 2:13-16)
  3. Longing to Visit the Church (1 Thess 2:17-20)
3. Chapter Three
  1. The Ministry of Timothy (1 Thess 3:1-5)
  2. Timothy's Encouraging Report (1 Thess 3:6-10)
  3. Prayer for the Church (1 Thess 3:11-13)
Instructional Teaching (1 Thess 4:1-5:28)
1. Chapter Four
  1. Sanctification and Purity (1 Thess 4:1-8)
  2. Disciplined Living (1 Thess 4:9-12)
  3. Rapture Doctrine (1 Thess 4:13-18)
2. Chapter Five
  1. The Day of the Lord (1 Thess 5:1-11)
  2. Instructions on Holy Living (1 Thess 5:12-22)
  3. Benediction (1 Thess 5:23-28)

As we close, you can see that there's a lot of material to cover in these five small chapters. Don't get overwhelmed though, because we're going to take our time walking through it and make sure that we walk away with a proper understanding of what it is that the Holy Spirit will have us to learn through this study. Next time, we will continue to focus our lens as we begin a series of five devotions that will give a chapter-by-chapter outline of the epistle. Once we've done that, we will finally be ready for the verse-by-verse teaching. Until then, keep your armor on!

Footnotes

[1] Thessalonica Bible Church is the name that we will use from now on to refer to the group of believers in Thessalonica. This nickname was coined by my pastor, Bob Bolender of Austin Bible Church, who uses such names to refer to the local church where an epistle was written (i.e. Corinth Bible Church for the Corinthian believers).

1 Thessalonians Introduction: Part 3

LaRosa Johnson — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:04:38 +0000

Continuing where we left off in our introduction to Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians, we want to spend our time today looking at the circumstances that led Paul to pen a letter to this group of believers. To do that, we're going to look at the account that was given to us by one of Paul's traveling companion, Luke the physician, who penned the gospel of the same name, as well as Acts. So, if hearts and minds are prepared for the study of our Lord's Word, let us open our Bibles to Acts 17.

Acts 17:1-10 (NASB) - 1Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 4And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. 5But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them. 10The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Regarding Paul's missionary visit to Thessalonica, this is all the information that is recorded by Luke in Acts, a sum of ten verses. Interestingly enough, we see that there was quite a bit going on, and it's a shame that we only have this handful of verses to work with because there is so much more to the story. Well, rest assured that we do have more information, and it'll come to us as we engage the text of Paul's epistle, but we will save that for when we get there. The first thing that we need to do is setup the picture so that we can orient ourselves to what is going on and how Paul and his team ended up in Thessalonica. So let's begin there.

If we go back a couple of chapters and look at Acts 15:36ff, we find Paul and Barnabas in Jerusalem after meeting with the apostles who were there. It was here that a council convened to clear up some of the errant doctrine that was being taught by some of the teachers. It was after this meeting, where they received instruction on what should be taught as foundational material, that Paul and Barnabas decided that it would be a good idea for them to visit the cities where they had previously proclaimed the gospel. After getting into a major disagreement over John Mark (i.e. the Mark that penned the gospel) the two decided to part ways and continue their work for the Lord. So, after embarking on his second missionary journey, "he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches" (Acts 15:41).

Skipping ahead a bit, after having several doors closed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6, 7), Paul and his team eventually ended up in Philippi, where they were able to spend some time doing ministry. It was here that they ended up being beaten and thrown into prison after casting a demon out of a girl. This is also the encounter where the Philippian jailer comes to Christ after the earthquake. Shortly thereafter, Paul and his team are set free and urged to get out of town. It's at this point that Paul ends up traveling through Amphipolis and Apollonia before ending up in Thessalonica, which is the event that we have quoted above.

As per his custom, the first thing that Paul did when he entered a new city was to head to the local Jewish synagogue so that he could first proclaim the gospel message to the Jews of that area. He apparently had some success because for three consecutive sabbaths he was there proclaiming the gospel message to the Jews. Paul's message of the cross was powerful and some Jews believed, as well as some of the God-fearing Greeks (proselytes) and prominent women. It was during this time that Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy were teaching these new believers the ways of God and how to be properly oriented to their new Christian life.

Now, we know that Paul was in the synagogue for three sabbaths, but we have no indication of how long he was actually in town before trouble started to stir up; but, we at least know that he & his team were there for at least a month's time. Either way, it wasn't long before some of the non-believing Jews became jealous and started to cause a ruckus and cause trouble. Knowing that they were likely staying with a man of the town named Jason, they brought him before the city's authorities proclaiming that the men he was housing were causing issues and commanding the people to live a life contrary to the decrees of Caesar and that there was another king. After getting the crowd stirred up, they eventually received a monetary pledge from Jason promising that Paul's team would leave town and not return. Immediately after being released by the authorities, Jason had Paul's missionary team leave town, sending them on their way to Berea, a nearby city.

That's it, that's all the information that Luke records. But, just from that account alone, we can see why Paul would have felt that it was necessary to write a letter to these new believers. He barely had any time to spend with them and train them up in the ways of the Lord, so he was adamantly concerned for their spiritual well-being, especially considering the stir that the Jews had caused which had forced him to leave town in the first place. As you continue to read on in Acts, you soon find out that it was shortly after this that Paul's team got split up, and they weren't able to meet back up until they had all reached Corinth, which is where Paul penned this epistle.

Haven gone through Acts, we now have enough background information to actually begin our study in 1 Thessalonians. So, next time, we will start with a broad sweeping overview of the epistle, as we take a chapter-by-chapter survey to acclimate ourselves to the letter's content. After we have done that, we will be more than ready to commence our verse-by-verse study. Until then, keep your armor on and be on guard!

Holiness of God - Leviticus 20:7

LaRosa Johnson — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:59:40 +0000

Artist: shai linne & Timothy Brindle
Song: Holiness of God
Album: Grassroots

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Just for a moment today, I want to touch again on the issue of holiness within the Body of Christ. Previously, we looked at how holiness relates to us in the fact that God calls His people to be holy because He is holy. But the question remains, just how holy is God? If we look through Scripture we find several examples, especially in the Old Testament of just how holy God really is. It is this holiness that we need to keep in mind when we are worshiping the Lord and honoring His name.

So, how holy is God? Let's take a look at some examples from the Old Testament, and then let's bring it back to relate it to us. Now, during the time of Moses, the people chose to not hear from God themselves, but asked for a mediator between the two (Moses), and as a result God established the temple system and had them build the ark of the covenant, which would house the Commandments and other artifacts; this ark was to serve as a physical representation of the presence of God in the lives of the children of Israel. With that in mind, let us continue.

We can start first with the sons of Aaron, Nadab & Abihu; these two, along with the rest of the levitical line were called to be God's holy priests. Well, Nadab & Abihu offered a sacrifice that went against what God had prescribed and they were killed by God because of it. What about Uzzah? David and his people were transporting the ark to another location and during the journey the ark was about to fall over; to keep it from hitting the ground, Uzzah touched it with his hand (which was forbidden because God is holy) and was immediately killed by the Lord. Or what about Uzziah who decided that he wanted to offer up incense to the Lord? He was stricken with leprosy for the rest of his days.

Those are just a few examples, but you can get the idea of just how holy our God is. Without Christ paying the penalty for our sins and being made holy through Him, we are sinful beings that have no right to even begin to enter into the presence of God. We can't be like Uzzah, who thought that he was cleaner than the dusty ground; we have to realize who we are and how unholy we are before a holy God. We also can't get so prideful and think that we can just offer up any old praise to the Lord and think that it will be acceptable to Him, just look at what happened to Nadab, Abihu, and Uzziah. Even though God probably won't strike us down today for those same infractions, He is still the same holy God that we find in the Old Testament and we need to honor Him as such. Just like we are told in 1 Peter 1:15-16, God is holy, and we are to be holy too.

Too often, in this day & age, we play with God, thinking that He is not really as powerful as Scripture says He is. Just remember that God is not mocked, and that we will ultimately reap what we sow. Let us work towards holiness and give God all the honor that He deserves; let us worship Him as God and Father, the Creator of the universe, instead of a homeboy or buddy. Amen? Amen.

66 Books - Matthew 22:29, Psalm 1:2, Isaiah 40:8

LaRosa Johnson — Fri, 22 May 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Artist: B. Morr
Song: 66 Books
Album: Self Denial

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You know, one of the things that I enjoy most about the Bible is that it has been able to stand the test of time and any criticism that has come its way over the course of centuries. No matter what schemes people have come up with to disprove the validity of the Bible, there is always something unearthed that continues to prove the Bible to be true. What's more, I am left in awe when I look at how this canon of Scripture has been preserved and compiled into the 66 books that we currently have today. I absolutely love the Word of God and it is the world's bestselling book, period. Shoot, I can't even tell you how many Bibles I've been through over the course of my Christian life. But this is what we want to look at today, we want to discuss the sufficiency of Scripture, that is this bestseller that has endured throughout time.

There are passages all throughout the Bible that point to its status as the Word of God and it's enduring power, so let's take a look at just a few of them.

Matthew 22:29 (ESV) - But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.

Psalm 1:2 (ESV) - but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Isaiah 40:8 (ESV) - The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

All of these are very powerful passages, but the point of these is not necessarily to point to the infallibility of Scripture, but to show the kind of delight that we should have in the Bible because of its power. Much like Isaiah 40:8 shows the Bible's staying power, we should also look at passages like 2 Peter 1:19-21 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which clearly show us the power of Scripture for teaching, doctrine, and correction. The Word is powerful and divine, and time has been the proof of that, but it means nothing if we don't have the right view of it.

For the atheist or agnostic, the power of the Word is nonexistent because they don't have the right view of God and the infallibility of Scripture. Many will look at it as simply a fairy tale full of stories, or an outdated book of morals that was good for the time, or just a good piece of historical writing. A lot of this belief hinges on the fact that they deny the deity of Jesus Christ as the eternal and living Son of God who was resurrected from the grave; if they choose to believe that, then they will have to take a different approach to the rest of Scripture, especially those numerous prophetic passages that pointed to Christ, as well as the epistles that teach us how to conduct ourselves as followers of Christ. This is the kind of idea that is depicted in Matthew 22:29; there are people who spend their whole life studying the Scriptures, yet still don't get it, and they simply cannot understand the power of Scripture. I remember a college professor I had freshman year, and he was one of the most knowledgeable people about the New Testament Scriptures, but the man was an agnostic. Why? Because he couldn't come to grips with the reality of the resurrection and the power of Scripture.

The Christian, who has been redeemed and enlightened to the power of Scriptures, should have a completely different mindset. We should be like the blessed man described in Psalm 1:2 whose delight is in the Word of God and meditates on it day and night. In other words, the believer should have a great appreciation for the Bible and all that is contained in it. Many have said that it is God's love letter to us, and with that in mind, we should be delighted to want to read the precious words that He has preserved for us throughout the course of time. Going back to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we know that this book alone is profitable for doctrine, training, and correction; as a result of that, we should know that we can go to the Word in order to find the "meaning of life" and learn how we should live out our lives so that we can be pleasing in His sight. More than anything else (that's more than our significant other, or television, or anything), the Word should be our delight, and we should be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) who were diligent to study to make sure all that they were taught was true. Want to be solid in doctrine? It's in the Bible! Want to know the history of man or the purpose to life? It's in the Bible! Want to know how to live your life and raise your children? It's in the Bible! Want a successful marriage? The answer is in the Bible!

Indeed this is the bestseller, and for those that find the power of God in it, it is so much more. If you're a Christian reading this, then you should cherish the words that are found within the pages of your Bible. Dive into the Word and fall in love with it all over again and know that it is God's message left to us. It has been preserved for us, so that we might know Him, and the only way we can know that is by reading it. More than anything else, the Bible is enough and all that we need in this life. Take time today to meditate on these passages and remember the words of Psalm 119:11. These 66 books are so amazing and continue to leave me amazed at just how awesome God is. Amen? Amen!

1 Thessalonians Introduction: Part 2

LaRosa Johnson — Wed, 06 May 2009 09:00:00 +0000

To begin our study in 1 Thessalonians, it's only appropriate that we begin by getting some background information on the city that we're dealing with. Just like you wouldn't move to a new city without first finding out some pertinent information, you shouldn't begin studying a book of the Bible without first getting yourself oriented to the geography, culture, and people that the author is writing to or about. If you don't have that basic information, it becomes very easy to put your own spin on the text and completely lose the author's original intention for writing said letter. So, with that in mind, let's begin with some basic history and information.

Our study of Thessalonica (Θεσσαλονίκη) begins with some geography. This city is a Macedonian city, located on the Thermaic Gulf (in the northern part of the Aegean Sea). A major port city, Thessalonica, presently known as Thessaloniki or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and is also the capital of Macedonia, the nation's largest region. According to the 2001 census, the city boasts a population of over 360,000. At present, Thessalonica is the second major economic, industrial, commercial and political center of Greece, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe.

The city of Thessalonica was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, a general in Alexander the Great's army; the city was named in honor of his wife, Thessalonikeia, the daughter of Philip II and the half-sister of Alexander. This new city was comprised of many surrounding towns, including ancient Therma. In 167 BC, Macedonia was divided into four districts, and Thessalonica became the capital of the second division (Macedonia), which later became a Roman province, thus making it the center for Roman administration. As a result of their loyalty to Antony and Ocatavian during the second civil war between Caesar and Pompey (42 BC), Thessalonica was privileged with the status of a free city, meaning that it was ruled by its own governing officials under the Roman Empire. This shred of truth is evidenced in Acts 17:6-8 when we find Luke using the term "politarch," which has been found in an inscription on the Vardar Gate and other inscriptions from the area.

We mentioned that Thessalonica was, and still is, a major port city, but they were also a part of the Egnatian Way. The Egnatian Way was an overland route from Italy to the East, and it ran right through the city. This provided the city with a great deal of traffic from travelers, as it was a popular stopping point along the way for merchant both merchant and religious activities. The Egnatian Way would become an integral part of the ministry that would pour forth from this city after the founding of its church by Paul. And, just as a means of making the picture clearer, it was estimated that anywhere between 100,000-200,000 people lived in and around Thessalonica during the first century.

That pretty much covers the geographic and political status of the city, but we don't want to forget about the religious situation that existed, especially during the time that Paul visited and wrote this letter. Thessalonica was a city with a wide variety of religious activity going on. Not only did it house Jewish and Samaritan synagogues, but it was also a place of worship for many other pagan religions. In particular, there is evidence that the cult of Cabiri, the cult of the god Serapis, as well as a cult associated with the goddess Isis. There was also significant worship of Greek gods such as Zeus (who was represented in their coins), Aphrodite, Dionysus, and others. To sum up the Thessalonian religious experience, it was a hodgepodge of beliefs trying to co-exist together, much like we see in America today. It is this religious system that Paul was facing when he entered the city, preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Now that we have an understanding of the geographic, political, and religious background of Thessalonica, we are now ready to move forward in our study. Next time we'll begin looking at the circumstances that surrounded the writing of this letter, including beginning a brief study of Acts 17, which details Paul's time in the city. Until then, read through the epistle in its entirety and keep your armor on. God bless!

Map of Thessalonica

Click the image for a larger map

Map: Copyright © 2005 BibleWorks, LLC

Bibliography

Achtemeier, Paul J., Publishers Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature. Harper's Bible Dictionary. 1st ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985.

Elwell, Walter A. and Philip Wesley Comfort. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Tyndale reference library. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.

Thessaloniki. (2009, May 6). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:12, May 6, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thessaloniki&oldid=288327794

1 Thessalonians Introduction: Part 1

LaRosa Johnson — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:00:00 +0000

"To the church of the Thessalonians…"

As we embark upon our next expositional book study, I think it’s best that we start slowly and put first things first. Before we dive right into a verse-by-verse study of a new epistle, it’s important that we first lay the ground work for this letter, which includes some fact finding and answering basic questions such as: who? what? where? when? and why? Over the course of the next few studies, that is what we’re going to focus on before we even touch a single verse of Scripture in this epistle.

Why take the time to do all of that? The reason is because a part of doing proper Bible study is to put yourself in the right context, which means getting your isagogics (introductory studies) done first. Before we can start exegeting Scripture, we first have to understand who the author(s) is, who the recipients are, the date of the letter, the culture, and so many other aspects. If we don’t have those facts down first, then we will never be able to look at this book of the Bible through the same lenses that the original recipients used, which will lead us down a path of faulty interpretation. With that in mind, that is why it is essential to know this information beforehand, as it will ultimately lead to having a greater appreciation for the letter and the doctrine contained therein.

Our series of introductory lessons will seek to lay the groundwork for the rest of this study. In doing so, we will begin with a look at the history of Thessalonica and its geography, the city where these believers lived. Once we do that, we’ll then begin to examine Scripture and survey the circumstances surrounding the writing of this letter, including discovering who these recipients are and who exactly wrote this letter. When all of the preliminary questions have been answered, we will take a quick overview of the book as a whole and outline its chapters so that we can have a broad picture. It’s only after we have painted with broad strokes that can we crack open our Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 1:1 and make the picture clear with finer brush strokes to lay out the details.

So, next time, we will officially begin our study of 1 Thessalonians, starting with a history of Thessalonica. Until then, read through the epistle in its entirety and familiarize yourself with it. Keep your armor on!

God's Incorruptible Servant: Joseph, Son of Jacob and Rachel: Part 2 - Genesis 37

George Sly — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Last time, we discussed Joseph's birth and how he was born through his father and mother. Now it is time to get into his story in more detail. In Genesis 37, Jacob has settled back in Canaan with his family, where we find out that he shows Joseph more love than his other sons (Genesis 37:3). This makes sense, right? It is not too far fetched to understand that as parents grow older and still have kids they tend to be softer on their younger children. I don't know about you, but I've met many older men that have numerous children. In each case, older fathers I have met have been very fond of their younger children. I am no psychological expert, but one rationale for older men seemingly becoming better fathers is maybe they have more free-time, more financial resources, and their experience helps them to be more thoughtful, as well as proactive. In Jacob's case, this is a valid point of view; he definitely built his economic resources while working for Laban. Since that time, it seems that he may have also learned many valuable lessons in the process that helped him to become a wise and mature father. I think another good point to note is Jacob's love for Rachel. This is even more important in order to understand why Jacob favored Joseph. She was his first choice to marry and it would make a lot of sense that he favored her children over Leah's. Let's not forget, he was tricked into marrying Leah. So, it would be totally understandable that although he may have been a responsible husband and father, at the same time he held a stronger affection to the family he originally intended to have, which would have been with Rachel.

Another thing I notice here is a younger sibling being rebuked by his older siblings. Even though in the end we know Joseph's dreams were right on, imagine how you would feel if your younger brother told you one day that you would bow to them. On the surface I think most of us may get offended. I know I would have, especially knowing my own little brother. He was coddled more and given much different rearing than I did. My parents were much younger and understandably less mature with me. It was through their experience raising me that led to him being treated much softer than I was. They had time to grow as parents in some ways and changed their behavior a bit by the time he was born. Any older sibling would feel this was unfair and I can only imagine how Joseph's older brothers must have felt seeing Jacob treat him with more love. So, although his brothers obviously are not correct in their treatment of Joseph, let's at least try and understand where they are coming from in order to gain insight into how they came to this state of mind. Jacob initially felt the same way that his sons did about Joseph's dreams. The difference is the reaction of his heart. He holds on to patience and kept the matter in his mind (Genesis 37:11). Later in the story, we see that Jacob recalled this dream. We also see Mary making a similar recollection in the NT during Jesus' ministry (Luke 2:19, 51): "19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often....51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart."

Now, in the second half of the chapter, the brothers' anger about Joseph's dreams truly manifests itself when they seize the chance to get rid of him. He is there to obey Jacob's directive and check on how they were doing with the flocks. It is easy to see from following the story that this anger was not just as simple as Joseph telling them a dream they did not like. These guys had some deep rooted hatred; and, I would even say the story implies a bit of jealousy for their little brother. He received favor from their father. He was given special gifts. This was a 17 year culmination of sibling rivalry being taken to a new degree. Do you remember, from part 1, when we mentioned the rivalry between their mothers and how parents can pass down certain traits to their children? Well, here we see how bad it can get. At first they were going to kill him, but Reuben stepped up and convinced them to throw him in an empty cistern instead. He secretly planned to retrieve him later (Genesis 37:21-22) and return him to safety. That plan was thwarted, though, when an Ishmaelite caravan from Midian came by. The opportunity to get rid of Joseph and make a profit by selling him into slavery was much more appealing to the brothers who were in on the plot. Reuben was obviously not a part of this because we later see him lamenting once he realized Joseph was no longer in the cistern, in verses 29 and 30. They did not even go to Jacob in person. Instead, they decided to send him a message along with the coat he had given Joseph as a gift as their way of convincing him of his death. This is what they did, but God being the sovereign ruler that He is, had it all in His control. Joseph ended up in the house of Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah, captain of the palace guard. So begins the revelation of God's perfect plan for his servant of integrity, Joseph.

The Narrow Road - Matthew 7:13-20

LaRosa Johnson — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Artist: Christcentric
Song: The Narrow Road
Album: City of God

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When Jesus tells us that He is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" and that no one comes to God except through Him, He is making a very bold proclamation, and it is a hard pill for many to swallow. Even 2000+ years later, people are still intimidated by the exclusively bold claims that were made by Jesus Christ, our promised Messiah. It's not so much the claim that Jesus made that bothers people, but it is the response that it commands within the heart and soul of the person who hears these seemingly hyperbolic claims. For the believer, we understand His claims and take them to heart, which is the reason why we focus on evangelism and telling people about what Jesus has done for us (at least we're supposed to).

When I look at evangelism, it both encourages and disheartens me. Why? It encourages me because we are doing our part in letting people know about a Savior who came to pay the penalty for their sins so that they might not face eternal damnation; on the other hand, it deeply saddens me because I know there are so many people in the world who have a hardened heart and have no desire to repent of their sins and accept Jesus' atonement. In this, you also cannot forget that the world is in a post modern state of mind right now and full of various religions and pseudo-religions that all claim to have the "truth." It is things like this that draw me back to the Word of God and passages like Matthew 7:13-20.

It is in this particular passage in Matthew that we again find Jesus speaking, and this time He is speaking about two gates, one being narrow and the other wide. He makes it strikingly clear that the wide gate is easy to enter into and many people will follow down this path, not even knowing that it will lead to their death. On the other hand, He says that there is another gate that is narrow, which is hard to enter and only few will take this path, but this is the path that will lead to eternal life. So, what is it that makes the narrow gate hard to enter into? Well, if we look elsewhere in Scripture, we find that being a Christian means dying to our own will and desires, which means that we turn away from our sins, in order that we might then live a holy life that is pleasing in God's sight. This requires a complete shift in our paradigm and total submission to Christ and His Holy Spirit, which many people are not willing to do because they are enjoying their life of sin and carnal pleasure.

If we continue on with what Jesus has to say, He goes on to say that we need to also be aware of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing. It is here that Jesus says that we need to look at the fruit that these teachers are bearing and see if it is good to eat (meaning sound biblical teaching) or if we should throw it out. Again, this is a call to 2 Timothy 2:15, which requires that we know the Word of God and are able to rightly divide it to know whether it is sound teaching. You see, in this, we have a couple different types of false prophets: 1) we have those who are prophets for other religions (Muhammad, Buddha, etc.) and 2) you have those who are claiming to be Christian but are not teaching sound doctrine or a pure gospel message.

Regardless of what the false teaching is, you can rest assured that it is going to be one that appeases the flesh and our earthly desires and requires little effort on our end, or is one that is based on good works. Either way you go, we still end up trying to base things off of what we have done, not realizing that we are incapable of doing anything good because we are fallen sinful men & women. The Bible tells us that there is a way that seems right to man, but in the end leads to death, and this is exactly what Jesus is talking about. These false teachers sound good to us and our flesh, so we follow along trying to spiritualize ourselves without having to make any dramatic changes in our lives. This is where Jesus and Christianity make a stark contrast; it requires no good works on our end, but simply recognizing that we are sinful man in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus has paid for our sins and putting our faith in Him to justify us. But this then incites a drastic change in our life and behavior (submitting completely to the Holy Spirit), which many people are not willing to do.

The road is narrow that leads to life, and that is through Jesus Christ and Him alone who has paid the penalty for our sins. Any other path will lead to death and damnation. In order to go down the narrow road, we are forced to make the hard decisions and look at Jesus on the cross and ask Him to forgive us our sins and put our faith in Him. This is why it is so important for us to evangelize to people; there are so many people, even those in church, who have not heard or fully understood the true gospel message, and without it they are going to hell. We need to get people to recognize that they are sinners who are in dire need of a Savior. Yes, the road to eternal life is narrow and few will enter in, but it is still up to us to help bring along as many people as we can. One more soul entering heaven is one less soul that would have gone to hell. Amen? Amen.

Self Worship - Romans 7:4-5; 1 John 2:16

LaRosa Johnson — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Artist: B. Morr
Song: Self Worship
Album: Self Denial

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I've been there, you've been there, we've all been there. In one way or another, we all have a preeminent desire to want to please ourselves and make ourselves to be like gods. Adam and Eve started the whole process by partaking of the fruit, thinking that they would be just like God having both knowledge of good and evil; this was the first act of wanting to please ourselves above being pleased solely in God, and that has trickled down to the rest of us. Look at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 and you'll see that man thought they could be unified and reach the heavens. Then there were the Israelites who constantly wanted to make graven images of God and be on their own program. The list goes on and on, and you're included in that list. Everything we want out of life, as unregenerate people, is to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, the eyes, and life itself (1 John 2:16). Today, we'll take a look at this in a few passages of Scripture and see how we can be freed from this thing that holy hip-hopper B. Morr likes to call "Self Worship."

Romans 7:4-5 (NASB) - 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.

1 John 2:16 (NASB) - For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

The two verses that I really want us to focus on are Romans 7:5 and 1 John 2:16. In Romans 7:5, we see that while we are in the flesh that our sinful passions are at work as a result of being aroused by the Law (God's standard of perfection) and its desire to rebel against it. We see this further defined by John in his writing when he gives us a clear indication as to what these sinful passions are: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Furthermore, he states that anyone who practices such things is not of God, but of the world. For many of us, we struggle with this on an almost daily basis; we are faced with challenges that force us to choose whether we will follow the sinful passions that burn within us or if we will be led by the Spirit and walk with our holy God. For the most part, Christians are able to get a grasp on the bigger issues, but we even have to focus on the smaller issues that can subtly slide into our lives and eat away at us like a cancer, undetected until it has already done its damage. 1 Peter 2:11 tells us that we should abstain from these lusts, as they wage war with our soul, which is exactly what we should be doing.

You see, self worship is just that, and it's a hard battle to fight; it is a desire to want to see ourselves pleased, and the flesh tells us that it can only be pleased by fulfilling its sinful desires. This is contrary to Scripture though because we are told that we are to find our fulfillment in God. But as long as we continue to walk in the flesh and not seek after God through prayer and His Word, then we will be slaves to self worship, as we are shown in Romans 7. The only way we are ever going to be freed is through the working of the Holy Spirit within us. Psalm 16:11 tells us that in His presence is fullness of joy; and it is in His presence alone that we can be freed from this self worship. It is in His presence that we take on the mind of Christ (Romans 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 2:16) and are able to put to death the misdeeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13). Once we are able to do this, we will then be in the process of denying ourselves and putting our lives in proper perspective, which is to be before the throne of God kneeling before Him and worshiping Him; in essence, all of this should produce within us a worship of Christ and God the Father because He alone is the only One worthy of worship.

Much like the sum total of Timothy Brindle's Killing Sin album, B. Morr seeks to provide the believer with a point of clarity through Scripture by which they can arm themselves to wage war with the flesh, deny themselves and ultimately kill the sin in their lives. That's what Self Denial is all about, as well as the song "Self Worship." This is a daily battle where we must willingly and forcefully take the spotlight off of ourselves and place it solely on Christ, the head of our lives and give Him all of our worship, instead of worshiping ourselves. By no means is walking in self denial easy, but it is a must for any true believer who seeks to find fullness of joy and pleasure in Him. Stay in the Word and in prayer, and you will remain strong. Amen.

God's Incorruptible Servant: Joseph, Son of Jacob and Rachel: Part 1 - Genesis 30

George Sly — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Before we can dig in to Joseph and his character we must understand the circumstances surrounding his birth. He was conceived through a competition between two sisters. Rachel and Leah. We all understand sibling rivalry, right? If not, then I suggest you look up the song, "Sibling Rivalry" on the Simpson's Sing the Blues album released in 1990. Man I'm old. Anyway, with these two daughters of Laban it is understandable since they came from a father who used tricks the way he did. Instead of being upfront about their custom to not marry off the younger daughter before the older daughter, he tricked him into marriage with Leah (Gen 29:16-27). He tried to get over on him again with the flock of goats (Gen 30: 25-43). What he did was try and prevent Jacob from yielding a return on the investment with the flock, but God did not allow that to happen. Laban displayed some questionable character in this situation and blatantly tried to misuse Jacob. A parent's behavior influences their children. As a parent I know how powerful of a tool behavior modeling is. Laban modeled selfish behavior so that was what Rachel and Leah knew. Obviously God used this trickery for His good purpose, but I hope you see my point here.

These factors turned the already potentially volatile relationship, which naturally can occur between wives who share a husband, into a baby race. Not only that, but remember, they were sisters. Rachel, realizing she would not be able to have children gave Jacob her maid, Bilhah (Gen 30:1-8). Bilhah bore Dan and Naphtali. So, Leah responds by giving Jacob her maid, Zilpah. Zilpah then bares Gad and then Asher. So, then what happens next? Well after Rachel convinces Leah to give her Reuben's mandrakes in exchange for a night with Jacob, which produces Issachar. Leah then goes on to give birth to Zebulun then Dinah. Then God does what He does, and answers Rachel's prayers by showing her he had not forgotten her. She then gives birth to Joseph (meaning "May he add") for she said that,

Gen. 30:23-24 (NLT) - "God has removed my disgrace... may the Lord add yet another son to my family."

I think it is interesting to note that Benjamin was born next, which in part was one fulfillment of his name. Now, there is a ton of cultural factors like, marriage customs, maidservants, and old customs of polygamy we're not even going to touch. We'll save that good stuff for another study. This is all about Joseph. In the spirit of Historical Narratives/Biographies, we're going to try and stick to emphasizing his destiny and character. The fact that Joseph was born into this environment is ironic considering who he became and the path in which he took to get there. You would expect any child born in the kind of environment that lends itself to twisting and turning things in your favor despite integrity would fall in line. He did not. Joseph seemed to learn from the mistakes of the 11 siblings before him and chose to live with a high moral character. Perhaps the fact that Jacob loved Rachel more and possibly showed her and her children more attention helped. But never the less, Joseph definitely showed from the time he was born till the day he died, his path was chosen by an unwavering loyalty to God. There is no doubt about that.

Why Boast? - 2 Corinthians 10:7

LaRosa Johnson — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Artist: Believin' Stephen
Song: Why Boast?
Album: What I Believe EP

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Boasting is one of those things that we all tend to do from time to time, no matter how inappropriate it may be. For example, a star athlete will more often than not find opportunities to boast about his athletic abilities and what he has been able to do for himself, sometimes to the point of making others feel inadequate. The hottest rapper never ceases to find ways to belittle his competition and tell the world just how dope he is on the microphone. No matter what the situation, the common denominator in boasting is that it always focuses on self and what we have achieved in our own power, with the intent of showing others that we have something they don't. Boasting is all too common in the church as well; pastors boasting about how much money they have or their latest jet, or tell how many members they have, etc. If we are too look at Scripture, we find that this is the complete opposite of how we're supposed to be acting. Let's start by looking at 2 Corinthians 10:17.

2 Corinthians 10:17 (NASB) - But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.

These are the words of Paul in his second letter to the church in Corinth. Even in his first letter to them he said, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31). In other words, as servants of Christ, we have nothing that we are able to boast in on our own. Why? We are sinners begging upon the mercy of our God to forgive us our sins, and we can do no good on our own. If that is the case, what do we have to boast in? Nothing! Even with all of the accolades that Paul had accomplished in being an apostle and spreading the gospel, he chose not to boast in those "good" things because none of that was worth boasting about. Instead, Paul decided that if he were going to boast in anything, he was going to boast in the Lord; we should do the same.

What does it mean to boast in the Lord? It means that we don't take the credit for anything that the Lord has done for us, not even our own salvation. Salvation is a free gift that is orchestrated completely by God, lets any of us boast in playing a part in our salvation. Much in the same manner, anything that is worth boasting about is worth giving the Lord the credit for. Any ministry success that we have, such as leading someone to the Lord or planting a church, we do not take any of the credit; all of that credit and boasting goes to the Lord. The only thing that we should boast in is having salvation and knowing the Lord our God. Jeremiah 9:23-24 sums this up for us perfectly:

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NASB) - Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.

These are the words of God speaking through Jeremiah; God tells us here that wisdom, riches and might are nothing to boast about, but only knowing Him. Why are those things not worth boasting about? First and foremost, God has more wisdom, riches and might than we will ever have; and, secondly, we will more than likely always find someone who has more than us who has more of a right to boast than we do. Even the Word itself tells us that we are to let others lift up our name, instead of trying to do it ourselves. Even King David recognized this, as witnessed in his psalms. Psalm 20:7 tells us, "Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God" and Psalm 34:2 reads, "My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear it and rejoice." Clearly, David understood the meaning of finding joy and boasting in the Lord, as He is the source for all that he had.

Moreso, Paul emphasizes the fact that he boasts only in Christ in his writings to both the Roman and Galatian churches. In Romans 15:17-18 he says, "Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed," while he tells the the Galatians, "may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14)." Paul makes it perfectly clear that God gets the glory for all that he does and that the cross is the only thing that he has that is worth boasting about.

How does this relate to us? Much in the same light, the only thing that we have to glory in is the cross of Christ. More importantly, as hip-hop artists reflecting Christ on the microphone, it is all the more important to make Christ the focus in a culture that would have us brag on self; we have to make more than a concerned effort to make sure that we pull a John the Baptist and let Christ increase as we decrease. And any success that may come our way, let us cast down our crown and present it before the Lord knowing that He is the one worthy of all the glory and honor. Amen? Amen.

Prayer and Restoration: Part 5 - James 5:19-20

LaRosa Johnson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 +0000

After giving encouraging instruction on prayer, James closes his epistle with one final appeal for his readers. If we look at the sum total of this letter, we can easily see that James spent a lot of time correcting misunderstandings and incorrect attitudes of believers, in essence correcting the misguided believer. With that, he sums up the letter with some heartening words for those who are working to bring back a believer who has strayed away from following the truths of Scripture. He states all of this in two short verses, so let's open our Bibles to end of James' epistle and read verses 19 and 20.

James 5:19-20 (NASB) - 19My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, 20let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Given James' intense teaching on prayer for weary believers and the example of Elijah that we just looked at, it seems a bit abrupt and out of place that this would be the end of the letter; but, rest assured that it's exactly where it's supposed to be. As you keep in mind the immediate context of the encouragement for weary believers, we will see that James still has them in view as he closes the letter. Think about it for a minute, who are the ones that are most likely to stray and turn away from the truth of Scripture? More often than not, it's going to be the believer who is weak and weary, lacking in prayer and support, that is susceptible to such things. So, when James is talking about weary believers in the earlier context, it is safe to say that he also has them in mind here when he talks about those who are straying from the truth. It's important to note, though, that this is not exclusive to them alone, since any of us can just as easily forsake the Word of God and end up in similar circumstances. With that in view, the purpose of the passage is to address the brother or sister that is able to bring back a fellow Christian who has fallen away from the truth, whether they are someone who has neglected the Word of God, shown partiality, spoken against others, chased after worldly pleasure, or whatever other sin it may be.

What does James have to say to these believers? As the text states, "he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." In its simplest terms, James is telling them that they are doing a good work by turning a fellow brother or sister back to walking in the Spirit. Let's not leave it there though, let's take time to break down and comprehend what it is that James is saying when he talks about saving a soul from death and covering a multitude of sins because doing so will allow us to have a full understanding of this passage.

The first thing that we want to look at is the phrase, "save his soul from death." A quick reading of the English text may lend to figuring out who will have their soul saved, but it's a legitimate question that we need to ask ourselves because it's not completely obvious. Is it the sinner whose soul is saved, or is it the soul of the one who is turning back the sinner? Given the variances between some manuscripts, this is a valid question, but the overall understanding of Scripture as a whole shows us that it is the sinner who is being saved, and not the person turning back the sinner, since we know that it is not works that save or secure our salvation. Now that we know who it is that's being saved, we need to understand what it means for their soul to be saved from death. Keeping in mind that this entire group of verses (vv. 13-20) is speaking on the restoration of a believer, we cannot take this to mean that a sinner is receiving salvation and being saved from hell. If we do that, it destroys the context of what James has been talking about, since there is nothing that would lead us to believe that the context has changed. Therefore, we have to say that a believer is in view; thus, the sinner is a believer who is no longer in fellowship and is walking in darkness (like the unrighteous rich in verses 1-6). With this being the case, hell is no longer in view, and we have to look at death in another light. So, if it's not eternal death, it has to be physical death that James is referring to.

Let's now take a moment to deal with what's in view when talking about physical death as it relates to the Christian. When James talks about saving a soul from death, we have to take this in the framework of someone who has turned away from truth and is no longer following after righteousness. Having that as our basis, it is best to understand physical death as an attribute of divine discipline from God the Father. As previously noted, Hebrews 12:4-8 teaches that the Father disciplines those whom He loves in order that they would walk in obedience to His will. Because we are Christians, God is our Father; therefore, when we sin, He has to discipline us so that we can be moved to turn away from our transgressions and return to walking in holiness. That means, when we sin, we can expect chastisement, and it is up to us to be obedient to the discipline, turn away from our sins, and return to walking in the Spirit. Well, for some believers this isn't the case and they choose to continue walking in carnality, even with the chastisement that is upon them; it is because of this that the Lord may ultimately further the extent of His discipline to include the shortening of one's life (death). This is a similar concept to what John talks about in 1 John 5:16-17 when teaching on the sin leading to death. For some, God gets to a point where He will not let us continue in sin any longer by ending our life on this earth. What's more, this can also be seen as continuing deeper into a sin pattern that is presently being exhibited. This is the death that James has in view for the sinning believer.

Getting back to our text, the error of the sinner's way is that he is living a life of sin that is not consistent with Scripture, and the end result of continuing in this lifestyle of sin is death, as detailed above. But when a believer is able to convince another believer of their sin, they rescue them from this dire fate. There are a number of ways that a believer can approach another about their sins (see Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5), but the bottom line is that the sinner needs to be reminded of the truth of the Word of God and have their faults brought to light so that they can repent and receive restoration. It is important that all of this is done in love, because if you don't love your brother, then you will never confront him with the error of his way, nor do it in a way that isn't condemning or judgmental. That's James means when he says that this saving "will cover a multitude of sins." The love of the brother confronting the sinner and turning him from his sin effectively throws a veil over the sins, meaning that they are forgiven by God and no longer seen, as well as keeping them from continuing in a lifestyle of sin and darkness. This is the same idea that Peter is getting across in 1 Peter 4:8 when he states, "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." This thought is also reiterated elsewhere in Scripture in passages such as Psalm 85:2 and Proverbs 10:12. Simply stated, love for our brothers & sisters should motivate us to lead them back to Scripture and repentance so that they don't have to face unnecessary chastisement for prolonged sin.

In many ways, this is yet another prayer application. Often times, situations like these require constant prayer and supplication before the Lord. Believers should be praying to the Lord for a change of heart for these erring believers, as well as seeking Him for the right words to speak to them so that it's done in love, instead of a negative attitude. Also, when we present the truth of Scripture to our sinning brethren, they may not take heed and change their actions, which requires remaining in constant prayer, praying that they would repent and return to the truth. Although this is an application for restoring fallen believers, there is also an evangelistic component to this passage as we are praying for lost souls to come to the truth so that they will be saved from both physical and eternal death. Finally, we should also be praying for ourselves and others that we would remain in the truth and not stray away from it, like others have chosen to do. We should never be so proud to think that we won't fall, lest we fall also, which is why we remain in prayer.

In summary, this passage is speaking to believers who are presently walking in the light, encouraging them to walk in love towards their brothers and sisters. As they walk in love, if they see that a brother is straying from the truth, they should seek to restore them so that they might not face the consequences of unrepentant sin. Really, that's the overarching theme of this letter, to turn sinning brothers back to the Lord; with everything that James wrote in this epistle, it was all aimed at getting believers to walk in heavenly wisdom, as opposed to the ways of this world. As believers, if we're walking in sin, we should walk repent and turn to the truth; and if we're walking in the light, we need to love our family enough to get them back on the right track.

Prayer and Restoration: Part 4 - James 5:17-18

LaRosa Johnson — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0000

In the past few verses, we have seen James give significant instructions on prayer from the weary calling the elders of the church to the importance of sharing our struggles with other believers so that they can pray alongside. As we saw in our last study, he ended verse 16 with a statement as to the effectiveness and fervency of prayer. In our passage today, James continues with this thought, giving his readers a real life example of what this looks like in action; and, not only does he give an example, but one that his audience would be very familiar with. Therefore, let us open our Bibles to James 5:17-18 and begin our study.

James 5:17-18 (NASB) - 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Before we start studying this passage, let's go back for a moment and remember our context. After having opened this chapter condemning the rich believers for their unrighteous ways, James began to address those believers who were suffering persecution and sufferings. In his encouragement to them to remain steadfast and firm he gave them two Old Testament examples, the prophets (v. 10) and Job (v. 11), showing how they suffered and remained faithful. Here, James is still addressing these weary and suffering believers, and he once again brings in another example as a means of illustration. The example used this time is the prophet Elijah. For most, Elijah is remembered as one of two Old Testament believers that were taken into heaven before they died (Enoch being the other), with Elijah being take up in a whirlwind. Overall, he is a very interesting character to read about, which I recommend doing in addition to this study, but we are going to focus in on what James had to say concerning this prophet.

In looking at our passage, the first thing that James states is that "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours." What does that mean? Without giving this more study than necessary, James is simply saying that Elijah was a human being just like the rest of us. Outside of his call by the Lord to be a prophet, there was nothing particularly special about him or that made him any different than you or me. It is this point that helps to drive home James' point because it shows that fervency in prayer can be accomplished by anyone, great or small; the important thing is that we pray. As he continues, James goes on to tell of Elijah's example of persistent prayer, to which we will now turn our Bibles to 1 Kings 17 in order to look at the actual events.

1 Kings 17:1 (NASB) - Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."

It's in this passage that Elijah first bursts onto the scene in the Bible narrative, and he comes making a bold proclamation to Ahab the king. The proclamation was that there was going to be a draught in the land as a result of the wickedness of Ahab and their failure to follow after the Lord. Being a prophet who spoke the words of the Lord, this was bound to come true, which we see happening in verse 7 of the same chapter. As the narrative continues, we don't hear again of contact between Elijah and Ahab until chapter 18 when Elijah returns to the land and encounters Obadiah. By this point in time, it had been 3.5 years of no rain, which had caused a severe drought in the land of Israel. Needless to say, Ahab was furious with Elijah because of the words he had spoken. After a challenge between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, Elijah proved beyond any doubt that the Lord Almighty was the one true God. With this, he then told Ahab to go eat because it was soon going to rain, after which Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel to pray. While praying, he sent his servant to look toward the sea and see if there was a rain cloud. This happened several times, with Elijah continuing to pray during all of this. Finally, on the seventh time, his servant spotted a rain cloud, to which Elijah told Ahab that there was going to be a downpour (1 Kings 18:42-45).

What is the point of James reminding his readers of Elijah? In sharing this narrative, James makes clear several points concerning prayer and the God we serve. The first point to be made is that God is sovereign and in control. It was the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken to Ahab concerning the drought, and it was God who caused the drought. Just as we learned in James 4:13-16, God is the One who is ultimately in charge and we should never forget that truth. Another point to note is the reason for the drought. Ahab had allowed his wife Jezebel to lead he and the nation astray as they worshipped the prophets of Baal, instead of Jehovah Elohim, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was as a result of this that the Lord had to chastise them for their turning away from him (Heb. 12:4-10). This is not a fate that we want to come upon us, much like the rich in the beginning of this chapter, so it should be our desire to constantly seek after the Lord. The third, and most important principle that we can take away from this passage is the importance of praying earnestly. When James says that Elijah "prayed earnestly," he was actually using a Hebrew idiom that literally translates as "he prayed with prayer," showing the emphasis of prayer. After receiving the word from the Lord that it would rain, Elijah wasn't satisfied with simply praying one time, hoping that it would pray. Instead, he prayed earnestly and without ceasing until he had visible proof that the Lord was doing what He said He was going to do; Elijah kept praying until there was a rain cloud in the sky. This is the same way that our prayer lives should be; we should keep praying until something happens (to use the acronym P.U.S.H.) because that is the fervency by which God wants us to pray.

Prayer is a powerful resource and its one that God really desires for us to use in our Christian walk, especially when we are facing challenging times. But, praying in the hard times isn't an easy thing to do because it's so easy to give up when you don't see immediate results. Elijah didn't see results immediately, so he kept praying. That's what we have to do; our situation or circumstance may not look like it's going to turn for the better, but we must keep praying and remain in the will of the Lord until He answers that prayer. The point is, keep praying for restoration and spiritual renewal until God answers, even if it means bringing in others to pray with you (vv. 14-16).

In closing, just remember, Elijah was just a man like we were, and he prayed until came through; let that be true of you. Next time we close out our study of James' epistle as we study the final two verses which give us yet another application of prayer and restoration in the life of a believer. Until then, keep praying and standing firm in the faith!

Prayer and Restoration: Part 3 - James 5:16

LaRosa Johnson — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0000

In our previous lesson, we looked at James' instructions for the weary to call the elders for prayer as a means of receiving spiritual refreshment. The passage concluded with a note on the forgiveness of sins, being that during prayer, any sins committed will be forgiven. Today's lesson continues in that same line of thought as we move forward to verse 16 where we find more talk on confession and teaching on prayer. So, if hearts and minds are ready for the study of Biblical truth, let's open our Bibles and begin.

James 5:16 (NASB) - Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

James begins the verse with a "therefore," and whenever we see that, we have to ask ourselves, "what is it there for?" Well, given the context of our previous study and the instruction that James had given, it becomes more of a "because you did this, you are to also do this" kind of statement. Because you were weary and called on the elders of the church for prayer and restoration, also do this. What is that something that the therefore is instructing the reader to do? The instruction can be found by reading the rest of the sentence which says to "confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed." This is then followed by a statement of affirmation concerning the power of prayer. Given the clear breaks in this verse, the best course of action is to deal with them individually, starting with confession.

This idea of confession is an interesting bit of text. In much the same way as the previous study, this is an area where a lot of confusion comes into play and errant doctrine exists as a result of misinterpreting the text. When most people hear the idea of confessing sins to one another, their mind more than likely goes immediately to the Roman Catholic church and the idea of confessing your sins to a priest and so on. To be clear, that is not what James is talking about in this passage. It's best to think of this idea as giving a prayer request to another believer so that they can pray for you. Going a little bit deeper than the surface, the Greek word used in this text isn't the common word for confession, but is, instead, a compound of that word that changes the meaning to imply an open confession. That is to say, you're not confessing your sins to God alone, but openly sharing them with a trusted person for the purpose of prayer. With that in mind, there are a few things that this doesn't mean. First, James is not saying that we need to have "accountability partners" that we give all of our dirt to so that they can keep us in check. Nor are we to go around telling people about every little sin that we commit. Most importantly, it doesn't mean that you have to go to another person to get forgiveness of sin, as that only comes through Jesus Christ. The point is that we are to share our struggles (which are sins) with one another so that we can encourage them through the activity of prayer. A good example of this can be found in Acts 19:18, 19 where we see public confession taking place.

The sentence continues by stating that believers are to "pray for one another so that you may be healed." As we've already stated, the purpose of a weary believer confessing and sharing their shortcomings is so that other brothers and sisters in the faith can pray for and encourage them so that they're no longer discouraged. This is akin to what takes place often in church prayer meetings when believers gather together. They share their concerns and burdens in order that the other believers present can intercede on their behalf, instead of simply praying and trying to stand alone. It is these prayers that bring about spiritual healing, much like we learned in our previous lesson. When believers pray for one another and confession takes place, the Holy Spirit is then able to come in and restore the person to fellowship and to a position where they are no longer spiritually destitute and defeated. This is the important thing to remember is that confession is for the purpose of prayer and uplifting. Often times people will ask for prayer requests and such so that they can get the latest gossip, but a believer whose heart is in the right place will be doing it because they are genuinely concerned and want to help their brother or sister along. Please note, we are one body with many members, and if one part of the body suffers, then we all suffer; that is why prayer is important. A stubbed toe may seem insignificant, but if left untreated, it can have negative affects throughout the entire body. The same holds true for believers in the Body of Christ; we don't want to have any place that's hurting.

After emphasizing praying for one another, James then makes a statement concerning the power of prayer when he says, "The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." This truth is attested to numerous times throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. One of the first places where we see a righteous man interceding in prayer is when Abraham is praying for Lot after God had warned that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:23-32). It was through Abraham's persistence in prayer that the Lord answered and spared Lot and his family (19:29). Another example is with the children of Israel as the wrath of God was coming down and they entreated Him to stop (Num. 11:1-2). A New Testament illustration can be had in Acts 12:5-11 when Peter was in prison and was miraculously able to escape as a result of the prayers of many believers.

Now, there are principles to be had in the matter of effective prayer. First, you have to be a believer because God will not answer the prayer of an unbeliever (John 9:31). The only prayer that an unbeliever is able to pray that will be answered is a prayer of salvation; other than that, God only hears the prayers of believers. Secondly, we have to go to prayer asking for what we need as it lines up with His will (Matt. 7:7-11; 1 John 3:22). Thirdly, we have to ask in faith because God does not honor the prayer of a double-minded person (James 1:6). From there, we must pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17), knowing that it is through persistence that many prayers become effective (Luke 18:1-5). With these steps in place, the overarching theme that we want to keep close to heart is that this is the manner by which we are to be praying for others. A good portion of our prayer time should be dedicated to interceding on behalf of other believers who are facing various trials so that they would remain in the will of the Lord, encouraged, and strengthened in the Spirit.

In closing, the aim of believers should be to share in the load of their brothers and sisters so that we can all stand firm in the faith. As we share our struggles with one another, we should be committed to praying for them, actually doing it and not just telling them that we will. It is when we do this that we see the Lord move on our behalf and restore our weakened siblings to full spiritual strength. In our study today we have highlighted many examples from Scripture of how believers were effective in their prayer lives, but James provides us with an example of his own in verses 17 and 18, which we will take a look at next time. Until then, keep praying for one another!

Prayer and Restoration: Part 2 - James 5:14-15

LaRosa Johnson — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0000

In addressing the close of his epistle to the suffering and persecuted, James has primarily focused on the character and conduct that they are to have. In verse 13 he shifted the focus to prayer and praise, depicting what we need to be doing at the appropriate time. In today's passage, James goes on to give instruction for those who are facing these circumstances. He realized that they wouldn't always be at their best, and it's here that he instructs them on how to get some additional comfort and restoration. So, let us open our Bibles to today's passage and begin our study.

James 5:14-15 (NASB) - 14Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

Now, this passage is going to take a little bit of work and unpacking. Over the years, partly due to insufficient English translations from the Greek, these two verses have led to some interesting doctrines and practices inside the Church. In this study, it's not our goal to discuss how these other teachings are wrong; instead, we are here to get to the root of what James is saying and to accurately understand the message that he wishes to get across. To make this happen, we're going to look a bit at the Greek and get some understanding of the culture & times, which will go a long way in making things clear. We'll take a look at this passage in sections, dealing with them individually, before bringing it all back together as a whole to fix our understanding.

Let's begin with the opening question, "Is anyone among you sick?" This question seems innocent enough, but it's a bit misleading, at least in most English translations. The problem comes with the word "sick," which comes from the Greek word astheneo (Strong's G770). Often times when we think of being sick, we generally assume that we're talking about a physical illness, which isn't the case with this particular word. This Greek word literally means "to be weak," with a secondary meaning referring to illness. The use of this word in the Bible is an interesting study. When you look at how this word is used in the gospels (Mark 6:56; Luke 4:40; John 4:46; 6:2) it was used of those who were physically ill or diseased, which leads many to believe that this is what James is referring to. Acts and the Epistles, on the other hand, have instances that refer to someone with a weak faith or conscience (Acts 20:35; Rom. 6:19; 14:1; 1 Cor. 8:11-12). In looking at these passages, you have to ask whether James is referring to the weak or the sick. Keeping the verse in context helps us to see that it should be better translated as "Is anyone among you weak?" because James is speaking to those who have been weakened both physically and spiritually as a result of persecution. This becomes all the more clear if we skip ahead to verse 15, where James uses a word for sick (kamno, Strong's G2577) that literally means "to be weary." Given its only other use in Hebrews 12:3, the definition of being weary is quite obvious. With this understanding, we realize that James is not talking about those who are physically ill, but of those who are weak and weary as a result of their suffering.

What is this weak person to do? James says that they "must call for the elders of the church." In other words, they are instructed to call for the church/spiritual leaders who will be able to comfort and restore them. It's noteworthy that James doesn't say to call a single elder, but he says that they must call for the elders plural. This makes sense given the instructions elders were given in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 to encourage the fainthearted and help the weak. How do the elders help? The remainder of the verse states that the elders are to pray over the weaker brother or sister and to also anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. The instruction to pray is simple enough and doesn't require much explanation. For the most part, believers are familiar with the power and persistence of prayer, but a few passages to note that are related to this matter would include 1 Kings 17:21; Acts 9:40; 28:8.

The portion of the instruction to the elders that we want to key in on is the anointing with oil. Again, most English translations don't do this word much justice in helping us to understand James' intent. There is a word in the New Testament that means anoint, which is chriō (Strong's G5548), but it's a ceremonial anointing. This is not the word that James uses; instead, he uses the word aleipho (Strong's G218), which means "to rub with oil." This is where having an understanding of ancient culture comes into play, so that we can see how oil was used in the ancient world, especially in conjunction with this word. Aside from its ceremonial uses, both oil and the act of anointing had very common and practical applications that any person of Bible times would have been familiar with, which we will now take a look at. First, in Jewish culture it was linked with bodily comfort and expressing a mood of joy (Matt. 6:17). A secondary usage comes as a sign of showing honor or respect (Luke 7:38, 46). A final usage is found in both Hellenism (Greek culture) and Judaism, which is to use oil for medicinal purposes to alleviate and cure various illnesses (Mark 6:13). Going back to our Greek word aleipho for a moment, this is a word of common application that generally falls into one of those three uses. Taking it back to our passage, we can say that James was desiring for the elders to rub oil on the weak, not as a means of imparting some spiritual healing, but for medical purposes or as a sign of giving comfort. So, putting the pieces back together, it's probably safe that James is telling the elders to address the spiritual needs of the weak (through prayer), as well as meeting their physical needs by giving them medicine (to heal any wounds they may obtained as a result of their suffering).

Moving on now to verse 15, if the elders do as James has instructed and pray in faith without doubting (James 1:6) the weary believer will be restored. To understand this verse, we must understand what it means to be restored or made well. This word literally means "to save," but in this context it is referring to saving the weary believer from their spiritual defeat or weakness. In many ways, this can be understood as the believer being restored from his discouragement and lowliness that came as a result of persecution. This significantly indicates that this is a spiritual healing and restoration that takes place, especially when you take into account the remainder of the verse which speaks of forgiveness of sins, which is clearly a spiritual matter. The key here is to realize that the Lord (through the working of the Holy Spirit) will raise up this believer back to the point of spiritual strength so that they can continue to stand firm in the conflict that they're facing.

Finally, let's look at the end of the passage which says, "if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him." What does this mean? Well, in order to understand this, we have to go back to some Jewish understanding where it is often believed that ailment comes as a result of sin (Matt. 9:2-6; John 5:14; 9:2, 3). James is not saying that this is the case, but he does recognize that this is a spiritual matter and the reality that sin hinders fellowship with the Holy Spirit, which could consequently result in spiritual defeat. It is because of this that James says that if you have sinned, that through confession and prayer you will be forgiven (1 John 1:9). It's important to note that James isn't assuming that you have sinned; he is using a third class condition of if, which basically means that it may or may not be true, and then follows with a response if the answer is true. So, if you haven't sinned, this part of the verse doesn't apply, but if you have, then confess and be forgiven.

There's a lot of meat in these two verses, but it really boils down to a very simple principle: if you're weary you need to seek the counsel of spiritual elders so that you can be restored and encouraged in your faith. This is entirely a spiritual matter and does not imply physical healing at all, as some would take this verse to mean. The bottom line is believers being there for one another to bear each other's burdens so that we don't have to carry them ourselves (Gal. 6:2). James follows these two verses with a "therefore" application in verse 16, which we will take a look at when we return next time. Until then, walk in the Light and fulfill the Law of Christ!

Prayer and Restoration: Part 1 - James 5:13

LaRosa Johnson — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0000

If the words of encouragement that James had given weren't enough, he closes out this epistle with a final charge for those who are facing persecution, and it's something that he hasn't mentioned at all up to this point. He's already told them to be patient and to remain steadfast in character, but now he is emphasizing something that will help in carrying out what he had already instructed. What is this something? It's prayer; James tells ends his letter with a lesson on prayer and how it can aide in their current circumstances. This teaching on prayer takes us from verse 13 to verse 18, of which we will focus in on verse 13 today. So, if we are ready to partake in spiritual truth, let's begin.

James 5:13 (NASB) - Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.

To begin his teaching on prayer, James opens with some seemingly simple statements, almost too simple in fact. Simply put, if you're suffering or going through rough times, then pray; and, if you're going through good times, then sing praises. In many ways, this verse is self explanatory because it means what it says and there isn't a lot underneath the surface that needs to be investigated. Even with that, we're still going to spend some time digging into this passage and extract as much truth as we can. In doing so, we will split this into two halves, looking at prayer, and then looking at praise.

When examining the issue of prayer, if there is one thing to be learned it is that we should never cease praying (1 Thess. 5:17). Our prayer life should remain active and consistent whether times are good or bad. If we're to follow after the example of Jesus Christ, we find that He got away often to pray, which included both morning and night (Mark 1:35; Matthew 14:23; Luke 5:16). If there is anything that we can take from the example of Jesus is that prayer should be continually in our mouths. Now, focusing in on our passage, we see that James specifically cites those who are suffering or facing trouble, and tells them to pray. Even though believers are to pray at all times, James is indicating that a believer's prayer life should be all the more active in times of distress. A Christian should be leaning and depending upon the Lord, instead of trying to cope or deal with things in his own understanding (Prov. 3:5) and seeking after the Lord's wisdom (Jas. 1:5; 3:17, 18). This is something we constantly see in Scripture, especially in some of David's psalms; a few passages would include: Psalm 18:6; 116:3-5; 118:5; 142:1-3. Even Jesus prayed when He was in distress while in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44). The main point is that we need to cast our anxieties on the Lord because He cares for us and wants us to do so (1 Peter 5:7), which is what James wanted to address by emphasizing prayer for the suffering.

Now what about this praise business? Much like prayer, praise should continually be in our mouth (Ps. 34:1), in both good times and bad. When times are going good, there is plenty to praise God for, including things such as: health, finances, shelter, family, and so on. Likewise, there is much to praise God for while in the heart of turmoil, just like Job did (Job 1:20-21). In looking at things, it's quite obvious that a believer should be singing songs and hymns of praise to God when things are going well, which is what James is instructing in this passage. Just like when you're to pray harder when the times get hard, you're to praise with more excitement and joy when things are going well and life is cheerful (1 Ch. 16:9; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16, 17). This is something that we need to keep in mind and close to our hearts. Often times, this is an area that we tend to neglect, especially when things are going well. The Lord has given us much to be thankful for, and we should show our gratitude in such a way that results in glorifying God Almighty.

So, what does all of this boil down to? It's as simple as doing what the verse says. Pray when you're suffering, and praise when you're cheerful. In other words, be sensitive to your circumstances and react accordingly. Don't allow yourself to become hardhearted and stubborn to the point where you fail to pray to God in times of need, insisting on doing things yourself, or neglecting God altogether when things are going good. Quite frankly, it shouldn't matter what our circumstances are. If things are going good, we should be praising God and still praying to Him; likewise, when times are bad we should be praying and still praising God for what He has provided. Again, the point being, be sensitive to the circumstances and act accordingly. If you're suffering, your praise is going to be lessened because your focus will be on prayer, and vice versa during the lighter times.

This is how James opens his teaching on prayer, by laying it out there and making it obvious that both prayer and praise need to be a part of the believers life. When this happens, it becomes much easier to live out the words that he had written in the previous verses (being patient and of good character). It is easier to walk in the Spirit when you are in fellowship with Him. Even in that though, James realizes that we get low sometimes, even when walking in the Spirit, which is what he addresses in the following verses. We will take a look at those next time. Until then, keep praise and prayer in your mouth!

Be Patient: Part 4 - James 5:12

LaRosa Johnson — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Over the past few studies, we have taken a look at a handful of verses where James is writing to encourage believers who are under oppression and persecution. A large part of his message to them was encouraging them to remain patient and steadfast in living out the Christian life. In doing so, both reason and example were given as to the need for patience, from the soon return of the Lord to the prophets and Job who can serve as an example to believers. Today, we are going to take a look at a final admonishment that should be kept in mind when examining the issue of patience. If we are ready for the study of biblical truth, then let's open our Bibles to our passage for today in James 5:12.

James 5:12 (NASB) - But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.

At first glance, this passage may appear to be out of place. James seems to go from talking about being patience under trials to making oaths, two seemingly unrelated topics. This is not the case because, with a bit of study, these topics harmonize with one another and provide substantial truth for believers, both for the recipients of this epistle and present day believers. We will take this verse piece by piece and get a grasp on what James has to say.

First off, we encounter the phrase, "but above all," which is the piece that leads us to believe that James is speaking on something entirely separate from his previous statements. In all reality, this is true because there is a disconnect of sorts where this verse does not refer to its immediate context. The "above all" isn't referring to something that he said prior, but it more appropriately referring to the words of his brother, Jesus, found in Matthew 5:34-37, where he speaks similarly on the subject of making oaths. Therefore, we can take this in the context of, something that reads as follows, "In regard to everything I've already said, especially pay attention to this." That is to say, the "but above all" shifts the focus and importance of what is being said, but it does not change the overall application that James is trying to get across. Also notice that he again couples this with another use of "my brethren," to further drive home that this is a point of emphasis.

From there, we get into the point that James intends to get across to his readers, which is simply to not swear or make oaths. This is not referring to the use of foul language, but swearing is just another way of stating that believers are not to make oaths. As a point of explanation, he continues by saying that our yes should be yes, and our no should be no, and nothing more. For most of us today, this roughly equivalent to the phrase, "don't make a promise that you can't keep" or "keep your word." For James' (and Jesus') Jewish audience, this held a particular point of significance. A lot of times, oaths were made out of pride and a false understanding of human sovereignty, meaning that they were trying to make promises without first consulting God in the matter. For Jews especially, it was common for them to make oaths in an heir of spiritual pride, knowing that they would later use technicalities of the Mosaic law to get out of fulfilling their oaths. The point that James is getting across is that believers ought not to make promises that they know they cannot follow through on; hence, if we can and will do it, we should say yes; if not, then we are to say no.

What's more, the issue of making oaths in & of itself is a ludicrous idea, as James and others so eloquently state. This comes into play when you see that James tells his audience to not swear "by heaven or by earth." If we go back to the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:34-37, the insanity of making oaths becomes all the more clear. Jesus says first and foremost that heaven in the throne of God. Who in their right mind wants to swear by the throne of God Almighty, especially when they know they have no desire to keep their word?! He then goes on to say that earth is God's footstool. Do you want to swear by that too?! Jesus then lists Jerusalem and your own body as things to not make oaths against. Why? Because it all belongs to God and He is in authority over all of it. This is what James touched on a bit back in 4:13-16 when he talked about making plans without God in mind; God is in control and not even our life is our own, therefore we have no right to make promises based on anything.

To boil all of this down, this is a matter of integrity and honesty. A consistent aspect of what James was stating, alongside being patient, is that the Lord is soon to return and to judge. Going back to the beginning of the chapter, one of the indictments against the rich is that they were dishonest in their business dealings (not paying their workers); James does not want want for these other believers to fall into a similar trap by making empty promises. Instead, Christians are to walk with the utmost integrity an honesty, making good on everything that we say. In essence, there should be no need for us to even make promises because when we say something, our character should be such that people will automatically know that we're going to follow through on what we say. Plus, we ought to keep in mind, as James says, we don't want to fall under judgment when the Judge comes because we were walking in falsehood. It is here that this passage ties into the rest of the message; along with their patience, James is instructing believers to walk in integrity both in word and deed, as they await the Lord's swift return.

All in all, in this passage and those prior, James is encouraging believers to walk worthy of their calling. Sure they're facing rough times, but they must remember the teaching that they're accountable for and live it out so that the Lord can be glorified. In many ways, these verses remain just as true today as they did at the time they were written, especially given the climate of the world. Believers need to remain steadfast and true to the Word of God, never seeking vengeance, walking in holiness, and awaiting the Lord's return.

Next, we will look at James' words on prayer as it relates to all of this. Until then, keep your armor on and your eyes fixed on the Christ!

Be Patient: Part 3 - James 5:10-11

LaRosa Johnson — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:00:00 +0000

For those believers who are enduring oppression and persecution at the hands of others, James' words of encouragement are to be patient. In previous verses, we have seen the imperative to be patient, including a farming example to solidify the thought in the minds of his readers. He even encouraged them to remain steadfast in their walk, realizing that the coming of the Lord is near. Today, James goes back to his focus on being patient, this time giving real life examples of those who remained patient while facing difficult circumstances. If hearts and minds are ready for the study of the Word, let's begin by reading our passage for today.

James 5:10-11 (NASB) - 10As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.

After a brief aside on the character that should be coupled with patience, James returns to the issue at hand, which is having patience in the midst of trials. He has already given them reasons why they need to be patient, but now he brings in some added support by mentioning that the prophets had to endure such similar treatment, if not worse. These prophets were men who spoke on behalf of the Lord and their message wasn't always a pleasant one, which often resulted in backlash from the ones to whom the message was delivered. With this in view, we can find many places in Scripture where the treatment of the prophets is spoken of, including: 2 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 2:30; Matthew 5:11, 12; 23:34-37; Luke 6:23; Acts 7:52; 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 15; and Hebrews 11:32-38. A glimpse at these passages serve as proof that the prophets endured countless trials, even to the point of their death at times, because they spoke in the name of the Lord. A full treatment of this passage would include a look at each of the Old Testament prophets, but space and brevity does not allow for that here. The primary point to take away from their example, though, is that they remained patient in the midst of suffering, while constantly leaning on the Lord. They didn't try to take matters into their own hands, but they simply did as the Lord had told them to, even if it cost their life. A look at the life of each prophet is strongly encouraged as it will serve to provide greater context to the words of James (of whom his readers were already familiar with the prophets), as well as bless and encourage you.

Moving on, we see that those who endure and counted as blessed. That is to say that perseverance has its reward. To illustrate this, James used the example of Job. This is another text that could be discussed at length, but space does not allow (although I do recommend reading the book in full). As a brief summary of Job, God allowed for him to be tested by Satan with Satan hoping that he would reject God as a result of his affliction. Throughout the narrative, we find that Job did not turn away from God, but persevered, knowing that the Lord was still with him even in the midst of his circumstances. Once his period of testing was over, God repaid Job for all that he had lost as a result of the test, even to the point of multiplying it. The point of the narrative is not that we will receive as Job did; instead, we are to take our cue in his endurance, never giving up. In regard to Job, it's worth noting that James does not say that Job was patient, but instead spoke of his steadfastness. Why is that? Primarily because Job was indeed one who endured in the face of affliction, but he was surely not patient with God while in his testing, constantly questioning and asking God why the affliction was upon him.

There is much to be said, both about the prophets and Job, but the simple fact is that these are faithful men of God who endured in the face of opposition. It didn't matter what came their way because they were willing to face it and continue trusting in God. We can face these situations because we know the end result will be in our favor (1 Peter 3:14). What's more, as the end of our passage states, God is merciful and full of compassion. This is a statement that is repeated constantly throughout Scripture, and it is one that carries with it a wealth of truth. Just as He is soon to return and exact vengeance upon the wicked, we also can have peace knowing that God is with us while we are going through our trials, and He is exhibiting both mercy and compassion while doing so. He does this by not putting us through more than we can bear (1 Cor. 10:13) and by giving us the strength to endure in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). As believers, we should find a great deal of comfort in that, knowing all that we know. When put in their proper perspective, we realize that it is all for His maximum glorification.

When faced with situations similar to what these believers were facing or worse, we should remember the example of the prophets and Job. They continued to walk with the Lord and live worthy of their calling, even when the going got tough and it would've been so much easier to fight back or call it quits. Patience and perseverance are key to the Christian way of life and lessons that we should learn from as often as they may come our way. In the end, we know that Christ will be glorified and His work will be done. This is what James wanted his readers to walk away with, knowing that they were facing they were being abused & oppressed by the wicked and fellow believers. Let us not forget that all Scripture should serve as an example for us (1 Cor. 10:6a), so let's learn from them and walk like we're supposed to.

James doesn't end there, though, as he has one final word of encouragement for these oppressed believers. We will see that next time when we study verse 12 and then move into the final portions of this chapter. Until then, remain patient and steadfast, no matter what it is that you're facing!

Be Patient: Part 2 - James 5:9

LaRosa Johnson — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Having taken a look at James' words of comfort to his readers, we see a strong sense of concern and care for these believers. In the midst of their circumstances and oppression, he encourages them to remain patient in doing the right thing, reminding them that the Lord is soon to return. Today, we continue our look at James' consoling words as he now turns to their manner of conduct and how they should behave while they are waiting to be vindicated. So, let us open our Bibles to James 5:9 and begin our look at today's passage.

James 5:9 (NASB) - Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

As a manner of conduct, James only has one instruction for these believers, but it probably is one of the harder ones to follow through on, especially when the pressure is on. His word to them is simply to not complain against one another. Left as it is, this can be taken a few ways, but bringing in some of the understanding from the Greek helps us to get a better picture of what it is that James is talking about. The word that we're looking at here is stenazō (Strong's G4727), and it is used a handful of times in the New Testament. In the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament we find the following statement, "Sighing takes place by reason of a condition of oppression under which man suffers and from which he longs to be free because it is not in accord with his nature, expectations, or hopes" [1]. As we look at some of the uses of this word in the New Testament, we will see how this statement from the TDNT holds true. The first passage that we want to look at is 2 Corinthians 5:2-4. The passages read as follows:

2 Corinthians 5:2-4 (NASB) - 2For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (emphasis added)

As we can see in this passage, believers are groaning because we are still housed in this sinful flesh. It literally pains us to be housed in flesh when we know and anticipate something that is much greater than what we currently have. Going back to the TDNT, we can say that, from this passage, the oppression is the flesh that we are suffering through, and as a result we are sighing/groaning/longing to be set free from it for all eternity. Moving on, we also see a similar usage in Romans 8:23 where we are told that we're groaning, eagerly waiting for the redemption of our bodies. Mark 7:37 and Hebrews 13:17 are the other two passages, outside of our main text, where this word can be found.

Getting back to our primary text, this is more than just a mere grumbling that we're talking about, as James' use intends more of a strong complaining, whether it be inward or outward. The simple fact of the matter is that you can do well in being patient and not resisting your oppressors, but if you start griping and groaning about the situation, that isn't really isn't being patient. This is why James tells them to not complain, so that they can continue to live out a life that is pleasing to the Lord. He even reminds them of a warning that he had given prior in stating that they too will be judged if they choose to complain against others, including those who are oppressing them. Going back to James 4:11-12, we see that James already gave pretty clear reasons as to why they shouldn't complain (refer to the study on those verses to see those details). The bottom line is that God is in control of the situation and we need to trust in His timing, which we are not doing when we complain. Also, when we are complaining, we are not actively walking in and by the Spirit, exhibiting His fruit.

After urging his readers to not complain, James concludes by giving them another reminder that the Lord is soon to return, but this time he refers to Him as Judge. Not only is the Lord soon to return and coming to vindicate the oppressed, but He is also coming to judge. It is for that reason that we need to constantly be in a state that is aware of His return, walking always in a manner that is in line with His character. Even with that, we all still have to give an account for what we've done here on earth (1 Cor. 4:5; 1 Pet. 4:5), but we don't want to be judged unnecessarily, which is why we walk according to the Spirit, keep from complaining, and refrain from judging others. Now, what is this thing about the door? Simply put, it's figurative language that is used throughout Scripture to refer to Jesus' Second Coming where He comes to setup His kingdom, which includes both judgment and vindication. A couple of other passages that depict this figurative language would include Matthew 24:33 and Mark 13:29.

So, what is our application in all of this? It's the same thing that James said in his letter, don't complain. It doesn't matter what we're going through, we do not need to complain and gripe, especially when it's about or to other people. It doesn't even matter if it's outwardly expressed or internalized, we must remember that God judges the heart, so we need to keep our way pure. Don't forget, as long as we're walking in the flesh and choosing to complain, we are not pleasing God and living up to and according to His perfect and holy character. Next time, we'll take a bit of a walk through Scripture and look at some examples of people that we can look at who were great at walking in patience. Until then, walk in holiness and stay focused!

[1] Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964-c1976. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (7:601). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Be Patient: Part 1 - James 5:7-8

LaRosa Johnson — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:00:00 +0000

After spending six verses condemning the rich, James turns his focus to those who were being persecuted by their rich oppressors. His purpose here is to give them encouragement and provide a means of comfort so that they can continue to walk in a Christlike manner even in the midst of their affliction. This passage spans multiple verses, from verses 7 to 12, but today we're only going to focus in on the first two, verses 7 & 8, where he specifically speaks on the issue of being patient. So, if hearts and minds are ready for the study of Scripture, let's open our Bibles to James 5.

James 5:7-8 (NASB) - 7Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. 8You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

In speaking to those who were being oppressed by the rich, James begins with an imperative, telling them to be patient. Given what was spoken in verse 6 about them not resisting the rich, it is quite obvious that these believers were already being patient, but James is encouraging them to continue in their perseverance. To this end, James is letting these believers know that they need to continue in the manner that they were currently walking in without losing hope or becoming impatient, wondering if and when they'll be vindicated. Before we go much further, let's deal with this word "patient" for a minute because the Greek sheds some interesting light on the term. In the Greek, "patient" is from a compound of "long" and "temper," which literally means to be long tempered or not losing heart. This is also where we get the idea or King James verbiage of long suffering, which is indeed what's in mind here in this passage. Now getting back to the text, the one good thing about this petition to be patient is that these believers are told how long they need to wait, which is until the coming of the Lord. In saying this, James is stating a few things: 1) he is making it clear that they do not have to be patient for an indefinite amount of time because there is a marked moment when their waiting will end, 2) their waiting will end when Jesus Christ returns at His Second Advent (or even the rapture before then because they will be removed from the oppression of this world), and 3) when the Lord comes He will vindicate them for all the wrong they suffered.

From there, James then moves into an analogy that they can relate to in terms of their need to remain patient. He speaks to them of how the farmer has to be patient in waiting for his crops. A farmer cannot plant his seed and then immediately expect a harvest; as this verse states, he has to be "patient about it, until it gets the early and [the] late rains." In other words, for any given crop, there is a time for planting, and then you have to wait then entire season for the crop to fully mature before you can begin to harvest it. Living where I live, I constantly see farmers growing corn and cotton, and neither of those crops is picked until it is just the right time because the farmer knows that he won't have the best product until it is perfectly ripe for harvest. The same holds true for perseverance in the midst of oppression. We have to be patient and wait for the Lord's return because we know that it will come at the perfect time, and not a moment sooner or later. Therefore, in the meantime, it is necessary to hold up passages like Galatians 6:9 where we're told, "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." In having patience and not resisting, we are doing good, and at the right time we'll reap what we've sown.

One point that is worthy of pointing out, is James continued use of the word "brethren." He uses it yet again in this passage and it carries with it the same connotation that it had in its previous uses. As a reminder, James primarily uses it as a means of bringing his readers' attentions to certain key points, and also as a means of comfort in the midst of his seemingly harsh words towards them. In this instance in verse 7, it definitely carries with it the weight of comfort and reassurance, probably more so than in any of its other uses in this epistle. James knows that these believers are being oppressed and he genuinely wants for them to have divine perspective and be encouraged, even while they're being wronged. This is further compounded when you notice that he uses this word a total of four times in this span of six verses from 7 to 12.

Moving on, James tells these believers that they need to be patient just like the farmer is patient who is waiting for his crops. That is what he is saying to them when he says, "you too be patient;" he wants for them to be just like the farmer. Not only are they to be like the farmer, but they are to also strengthen their hearts. This isn't James telling his readers that they need to get in shape and stop eating fatty foods, but he is speaking in spiritual terms. He is urging them to strengthen and cement themselves in the faith and the fact that Jesus is soon to return. That means that they need to remain patient and not get to a point where they are ready to take matters into their own hands, but remaining in a posture that is anticipating the Lord's return. Scripture attests to this need for remaining patient as we can see in passages such as Psalm 37:7 and Hebrews 10:35-37. In Psalm 37:7 we are told to rest and be patient in the Lord, all while not fretting because of how others are prospering around us because of their wicked ways. Follow that with Hebrews 10:35-37 where we are encouraged to not throw away our confidence and remain steadfast, knowing that He is soon to return and won't delay. Also keep in mind the words from Lamentations 3:25, 26 which reads, "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him. 26It is good that he waits silently For the salvation of the Lord."

The most important thing about all that James had said concerning being patient is his final remark in verse 8, which says that "the coming of the Lord is near." The suffering and oppression isn't going to last much longer, it is only for a short while, especially when compared to eternity. As 2 Corinthians 4:17 states, these are only momentary light afflictions that are here to produce eternal weights of glory. That is the reason why we can and should persevere in patience, which is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), because we know that we won't have to do it forever, and not even much longer. The Lord is soon to come and when He does, all those who have been oppressing others will not only receive the condemnation from verses 1-6, but also face the Lord of Sabaoth (v. 4) who will vindicate those who have cried out. When we know that the Lord is soon to return and knowing what He will do when He returns, we can allow that to strengthen our hearts as we stand firm in and walk in the fruit of the Spirit, which includes patience.

James doesn't just stop at telling these believers to be patient, although that is the first thing they need to do. He also speaks on how they need to conduct themselves until the Lord returns, which is what he begins to deal with next as we take a look at verses 9 and following. The main point that we want to take away from these verses though is that no matter what we're facing, we need to be patient and allow our hearts to be strengthened, knowing that the Lord is soon to return and will set things right. So, until next time, walk in patience and stand strong in the faith.

Warning to the Rich: Part 3 - James 5:4-6

LaRosa Johnson — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Up to this point, we've seen quite a bit of talk concerning these rich believers. James has told them that they need to mourn and weep for the miseries that were about to come upon them. He then went on to detail the kind of misery that they would encounter as a means of divine judgment, which was the loss of their wealth. With everything that has been said thus far, the one thing that hasn't been discussed is why they are facing such judgment. Our passage and study today will reveal why these well-to-do believers were facing condemnation. So, if we are prepared for the study of God's Word, let's open our Bibles to James 5:4-6.

James 5:4-6 (NASB) - 4Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 5You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.

As we stated in our opening, up to this point, James had only issued out condemnation to these rich believers, but had not told them why there were about to have divine punishment come their way. Well, we now have the reasons why they are being judged by the Lord. These three verses give four reasons as to why they are in the situation they're in: 1) they failed to pay the laborers who kept their fields, 2) they failed to do the same with those who harvested the crops, 3) they used the unpaid wages to live a luxurious lifestyle, and 4) they have condemned innocent and righteous men unjustly. Taken together, this is the reason for their judgment; and, put mildly, they're suffering because they failed to treat people fairly. We will now take a look at these reasons and expound upon them.

The first reason that James cites is that they have withheld daily wages from the laborers that kept their fields and harvested their crops. Before we go any further with this point, let's make sure we're clear on a few items. First, we are still dealing with an agrarian society, and one of the marks of the wealthy is that they owned a lot of land, to the extent that they needed to hire people in order to work the fields, as it was too much to do on their own. Secondly, these workers were day laborers, and the nature of their work was such that they got paid at the end of each day's work. This is a stark contrast to today, where many of us work for a week or two, and then expect to be paid for the work we've done; these workers were paid daily. Another thing to note about these workers is that a land owner only hired the number of workers that he needed for a particular day, which we can get a glimpse of in one of Jesus' parables (Matt. 20:1-16); it was partly for this reason that laborers were paid daily. The real reason for paying laborers daily had to do with the Mosaic Law, because, remember, we're dealing with Jews; the Law stated that they were to not let the sun go down without paying their workers (Lev. 19:13; Deut 24:14, 15). By not paying their laborers at the end of each day, the rich were sinning against their laborers and God.

That is the problem here, the matter of fairness. These believers failed to treat their labor fairly, and this was a sin in the sight of God, especially to do it to someone that you call a brother. As a result of not receiving their daily wages, these laborers cried out, even to the point of the Lord hearing their prayers and answering them with the judgment listed in verses 2 & 3. These employers failed to realize that even though they are in a position of authority, they still have an authority over them in God (Col. 4:1). For this reason, the cries of the laborers have become yet another testimony against the wealthy believers, much like their corrupted treasures. It is further proof that they are not walking upright with their eyes on the Lord. What's more, James specifically indicates that the God that hears the cry of these laborers is the Lord of Sabaoth, or the Lord of Hosts. What significance does this have? Well, it is showing these rich that they are dealing with God, who is commander of the armies of heaven, thus bringing a strong significance to this matter.

The next reason that James lists as a reason for their punishment is that they were living luxurious lives and leading a life of pleasure. What's wrong with this? Well, take into account our previous point; a part of the money they were using to live this kind of lifestyle came from the wages that they were withholding from the laborers who were working their fields. It's one thing to not pay them, but it strengthens the argument against you that much more when you take that money and spend it on yourself. If we go back to chapter 4, we could probably very well say that these are some of the same people that James was addressing in that chapter who were living hedonistic lives chasing after their own lusts. For these people, one of the ways in which they did it was to not pay their laborers, and use that money to fund their lusts. This isn't a reason that requires much detail as it is quite obvious that these people weren't doing what they were supposed to be doing with their money. It is interesting, though, that James compares them to fattened cattle who are ready to be slaughtered because this is exactly what their lifestyle resembles. The words of Paul in 1 Timothy 5:6 states, "But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives." The context of that passage is speaking of widows, but the same principle applies here; the one who chooses to ignore God during their life is walking as one who is spiritually dead. This is the state of the rich, they are dead to the ways of God because they choose to focus on their wealth.

The final area James points out is their condemning of the righteous. The term used here for condemned is a legal term and means "to give judgment against" or "pronounce guilty." We don't have a lot of detail to go off of here, but there is a lot that we can probably say, given the circumstances. Not only were these rich hoarding money by not paying their laborers, but it would probably be safe to assume that they would then make up charges (theft?) against them so that they would not have to pay the wages owed. Much like our judicial system today, in many regards, those who have money and better lawyers are generally more believable than the common man and end up having the judge rule in their favor. We can't really say, but we do know that they were taking them to court as a means of doing anything to sustain their current lifestyle, even if it meant defrauding others. If we go back to James 2:6, when James spoke on favoritism, he made mention of the rich dragging believers into court and oppressing them, which is likely a similar situation here, if not the exact same thing. The bottom line, this is not behavior becoming one who should be walking in the Spirit.

Furthermore, we also find that not only are the rich condemning them, but they are putting the righteous to death. Again, we don't have the precise details, but we can garner that this is probably both literal and figurative, depending on the person. Again, going back to chapter 4, James spoke a great deal about how these believers lusted to the point of committing murder, both physical and verbal; this is the same situation here. In the most extreme cases, these rich probably had people put to death in an attempt to protect their wealth, while others would have resorted to verbal slander and using the courts to produce a kind of "judicial murder." Either way, the purpose was the same, which was to sustain their wealth and slander their opposition to the point where they could no longer be trusted.

The point that we want to close today's study and this section with is that the righteous did not resist the rich. The Christians that were being cheated out of their wages and drug into court by no means resisted the rich; instead of fighting back and defending their name and honor, they chose to take the high road and walk in a Christlike manner by turning the other cheek (Matt. 5:39). As believers today, when we find ourselves facing these same kinds of circumstances, that should be our response, humility instead of resistance. We can rest assured that God will render the justice that is due, as the Scripture says that we should leave room for the wrath of God to do its thing, as opposed to seeking vengeance on our own (Rom. 12:19). This is the very word that James gives to those believers who were being oppressed, as we will see next time when we get into verse 7 and following. Until then, walk upright and in the Spirit.

Warning to the Rich: Part 2 - James 5:2-3

LaRosa Johnson — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Now that we know who James is referring to in this particular passage, a group of rich believers who are walking in carnality, let us continue on in our study of the text as we move forward to verses 2 and 3. It is here that we find James progressing in his judgment and condemnation towards these believers as we begin to see why these rich were commanded to weep and howl. If hearts and minds are ready for the study of God's Word, let us begin.

James 5:2-3 (NASB) - 2Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!

In the opening verse of this chapter we found James commencing a judgment against rich believers. He began by telling them to burst out in weeping while howling with grief because miseries were about to come upon them. That's all that was given to us in verse 1, and today's passage picks up right where James left off, as he starts to lay out exactly what those miseries are. In verse 2 we find him talking about two things that the wealthy hold dear, their riches and their clothing. In speaking about these things, he says that they have rotted and become moth-eaten. For the wealthy, this is probably one of the worst things that can happen to them, as it means a loss of financial gain. If your wealth has rotted away and your clothes become incapable of being worn, then you are seemingly out of quite a bit of money and financial assets. Furthermore, in the first half of verse 3 we find that their gold and silver has also rusted, along with what happened to their other signs of status. That's the one thing about the rich, they constantly want to store up treasure, and the last thing they want is to lose what they have worked so hard to gain. If you look at things like the stock market crash of 1929, you could almost say that this same thing was happening, going back to verse 1 and tying in this passage. After finding out that they had lost all of their money (similar to rust, rot, and moth-eaten in this passage), they couldn't help but to weep and howl in grief. I really like how the Bible Knowledge Commentary puts it when it states:

The story is not from "rags to riches" but from "riches to rags." Gold and silver are the most sought-after metals and have long been considered the material standards for the world. Though they do not rust, they do become corroded. Gold can darken and silver tarnishes. Their corrosion (ios, or "poison," as in 3:8 and Rom. 3:13) is a testimony to the rich man's folly and will consume his flesh like fire. As metals lose their luster, the poison of greed eats up people. The corrosion of wealth is testimony to this sickness of the wealthy.^[1]

That's what we're dealing with here, we see believers who have put more faith in the their money and social status, instead of the Lord Almighty. It will even get to a point that the corruption of this wealth will become a testimony against these believers. How will it do this? Just like with those in the stock market crash, it was quite obvious who had put their faith & hope in stocks because they were now at the level of common man, or even worse. It's just like actors or athletes who squander their earnings and wind up worse off than before they had even acquired the cash. What's worse is that you find them doing any and everything that they can to regain their former glory and what they had lost. This is akin to what the text is saying when it states "it will consume your flesh like fire;" their folly is evident and they are consumed with trying to reacquire wealth or with guilt over what they had lost. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 also paints a very clear picture of what is being talked about here; in this passage we find those who seek to get rich and the destruction and ruin they eventually face as their monetary pursuits shift their focus away from God.

In the latter end of verse 3, James goes on to say that they have stored up their treasure in the last days. Simply put, Church Age believers need to realize that Jesus Christ can return at any moment and anything that we have acquired here will be left behind. This is why Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19, 20 to store up treasures that are eternal where they will not suffer corrosion and theft, like here on earth. Jesus further makes his point in His parable of the rich man when he says that this man was foolish for tearing down his barns to build new ones when he didn't even know if his soul would be required of him that very night (Luke 12:16-21). The point that Jesus was making here is that we need to be rich towards God, and not just this world, because these earthly riches will be of no value to us once we leave this earth. This is the same warning that James is giving to these rich believers; he wants them to realize that their life could end at any moment, so they need to get focused on the things of God instead of being so consumed with how they are going to acquire and store up more riches. Even for us today, just as these believers, we need to stop living as if Jesus isn't soon to return or never coming back; we need to be ready at all times to leave this earth.

As a point of summary, what we see happening here is a description of the misery that James said would come upon these rich believers: they would lose their riches. Their faith and priorities were in acquiring wealth and God is bringing condemnation against them for not making Him a priority. That alone doesn't finish the picture though, because if we go back to 1 Timothy 6 again (vv. 17-19), we see Paul telling Timothy to encourage other rich believers to continue to walk in a manner that's pleasing to God and do good with their wealth. With that, we can conclude that these believers had to have been doing something wicked in order to justify such harsh words and judgment. Well, James doesn't leave us hanging there because as we move forward in this chapter we will see part of the reason why God is judging these rich believers so harshly; but, we will save that for next time.

Until next time, stay in the Word and diligent in prayer. God bless!

[1] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:832). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Warning to the Rich: Part 1 - James 5:1

LaRosa Johnson — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:00:00 +0000

When last we were together, we gave a complete overview of the entire chapter of James 5. Today we're going to dive right into the text and begin to extract the Biblical truth and see what James has to say concerning the rich. Our study today is going to focus on the first verse as we get a picture of who James is addressing at this point in the letter and what he had to say to them. To begin, if all hearts and minds are ready for studying God's truth, let us open our Bibles to James 5:1.

James 5:1 (NASB) - Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

James begins this portion of Scripture in much the same way that he did in 4:13 when he focused on those who were foolishly boasting about future plans, while failing to take into account the plan of God. As before, this is an interjection that James uses in order to call attention to a particular audience that he is about to address. This time around he is addressing the wealthy among the congregation. By using the phrase, "come now," James is directly bringing attention to these believers, and again to bring a word of condemnation to them.

Let's spend a few minutes talking about the rich because this has become a point of contention among numerous commentators. It's quite obvious that we're talking about people who have a significant amount of money, there's no question about that; we all know who and what the wealthy are. So, that isn't the question. The question is this: are these wealthy people believers or unbelievers? There are a good number of commentators who would say that they are unbelievers. They feel that it is quite obvious from the text that these are unbelievers because this behavior is completely unbecoming of a follower of Jesus Christ. They also state that because the opening of the letter doesn't explicitly state that it is to a group of believers (only to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad) it leaves it open for James to also address unbelievers who may have been in the midst of these groups of Jews. However, there are many problems with this assessment, but one major one is that it fails to take into account the numerous times (15 total) throughout this letter where James refers to his readers as brethren (i.e. brothers in faith), which makes it pretty obvious that he is speaking to fellow believers. Plus it ignores the plain reading of the text and its language, where just a few verses prior (4:11) he referred to them as brethren. Another argument states that these are people who have associated themselves with the church and profess to be believers, but really aren't. This is a possibility, but still probably isn't the best stance to take.

In a fair reading of the text, the best possible understanding is that James is once again referring to believers, which is the stance that we will hold to. Given all that James had written in chapter 4 concerning believers who were going after their fleshly desires, it is not that far of a stretch to think that the rich believer could also have a sin pattern that matches the description that James is now choosing to speak against. And again, a plain reading of the text leads us to the conclusion that these are indeed believers, albeit carnal, when kept in context. So this is what we're dealing with here; we're looking at a believer who is caught up in a sin pattern, just as we had previously.

Now that we know who James is addressing, we can move forward with the remainder of the verse. In much the same manner as in the previous chapter when telling the carnal believer that they needed to "be miserable, and mourn and weep" (4:9), James is telling these wealthy believers that they need to do the same thing; they need to "weep and howl." In a more illustrative fashion, effectively James is telling them that they need to burst into weeping while howling with grief, if you take a fairly literal translation of the Greek text. What is it that should invoke such a response? The passage states that it is because of the miseries that are about to come upon them. This "coming upon" is used in a futuristic and prophetic sense, stating that these miseries are not yet happening but are going to be coming upon them. It is when these miseries come that their response is going to be to weep and howl. The remaining verses in this section fill in what these miseries are (vv. 2-3) and the reasons as to why they are even coming upon them (vv. 4-6). In terms of our study in this verse, the point to be made is that these wealthy carnal believers are soon going to come under judgment because of matters that concern their use of money (hence why they are specifically called out).

Having laid the groundwork for this passage, I feel that we have a good understanding of what we're dealing with here. We realize that we aren't talking about unbelievers or false converts, but we are talking about actual believers who have gotten caught up in a pattern of sin that needs addressing. From there, we find out that they are coming under judgment because of the use or management of their wealth. Next time we will get into verses 2 & 3 and begin to look at what this judgment is, followed by a look at why they're being judged to begin with. Until then, keep your armor on and stay grounded in His Word.

Chapter 5 Overview - James 5

LaRosa Johnson — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:00:00 +0000

We have finally reached the final chapter in our James devotion series. Over the course of the first four chapters, we have learned quite a bit about living out our faith. As we have seen thus far, there has been a natural progression in the content that James has delivered; each topic has built upon the previous one and presents the reader with an astounding amount of practical application. Chapter 5 is no different, as it continues in much the same manner as the rest of the letter. Our study today will serve as an overview of the chapter and then we will move forward with the verse by verse study of the text. If hearts and minds are ready, please read James 5 and keep reading.

When we look at this passage of Scripture, you will notice that we can break it down into about four sections. Verses 1-6 focus in on another group of believers who have issues. Verses 7-12 talk about a response to the group discussed in the previous verses, as well as giving instruction on being patient and steadfast with endurance. Moving along, verses 13-18 specifically deal with meeting the needs of our brothers and sisters, while the chapter and epistle closes in verses 19-20 with a brief exhortation on restoring a straying brother or sister in the faith.

So, what can we expect to learn from this chapter? Well, first, we once again find James calling people out for their outlandish behavior. In chapter 1 he called out those that weren't doers of the word; in chapter 2 he warned against those who were showing favoritism; chapter 3 had James warning the talkative type; and, chapter 4 dealt with those that were all caught up in fulfilling their desires. When we get to chapter 5, James begins by calling out rich believers who have oppressed others by exploiting them and cheating them out of their wages for their own personal gain. James wants to put them in check, getting them to realize that Jesus could come back at any moment and that they have bigger things to worry about than just stacking paper. That's where the chapter begins.

The second section of the chapter focuses in on those believers who have been abused by the oppressive rich, along with application for believers in general. What are these oppressed believers to do? They are to simply be patient, both with the circumstance and the person oppressing them, and endure with steadfastness. They aren't to complain or talk bad, but they are to also remember that the Lord's return is near and walk in a manner that is prepared for His return. The bottom line is that no matter what circumstance is being faced, perseverance and walking in a Christlike manner are key.

James then smoothly transitions into the topic of meeting the needs of others, especially those who have been or are being oppressed. He tells the oppressed or sick that they are to seek out spiritual leadership and have them pray for them. In short, this is a lesson on prayer, praying for others, and the power of prayer. We see in this passage the spiritual benefits of praying for others and the effect that it can have in their ability to remain steadfast in their walk, especially when weary. He also talks about sharing burdens with one another so that they can be prayed over. That then moves into a lesson on prayer's power, giving the example of Elijah and how the Lord heard and answered his prayers for rain. That is the same kind of power that we can have in our prayer lives because we serve the same God.

The chapter then closes with a couplet of verses that speak about bringing back a straying brother. This is all about helping a brother who has fallen into sin and restoring them back to the right track. It also includes correcting doctrine, where a brother or sister may be straying because they're being led away by a false teaching; it is our responsibility to bring them back to the truth. When we do that, we're helping to keep them on the right path.

That's all of what you can expect to find in this chapter. There's quite a bit of information, and every verse is plenteous in the amount of fruit that it can bear in our lives. James gives us so much practical application in this chapter, and we should be quick to take heed to everything that he has presented us with in this chapter, just as we have with all the others. Just because this is the final chapter, we are not going to rush through it; we're going to take our time. So, until next time, remained steadfast and prayed up. God bless!

It's Sin! - James 4:17

LaRosa Johnson — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Sin always induces intense conversation and usually leaves people with a myriad of emotions. After having spent four chapters discussing practical Christianity and the steps necessary to walk in the Spirit, James now hits the topic of sin head on with his final verse of chapter 4. This chapter was particularly in-depth in its discussion on sin, and it's only fitting that James would give us a summary statement at this point. Let's go to the Scriptures and see what James has to say as he closes chapter four.

James 4:17 (NASB) - Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

We could go into a lot of detail with this verse, but we're going to give it its due diligence and continue forward. James' epistle is very practical and this verse is as practical as it gets. If you know what you're supposed to be doing and you don't do it, then you're sinning. With that being said, if there is one thing that the Bible is absolutely clear about, it's on the issue of sin. In the context of this study, we want to look at one important aspect of sin, and that is knowing what sin is. In Romans 7:7, Paul tells us that he would not have known what sin was if it weren't for the Law (God's Commandments). He goes on, in the same, to say that without the law he wouldn't have known about such sins as coveting without the Law telling him to not covet. What is the point that Paul is getting at? As long as he was ignorant of the Law, he did not have a full comprehension of what sin was; but, as soon as he knew, he was accountable for his actions from that point forward.

This is the heart at what James is getting at with this verse. He has just spent an entire chapter discussing their hedonistic ways, their slandering of one another, as well as their prideful boasting; and, in pointing out each of these, he also gave an applicable solution for how to walk in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Thus, James 4:17 hits home; they now what they're doing wrong and the steps needed to correct it. If they choose to walk in obedience, they will take James' advice and turn away from their carnal ways. If they choose to ignore his advice, knowing that it is right and from God, then they are in sin (or choosing to continue in sin). It's not just this chapter either, this statement encompasses everything that James has stated thus far in the letter from chapter 1 all the way up to this point, and going forward into the final chapter. He has given them instruction and it is now their choice to either walk in positive or negative volition towards the will of God. Even more, James 4:17 doesn't just apply to this epistle, but the entire breadth of Scripture.

What does this look like in practical terms? Let's look at some everyday examples and maybe things will become clear. Starting with the obvious, let's say that you're faced with a situation where you're tempted to commit fornication/adultery. What do you do? Well, you know that the Bible says that both fornication and adultery are a sin, so you must act accordingly. The right response would be to turn away from the temptation and choose to not sin; whereas it is sin to follow through with it, knowing that it's wrong. Let's make it a little more real. You know that downloading music illegally is against the law. What do you do? Do you choose to do the right thing and not do it or do you go ahead anyway thinking that nobody will know? If you fail to do the right thing, then it's sin. Now, let's back up for a second and look at a situation that isn't inherently sinful. Say you're watching a television show (wrestling for example) and there's nothing necessarily wrong with it; what do you do if your conscience starts nagging at you to turn the channel? If you ignore your conscience and continue to watch, that's a sin. The bottom line, if you know the right thing to do and you don't do it, that's a sin (whether the actual act itself is a sin or not).

Now, Paul said he only knew what sin was when confronted by the Law of God. What about those people who have never had an encounter with the Bible? Well, there's no excuse for them either; the Bible tells us that God's moral law is written on our hearts (Romans 2:15). We all have a God-given conscience that instinctively tells us right from wrong. Even without the Bible we know that it's wrong to lie, steal, and cheat. So, even when we fail to do the right in those circumstances it's sin because our conscience convicts us. What's more, this even has implications for the gospel; for those who have encountered the truth of Jesus Christ, if they choose to do the wrong thing & reject it, that's sin. Peter makes it clear in 2 Peter 2:21 when he says that it would've been better to have not known the truth than to have known it and then turn away from it.

Let us keep that in the forefront of our minds in all that we do. With every decision that we make, we are choosing to walk in obedience or disobedience; if we know the right thing to do, then we should make the conscious decision to do that right thing and remain in the will of God. If you walk away with nothing else from this study on James, this is the point that you want to get because it sums up so much of what he has stated thus far. The bottom line: if you know the right thing to do, then do it!

Until next time, continue to walk in His grace, making the right choices.

Beware of Prideful Boasting - James 4:13-16

LaRosa Johnson — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:00:00 +0000

Up to this point, the entirety of James 4 has dealt with the issue of carnality and returning to right fellowship with the Lord. As we reach the close of this chapter, James gives yet another warning concerning sin, and this is one that many find themselves taking part in, whether we're aware of it or not. Unlike the overt sins that were spoken of in the beginning of the chapter, this particular sin is not as easily recognized, unless taken to its extreme. What we are dealing with here is the issue of prideful boasting, as we open up our Bibles to today's passage in James 4:13-16.

James 4:13-16 (NASB) - 13Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." 16But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

Unlike most of this chapter, this handful of verses is pretty straightforward and doesn't require much work with the Greek, so we will take it at face value and draw our application from there. So, what is it that we have here? We start off with an entrepreneur who has made up his mind that he is soon going to go to a presumably large city to start a business venture, spend some there and make lots of money. At face value, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this; God has given us the command to work (2 Thess. 3:10), so it is perfectly understandable that we need to work in order to sustain ourselves with food, clothing, and shelter. What then is the problem? Although very brief in his description, it is notable that God is not in the midst of these plans. What we have here is a person who is making plans on his own accord without taking into account God or His will. You could probably describe this as most people who are trying to live out the American dream, making plans to get wealthy, own a large house, drive a nice car, have a family and kids, and so on, but all without a single thought of God.

Now, we have to ask ourselves, what exactly is the problem here? Is it the fact that these people are making plans? This is certainly not the case because we know that it is wise to plan and make provision for the future, but it all has to be done with God as the focus. When we move forward to verse 14, we see that we clearly do not know what our life is going to be like from one day to the next. We all know the phrase "life is short," but how often do we take that statement to heart and realize that our life could be required of us at any moment? It is prideful to say that you're going to do this or that, and saying it in such a manner that you have absolutely no doubt that it's going to come to pass. For all you know, you could die in your sleep and never have the opportunity to make that happen. For example, you could have plans to buy a brand new house because you just got a brand new job, but you're not going to be able to buy that house if you find yourself without a job the very next day. Take Job for example, one day he had lots of livestock, servants, many children, and lots of wealth; but within a single day it was all taken away from him. What if Job was banking on his wealth and had made plans to use it for business? He wouldn't have been able to follow through because of what had happened to him. Yet another example can be found in Luke 12:18-20, where we find a parable of a rich man and his barns. Indeed, Proverbs 27:1 holds true when it tells us, "Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth." Life is short and we don't know what a day will hold, therefore we need to keep God in the mix.

What then does it look like for us to keep God in view? James 4:15 makes absolutely clear what our attitude should be when it comes to making any kind of plans. The verse tells us that we should say, "If the Lord wills..." What does that mean? Well, it simply means that we are in full recognition that God is sovereign and has the authority to overrule any plans that we may have set for ourselves. Yes, we can make our plans in full faith that this is what the Lord has for us; but, if those plans change, we are prepared to go with the flow without getting bent out of shape. Going back to Job, he still kept God center stage, even after everything was taken from him. Instead of doing what his wife said by cursing God and killing himself, he sought the Lord, remembering that he brought nothing into the world and would take nothing with him to his grave. In other words, Job knew that God was still in control, even with all the calamity that happened and didn't go according to what Job had likely planned for his life. In much the same manner, we too need to respond in much the same way, making plans with the Lord's will in full view, knowing that it may override anything that we have set out to do.

Finally, verse 16 tells us that it is evil to boast in such a way that we fail to account for God. What makes it evil? First, it's failing to put God first in your life, which is a clear and blatant sin. Secondly, you are making your goals and plans into an idol, which is idolatry. Third, you are not walking in God's ways so you are in sin because you are not in line with His will. The bottom line is that making plans without a thought for God and the brevity of human life is a sin and it is a sin of pride. Any and all plans that we make, as believers, should be done in humility and in recognition of God and His overall plan.

When we come back next time, we will look at the final verse of this chapter and start making our way through the final chapter of James. Until then, keep your mind focused on Christ!