Bible, NT-26, James-Jude: Part 1

LESSON 26

JAMES – JUDE

Part 1

By Rev. G. Evan Newmyer

INTRODUCTION TO LESSON 26

This lesson will look at many of the remaining letters of the New Testament, leading us to the Book of Revelation. They give us the process of correction in justification process so we can enjoy it, rather than fight it. The scribes for these letters are, James the Pastor, Peter and John the Apostles and Jude the Prophet, each giving us information to place us into the Perfect Order God has for us.

James will begin with the works of faith to bring us into the Wisdom of God; James also defines Wisdom as the manner in which we deal with people and events, but in so doing he also shows there are two types of Wisdom. James is not twenty little letters, it’s one letter beginning with praying in faith, then ending with a prayer of faith both with the added connection  of the Wisdom of God.

First Peter is written to those who desire to walk with Jesus in an overcoming faith centered, love motivated manner. First Peter defines the purpose for our faith, giving us encouragement to continue on. Second Peter is a warning to those who have fallen back to perdition, it will describe false teachers a long with their motives and actions.

First John shows us how to test the spirit, as well as what it takes to have fellowship with the Father. Second John adds to First John bringing clarification; and then Third John also adds giving us the importance of prospering in the soul, in order for us to truly prosper in God.

Jude finishes the lesson with the biggest warning of all, yet interjects Mercy, Belief, Faith and Patience. Jude speaks with the voice of a prophet, the use of metaphors, and allegories are indicative of a prophet. Jude also explains how we are fishers of men, yet we are not the inspectors of the Net.

JAMES WRITTEN 60 AD

This letter is not twenty different subjects, neither does it jump from “ask in faith” to “consume it on your own lust” without making a Godly connection. The entire message tells us to have the Wisdom of God in order to deal with events and people, especially God’s people in the same manner as God does. James also points out it’s a Process, we ask, God gives, but we must stand in Faith during the Process of Patience. Wisdom is not easy, there are times when it seems it would be better to react, than respond. The Faith of Jesus has given us many examples in how to deal with people and events in a Godly manner.

So, how does faith fit in? Faith is a continual nature to please God, which includes using the gift of God, regardless of the gift, in a manner God desires. James will show we can ask for Wisdom in various ways, but only asking in faith will we keep Wisdom operating in the manner God desires. Jude will confirm this premise by telling us there are some, few as they may be who twist the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness (Jude 4).

If anyone other than Jesus could tell us about prayer, it would be James, who was affectionately known as “old camel knees” because of the calluses on his knees from all the hours he spent on his knees in prayer. This letter pertains to prayer, but not general prayer as much as specific prayer for supplication and application.

This James is not the brother of John, rather he is James the Less, the Pastor in the Jerusalem church, and brother of Jude. Acts 15 shows this James also had the respect of the prophets and apostles, as they placed themselves under his authority: thus the old carnal attitude of “pastors are subject to prophets” is not according to the Bible. James was an apostle, but considered his pastoral role more important. Interesting considering how some today are called to be Pastors, but think being an apostle is a greater honor.

In Acts 15 James wrote most of the letter to the Gentiles regarding the controversy over circumcision; however, this letter is written to the converted Jews who were scattered among the Gentiles, advising them the Gentiles were brothers, and to be careful how they dealt with them. Paul talked about the Body in general as he noted the hand can’t say to the foot, because we think you’re not of the Body, we have no need of you. Or think we’re the Head and have no need for the rest of the Body. However, James is looking at the two groups making up the Body, Jew and Gentile, as he reaches the same conclusion Paul did, “there is neither Jew nor Gentile”.

In Hebrews we found faith comes from something unseen, we also found how some of us misread it to mean faith either produces the unseen, or faith is the unseen. James will clear up the issue, pointing out how Faith is seen. One could make the mistake thinking James is in conflict with Paul, after all Paul said by faith we are saved, but James says faith can’t save you. Oh wait, Paul said by Grace through faith, so there is no conflict. The Wisdom of God is an attribute of Grace, thus we can have faith, but lack Grace. After all many Old Testament saints had faith, but not Grace. Paul points to obtaining, James talks about what we do after we obtain in order to maintain. No conflict at all, just one adding to the other.

James will use four Old Testament examples, Abraham, Rahab, Job and Elijah, a good scribe knows both the Old and the New; however, they only do the New. Is James saying their faith is better than the Faith of Jesus? No, he shows they had the faith to endure the test, thus those with the Word in them have more a capability to endure.

James 1:1-3

The dating of this letter shows it was some time before the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, probably just after the time of the letter going out in Acts 15. James doesn’t begin by saying he is the brother of Jesus, or he is a pastor, or even the brother of Jude, rather he begins by saying he is a servant, thus this is a teaching letter.

The doctrine is delivered, it’s secure; and James will not teach us the element of the Doctrine. What element of the rudiments would this fit? Faith toward God, it’s the premise of asking.

The Greek word for Servant is Doulos meaning A permanent slave who is such by their own will, this is someone who will serve in good and bad times, as faithful. The word Scattered doesn’t limit itself to the Dispersion of the Jewish people; rather we find it has some very interesting keys. James is talking to “brethren”, showing they have made Jesus Lord (James 2:1), which limits the confines of the group. The Jews who were dispersed among the Gentiles also had Judaizers among them. The Letter in Acts 15 gave doctrine to the Gentiles; this letter is asking the dispersed Jews to gain some Godly wisdom in order to deal with the Gentiles as brothers.

James calls them “scattered”, but then adds the word “greeting”, the world Greeting is the Greek Chairo, which is related to the Greek Charis (Grace). This word means Be glad, Rejoice, it was used by Jesus when He talked about being persecuted for the Word’s sake (Matt 5:12). It was tough being a Jew among the Gentiles, tougher yet to see the Gentiles being able to come around the Law of Moses. To most Jews it would mean the Gentile was not disciplined, or would abuse the Gift of God. Tougher yet was to find out you just allowed your old Jewish nature to cause a Babe in Christ to stumble, because you used the wrong wisdom. However, there may be a reason to Rejoice, just perhaps.

The Book of James is considered a Door to the wilderness, either going in, or coming out. If one rejects the cleaning and exposure, they are going into a wilderness of exposure, if they understand James, they can see it relates to “God Is”, the very premise we learn in the wilderness. The Children made the mistake of blaming God, the saint finds they are in the Hand of God, thus they learn to reject the spirit lusting to envy, as they believe God Is. The children allowed unbelief to erode their foundation, yet faith without a foundation soon slips away.

Verse 2 narrows this down to the persons being addressed as Brethren, in the Greek it reads “brothers of me” with the Greek Adelphos denoting unity. This is another clue, James was a Jew, but converted to the Christian faith, he was among the twelve before the Cross. To him the term “Brethren” in this sense pointed directly to those associated to the Body of Christ, or converted Jews. James being a converted Jew was directing his letter to converted Jews in the Body, who were dispersed among the Gentiles. Romans was written to Gentiles who felt they were better than the Jews, here it’s to the Jews who felt they were better than the Gentiles.

He doesn’t begin with, “Be sure you witness about all the good God is doing in your life”, or “be positive”, or “walk in faith, be strong, be courageous”. No, he begins with “Count is joy when you fall into different temptations” (1:2). The Greek word for Count is Hegeomai meaning To lead the way, Chief, To view, or Regard, this would lead to indicating how they fell into the temptation of demanding the Gentiles to be circumcised of the flesh, they are about to learn the premise was not Gospel related. This is confirmed when we see the Greek word for Fall is Pierasmos meaning Putting to the test, or Trial. The concept of making the Gentiles, Jews by circumcision of the flesh before the Gentile could receive the promise actually caused the Jew to fall into a test of their own faith. This also divides the temptation to do evil, from the test of our faith. The test was whether to accept them or not, but they placed restrictions on the Gentiles, even after seeing Jesus accepted them by baptizing them with the Holy Ghost. If one has the Holy Spirit, surely they are accepted by Jesus, what right to we have not to? The test failed then became a temptation for the Jew, causing them to fall. They can now rejoice, they are about to gain some Wisdom, in order to free them.

Any temptation to do evil must have two elements to be complete, the person doing the tempting unto evil must have a lust to envy in them, the one being tempted must have a lust to envy in them to complete the temptation unto evil. The third element James will talk about is taking the Good Gift of God, then twisting it to evil. It seems to be the premise here, the Good Gift is Grace, once we have the Better Covenant, why go back to the inferior?

James will give us two different circumstances, one is how God tests our faith, and the other is when some lust in us drew us away. This can be a tough area to grasp, if God sends a “test”, yet we filter it through a lust, we have then made it a temptation. If we are seeking God through a lust, we are tempting God, yet God has no evil in Him, thus we cannot entice Him to do evil. So what does He do? Sends back a test to expose the lust in us, so we can see it, then be cleaned of it. It was evident in the great quail hunt, they tempted God, yet He sent back a test of exposure. The third area is when someone with a lust tempts us, causing us to react from a lust, causing us to fall into the temptation. We can’t blame them, we fell because of the lust in us. If there is no lust in us, the same temptation sent to us then becomes a test for us. Jesus asked the religious leaders, “why do you tempt Me?”, yet He was not enticed, but through clarity saw the temptation and responded by sending a test as His response. Just as the Father was “tempted”, yet not enticed  by the children (Numb 14:22, Ps 95:9 and Heb 3:9). The dilemma comes when we narrow the premise down to “God cannot be tempted, neither will He tempt us”, leaving out the word “evil”. The concept is “God cannot be tempted to do evil, and neither will He tempt us to do evil”.

Still in James 1:2 we find the Greek word for Divers is Peripipto meaning To embrace or Fall around, since it’s plural we find there is more than one Temptation. How many are there? Make a list, check it twice. No, temptations unto evil are lust centered, whether the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or the pride of life. These lust elements exist in the spirit lusting to envy, which uses the wisdom of man. So, what happens when we do fall? A lust in us was exposed, so now what? Cry? Kick the cat? Quit? All signs of more lusts. No, we Rejoice, get happy. “yeah sure, in a pig’s eye”. No, really, what happened? A perfect example of exposure, a great opportunity for the Word in us to work. Things got tuff, the test came, we turned it into a temptation, rejoice it’s time to be clean in order to gain Peace in the Wisdom of God.

The Greek word for Knowing in verse 3 is Ginosko, a word we looked at in Colossians, it means To know something in the beginning or at the completion, but it doesn’t mean knowledge from on high, nor does it mean Wisdom or Understanding, rather it means to know intellectually, without the experience, which is the case here. Faith can have knowledge, but no experience. We can know all the attributes of God’s Wisdom, yet lack it in residence. We can define Grace, yet not have it. Wisdom is a character trait, it’s something found in the nature of a person, thus James concurs with Paul, we have faith and belief, but we better have Grace in order to enter “shall be saved”. Grace is the nature of God, it’s the New Birth, the Spirit that is of God. James, like Paul is merely saying, we may have faith, we did come to the Cross, but did we continue in the Faith? Did we seek to have the character of Christ? This entire letter will focus on the premise, we can take a Good gift from God, yet twist it into a self-benefit by applying the wrong spirit and wrong wisdom. On the same note we can receive the gift by faith, then endure until it becomes part of our Christ nature. We’re still the ones with the keys to the kingdom.

The Greek word for Proving is Dokimion meaning Approved or Accepted. The Trying also means Works (plural), it’s the Greek Katergazomai meaning To bring about. It was used in Ephesians 6:13 as “having done all”; the Greek word for Work is Ergon Denoting how a person acts under the proving, it also means the business at hand, or the business to be done, thus the term “faith with works” doesn’t mean going about telling everyone about our faith, it means our faith is working in an area to bring to pass what we asked for, so we can walk in it as God intended. If faith is the only element able to please God, then walking in the Gift in a Godly manner must be faith related. Faith is the present tense ability based on a future hope, but it’s also the visible of an invisible source.

If there was ever a place of warfare, this is it. This is the one area where the old man will send every wile he has. Why? This is Wisdom, God’s Wisdom exposes all the things of darkness, yet deals with them in a Godly manner. This area is the foundation for First Peter, the very area where we gain the purpose of our faith, even the salvation of our souls (I Pet 1:9).

The paradox here tells us to ask by faith, for something faith related, thus it all connects to faith. A working faith in love is always working to “please God”, whether we’re pleased or not. Wisdom may have us smile and love someone, who at the moment is completely unlovable. Wisdom may have us reject the temptation to be partial, when being partial is beneficial to our ministry. When someone with a checkbook, and pen in hand comes among us, yet we treat them far better than someone with either no, or little money, are we partial and in sin? Yes, God’s Wisdom is not partial, in fact James will use the very issue to show how the Faith of Jesus displayed the Wisdom of God.

James 1:4-20

The term, “but let patience” means to stay the course, keep allowing faith to work until God’s Wisdom is part of our nature. We found Patience is the joining factor between our belief of “God Is” unto gaining the Reward. Some of us have to think about “what would Jesus do?”, others respond as Jesus by having the same nature as Jesus. The whole idea here is like the Love of God, we can fight and fight not to do the eight things God’s love won’t do, then think we’re holy, but until we do the eight things God’s Love does by nature we’re not holy. We can attempt not to do the things of the wisdom of man, but it still doesn’t mean we operate in the Wisdom of God. The premise is a change of nature by allowing the Word of God to bring the nature change in us. When we allow the Wisdom of God to operate, even if it’s “against our interest”, we will soon make God’s Wisdom an attribute to our New Nature. God’s Love and Wisdom are elements we ask for, then believe we receive, they are not earned.

Patience must also have a purpose and a joy, and Joy isn’t always walking around laughing, it’s a confidence in a Godly purpose. Patience keeps us from disobedience, often staying the course is a warfare in and of itself. In Acts chapter 1 the disciples were told to “Tarry”, or Wait for the Power from on high, but prior they were casting out devils and doing all sorts of things. What power did they have to Tarry for? Sounds like they had enough Power. It was their error in thinking as well, Judas cast out devils, it was Judas he couldn’t deal with. The Power from on high is the power to change Natures, it’s the Seed of God delivered by the Holy Ghost, the New Man, the Greater He, the Holy Spirit of Promise, the very element God granted us in order to bring to pass, our souls being generated into a Spiritual nature by the Word in us, known as the Holy Spirit.

So what did the disciples do? Tarry? No, they held a board meeting to fill the slot of Judas. To them it seemed like the thing to do at the moment, but it was not staying the course, it was jumping out of the boat and walking on water again. When the Lord tells us to “wait”, it’s still doing something. The old nature will say, “what are you doing? Faith has works you know, so do something”. We hear the spirit lusting to envy, then reason, “yeah, all I’m doing is sitting here, everyone else is doing something, I remember the Bible talked about the lepers, and how they did something”. Then we reason the more in order to justify ourselves we conjure up the famed, “it’s a step of faith”, but faith comes by hearing, the last thing we heard was “tarry”, thus to Tarry would have been a act of faith.

Patience also keeps us from going over the limit, or doing things beyond what God told us. God could tell us to do one thing, but no we have a better idea, thus we venture off adding to the Commandment, which is not only disobedience, but like the sin of witchcraft. When we add to the Commandment we become the god over God, making our efforts witchcraft. It’s not by chance we find Faith and Patience linked together in all this, Faith begins with our belief in “God Is”, a lack of Patience says, “I must”. A lack of Patience will also cause us to reject the Proceeding Word, for some prior one, just so we can “do something”. A lack of patience will always lead to presumption, then into disobedience, even if we think we’re obedient by doing “something”. Saul thought he did everything God told him (and more), but found rebellion and stubbornness became his real “works” (I Sam 15:23).

On the same note, God’s Wisdom is not going to be complete for us in one second, it will take time, testings and experience. There will be times when we will use the old natural wisdom, simply because we used it prior, and felt it worked; however, the proof of having the Wisdom of God is the conviction comes after we use natural wisdom. An example would be when John forbid the man from casting out devils, yet Jesus said, No one who uses His name it can do Him harm, then Jesus told John, “let him be”. A little late, wouldn’t you think? John used what he felt was reasonable resolve to a situation, after all the man was not part of the inner circle, he was not ordained (you know), what right did he have to cast out devils? We go through the same thing, anyone who is baptized in the Name of Jesus, can baptize others in water, even if we don’t like the way they’re doing it. The newest convert has authority to do two works, cast out devils and baptize others in water. Teach? No, Preach? No, let not a Novice do so. Be Discipled? Oh Yes, but even the disciples did things during their discipling, but always at command, as well as limited in scope and territory.

Peter heard from the Father one minute, and from Satan the next, yet he couldn’t tell one from the other. When he said, “You are the Christ”, it was a good word, although he tended to over use for the wrong reason, it was still a Truth. A short time later it was, “Be it far from You Lord”, it was natural wisdom coupled with a natural word. Prior Peter heard “Blessed are you”, then decided “I speak for the Father, so here goes”, but  Jesus told him, “Get you behind Me Satan”. Wow, God must have set him up, after all if God knows all things, surely He knew Peter would error within a few verses. God didn’t set him up, God granted him information regarding Who the Christ was; a little later he used his own natural reasoning and wisdom to tell Jesus what to do, therein lays the difference. The Father’s information was recognition, the other source was attempting to control, yet Peter didn’t know one from the other. Two different sources, both based on information; for us we find without God’s Wisdom we would have no idea which wisdom we used, we need the differences to see the differences until what is Godly becomes our nature.

Another example is the trust issue, with the Word in us we have the ability to operate in God’s Wisdom, but we never put our trust in people. We can trust someone to do as they should, but when we relay on someone to the point of placing our trust in them, we error. Putting our trust in someone indicates we have a reliance on them, we trust them to protect us, save us, secure us, provide for us, or grant something increasing our faith. It’s completely the opposite of “what do you care, you follow Me”. God’s Wisdom allows us to deal with events in a Godly manner; when the test comes we will see which wisdom we use in the face of adversity. If the wisdom of man we will fall into divers temptations, if the Wisdom of God, we produce a test. Of course we could use the wisdom of man, then call it the Wisdom of God, but the elements of each define which we used. Therefore, Patience stays the course, it also calls for us to limit ourselves to the calling at hand. Our faith holds to Patience until the time when the Wisdom of God as an active element in our Christian walk. Don’t forget Faith is a now issue, projected to a future happening. We believe we receive, it’s now, but our faith must also reach to the future when the element is complete, thus Belief says we asked, thus we have received, but then Faith sees the end, Patience keeps us on course until completion.

The last point is the real issue here, it appears later in chapter 4. Do we want the Wisdom of God so we look special and wise in the eyes of others? If so we desire to use it on our own lust of self-importance. Do we want the Wisdom of God so we won’t have to deal with people? If so, we are asking amiss. However, it we want the Wisdom of God so we can live up to the title, “Christian”, as Christ is displayed by our nature to a people who seek Christ, then we are asking in faith.

This enters the “good gifts from God”, all good gifts, regardless, are from God. If someone is a “good person”, it’s only because God gave them something Good to begin with. If someone did a “good thing”, it’s because God gave them the idea, or ability or both the idea and ability. How often do we hear, “Oh I don’t need Jesus, I’m a good person”. Never confuse “nice” or “likeable” with “good”, they are miles apart. Someone may be funny, likeable, or nice, but it doesn’t mean they are “good”. Only God gives Good gifts,  thus all Goodness is of God.

The first test is, “who gets the glory”, the second test is, “did we keep the gift Good?”. Good questions, like the Great Quail hunt, the gift of the Quail from God was good, but what the children did with the Quail was not. Look at the opportunity, they had feathers for pillows, meat to raise, the quails came into the camp alive. However, they consumed the gift on their own lust, as they had a one night feast, then complained the next day. Did God know it? Yes, but the gift was also a test producing an exposure. God gave abundantly, but what did they do with the Abundance?

Korah was given a good gift through his family position regarding the things of the Tabernacle, but he sought the position of Moses by misusing his position. The gift was good, the position was good, what Korah did with it was not. Having a position and anointing in an office is Good, the purpose is Good, but anyone in the office can twist the position into a self-serving element, as did Judas. Patience keeps us from stealing God’s glory, or from making the Gift greater then God, Who gave the gift; an element addressed here. God’s Wisdom is vital, but it’s not God. The Faith of Jesus gives us access, but it’s not Jesus. Never elevate the things of God, above God.

Later James will tell us about Job who suffered affliction, but we also heard of the patience of Job (James 5:11). No one can read Job and not see how evil came on Job at the hand of Satan, but by the Permission of Jehovah (Job 1:12). Satan was limited as what he could do, and to whom, yet Job suffered affliction, yet God delivered Job. Although Job was not a Christian, the book of Job speaks of the experiences of being one. We go through affliction, but the purpose is always for our own good.

Like most of us when things go awry, instead of Job going to God, he allowed his three friends to give their natural theological ministering opinions. When the fourth man who had the key to the event began to speak, God moved, then came the breakthrough. What would have happened if Job would have told his three friends to shut up, then asked Elihu, “what do you hear from God?”? The Book of Job would have been 4 chapters long, rather than 42; however we can also see how Elihu waited, as he held his Patience until it was time to speak. As Elihu began to speak on God’s behalf causing God’s Wisdom to surface through the voice of God. Job heard, saw the Truth and was set free. During the other chapters preceding Elihu speaking Job heard the “wisdom of man”, he knew wisdom  of man lacked the keys to set him free. Was Job happy through the testing? Not hardly, but the testing removed the unfounded “fear” he had by strengthening his faith as he was able to add the “experience” to his “faith”, making him better for the testing.

When faced with any event we must deal with it through the Wisdom of God, or we will surely use the wisdom of man. The event is never our problem, it’s our soulish reaction to the event becoming our problem. Soulish, carnal people always look for the vile, they blame other people, seek the error to justify themselves, yet faith people center their belief on “God Is” allowing them to find the precious by faith. What is the source of the wisdom of man? The spirit lusting to envy, although ineffective in our lives, it doesn’t mean we can’t use it. The danger is having authority over the spirit lusting to envy, yet using it for ones lustful benefit.

Discerning the exposed lust in ourselves is primary, seeing it in someone else is secondary. What if we do see it in others? What then? Punch them in the nose? “How dare you tempt me, you lustful nasty thing you”, as we hit them over the head with your family Bible. No, discerning it in others calls for the Wisdom of God to deal with what we saw. Using “ministry formulas” will get us hit over the head with their family Bible. Each event and each person is different, they call for differences only the Holy Spirit can bring.

Faith which is self-pleasing is not faith toward God, it’s faith toward self, thus it’s not motivated by what we can do for God, it motivated by what God can do for us. Natural wisdom always looks to excuse the exposure, “they made me do it”, “it was their fault”, or any number of self-based excuses. The Wisdom of God deals with the event, it never seeks to find fault, nor does it enter self-justification.

There are some who think faith is a gift from God to please us, but faith is given to us, so we can have something in us to please God with. Faith coupled with God’s Wisdom allows us to deal with the event in a Godly manner. However, a lack of Patience will say, “God is not in this”, or “there is no reward”, the lack of Patience removes us from the path of faith. We will find ourselves in the same event over and over again. Why? We lack the patience to endure, the same path of freedom is there, yet a lack of patience stops us before the reward is in hand. Belief begins our faith stand, but patience will allow us to endure until the reward is manifested.

The Wisdom of God is only available to those who are Born Again; these issues are not for those outside the Body, or who lack the Spirit. The Word in us is our Seal of being Born Again, James will say we can have faith, but without works it’s dead. Connecting again to the Doctrine of Christ, in this case faith without works is as dead as dead works.  The works of faith are not going about telling everyone our religious philosophies, rather our faith works in the Patience, we endure knowing the reward is at hand. When the reward is in hand, the test becomes one of perfection in the area of the test. James will also talk about a work of faith after we have obtained, which is based in honoring God for the gift.

The word Perfect in verse 4 is again the Greek Teleios meaning Perfection, we know the New Man is Perfect, it’s our souls being formed into the perfection takes patience on our part. The phrase Wanting Nothing doesn’t mean our greed is fulfilled, neither does it point to material possessions, it points to being filled with the nature of Christ. The wording, “lacking nothing” could also read, “in nothing having lacked”, which makes more sense, since we’re talking about a situation regarding adding something Godly to our nature. It does little good to detect something wrong, if we don’t know how to fix it. If we deal with events in a Godly manner, the event always ends giving God the honor and glory. Our purpose of ministry is not to show everyone how powerful we are, but to show them Christ.

The word Nothing is the Greek Medeis meaning Not even one, the wording Having Lacked is the Greek Leipo meaning To leave or Forsake or Fail, thus it refers to the ability to remain stable during the test, or better allowing Patience to have her perfect work as we stay the course until we are complete in the New Nature.

James tells us how God gives the Good gifts, and does so liberally, plus God “upbraideth not” (v. 5). What does it mean? The word liberally is the Greek word Haploos meaning not complex, easy, when used in reference to the eye it means Seeing clearly, or seeing things as they are. God isn’t going to be trick us, neither is He going to be fooled by acts of self-pity, ego or phony faith. On the same note, if we have the Wisdom of God, neither are we going to be fooled. Upbraideth Not means God is not sorry for the giving, rather He will give more than is needed, what we do with it determines why we asked. The Greek word for Upbraiding is the same one used in Mark 16:14 when Jesus upbraided the disciples with their unbelief. It’s the Greek word Oneidizo meaning To defame, or reproach; yet here it’s the opposite of the manner it was used in Matthew. Here we see God will not withhold, neither will He chasten us for asking. We ask, God gives, but let’s keep in mind, “all things work together for good to them who love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). Even the “Quail” was a good thing, we learn by the mistakes of others, so we’re not forced to learn by our mistakes. Even if someone misuses something of God, it only brings more assurance to those who use the gift accordingly.

We know in a view verses we have not because we ask not, or we asked amiss, so if we asked, yet we have not, does it mean God doesn’t give? No, not at all, it’s the misuse God is saving us from. Simon of Samara needed to get his heart right before God, then he would have received. In some cases not having is more beneficial than having. Only the clarity of the Word in us is going to discern the intent in the asking, we need to hear as well as ask.

Some ask for God’s Wisdom, yet they lack the Spirit, thus the have not. Some ask for God’s Wisdom yet they are still using the spirit lusting to envy, thus they are asking to consume the product on a lust. The foundation demands for us to have the Word (Spirit) in us, before we ask.

Okay we asked, we believe we receive, now we’re ready for the Process, but what about Doubt? Doubt is the enemy of faith, as it moves in to the stop the process. The first step is to believe, then it’s have Faith in God. Jesus said to believe and doubt not,  thus the believe issue is settled when we “said”, but now the Process begins and Doubt wants to move in to stop the process. Doubt is the disrupter of Patience, yet Patience is the Godly weapon we use to avoid doubt.

The word Entire is the Greek Holokleros meaning Having all its parts to be made a whole, or Nothing lacking to complete the whole. Here is the reward for our Patience, if we asked God gave, yet the Reward comes when God’s Wisdom is a working element of our character and nature. It’s not only possible, it’s part of the Promise granted us when we were Born Again. It does take time to move the old wisdom out, for the New to be instilled, but it’s worth it.

Verse 3 interjects the word Knowing, verse 5 talks about Wisdom, but Wisdom isn’t a matter of intellect, rather it’s the ability to deal with events and people. Here is the key, we first must Know what the elements are, then we will know which wisdom is attempting to manifest. Is it self-based? Or God based? From verse 5 until James 3:15 we find the various concepts of Wisdom, then James divides the two types of Wisdom, the first is from the earth (earthly, or natural), it’s also sensual (soulish), and devilish, but the Wisdom noted here in verse 5 is explained in 3:17-18 as Pure, Peaceable, Gentle, Easy to be entreated (teachable and willing to accept), Full of mercy (forgiving nature) and Good fruits (or Good Fruit as it’s noted in the Greek), but it is also without Partiality and without Hypocrisy, leading to the Fruit of Righteousness as the ability to sow Peace; therefore, it has nothing to do with intellect, or education, or natural knowledge, it has to do with the Ways of God.

What are these things? Attributes of a Nature, the elements or character traits of someone who is walking in the Nature of Christ. Our faith at work is working to keep whatever God gave us working in the manner in which God desires.

All this will center around asking for one thing, from the one thing we will lack for nothing. If we know how Jesus would deal with a situation, we will gain, as He did. On the other hand we can ask for all sorts of things, except the Wisdom of God thinking we’re “asking in faith”. This letter tells us the first thing we ask for by faith is God’s Wisdom, meaning it’s part of the Kingdom of God, then the things will be added.

It’s also important to know Wisdom is not to determine what church to go to, or what is wrong with the Body, or where to find some secret writings. Wisdom is how one deals with people and events, the Wisdom of God will not kill the Just, but the wisdom of man will. If we asked for God’s Wisdom presuming we were going to get some intellectual gift, we asked amiss. If we asked then went about slandering people, we asked amiss. If we prayed for this Wisdom to feel superior, or to avoid an event, we asked amiss. If we asked in Faith, then Patience will get us through the testing to the result, we Joy, for the end of the test is the goal. The test merely proves we are on the path to gain what we asked for.

A test is to refine, a temptation is to destroy. Testing exposes those things desiring to destroy our Godly purpose. James will go over many areas of exposure, showing us why we will Rejoice when the fall into divers temptations.

A double-minded person is “dual-soul” (double minded), James gives us an example; anyone who blesses God, yet curses people who are made in the similitude of God are double minded. There is only one group who fit the “similitude of God”, the Body of Christ (James 3:9). The word Similitude is the Greek Homoiosis, it’s only used here in James 3:9, it means an Image, as in the “Image of His Son”.

During the test we have to consider what is being tested; is the Wisdom of God being tested? No, it’s our Faith being tested, the purpose to refine the request to it’s intended Godly result. In the TR verse 5 reads, “Let him ask from God giving to all freely and not reproaching”, If we are Born Again we find when we ask the Wisdom is given immediately, but in order for to be a manner of Faith by nature it will take a work to bring it into the confines of The Faith. As God’s Wisdom becomes established in our nature, the wisdom of man leaves.

The wording “Let him ask” is the Greek word Aitema meaning A request based in being humble. Ahh, another key, we ask in faith, thus an aspect of faith is being humble.  James makes this very issue later when he says “humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up” (James 4:10). Lift you up? Wisdom of God? Yes, they relate.

The word Wisdom is the Greek Sophia meaning A skill, Tact or Expertise, referring to ability, thus showing the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom. Unless we are Born Again with the evidence of the Engrafted Word in us none of this is going to work. Without the Word in us all this is merely a theological term and concept. If the Word is Engrafted, what is it Engrafted into? Your skull? Your ear? Your soul? Ahh, the two shall be one, when we ask for the Wisdom of God, guess who was already using it? The New Man? Yes, you don’t think the New Man, who is created after God’s True Holiness and Righteousness is going to use the spirit lusting to envy do you? No, neither is the New Man going to use the knowledge or wisdom of man. This is a faith issue, the clue is the concept of a double-mind, rather than a double spirit. We can mind the flesh or the Spirit, we can follow the Spirit of Truth, or we can use the spirit lusting to envy, of course the only real success is minding the Spirit of Truth.

The word Wavering comes from the same Greek word Paul used in Romans 4:20 for Staggered, the suggestion is the same, moving from one point to another, never sitting in one place long enough to smell the roses. It’s the opposite of Patience, relating to not staying the course. This also connects to the double-mind, one second we use the Wisdom of God, the next the wisdom of the world. The process is removing the wisdom of man, which will cause us to fall into divers temptations. Yet, if we can tell the difference, we Rejoice, knowing the Wisdom of God is resident.

What other forms of wavering can we think of? Jumping out of the boat and walking on the water? Yes. Starting all sorts of things the Lord hasn’t called us to do? Yes. For the most part the poor souls coming week after week to the altar for prayer about the same thing over and over and over again simply lack Wisdom. They deal with their mates through the wisdom of man, then wonder why they fight all the time. They deal with people in the workplace with the wrong wisdom, then wonder why they are angry all the time. The wisdom of man has elements, envying and strive are the main pillars, they are products of the spirit lusting to envy. Dealing with the event, and dealing with it in a Godly manner are different.

What’s worse as those who use the wisdom of man find themselves guilty of failure, ending up right in front of the altar, or they fall head long into self-pity, with the “woe is me, woe is me, I will never learn” excuse. They need the Wisdom of God as part of their Born Again nature. The first thing the Wisdom of God is going to produce is Pureness, which connects to Holiness, when Holiness manifests all the masks fall. If we don’t know who we are, how are we going to know who we are in Christ? The Process demands a mask removal with a Pureness of mind. When the Wisdom begins the first thing we find is we really don’t know who we are, who we thought we were turns out to be a mask, usually a mask among many, all of which are ripped away, bringing to pass the real us in Christ.

When the pressure of our Gethsemane activates, do we fall on the rock? Or do we pick up stones of theological abuse? Do we respond, or react? Do we allow our anger to guide us? Or do we follow Peace with all men? Do we make sharp nasty remarks thinking we’re clever? Or do we make Peace? What do we do? We can’t allow the old man to define anything, especially our manner of dealing with people. “You told them what God wanted them to know” ; Not! “You were so humble when you yelled at them”; Not twice! “You looked so wise” Not even close. We must be able to see our own actions, when the testing comes. What did we do? Did we blame the devil, or seek God? Did we admit we were drawn away by our own lust? Or blame someone else? The key to the Wisdom of God is knowing who we are, then we will see others as they are. The truth of everyone drawn away by their own lust never allows us to blame anyone when we fall, but we can rejoice in the honesty of knowing the Word in us is freeing us from the lust (v. 14).

We have to stop being double-minded, saying our nightly prayers is great, but kissing the old nature good night isn’t. Talking to God, and holding to the ways of the world, are a deadly combination. If we Love God, they we will walk in faith to have the same Wisdom He does.

The word Unstable in verse 8 means Undependable, it’s the Greek Akatastatos meaning Unsettled, it was used in conjunction with the soul, not the Spirit. Peter will show the wicked have unstable souls, in both cases it means moving from thing to another. A another Greek word is Akataachetos meaning One can’t be restrained, another is the Greek Ataktos meaning Unruly, or Prone to rebellion. All these point to the wild unsaved soul of man attempting to play mind games, or hiding behind masks. Really it defines the nature of Ishmael, when in danger he wants to be saved, then he will mock you, or attempt to kill you. The old nature will play all sorts of mind games when we get serious about walking in God’s Wisdom. The old man is the lustful nature of the prince of the power of the air, all he knows is disobedience, yet his weapons are words of suggestion, but he has no power to carry them out. The old man is looking for some old lust, any lust he can use against us, don’t become a slave again, rebuke him, then get on with the business of staying the course. Even if we fall, we know it was a lust, thus it’s time to be free as we get up, repent and stay the course. We win in this thing, if we discern.

In verse 9 we find the link to the double-minded person noted in verse 8, let the “brother” of low degree rejoice, as he is exalted. What? Wait, take it to “humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you” (James 4:10), and “therewith bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men” (James 3:9), with “Pure religion and undefiled before God, and the Father is this…” (James 1:27). Double mind is humble before God, yet haughty before the brethren. A double-mind exalts itself in the face of the brethren, but thinks God is doing the exalting. The Wisdom of God will not operate through a haughty soul. There must be something regarding this Faith issue has to take place, James is working up to it.

Up to this point James is really asking us to be teachable as we submit to the Spirit. We fell into temptation, yet we are the only ones who can see it’s opportunity for the Wisdom of God to work in our own lives. We will see what caused us to fall, why it caused us to fall, and how the Engrafted Word will set us free.

In verse 10 we get our first look at the “rich”, if we class this with material goods, or money we will miss the entire concept of the letter. To a Jew a “rich man” was one who was subject to the Promise, a “poor man” was a Gentile. It’s the context here in James; the Rich man (converted Jew) is made “low”, not saying he humbled himself rather we find he “is made low”, which is the Greek word Tapeinosis meaning To be humbled, or To be abased. The “reason” or the “because” is he is like the flower of the grass, and shall pass away (v. 10). Our time here on this earth seems like a long time to us, but really it’s quick, but the time need not be wasted. When we know our time is short, yet the Body of Christ has been around for 2,000 years it does humble us. We’re not all that great, we make a contribution to the entire plan, no more, no less. The Rich man (Jew or Converted Jew) has been around a long time, but so what? James shows the Gospel is moving to the Gentile, as important as the Jew thought he was, in the overall picture they are no more important than any other member of the Body, neither are we. It went from “the Abrahamic Covenant” to the “Body of Christ”, who then is greater? Christ of course.

The word for Rich is the Greek Anthupateuo which gives the verse a different meaning than some have assumed, the Greek word was used to show a Proconsular, or one of authority, regardless of wealth. This shows the metaphor Rich doesn’t mean, “money is power”, rather it points to those who were given authority from Abraham, those who have a right to the Promise by birth, the metaphor Poor points to those who were Gentiles. Before Rahab joined the Jews, was she a Jew? Not hardly, she was a Gentile, who lived among Gentiles. She didn’t come out of the wilderness as did Joshua, she didn’t come out of Egypt, as did Moses, she didn’t belong to the “circumcised” by birth as did Miriam, but she was nonetheless “saved” by association, both her and her household, the reward for her was being accepted as a Jew, then dwelling in the land of Promise (Joshua 6:25-27).

During the Process there will be temptations, but Patience gives us the ability to endure, yet knowledge grants us a foundation. Unless we know what Temptation is, how it works, and how it relates to a test, we will blame everything and everybody every time we  are exposed by the Wisdom we asked for. We may have accused a person, then found we were completely wrong. James will tell us it’s a fault, we must go to the person and make it right. Pride and arrogance are lusts keeping us from being humble before God, or man. Admitting we were wrong is a humbling experience, but it’s also Godly (v. 5:16).

We are not going to fall based on the lust of someone else, it will always be our own, thus we find Pride is a lust. The excuses at the fall are a prime example of how fast Pride entered, “the serpent he did beguile me”, “it was those people, they enticed me, it wasn’t my fault”, “Well you’re the one who made me do it”, all Fall Nature excuses, they didn’t move God then, neither do they move Him now. Even if we were enticed by someone’s lust, it was the lust in us yielding to their lust. Can it happen? Yes, they are arrogant, yet we respond in pride. They make a nasty remark, we attack them with uncontrolled anger. One lust attacking another does not spell Victory.

Verse 12 has a ton of words, Blessed, Temptation, Tried, Crown of life, Promised to them who love Him. All these tell us why the testing comes, and why we must endure. If we love the lust, or the feeling the lust gives us more than we love Jesus, we will be led away by the lust. If we don’t care what Jesus thinks about our behavior, the lust is ruling us. If we accepted the Cross of Jesus, the rulers of darkness are subject to us, we don’t have to allow them to operate in our lives. All the elements of the spirit lusting to envy are subject to us, it’s not the other way around.

To be Blessed in this case is more than a reason to be happy, it’s having the Blessing in hand in order to be a Blessing. The word Temptation is the same one we find throughout the text, it’s also the same Greek word used for Testing, but the word Tried is different, it’s the Greek Dokimos meaning Receivable, or Proved, it connects to the “furnace of adversity”, it also relates to the “baptism of fire”. We received the Holy Ghost to endure and survive the fire as it burns away the useless things of hindrance.

The Crown of Life is not some golden fancy medieval crown, it’s a wrath of Victory. The Lord has promised it to those who can yell the loudest? No, it’s to those who love Him, it’s the foundational element of faith in God. If we love Him, we will do as He says.

Now to define Temptation further, when we are tempted, we never blame God (v. 13). God didn’t send us the lust, He didn’t tempt us, our own lust drew us away, or twisted the good gift into evil. God sent something good, quail, a position, an office, a revelation, a talent, or something else, yet we filtered it through a lust twisting its purpose. We have a God granted talent, yet we use it to make ourselves popular, or admired by man, we used the good gift, by the wisdom of man. Don’t blame God, it’s our own fault.

Once we see what we’ve done, we repent, them the crooked road is made straight. If we ignore it, then the pressure doesn’t get worse, it gets lighter. The first time Jesus cleaned out the Temple He took a whip to those who sold the items of sacrifice, the second time He cleaned out the Temple He didn’t strike anyone, the third time He merely spoke of the widow they are robbing. Each time it became less and less, thus each time they ignored the warning the further from God they drifted, until the temple was destroyed by a Gentile in 70 AD, and has yet to be rebuilt.

There are several Greek words used in the context of Tempting, all of which help us in this matter. The wording Being Tempted is the Greek Peirazo, it could read “I am tempted”, thus referring to the recipient of the temptation; the Greek Apeirastos means Incapable of being tempted to do evil, it’s only used here in James 1:13 in reference to God, thus God is incapable of producing a temptation since it’s intended to lead us to do evil, thus we prayed “lead us not into temptation”, rather than, “tempt us not”. There is a difference, we don’t want to force God to lead us into a place where temptation waits just to expose our lust; we want to be tested, cleaned and prepared. The best way is to receive the Wisdom of God, enabling us to deal with the lust in a Godly manner.

The wording Drawn Away is the Greek Exelko meaning To drag out, or To draw back, both are correct, showing someone was delivered, but the enticing is an attempt to pull them back. This connects to the concept of being drawn back to perdition, if we ignore the testing, or reject the exposure, the rulers of darkness will led us back to perdition. We Rejoice when we fall, since the falling tells us there was something in us to make us fall. The exposure, if we fall, there was something to cause it which is not conducive to our new nature.

What would be a lust exposed, or a testing from someone else, it ends as a temptation in us? If someone told us, “you have to deal with your manipulation”, we would laugh them to scorn, “are you crazy, I never manipulate”, then we would manipulate them to prove we don’t. The exposure came, but we rejected it, then used the lust to prove our innocence. This is different than knowing to do good, and not doing it. This is an area where a lust is blinding us to the lust, we presume we have a gift of manipulation, causing us to be deceived. The exposure is to bring to light, what we have kept in the darkness. Of course God doesn’t give up, He will send others to expose the lust in us, yet if we continue to ignore the obvious we will draw back to the darkness to protect the lust.

Temptation has many forms, the one James will look at is how God gives us a good gift, yet our own lust twists it. This is the same context as Jude 4, as he tells us how some turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousness. Is Grace Lascivious? No, but the lust in the person took the good gift and made it evil. If they fall because of it, they are not to blame God.

Another area is when someone with a lust tempts another. Jesus was taken into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil, so was Jesus tempted to do evil? No, because He didn’t receive any of the suggestions of the devil. The children in the wilderness tempted God the entire forty years, so was God tempted to do evil? No, the temptation in order to be complete calls for the one doing the tempting to have a lust, and the one being tempted to not only have a lust, and act upon it. If either lacks the lust, then the temptation is not complete. In the case of God, if we tempt Him, He sends a test back, but we can’t tempt Him to do evil, since there is no evil in God (got it?).

The Lust is the target, but there is a process of sin as well (v. 15). The wording Having Conceived is the Greek Sul-Lambano, we know the word Lambano by now, but here we have the addition of Sul, thus Sullambano means To catch hold of; therefore, when either the temptation, or testing come it’s to determine if we will “catch hold of it”, by identifying it as a test, or temptation. The test is always to sharpen our faith, which will also enhance Wisdom. The temptation to do evil comes from an evil source, usually from someone who has a lust they haven’t dwelt with. Like a stronghold, a lust becomes a trait, or a filter, which has to be exposed and dealt with. One manner of exposure is God allowing the lust in another to draw us away, so the lust in us can be exposed. It’s good, if we receive it. However, if we attempt to excuse our behavior by saying, “oh it wasn’t me, they enticed me”, we missed the point.

If we are drawn away, it’s because of our lust. This is important, if we are enticed, it’s some lust in us, pure and simple. The other point of this is when someone operates from the good gift in the manner God desires, but we don’t like it. They did a good thing, we received it as evil, but was it evil? No, just like the Pharisees who went about seeking error, they assumed they found error in Jesus, so did they? No, no one ever has, but they thought they did. Today it’s the same, someone thinks they have found an error in the Bible, or an error in the life of Jesus, or an error in some ministry, but the error is neither in the Bible, or in Jesus, often neither is it in the ministry, it’s in the person seeking error. They have a lust of envy in them being enticed, thus it’s the envy not the other person who caused the enticing. If error jumps up in our face that’s different, Jesus dealt with error by the Wisdom of God, as we should. We read something, it makes us mad, yet we can’t find an error, so we say, “I think not”, without evidence, we were just exposed.

The wording Bringing Forth can also read Produces, it’s the Greek Tikto meaning To bring forth to be used; the word Finished also means Full formed, it’s the Greek Apoteleo meaning Ability to accomplish; therefore, we find Jesus being led into the wilderness, the devil bringing three temptations, but there was no evil in Jesus, thus there was no lust in Jesus, meaning the temptation was not complete. The devil tempted, Jesus on the other hand took the temptation and sent back a test to the devil. Neither do we find any evil coming from Jesus against the devil, rather the evil remained with the devil. When someone tempts us, they must do so from a lust they have, but for the temptation to be Complete we just have a lust in us to bring about the enticing to an action.

The process is the lust, to the conception of a plan, the plan into an action, which produced the sin, the action of the continued sin ends in death. James shows the Lust took hold, the person put a plan together, causing us to fall into divers temptations, the sin comes when the person puts the plan into action. We Rejoice because we didn’t put the plan into action, we repent if we did. Then we allow the Word to be Engrafted to bring about a deliverance.

There is a vast difference between, “huh-oh it pushed my button”, and “How dare you question me, I come against you in the Name of Jesus”. When anger surfaces to protect us, or the person exposed bursts into anger against us, how do we handle it? Or does it handle us? Do we see the person as our enemy? Or do we check our own baggage to see if we have some lust in us just surfaced? If we have no lust in an area, yet God uses us to say something to someone, but they react in anger to protect their ego,  do we also react in anger? The paradox is we were used to expose a lust, they reacted with another lust, one of anger, but our lust of anger reacted as well. The wonderment of God used us to expose, but we found something in us exposed as well. The question is, Did we discern the “divers temptations”. God will use all sorts of lawful ways to bring us into a place to be cleaned so we can stand pure and holy before Him.

The Process gives us warning, yet it all links to the “saving of our souls”. God sends a test, we have a lust, the thought comes, the Word separates and exposes it, we see, then submit to the cleaning before it becomes an act. Our faith has just worked, before the lust had time to be an action, we sought God, knowing something of the flesh has been exposed. However, on the same note, someone shows up tempting us, we respond by the Wisdom God, for us it became a test of our faith. Yet, it someone tempts us and we fall, the Word convicts us by separating and exposing the lustful act, then we rejoice because the time has come to be free (vs. 12-15).

We can’t twist the gift, then say, “well God changed His mind”, or “God knew we were going to use it this way, so He ordained it”, or the biggest excuse, “God knows my heart”, He does, but He is working to save our souls. On the same note, there is no temptation come us which is not common to man, and God will, with the temptation make a way for us to escape. This doesn’t say the Temptation came from God, it says whatever temptation we’re in, it’s common to man. Faith isn’t going to ignore the event, it will get us through it with a Godly benefit. I’m not moved by what I see is different from I’m not going to look.

In verse 16 the word Err is the Greek Planao meaning Gone astray, To wander or To be scattered. In this case it shows there are things appearing evil, but it doesn’t mean they are. Whenever God is involved, it’s not evil. It seems to get lost at times, Jesus told Peter how Satan would sift Peter, but the result was good for Peter. Did Satan sift Peter? Yes, Peter denied the Lord three times. However, there was the phrase, “when you are converted”. Jesus allowed, He didn’t make it happen, but He allowed knowing the result was good. In all this we must be teachable, the purpose for discipling anyone is to make them teachable.

Now wait, is James saying there is no good in the world? No, what he is saying is  if there is any good, no matter where it’s found it’s from God, whether man gives the God the glory or not. Oops, it would be a testing or a temptation too. If we give God the glory it’s a testing, if we give ourselves the glory we are tempted by our own prideful lust. Someone in the world comes up with an good idea, do they give God the glory? Do we? Ahh, the test, how do we respond when someone in the world appears to do good? Do we come against them, or do we give God the glory? Perhaps God allowed them to do “good” to expose a lust in us: if we think the people in the world are the enemy, where are going to toss the net? In the field?

Although we see the English word Gift, we know there are different Greek words  used for the word “gift”, neither word seen here for Gift is the Greek Charis (Grace). The first usage is the Greek Dosis which is the Act of giving, then Dorema meaning The thing given. The context shows The Act of giving is Good (Greek Dosis) the thing given is Good (Dorema), thus the intent of God is to give a Good gift so it can do Good. Since God has no evil, His can’t give us anything evil, intended for evil, or purposed for evil. What then makes it evil? The lust in the person misusing the gift.

This explains how God will use the Temptation to make a way for us to escape, but He won’t use the lust, there is a very big difference. God uses the temptation to expose the lust, the way of escape is the cleaning of the Water by the Word in us.

We entered this race to be Saved, but at times our souls really don’t like the process. There are some things of the old nature held as “old friends”, but they are lusts. Some of those worldly traits may not seem bad, but they taint the good gift. What if God had someone give you something small, a notepad, or a book, or even a flower, but you run around all puffed up and giggly showing it off so you could feel important or involved? What is it? A lust, the gift was good, it was given by a good hearted servant, but you received it through a lust, then allowed the lust to take the glory. The Wisdom of God will stop the action in its tracks, we will not mix a bragging attitude into our witness.

The word Variableness is the Greek Parallage meaning to change, the word Turning is the Greek TrupePhos meaning to turn back the course, which we now know means a lack of Patience. We’re in the boat, Jesus is walking on the water, we’re all headed to the same spot, let’s get there when Jesus does. The word Lights is the Greek meaning The Light itself, or what is from the other Lights to gain their light. Jesus is the Light, not one of the lights, we are one of the lights, thus the gifts we receive relate to the Light.

The gift, regardless of the Gift given is a product of God’s Will, not ours. We are begotten of God, thus the ability was not of man, but of God, the performance of the purpose of the giving is also of God. Do we consider being Born Again a good thing? Yes, would we sell our soul to the devil? No, then way misuse any of the gifts God gives us?

The Greek for the word “Will” in this case is Boulomai, expressing the intent was to do good, thus it’s never used of evil people or of a evil purpose; therefore, the Will of God is always to Do Good. Take the quail, God gave because it was His nature, the giving became a test on the people, were the children really hungry, or were they greedy? Would they receive the gift by giving God the glory? Or consume it on their own lust? When the quail came out of their nose the lust was exposed, but did they see it? No, they lacked awareness regarding the obvious, at times we do the same.

This connects to John 1:13 where we read, “which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”; therefore, verse 18 shows James is talking to converted brethren, only those in the Body of Christ can fit “beget He us with the Word of Truth, so we should be a kind of Firstfruits of His creatures”. Firstfruits? Who came first? Ahh, we are not the Image of God until we are Born Again. After we are Born Again we need God’s Wisdom as a working element in our lives and nature; however, it also calls for a bit in the mouth of reason. We must be swift to Hear, slow to speak, just we must be slow to wrath, linking it together gives us be angry and sin not. The religious rulers tempted Jesus with questions, but He answered them, so was He tempted? No, He was swift to hear which means He detected the temptation; slow to speak, answering by Wisdom, which was in Peace meaning He avoided entering wrath. The wrath of man never works the Righteousness of God, thus the righteousness of God never comes from the wrath of man, but the Wisdom of God brings forth the Fruit of Righteousness, sown in Peace of them who make Peace (James 3:17-18 & 1:20).

Verse 19 draws us to Ecclesiastes 5:1 where we are told to keep our foot (not feet) when we go to the House of God. Be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they fail to consider they do evil. The words detect the source, the source the type of spirit being used. We listen to their words, do we detect unbelief, doubt, bitterness, hate, or an intent bent on envy? If so the nature behind those words is looking to tempt us. Would God allow it? Yes, because it can also be a test as a means to sharpen our faith. God grants us opportunity to use His Wisdom and Knowledge, if not why did He give them?

The word Swift in verse 19 is the Greek Eis meaning An action into a place or thing; the word Hear is the Greek Akouo meaning To hear with attention, it goes with “hearing you shall hear”; the word Slow is the Greek BradusLaleo meaning To talk at random. To talk at random shows there is neither a bit nor watchman over the person’s mouth, they say what their mind feels like saying. This is much different than answering the question, rather they have no idea of their intent, or purpose, they are speaking to hear themselves talk. meaning Not acting hasty, the word Speak is the Greek

James also speaks of the battle after the battle, when God’s Wisdom speaks, what do we then do? Allow pride to enter? “Wow, it was great, I gave them the perfect answer, am I good or what?”. Pride attempts to make entry before the act, during the act, and after the act. Humbleness is a constant mental state knowing if it wasn’t for God, there would be no Wisdom. To God goes the glory, regardless.

The “Word” in us is not the Bible, it’s Jesus, the New Man, it’s what God Begat in us. We will listen to the New Man, be slow to say something, just to say something. The Holy Spirit may have us wait to answer, until the person is “hung by the tongue” and can’t escape the exposure. The Holy Spirit may have us just smile, or not answer at all, or answer the intent, rather than the question. All of these Jesus did, He is our example.

James 1:21-27

James now begins to speak on being easily entreated (teachable); someone can tell us for hours about the weeks they spent being discipled, but if they are not teachable they are not discipled. James 1:21 points to Ability, we held our Patience until the Seed of God came forth, we endured until we were Born Again, now there the Engrafting Time, a Time when the Word engrafts into our souls, so the two can become one nature.

The wording “Lay Apart” is the Greek Apotithemi it’s used in Romans 13:12 as “cast off” in the phrase “cast off the works of darkness”; therefore, this word means to reject something, it doesn’t mean to work day and night to hide something. The word Filthiness is the Greek Rhuparia meaning Dirty, as A garment spotted by the flesh; the word Superfluity is the Greek Perisseia meaning Something pushed to the surface, which shows the exposure is not to be rejected; the word Naughtiness is the Greek Kakia meaning Evil habit of the mind, not only the doing, but having an evil habit of the mind, which points to holding the old nature. All three, Filthiness, Superfluity and Naughtiness connect to “earthly, sensual and devilish”, the three pillars of the spirit lusting to envy.

These words also define “defiled” and “unspotted”, showing to be unspotted from the world one must have the Word in them; therefore, James is not giving the undefiled religion as “another” way, rather he is showing how Mercy is a must for all of us, it’s still honored by the Father, but we must also have the Word in us to remain unspotted from the world.

This is still predicated on us Receiving, the word Receive in verse 21 is the Greek Dechomai meaning To accept an offer deliberately, or readily. If God gives Liberally, we must accept Liberally. This is the same concept as Put off the old man, and Put on the New. We can’t be deceived into thinking the old man will give up easily, it will be a battle, but one wherein the victory is already in hand before the first shot is fired. The New Man came to us with the same attitude and expectation as Jesus, the concern of the New Man is not to kill us, or destroy us, or see us cast us into hell, but to save (Sozo) our souls. The old man is subtle, deceptive, using pride, ego and arrogance, yet if we are humble, all those fleshly elements become ineffective. To the carnal or natural mind humbleness and submission seem stupid and foolish, but to God they are powerful weapons of our warfare.

The key word to verse 21 is Meekness which is the Greek Plesmone meaning a gentleness, or a mindset easily entreated and ready to receive whatever God is presenting to us, whether we like it or not. Some appear religious in order to please their self-interests, or to appear moral, or superior over the sinner, or to build their pride, it’s hardly Meekness, or Humble. Some demand from others, or attempt to control them, yet it’s not submissive.

The Word in us is cleaning us, it’s the lust is attempting to pull us back to perdition. The deception of the fall nature turns the Truth into a lie, it claims God is out to belittle us, harm us, destroy us, then says the lust is going to please us, give us the feeling we like, or make us happy. In all this we want to remember, we are not out to study the soul, we want our souls saved. However, we better know the wiles of the enemy, or we may end up using them thinking we doing God a service.

The lust will put on many masks, even to the point of using deception to cover the deception. The lust is exposed, there it is plainly, or is it? The lust will use whatever it can to vent itself, the exposure simply shows a “lust” exposed, but the exposed lust may not identify itself. Most of the time it has to do with validity, acceptance, control, superiority, or something along those lines. Once the exposure takes place, we “say” to the mountain “Go”, but we don’t pretend to be our own savior. If we think we can cure ourselves the lust will then vent itself, making us think we were able to save ourselves, when in truth we have only enhanced the lust. We allow the Spirit in us to clean us, self-cleaning is of little use.

The Wisdom of God will identify the lust, the Word in us will separate it from us, by bringing something to our souls Godly in nature. Every time a piece of evil leaves, something of God takes it place. James is making a division, we find the Godly attributes connect to the Word and Wisdom of God, but the lust connects to the wisdom of the world,  and the spirit lusting to envy, which is always self-based and soulish.

We have Incentive, we stand with the New Man and stop playing with the things of darkness. Until we can see those things, we will continue to use them, calling them “of God”. We know it’s true, we see it all the time. Someone who is proud and haughty acting like it’s the anointing, yet they haven’t a clue to what they are doing. The Word in us brings Clarity above all else, things are pure, divided and separated so the thought and intent are exposed. Is the Word in us reading our mind? Yes, so, why not? Is it reading the minds of others? Discerning the ways of a person, yet the carnal minded think someone is reading their mind, but the Spirit manifestation exposes the intent.

The word Engrafted is the Greek Emphutos, it goes further than planted, rather it means To germinate, it always means the engrafting came from another source; therefore, it’s not merely receiving the Seed, it includes the growth process unto the engrafting to make us complete in the Spirit. All this shows the New Man is the Word, Another Comforter, the Stronger One, Jesus in us, the New Man, the only element where we will find the Mind of Christ.

The phrase “save your soul” could also read “save the souls of you”, either is correct since it’s the purpose of the test. The word for Save is the Greek Sozo meaning Deliverance, thus we have been delivered, we are being delivered and Jesus is fully able to deliver us. This connects to the Hebrews 10:38-39, where we found the Just live by faith, here we find the Just have works of faith as well.

Verse 22 must be taken into context with verse 21 or we miss the point; a  Doer is one who receives by Faith with beautiful thoughts, or better, thinks like Christ. A “Doer of the Word”, isn’t one who reads the Bible, it’s one who Allows the Engrafted Word to work. It’s a matter of walking in the Spirit of Christ, if in the Spirit we are Christ like by nature. We can’t say, “Oh yes God is able to save our souls”, then reject the engrafted Word, we must be a doer of the Word.

The word Doer is the Greek Poietes meaning a “performer”, so does it mean we play some mind game? No the Classical Greek shows this word pointed to the Poets who performed their works in front of people, in those days the concept was to have “beautiful thoughts”, here it’s the same context, a Doer has thoughts related to the Word, rather than thoughts based on a lust. Paul used the same Greek word in Acts 17:28, where it was translated as “poets”. The metaphor applied to the Word shows in order to have Beautiful thoughts, Beauty must live, and Beauty lives by the Word in us.

The word Deceiving in verse 22 is the Greek Paralogizomai meaning To exercise one’s reason, or To reason falsely or incorrectly, or To judge according to the wisdom of man. This word is a preview to James telling us about the wisdom of man, as it compares to the Wisdom of God. This is also the reason God uses a “mirror”, the spirit of man is deceitful, it tricks us into thinking we’re something we’re not, or we’re not something we are. God is forthright, our hope is in Jesus to be what we are to be. God gave us the means by giving us the New Man, there is no deception in the New Man. There are signs to define the differences, some James covers, others will be covered by Peter and John.

Verse 23 shows the Hearers connecting it to the Doers. The word Hearers is the Greek Akroates in the negative, showing the one hearing has no intent on doing. This shows us there are differences in “hearing”, some hear with a ready mind to be a Doer, some hear but want God to be the Doer. The “hearer only” will only accept what pleases them, but reject what doesn’t, in either case they are quick to give the “amen”, but they never apply the teaching. The Word in this case is still the Word in us, thus one can have the Spirit, yet remain carnal.

The word Natural is the Greek Genesis, the same word from which the first book of the Bible is named, it stands for a Principle thing. The context shows we see the “surface” in the mirror, but we walk away not knowing what is inside. The Mirror of God exposes what is inside; not all exposures are the mirror, but we can’t discount it either. We see someone, and wonder “are they Christian, so controlling, so nasty”, we may be seeing ourselves. Of course we know at times God shows us the elephant to expose the flea in us.

The word Straightway or the phrase, “Goes his way” is the same as “Immediately”, which is the Greek word Eutheos. The context shows the exposure is there, but then we turn walk away ignoring what we saw. God sent someone to reprove us, they were right, what they said was right, but we rejected it. In this case the deception came Immediately, but we put up another mask to hide the exposed mask. It’s not an easy area, one must have courage to receive exposure and act Godly upon it. However, the result is so good, even the scrubbing of the Water by the Word can be a pleasure if we understand what is going on.

The word Forgets or Forgot is the Greek Epilanthano meaning To hide, or Something hidden, or A failure to remember, which stems from hiding something. Putting this together we find the soul will hear, but without submitting with meekness to the Word in us  the person will put on another mask to hide the exposed mask.

James speaks of the Perfect Law of Liberty and the Royal Law, here it’s the Perfect Law of Liberty, which could also read the Perfect Law of Freedom, it relates right back to God giving Liberally. The word Liberty or Freedom is the Greek Eleutheria meaning A free person, or one set at liberty, as in Mercy granted by the Acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18). This is the Jubilee, which is not a specific year for us, but a Season when we have the Word in us. We have the Liberty to accept the exposure, or reject it. We have the Liberty to run this race lawfully, or unlawfully. Liberty carries responsibilities, we have the knowledge, but how do we use it? To puff ourselves up? To belittle others? Do we use it to make us feel superior? If so, it’s how we will use the Wisdom of God as well.

Here we find the result of the testing of our faith is to bring forth the Wisdom of God in all events. All this connects and explains how Liberty is Freedom, and our Freedom is found in the ability to deal with events in a Godly manner. Freedom is a strange word, if we are free, we are free not to do, as well as to do. No one is going to force us to walk in the Wisdom of God, it’s why we ask by faith.

The word Continue in verse 25 is the Greek Parameno, which is a compound word with Para (with) and Meno (to remain), thus it’s not merely remaining, but remaining With something or someone. It also has the implication of Standing nearby someone, to Continue means we must Stand, and the Standing must be Nearby Jesus, or we’re not standing at all. This connects to Mark 16:16 as well, it’s based on being in the Body (baptized), plus a continual belief to bring about “shall be saved”.

This explains the works of faith to bring the Wisdom of God will take Experiences, yet the Experiences mean we will deal with people and events; however, it also means each case cleans off another spot, bringing us deeper and deeper into the Nature of Christ.

The word Bridle in verse 26 is the Greek Chalinagogeo meaning Not only to bridle, but one must be willing to be led as well, thus we find the false are unable to hold their tongue, as the works of pride spill forth, rather than Wisdom and Mercy. The example of how Wisdom is perfected is Jesus (of course), who was led into the Wilderness by the Spirit for the specific purpose of being tempted. Did Jesus go about yelling at the Father? No, did He go into the wilderness crying or begging the Spirit not to take Him? No, did He go in laughing at the victory He knew would come? No, He did business in a Godly manner, but it doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy all this, it means our Joy is in Jesus, not in defeating the devil. Sound strange? We found in Luke how true the statement is (Luke 10:18-20). When we joy in our power over the ineffective darkness or devil, we tend to lose our appreciation and respect for the Authority over us.

The word Pure points to the Wisdom of God, thus Pure and the Engrafted Word must relate. This goes right back to Hebrews 4:12-13, if the Word in us is Engrafted, then the Word is discerning and dividing, while engrafting us into the New Nature.

James now defines the word “religion”, showing us religion is something we do regarding man’s relationship with man. Religion is not going about telling people about our religious philosophy, religion is how we deal with people, as we find here in verse 27. A religious minded person twists the meaning, presuming their religious philosophy is their “religion”. How we deal with people still takes the Wisdom of God coupled with Mercy. In verse 27 the word Religion is the Greek Threskos meaning Duties of outward service, indicating what we do in regard to mankind. Recalling how God looks at the treatment of His people as a treatment onto Him, we can see this also relates to “representation”. Although these are acts of Mercy, not Grace, we can see they involve dealing with people. We also see these are before the Father, thus the relate to our “son of man” position we gained in Mercy. From this we can conclude Grace is a relationship between the individual and God, Religion is how we relate to mankind.

The old nature will not hesitate to use misquoted, or twisted Bible concepts in his temptations, “see here in James 1:27, do the undefiled religion and be honored before the Father, go feed the poor, don’t worry about this Spirit or wisdom stuff”. Wait, there is one thing in James 1:27 it goes beyond feeding the poor, “unspotted from the world”. James never says the undefiled religion will save you, nor did he say these are issues of faith. James just said the Engrafted Word is able to save our souls, it’s his point. The deeds are good, but if we use them to avoid the call to have the Word Engrafted in us, we are being unequal. These are duties the Jews did without the Spirit, yet they were required to do them, we are not required by Commandment, rather we do them based on our Nature, and Liberty.

None of this is saying feeding the poor is evil, far from it, it simply shows there is more to this. One can feed the poor, yet fail to bridle their tongue and their religious works are vain (v. 26). We can’t separate verse 26 from 27 thinking we’re saved because we gave someone in need food, yet we talk ugly of the brethren. The undefiled religion has two meanings, the surface meaning is three fold, feed the widows, care for the orphans, and remain unspotted from the world. However, what good does it do to feed the entire world, yet remain spotted by the world? None, but what is this spot from the world? Ahh,  the flesh, which uses the wisdom of the world, the spirit lusting to envy, producing the tongue set on fire. It all fits, we must seek the Wisdom of God, and allow the Engrafted Word to save our souls in order to fit “unspotted from the world”.

James will also talk about those who come to our door, but going door to door speaking about our religious concepts and theology is not the “undefiled religion” or “the works of faith”, rather the test comes when they come to us in need, are we all talk? Or do we have an action indicating who we are? Faith takes an action, even if it’s waiting, it’s still an action. Does our faith show works connected to the Faith? Or do we talk about faith, yet have no works to back it up? Do we tell them “God loves you, get off my porch”, or do we find them some food? Do we tell them “have faith brother”? Or do we do something to show we are of the Faith? The allegory tells us if we have faith it will show as we seek the Wisdom of God. Like the children in the wilderness, did we have faith to enter, yet failed to believe after we entered? Or do we continue to believe as we walk in faith?

The mystery of verse 27 goes further, looking at it closely we find he only lists those who are under “affliction”, and to “visit”, but he doesn’t mention to cure, so what does it mean? The wording “to visit” is the Greek Episkeptomai meaning to Look at something, or examine it closely, or Look upon with mercy, therein lays the key to the Undefiled Religion. If we are running around doing things, thinking “Oh I’m so holy, look at all the good I do”, we are doing nothing, but exalting our pride and egos, all vain efforts. If we are operating from Mercy, then we are walking in compassion. The acts of  compassion by mercy really don’t think about how good we look in the doing, rather they hear, “when I was hungry you gave Me food, you visited Me in prison, if you did to the least you are my brethren”.

The word Affliction is the Greek Thipsis meaning To break, or compress, this is the not the same Greek word used in James 5:13. In James 5:13 it’s the Greek Kakopatheo meaning To do evil, it means having evil done unto us, but here in 1:27 it means the person we are dealing with is in distress, or under great pressure. The key to the entire matter is remaining Unspotted from the world. The word Unspotted is the Greek Aspilos meaning free from any spot, it was used in I Peter 1:19 showing Jesus as the Precious Lamb without Spot, thus to remain unspotted we need the Word in us. We can visit everyone in the world, yet use the ways of the world in dealing with them, and be none the better. We can sheer the sheep to get the money to feed the poor, and be worse off than we were. The point being, James is not saying the undefiled religion isn’t good, rather he shows it is good, but it does little good unless we add “unspotted from the world”. James separates the two activities of Mercy and Grace, the Word in us will save our souls, but feeding the world yet remaining spotted by the world will not save us. This has to connect to the Engrafted Word, as the works of faith connect to being a Doer of the Word.

The wording in verse 27 also gives us some metaphors to deal with; to a Jew a Widow is a backslider, from the context, it would relate to one who has failed to ask in faith, is then found in distress, thus they need Spiritual ministry based on the Wisdom of God. The “fatherless” would be those without the Father, or those who lack Mercy, they need ministry by the Spirit through the Wisdom of God to know the Mercy of the Father. Thereby showing this isn’t restricted to feeding the poor, it goes much further, showing the words of James are hard, they go right to the point, but the purpose is to bring back the Widow, and restore the Father-less.

The metaphoric content is made clearer by looking at the word Fatherless or Orphan, it has the same context as “I will not leave you Orphans”, the word comes from the Greek Orphanos meaning One who wanders in darkness. If they are “Fatherless” they are without the Father, anyone without the Mercy of the Father is in darkness, but they can only come to the Father through Jesus.

James 2:1-6

From Pure to Without Partiality and Hypocrisy, thus we are still talking about Faith and Wisdom, as Wisdom is connected to Experience, the Experience to the works of Faith. It seems clear enough, especially since James is talking about the “faith of our Lord”, as the Faith of our Lord showed us something about how the Lord’s Faith worked. What was the something? Being impartial, and without partiality is an attribute of God’s Wisdom; therefore our faith at work is found when we work to walk in the Wisdom of God.

However, James in defining the concept, and defined what impartial means. Some of us think being impartial means treating all people the same, in some regard it’s true, however, it’s also clear Jesus treated the disciples different than the Pharisees, even within the disciple grouping Jesus treated three of them differently. Unless we obtain the right view of being impartial, we will assume we can act the hypocrite and Jesus will bless us anyway. We all know Paul was endowed with special power, so why weren’t the others? If there is no respect of persons, how is it Peter didn’t get special power? Or why didn’t the shadow of James heal people? Or why did Jesus pray for Peter, and not Judas? The act of being impartial means we don’t treat someone better based on the appearance, or what benefit we gain from the treatment we render. More important, it means we don’t grant special favor because we like someone better than another, neither do we hold back favor simply because we don’t like someone.

The one who can’t do us any good is shoved into the corner, the one who appears to benefit us is given the special place. Here James uses the example of the family coming to hear Jesus, but it also relates to any aspect, including our souls. If we are seeking Wisdom for the self-benefit we are partial, yet one attribute of Wisdom is to be impartial, thus if we assume Wisdom will grant us honor we asked amiss.

This is made clear by example given, Jesus was teaching, the house was packed, then came His family, but they couldn’t get in. Accordingly to the Jew the family would be granted special favor, but it was not the case. Instead of Jesus saying, “make room for My mother and brothers”, He said, “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother” (Mark 3:35). Simply because they were His family didn’t grant them special treatment, rather they had to belong to the group who did the Will of God. It’s the same concept we find here in James, the faith of Jesus showed us Wisdom as the faith of Jesus did works.

Jesus said those who do the will of the Father are, “My family”, formed a group, thus being partial must go further than treating everyone the same. The hypocrite, or those who are self-exalted will grant special favor to those who can benefit them, if they see money, position, or anything elevating their self-importance by connection it causes them to be partial, becomes sin.

On the same note we can’t go the other way, and grant the poor the best seat in the house, then make the rich guy sit in the parking lot, it would be just as partial as giving the rich the best seat. “See, I’m not partial like James says, I give the poor the best seat”. Ouch, it’s just as bad, you’re still doing it to look favorable. Whether rich or poor doesn’t matter, it’s doing the Will of God making the difference.

Of course we see this as Jew and Gentile, the “Rich” person being the converted Jew, the “Poor” as the Gentile. When the converted Jew comes to the Meeting do we make the Gentile move to the back? Don’t forget who James is talking to, but we can also see how this applies to us as well. “Oh my it’s the great and wonderful so and so, get up, give them your chair, call the newspaper, let them know who is here”. Oh my, do we do these things? Could be, only the Word coupled with the Wisdom of God can cure us.

Why is being impartial important, especially in conjunction with the Wisdom of God? When we dislike someone, we will not receive their repentance, yet if we like them, we will assume they have repented, when they have not. The two examples are Peter and Judas, both repented, but only one was restored. Jesus loved His own until the end, we will never love as Jesus loved if we remain partial. When we are moved by personality, or whether or not we will receive a benefit from the relationship, we are partial. There are those who associate with the popular ministries, not for the teaching, but for the association, it’s being impartial. If the Wisdom of God is impartial, then the wisdom of man must be partial.

James 2:2 begins with, “your assembly”, rather than “our assembly”, separating the actions of those to whom the letter is addressed, from him who wrote it. Showing a division of classes, between “our assembly” and “your assembly”. The division is not showing partiality, rather it makes a Godly division without partiality. James is not granting favor because of the assembly, rather the message holds true regardless of whether they are Jew or Gentile.

The word Assembly means Synagogue or Gathering, thus he is not pointing to the Church, but the place where one begins. The word Goodly means Fancy, or Appearance only, referring to how a person looks outwardly, or one who allows appearance to guide their actions. The same would be true if we gave honor to someone who could benefit us, but refused to give the same honor to someone who could not. Perhaps it’s a speaker, we know the speaker can “bring in the collection”, so we give them the best seat while we sing their praises. Why? To gain their favor so they can bring in more money. We just found we must be unspotted from the world, giving favor to those who can benefit us personally is a worldly way. Some people are whatever you want them to be at the moment, but they change according to the environment they are attempting to impress.

What would be a type of being partial? Perhaps God sent the person to help us, or teach us, or bring some spiritual gift to encourage us, yet we took the person and made an idol out of them. Did God send them to become an idol? Of course not, but we became a judge of evil thoughts, because our thoughts of evil were exposed (v. 4).

This partiality concept has to be clear or we can’t get pass the “rich and poor”, which are classes. However, we know the rich and poor are not restricted to wealth in the material sense, as we saw. Here we find the poor, are really rich, but the rich, are really poor, dividing two classes of people, so is it being partial? Ahh, we then find the Poor are also accounted to Faith, thus they are in the family order as they came around the Law by faith. Whether they have rich clothes or not doesn’t determine the “rich”, if we’re moved by money we’re in big trouble to begin with. James is making a separation between classes, and how the wisdom of man looks at money as “honor”, but God looks at “faith” as the true honor of a person.

The word Thoughts in verse 4 is the Greek Dialogismos meaning Reasoning. The Greek word for Poor is Ptochos meaning One who is helpless and knows it, the Greek word for Rich means Happy, Prosperous, Lacking nothing, yet James said when Patience has had Her perfect work we will lack nothing, here it sounds as if he is condemning us for reaching the point; go figure? The same Greek word for Rich was also noted as Rich in Mercy in Ephesians 2:4, and Rich in faith in James 2:5. This explains we as Gentiles were at one time without Hope, we were the “poor” in the eyes of the Jew, but Jesus opened the Door for us to enter, now we are Rich in Faith. Being partial would be restricting the Gentile, or treating the converted Gentile as a lower class citizen. Faith is the answer, we ask for the Wisdom of God by Faith, thereby becoming Rich in God.

Verse 6 can be confusing if we look at the words, Oppress, and Rich in faith in the wrong context. The Greek word for Oppress is Katadunasteuo which is a compound word meaning to Oppress harshly, thus there is a separation between those Rich in Faith, and those who are Rich based on being Jewish. Both are Rich, the Jew by being the First to whom the Promise was presented, but the Poor (Gentile) who became Rich when they accepted Jesus by faith. The impartial aspect is seen when the Poor is no longer Poor as they become Rich in faith, thus it’s faith making the difference, not fancy clothing. Is not God Equal?

James 2:7-20

James makes the separation between Rich based on the promise at hand, as compared to the Poor Gentile who has the Promise in hand. Verse 7 shows the “Name by the which you are called?” rather than the Name by which you are chosen. If we are called by The Name of Jesus, then we have the Faith to enter in, this refers strictly to the Body of Christ. We are the Called out ones, none of this means we’re wicked, or sinful, it all points to the Perfection of Christ being manifested in us as a Nature.

Again, a “doer of the Word” is one who has Beautiful thoughts, as they walk in God’s Wisdom. If one is walking in God’s Wisdom, they are walking in the Spirit, if in the Spirit, they are walking in Love. Being a “doer of the Word” is not the same as doing the things in the Bible, here the concept of “Word” is still Jesus in us.

To these people the Bible was known as “the Scriptures”, and Jesus as “the Word”. If one is a Doer of the Word, then they walk in the same Faith and Wisdom as Jesus did. James just gave us an example of the Faith of Jesus, and how Faith had the Works of God’s Wisdom, the context hasn’t changed. The Poor came into the Body, sought after the Wisdom of God meaning they became the Rich in Faith when Patience had her perfect work.

The word Doer is the Greek Poietes, with a basic meaning of Poet, we found the Greek concept of a Poet means one with Beautiful (exciting) thoughts, thus one’s works pertain to their words of Faith matching their actions and thoughts. The Royal Law is conducted by those in Royalty, or to those who are kings. The Rich being those of faith, also means they are kings and fit the Just live by faith. God’s Wisdom is a fitting and necessary attribute to the Spiritual nature, it becomes a sign post to the unseen in a person (v. 8).

Why all this test stuff anyway? Could it be the test still centers around faith will please God? Yes, there are times when we think our faith is to please us, or we can fall into a “first Adam” thinking, assuming God must please us, which is dangerous. Like thinking puts us at the wrong tree, holding the wrong fruit, with a mouth full of self-pleasure. The testing is to direct and hone our faith, here we find it has to do with Wisdom becoming a working attribute of our New Nature. Therefore, we find Faith must pertain to our attitude during the testing, as well as how we respond when we are tempted. Do we act like the children in the wilderness? What is our behavior in the face of adversity? The test puts all this in the right order, getting us back to the place where our incentive is to please God based on our love for Him.

The wording “Respect to persons” is the same as Partiality, here James says, “it’s sin”, later he will tell us what sin can produce. If we know to do good, yet we don’t do it, it’s sin as well, or better leads to sin. What good could all this refer to? Asking for the Wisdom of God in faith, thus receiving the Good gift, so we can do good.

Liberty isn’t a one-way street, we cannot be at Liberty, yet hold others in bondage. We cannot lord over people, or manipulate them, then claim we are at Liberty. Jesus allowed Peter to be Peter, and Judas to be Judas. Jesus didn’t manipulate Peter into a position to give a prophecy one minute, then say something from the natural mind of man the next, it was Peter’s nature, it had to be exposed, before it could be dealt with.

Judas had the same opportunity as Peter, but rather than weep bitterly, he went out and hung himself. Was Jesus able to stop Judas? Yes, in fact He told Peter He was able to stop the Cross as well. True power is having the ability to stop something, yet not stopping it for the good of all. Judas was remorseful, but being remorseful and repenting are different. Peter was sorry not only for what he did, but to whom he did it. Judas was sorry things didn’t turn out the way he wanted.

We cannot use our knowledge of Liberty as some baseball bat to beat others half to death with either. Like Grace, the knowledge of Liberty, and walking in it are different, thus the knowledge of Liberty without the Wisdom of God will “puff up”. Faith without works is dead, thus the knowledge of Liberty without Love turns into a condemning, judging attitude. Liberty also means we have the freedom to do something, but we don’t do it because it will offend others. Those under bondage have no choice, they do, or don’t do because they are under the prince of the power of the air. If we use the spirit lusting to envy, we do so because we want to, not because we have to; we have power and authority over the spirit of man, known as the spirit lusting to envy.

James uses the premise of the Law of Moses, showing if one precept of the Law of Moses is violated, then the entire Law is violated. So, what has it to do here? Holding hate against one person, is the same as hating all, it’s the point. If we hate a person we place them in a class, then we hate the class, meaning we are partial, since the class makes us feel superior. We don’t have to love what they do, or agree with their theology, but if they are in the Body, we must love them. Violating one point of the Law of the Spirit, is the same as violating them all, thus the vessels of honor hold Mercy, the vessels of dishonor don’t. Since Wisdom is “full of Mercy” it stands if one lacks mercy, they lack the Wisdom of God.

The concept of Adultery here is not physical in nature, but mental, yet it has a sister in the Law of Moses. In the Law of Moses it was physical, we know how the Agenda they attached to it. Here it’s mental in nature, we can’t say we love God, yet curse man. We can’t claim Liberty, yet hold others in bondage. We can’t use the wisdom of man and the Wisdom of God. We can’t use the old man when it makes us feel good, then the New when it makes us look holy. We can’t love just those of our denomination, or those who make us feel superior, or benefit us, then claim all the others are “nuts”. What Law will do the judging? It better be the perfect Law of Liberty; not whether we’re in it, but how we apply it (v. 11).

Even a dog has power, there are dogs who enter the Courtyard, claim faith, grace and liberty, yet refuse to walk in them. They are in this for the power, or position, they love to look holy, but they are Hypocrites (Ps 22:20). They still use the spirit lusting to envy, as they go about calling fire down on others they don’t agree with. They talk about faith, but fail to use it as God intended. They lack Mercy for all, but they will show kindness to those who either agree with them, or exalt them. Kindness and Mercy are different, God’s Wisdom is Full of Mercy, God gives to whom He will, and He gave us Mercy when we accepted the Cross of Jesus (v. 13). Romans 9:18 says God will show Mercy on whom He will, but the context points to Pharaoh who refused to display Mercy toward the people of God; therefore, when we display Mercy, we receive Mercy, forgive and you shall be forgiven.

What good does it do to say one has Faith, if they lack the works of Wisdom to prove it? (v. 14). Here we find Faith in God is to have a Faith which wants to please God will desire to walk in the same Wisdom as God as part of our Nature.

Jesus said some will build on the sand, a direct reference to the “sand of the sea”, which is a reference to building upon the Old, which did provide the Jews “an eye for an eye”; however, if we are the Rock we no longer hold to “an eye for an eye”, but “dearly beloved avenge not yourselves, rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, saith the Lord” (Matt 7:26 & Rom 12:20). Anyone can say they have faith, but faith is mandated to do something as it works to stay in the Wisdom of God as a attribute of our nature. We have choices, we can use the wisdom of man, which means we also must use the spirit lusting to envy, or put our faith to work in God, allowing the New Man to bring the Wisdom of God to handle the event or situation.

The Rich remained Rich if they made the change to Faith, if not, they stored up their treasures for the last days (the Night). They used the Law of Moses for their advantage, but rejected the Law of Liberty, thus they ended being judged by the Law of Moses, rather than being free in the Law of Liberty. The Law of Moses is not of faith, yet anything not done in faith is sin. Ouch; the danger is of course saying out of one side of our mouth we are of the Law of the Spirit, yet out of the other side demand for God to honor our deeds under the Law of Moses. A double mind will fail in the end.

When we review the Parable of the ten virgins we find it’s speaking of this very subject of “faith with works”. All ten were virgins (metaphorically meaning one who has not mixed idol worship into the worship of God), all had lamps (which comes from being in the kingdom of heaven – Body), but only half had the Oil (Power of Mercy and the Spirit, as Living Water), only those who had all three, virgin, lamp and oil made it through the Door (Matt 25:1-12).

The five foolish virgins assumed being a virgin and having the lamp was enough,  much like having faith, but doing nothing with it, but only the Oil made the lamp Work. The Five Wise were able to meet their Lord, thus they had the requirements to get past the Door. We also find the Lord came to them, which is a type and shadow of the Rapture (Matt 25:6 & 25:10). Some want the Oil, but refuse to be virgins. Others want the Oil, yet think the lamp is foolishness. We must have all three in order to make it through the Door,

James asks a rhetorical question, “can faith alone save us?”, with the answer of “No”; however, didn’t Paul say we were saved by faith? Or did he? Paul said we are saved by Grace Through Faith, ahh it’s not faith alone, rather it’s Grace (New Man, Spirit, New Covenant), but Through Faith, and certainly not by works (Eph 2:8-9). James is not talking about us doing some deed of the flesh to show our doctrinal faith (religious belief), rather he is talking about our faith doing something to show we are in the Faith of Jesus, thus he used something from the Faith of Jesus as an example.

All but the wicked and unreasonable have faith, but without Grace it amounts to zero. This is the same premise as Belief, one must be in the Body of Christ for their continual Belief to apply to “shall be saved”. James applies the “works of faith” to the Word in us dividing and separating, as a working attribute of the Wisdom of God. We ask by faith, but ask for what? The Wisdom of God, thus we know it will came immediately, but the manifestation will take Patience and Experience. Thereby showing without the Word in us, we will go right back to the wisdom of man, yet call it the Wisdom of God.

For some reason the word “faith” has come to mean a belief system, the cult systems use the definition all the time, but Faith is a motivation, the Works of Faith are a way of life. We can go door to door until we’ve covered the entire world telling everyone about our doctrine of religion, but it’s not faith at work. What produced the Faith is not seen, but the type of Faith one uses defines what is not seen. If they use faith for self-benefit, then the source is the spirit lusting to envy. If the Faith shows they want to please God, then the source is the Word in them.

Will the Wisdom of God rebuke? Yes, but the intent is to save the other, rather than making gains of some self-importance. James shows us we can talk about faith all day long, but when the event turns on us, we’ll find out the source of our faith.

One can attempt to be saved by the Doma Office through faith, or saved by works of religion through faith, yet still not fit the call to be saved by Grace through faith. One can have faith in most anything, but it won’t save them. We must have “faith in God”, then live by God’s Grace in order to fit, “saved”. If Grace is the vehicle, then one should know what Grace is. Unmerited favor? What is that? It doesn’t tell us what Grace is, rather we find Grace is the Spirit that is of God, granted to an undeserving person, by a deserving God, solely because God loves us, not because we have done any work to impress God. True appreciation of the Gift will manifest in love to the Giver. If we understand all Grace is doing for us, and how we didn’t do a thing to deserve it, rather it was granted by God’s love for us, the same Love will manifest and become the motivation behind our faith to walk in the Christ nature in its fullness.

Beginning in verse 15 James then uses a comparison to show how Mercy is a component of the Wisdom of God, thus “full of Mercy” would be a sign of walking in God’s Wisdom. The word Naked is the Greek Gumnos, it was used in Hebrews 4:13 showing all things are naked and open before God, but in these verses we have to see it’s saying one thing, but not doing it. Why would we say “Be warmed and filled”, and do nothing about it? This has nothing to do with giving everyone food or clothes, rather the context shows saying one thing, and doing another, when the saying and work should correspond. The connection asks, why would we say we’re of the Body of Christ, yet refuse to walk as Christ?

James gives us an allegory to make a point, he is not saying we must go door to door telling people about our religious concepts as “works of faith”, it’s far from the point being made here. This area exposes hypocrisy, if someone comes to our door in need, do we speak, yet do nothing to help them? It connects to works of faith, if we have faith what good is it, if we do nothing with it? The first premise is to obtain the Wisdom of God, in order to deal with people in a Godly manner. Nonetheless, even the heathen can give the hungry some bread. Receiving someone in need is seen in the wording, “even so” in verse 17, thus the prior event spoken of connects to this allegory. When someone is in need do we brush them off with, “Have faith in God brother”, or do we do something? Therefore, it points to hypocrisy, someone who says one thing, but does another. The context of verse 17 is found in the word “alone”, or “by itself’”, thus Paul joined Grace to faith, James is joining Wisdom as a work of faith. Verse 18 begins by saying “a man may say”, pointing to talking, yet what they do may be different. Rather than say “well you have faith, but I have works”, James determines not to say anything, rather he will show his faith by the works of his faith producing the Wisdom of God.

In all this we have a paradox, James says the double-tongue blesses God, yet curses man, wouldn’t it be unequal? Yes, the Wisdom of God keeps us Equal, in so doing it keeps us from iniquity. Also this one area proves James is not talking about the heathen, he is talking about someone who “blesses God” (v. 3:9). Where do we think a double-tongue comes from? A double-mind? Good, so a form of hypocrisy would be to bless God, yet curse man.

James drops a theological bomb in verse 19, the devils believe? How could it be, they are in disobedience, their doctrine is one of unbelief. Wait the Gospel Accounts informed us how the devils knew who Jesus was, although they believed there is one God, it didn’t mean they worshipped the One God. In this context James asks, even if we believe in One God, so what? It’s our faith to please God in accepting His Son proving we believe in One God. Many religious orders say they believe in One God, but it only counts if they accept His Son. In essence this rebuke here could read, “so you believe in the one God and think you’re saved? It’s not enough, you must have the Word (Son) in you to be Saved”. This connects to Mark 16:16-18, if one is baptized in water by a member of the Body of Christ, they are in the Body, but they must Continue to believe for the premise of “shall be saved” to apply

This verse would seem to be in direct conflict to Romans 10:10; however, it’s not. Romans 10:10 shows a Belief in God unto Righteousness, rather than simply believing there is one God, thus the difference is found in whether one believes In God enough to accept His Son’s Righteousness in the New Man, or do they sit around saying there is One God, yet still use the spirit lusting to envy in a religious mode of self-righteousness?

Verse 20 must be connected to verse 17 or one could make up their own works, even works of the flesh, then call them “works of faith”. Having faith, yet not applying in the purposes God has set forth does us no good. Just because we’re in the Body, it doesn’t mean faith is no longer an element of our walk. James will also show our Conversation is the evidence of faith, a Conversation is not merely what we say, it’s our manner of life. Connecting verses 20 and 17 we find one can talk about faith, one can even teach on it, but it doesn’t mean they have applied it in a Godly manner.

If we walk in God’s Wisdom, we are walking in faith by the Spirit, it goes much further than “saying”. When the storm comes, our “Conversation” becomes the evidence manifesting the source of our faith. The premise of  as I believed, thus have I spoken, cab also apply to our faith, the source of our faith is displayed in our Conversation.

The word Tremble in verse 19 is the Greek Phrisso meaning To have ones hair stand on end. This is a different Greek word than the word Paul used in Philippians 2:12; in Philippians it’s the Greek Tromos. The Greek Phrisso holds the same context used in Daniel 7:15 when Daniel saw the end times, and his hair stood on end, thus the devils know God has power to cast them into hell, they tremble when someone with Jesus in them shows up.

James is also dividing works of the flesh, from the works of faith. What good does it do to “impute the flesh dead”, then use acts of the flesh to gain by? Faith must have a type of work separating from other works, James equates Patience as a joint helper in the work of faith (v. 1:4): there is a work in hearing and doing (v. 1:19 &  1:23), a work of doing the Perfect Law of Liberty (v. 1:25), a work in bridling the tongue (v. 1:26), a work in the Pure and Undefiled Religion (v. 1:27), a work regarding not being Partial (v. 2:4), a work in the Royal Law (v. 2:8), a work of Mercy (v. 2:13), a work in being a Doer of the Word (v. 1:23) and James will tell us Wisdom has a work (v. 3:17), but the wisdom of man also has a work (v. 3:15-16), now we see Faith without works is Dead (Useless or Vain), what type of work does faith have? Internal, our works must be based on the internal Word in us, our real work is to cooperate with the New Man in the Process. This again shows the soul is at its happiest when it serves the Spirit.

There are 17 Greek words connecting to the word Work, each has a meaning and purpose. The Greek DunamisEnergeia means To work, it often refers to enthusiasm. The Greek Energeo means To be at work, or Effective in producing. The Greek Energema is a Noun, it means The result of Energy. The Greek Ergazomai means To labor. The Greek Ergasia means Work accompanied with pain, or An effort of diligence regardless of the pain endured. The Greek Ergates means One who labors. The Greek Ergon means The performance of Work. means Power, it’s an Action word, thus it refers to Work. The Greek

What about this Ergon, could it mean we are the only ones doing the Work? The same word was used to describe the Works of Jesus as the miracles and mighty deeds (Luke 24:19 et al). We also find Logos and Ergon standing together as the Logos working to bring about works (Titus 1:16 et al). The Greek expression Kata Ta Erga means According to one’s works, it was used in Romans 2:6 and other places in reference to Deeds. Paul used this word to show the Works of the Spirit, but he also used it in reference to the Works of the flesh; John used it to show the Works (Deeds or Doctrine) of the Nicolaitans (or Nikolaitans). Therefore, the word Ergon is not restricted to the works of man, or the works of God, or the manner in which the Work is done, it takes into context the intent to determine the reason for the work, it’s where James is taking us. We can do all sorts of religious efforts, we can even call them works, but they works of the flesh done with a religious tone for self-benefit based on the lust of being superior over the others, the work would then be partial and a sin. If we asked for the Wisdom of God, then Wisdom is removing us from using the wisdom of man, which removes us from using the spirit lusting to envy. It will be made clear when we find the wisdom of the world (man) is earthly, sensual, and devilish.

What about some other English words relates to Greek words for Works? The Greek Energeo is also translated as “effectual fervent” in the phrase Effectual fervent prayer of a righteousness man in James 5:16, thus Prayer is a type of Work. The Greek Ergazomai is translated as Commit in the phrase Ye commit sin in James 2:9, thus there are Good works and Bad works. The Greek Ergatees is translated as Laborers in James 5:4. The Greek Iskuo is translated as Availeth in the phrase “the prayer of a righteous man availeth much” in James 5:16, thus we find the Effectual Fervent prayer is a work producing a work, but what Prayer? The same prayer of faith, the one we used when we asked for God’s Wisdom. Clearly the asking and the doing are different, therein brings the faith, the effort to apply the answered prayer in a manner pleasing to God.

The Greek Poyeo is translated as “Do” in James 2:8, 2:12, 2:19, 4:15 and 4:17, it’s translated as, “Has Shown” in the phrase “has shown no mercy” in James 2:13, it’s also translated as “Bear” and “Yield” in James 3:12, as “Make” in the phrase “Make peace” in James 3:18, as “Continue” in James 4:13, and as “Committed Sins” in James 5:15, and showing an effort of some type. Even committing sin is an effort of the flesh, thus it has to do with a product from a work. We find there is work and there is work, just as there is wisdom and there is God’s Wisdom. The Greek Sunergeo is translated as Wrought with, in the phrase How faith wrought with his works in James 2:22. We use the English word work in various manners, “how does it work for you?”, “are you going to work”, “it look’s like work”, of course “I worked my finger to the bone” all of which take the context to show what manner of work is being discussed. With this we find faith works to maintain after we receive until we reach the product of the endeavor.

The Greek Katergazomai means To bring about, To work upward, To make an end of. Even the Greek Logos shows a type of Work or Working, as the Logos in us does have a Work. A compound Greek word Moichos with Ischuo is a type of work, Moichos means Adulterer, Ischuo means Strength, thus the mental Adulterer in the courtyard has a power, but it’s a power of darkness produced from the works of darkness. The Greek Poieo means To make or To do, it expresses an Action, thus it’s a work as well as meaning Without augment (increase), often speaking of a manifestation of something The works of our faith are not to make the change, rather it’s to maintain in the proper frame of mind as we submit to the New Man until the change takes place.

The Greek Poiema means A work piece, or Something made, it was used in Romans 1:20 showing the invisible things of God are clearly seen in the creation of the visible. This is not a work on our part, but recognizing the work being done. The Greek Pragma means A thing done, or A thing to be done, it couples with the Greek Poyeo showing the product. The Greek Praxis means To do an action, or To do an Act, it has to do with Conduct. The Greek Sunergwo means A fellow worker, or To work together. The Greek Sunergos also means A fellow worker, but it’s limited to Working together with, or as a helper. What about the word or words used by James? James uses three different Greek words, the one used more than the others is Ergon (see above), to take it deeper, it means to do the work, but it also entails the Result, Object, or Purpose of the work, not merely the work itself. He also uses the Greek Pragma (see above) in verse 3:16 meaning The thing done, it shows the acts of envying, strife and confusion come from a source seeking to envy, producing every evil work, thus the source has a means of work, which means it uses the wisdom of the world. In James 1:3 and 1:20 he used the Greek Katargazomai (see above) which is a compound word meaning Kata (down from above) and Gazomai (to come down from above), thus the Working of Faith is when we ask for the Wisdom of God, then the testing comes, faith then knows it is a testing to strengthen the Wisdom in the performance intended by God.

Patience is a work, it comes during the testing of our faith, thus our faith being tested is working our Faith to keep us true to the course until the result becomes a Nature. Each test accomplishes a step, in each exposure something is being plucked up by the roots, ready to be discarded. Even pains and hurts of the past produce lusts of revenge, or thoughts seeking some retribution, but God’s Wisdom is full of Mercy, it will wash away those thoughts, bringing Peace. The Process exposes, then identifies, then removes, but it’s still in cooperation with our faith. If we lack faith in the New Man’s ability, we will reject the Wisdom before it has time to become part of our nature.

Intent is always a key issue, natural man hasn’t a clue to their real intent, they think this, or that, but the intent of the flesh is always pride centered. It’s the exact point James is making, if we retain the wisdom of man we can do all sorts of “works”, but like the Pharisees our intent is pride, or to gain some validation before God, or man. We’re really doing religious works to look holy before mankind, or to impress God, or ourselves, or to appear righteous, or to “feel better” about ourselves. The Wisdom of God is void of those “self-concerns”, it works based on appreciation, not self-admiration. James is using Wisdom, Paul used Love, but they join to each other in the Attributes of the New Man’s holiness and righteousness.

What are the Rich storing? And why? They are storing deeds, but forgetting the Now. When we store it’s for the future, but Wisdom is a Now attribute. Faith looks to a future hope, but it has a Now as well, it’s the point, what is our Faith doing Now, this second? Is it reaching to have the Wisdom of God as a working attribute to our New Nature? Is it dealing with the event in the Now in a Godly manner? Is it dealing with the person we are facing Now in a Godly manner? God’s Wisdom will manifest, just as the Spirit will manifest.

James 2:21-26

Out of all the people in the Bible, why did James use Abraham and Rahab? We can understand the use of Abraham, after all, Paul used him as well, but Rahab? A non-Jew? A woman with a shady past no less, how dare he? Perhaps the Holy Ghost is smarter then our religious conceit. Ahh the Rich in Abraham, the Poor in Rahab, yet both had works of faith.

James uses the “works” of Abraham after the promise was in hand, Paul used the belief of Abraham unto faith to gain the promise. This isn’t James correcting Paul, rather it shows the advancement of faith. Where did the “work” of Abraham begin? When God talked to him, Abraham never made up his own agenda. The man was told something, then he did it, thus his work of faith was based in his obedience. His faith was based in God’s Promise, even if the Promise was burned, God was still able to bring the lad even from the ashes.

Could this relate to the Law of Moses, and conflict between the Jew who came out of the Law, and the Gentile who was never subject to it? Yes, some of the converted Jews didn’t want to give up the Law, it gave them a sense of being special, or separated from the Gentile. James is showing the Law of Moses never separated anyone from the earthly things, whether Jew or Gentile both used the same type of wisdom based in the same spirit lusting to envy. The Law of Moses didn’t free man from the spirit lusting to envy, it only granted him a set of rules to gain long life on the earth.

Abraham, who was not under the Law, yet had a Gift from God, knew the Gift belonged to God. Abraham was responsible to God regarding the gift, yet if God wanted it back, so be it, God was more important than the Gift. Paul talks about Abraham reaching for the Gift, James talks about the testing of Abraham after the Gift was in hand. Same Abraham, but two different things concerning the man’s faith. We have faith, if not we would never have entered the Kingdom, it’s not the point here. James is telling us to put our measure of faith to work Now to add to Godly elements to our Nature, not simply talk about it. Paul’s teachings got us to this point, now the pastor is leading us to pastures where the Life reigns in abundance.

James points to the Process of Justification, as the Just live by Faith. Paul also told us we are being Justified by God, the same context. Don’t think we can run to something Paul said, then use it to ignore the calling James is giving us. Not so, they connect.

The real tragedy in this letter is how it rebukes those who say they love God, yet talk evil about people. James wants to know how they can they pray with an attitude? How they can come before God with all the sweet words on their lips, right after they slandered a sister or brother? Double-minded people use a double-tongue, as self-deception still hides under a blanket of darkness.

Abraham could have held to a prior word, and rejected the Proceeding Word, but there was an Addition to the Promise. We have the Cross in hand, we have the Spirit, yet we can run to a prior word and reject the Call to move forward, but then we have Abraham as our example. James shows Abraham had faith after the Promised son was in Hand, and after the mark of the Covenant was in place. It has to fit the context, we have the Seal of the Spirit, the Promise is in hand, yet have we continued in the Faith? There was yet a confirmation of faith had to take place for Abraham, here it’s the confirmation of seeking the Wisdom of God. It’s important, the issue was after the Promise was in hand, some of us cast off our faith once we enter the Kingdom.

The Test determined to the mind of Abraham he did love God more than the  Promise. Since Faith is to please God we find Abraham not only wanted to please God, but he mixed his faith with the Word spoken, knowing if God brought the Promise, then God was fully able to raise the Promise from the ashes (Heb 11:19). The Promise was God’s part, obeying was Abraham’s.

Did Patience have a work with Abraham? Yes, he had his Ishmael experience, and other experiences and testings, even sending Ishmael and the bondwoman away was a test (Gen 21:9-13 & 22:1-16). After the testing came the Bride for the Promised Son, not before (Gen 24:1-67).

Abraham heard God tell him “go and I will bless you”, now he hears the same God say “Take now your son your only son Isaac, whom you love, and get you into the land of Moriah; and there offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of” (Gen 22:2). The key wording in this is “whom you love”, it was not whom you love more, thus this is a test of Love coupled with Obedience.

Clearly in Genesis 22:1 we are told “God did tempt Abraham”, yet James told us “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempt He any man”, in the Greek translation of the Old Testament we find the same word used in Genesis as was used in James, but how can this be? It’s the use of the word Evil making the difference, thus it depends on the intent. Abraham a man who was not Born Again, nor privy to the New Covenant, yet he knew God would never ask him to do something “evil”; therefore, he knew there was a reward somewhere in the act. If it was by faith, then the Now was believing “God is” but the patience and faith was toward “a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6). Abraham knew something was going on, he didn’t know what, but he knew if God was involved it was Good. We saw the use of the word “and” in Genesis 22:3, as it pertained to man being excited. What could be exciting about sacrificing your son, your only son? It wasn’t the sacrifice, but the Good God was about to do. James uses the attitude of the man Abraham to rebuke us, when God begins something in our lives and we don’t like it, do we do as Abraham? Are we excited to see what God is going to do? Or do we get mad?

Abraham knew God provided and would provide, thus Abraham was the one to whom the promise was made, but Isaac was the promise. Abraham knew God would preserve the Promise until it’s completion which included the nation of the sand of the sea. The “blessing of Abraham” is not gold and silver, but Isaac, the “seed”. Whether Abraham saw the result of the promise or not, didn’t matter, the promise was in hand, God would see it complete. Abraham knew by the Ishmael experience God picked One Seed to he separated from the nations of the world, not one of two, or the next one, but one and only one. If it was one seed, yet God said, “Nations”, then somehow, some way, in some manner God would have to bring it to pass, it was worth seeing.

It was because of Abraham’s faith the test came, thus the test affirmed the faith of the man for those things just ahead. The belief was based on what God did, the faith was based on what God was going to do. Would God preserve the Promised son until the nation came? Abraham’s faith knew God would, if for no other reason Abraham saw the lad spared. However, Abraham didn’t test his own faith, it was God who did the testing.

What about Rahab? How does this Non-Jew fit into this? She represents the Poor (Gentile). Abraham heard from God and obeyed, he was the one the promise was given to, but Rahab is a type and shadow of the Gentile who hears of God, then gives up her old nation (nature), to join the Rich. Rahab shows our faith was tested before we came into the kingdom of heaven, in fact, it was a testing bringing us into the kingdom. Why then do we assume once we enter the kingdom all testing is done? Truly we find Justification is a process of testings to remove the old nature, to firm us into the New.

Abraham and Rahab give us a picture of Romans 8:28, Abraham the one who loved God, Rahab the one called according to God’s purpose, both are examples showing our purpose in the testing is to bring us into the Image of God’s Son by forming us into sons of God.

Rahab’s story in the Old Testament is short at best, but she is referred to three times in the New Testament, two of those in reference to Faith (Matt 1:5, Heb 11:31, James 2:25). She is also used as a type and shadow of Egypt three times in the Psalms and in Isaiah (Ps 87:4, 89:10 & Isa 51:9). Rahab heard about God from the people of God, she then trusted in the same God to move on the people of God to deliver her, but there was a test coupled to the hope. Rahab saw these Hebrews walking around the city, surely they were merely checking out the best way to defeat it. Look at them, they are seeking the weak spot, yes they will begin the charge at any second. No wait, they left! Ahh the next day came, again they marched around the city, but they left again. The next day the same, and on and on. Could she have made a grave mistake? Was there still time to side with her old nation? No, she held her patience and faith. The reward came on the seventh day, after they marched around the city seven times. She could of unpacked on the forth time, or the sixth. Then it happened, the shout and the wall came down, Rahab’s faith was tested and proven. What was her testing? Waiting for what she knew would happen, and it did. There is a time between asking and the manifestation, our faith must continue to reach in patience until the completed manifestation is in hand. In Abraham’s case it was an act to perform, in Rahab’s it was sitting tight, yet both called for the works of faith.

James 2:26 doesn’t point to our physical body, rather it points to the Body of Christ, thus the Body of Christ without the Spirit is dead, our faith without Wisdom, Love and being worked by God is also dead. Yet God is the God of the living, not the God of the dead. The word “spirit” could also read Breath, thus the physical body is the allegory, yet the Body of Christ is the primary. If we refuse to breath, we die, or at the very least pass out. The Body of Christ functions by the Spirit, yet we know there are those who have the Spirit, but are yet carnal. They nonetheless have an advantage over the world, but in context we find having the Spirit and being Spiritual takes a work of faith. The Greek word for Body is Soma, not Sarx (flesh), it means The organized whole made up of parts and members, it’s the same word used by Paul in First Corinthians 12:27 in reference to the Body of Christ.

James 3:1-18

James now moves to the sign post of the heart, the mouth, he hasn’t left the concept of, “the Body without the Spirit”, now he uses the term Masters which is the same as Teachers. This connects to First Corinthians 12:28-30, if all were teachers, who would they teach? Yet, we are all called to teach (disciple), baptize and teach (by being a witness). It’s tough to be a teacher, it calls for knowledge by the anointing, it may entail exposure, and there are some who don’t want to be exposed. However, there is a difference in offending by the Word, and offending through ones own words. The Word will offend the flesh, if someone judged our words wanton, we have to consider what words we spoke, if the Word then it did it’s job, if our words, we didn’t do our job. It’s also clear a teacher who unteachable is not only carnal, but a hypocrite. Teachers must be open for Godly input, but be fully aware of deception. A teacher will correct a student who is in error, or rebuke one who has fallen into ungodly thinking. However, if the student or disciple is carnal, they will retort, get mad, refuse to communicate, or perhaps run away.

People tend to get mad in the midst of exposure, even when the Holy Ghost did the exposing, but often what is exposed will retaliate to show it’s supposed power, more than likely it will retaliate against flesh and blood with flesh and blood. The “Greater Condemnation” isn’t from God, the word Condemnation is the Greek Krima it means To judge, or being Judged, but it doesn’t always mean being Judged of God. James shows if he talks about Wisdom, then people will watch him like a hawk; “does he have it?”, of course if he slips then they can accuse him. Paul faced the same “judging”, when he made a mistake, yet the Corinthians used it to avoid the Spiritual call on their lives. Whether James walked in the Wisdom or not isn’t at issue, whether we do is.

The word Offend in verse 2 is the Greek Ptaio which can mean to fall into sin, but it also means to Cause to do duty, it’s the context here. This letter is enough to try ones faith, it’s a tough letter, one calling for consideration as it calls us to the duty of faith. Verse 2 really shows the Judging isn’t from God, it’s from the ones being taught. When exposed they will run to their “scholars”, or use unbelief or doubt as self-justification, or in many cases accept the teaching and gain; here James prays for us to accept his teaching.

The Word of God does offend, it’s suppose to, it will expose leaving us naked. The soul will react to the offense, but the Spirit responds to bring us into the Perfection to take advantage of the offense. Not only does the Perfect person bridle the tongue, but the  whole body (v. 2). This takes us back to 1:19, be swift to hear, slow to speak, and very slow to wrath. Listen to what the teacher has to say, weigh it with the Bible to determine if it is sound doctrine. Don’t discard the information because we don’t like it, or it offends, or exposes, it’s for our own good.

Keeping this in context we can see the Wisdom of God working in James, as the Word is dividing, separating and bringing clarity. “How dare he, who does he thing he is?”, exposure proves the point, we blessed God, but cursed the teacher. The old man will use all sorts of excuses, “well I just want the Truth”, not so, when we get it, we question it, compare to our traditions, or look for some reason not to believe it. The Wisdom of God is teachable, not stupid, thus it will discern the Truth with the expectation of accepting in order to apply it, but it will not accept traditions of men turned into doctrines, or heresy.

We all need a Bit in our mouth, since man puts a bit in the horse’s mouth to control their actions, we pray for God to put one in our mouth to keep the words of unbelief, or nasty retaliation from coming forth. This doesn’t mean we are hiding from  the words, or the source, it means we want the intent and thought exposed by the Word before we speak.

All this is making a connection to the lust attempting to entrap us, when we speak words from the lust, we will entice ourselves. It also goes to the conception of the lust, when it’s a thought it can still be a testing, but once we give it “birth” by speaking on its behalf, we have conceived the lust, the next step would be sin, or the application of the lust to gain the self-benefit of fleshly pleasure, which is the sin.

The horse doesn’t put the bit in their own mouth, they are controlled by an outside source, thus none of us can keep a bit in our own mouths. It leaves the Jockey, what good does it do to pray for a bit in our mouth, if we remain the Jockey? We need a Watchman over our mouth to tell us the effect of our words before they are spoken, by bringing clarity to our intent. There is only One who can, the New Man. The Spirit (Word) in us can discern the intent of the thought to determine the source, something natural man is incapable of. Natural man will say something accusing, nasty, or deceptive, then think they are clever, cute, or highly intellectual, yet the source is the spirit lusting to envy. However, on our side we find someone can be enticing us with deception, yet the Word in us will detect it, expose it to save us from the temptation by giving us the words to use generated by the Wisdom of God.

The wording, “Obey us” shows even if James isn’t walking in God’s Wisdom, we know his faith is working to reach the point. Obey his teaching, allow the New Man to put the bit in our mouths, settle down when the Word offends, think about it, allow the Word to divide, separate and bring clarity. Learn don’t burn.

The word Listeth in verse 4 is the Greek Horme meaning A motion toward an object with the purpose of propelling and repelling it still further from oneself. We put off the old man and his deeds, now we see we are not to ignore the hidden lusts either. The testing is to put the old man and his deeds further and further away. This is akin to saying to the Mountain ”Go” then doubting not. Doubt would presume since it was said, it’s done, but the use of the word Doubt indicates a process. We believe what we said, but it’s only half the battle, now faith must enter with Patience until the mountain is gone.

One element of Patience James is leading to is the perseverance in the face of failures. Something we forget when we do fall, we rejoice, since falling only proves God is still working with us as children, thus we’re still holy, accepted, and loved.

The ship is big, at times on some ships the rudder is big, but the wheel controlling the rudder is not. Without a someone to guide the ship by the Wheel, the rudder will guide the ship into destruction. Without the Guide (helmsman) to keep the ship course, the ship would have no direction. The rudder is connected to the ship, the wheel is connected to the rudder, but the Helmsman is on the ship, not a constructed part of it. Our Helmsman is the New Man, the Word in us needs to be Engrafted to be a Guide and Instructor.

The horse with a bit is just a horse with a bit, until we put the reigns in the hands of the rider. Now if the rider knows nothing about horses, the horse will control the rider. The horse will go where it wants, do what it wants, yet say “but I have a bit don’t you know”. The horse must yield to the bit, but the bit must have a Guide Experienced Rider (Guide). The bit is in the mouth of the horse, it is not the horse. The Rider has the reigns, but neither the rider or reigns are the horse. The element guiding the horse is not tied to its tail, it’s in it’s mouth. From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, as we have believed so have we spoken, or as have failed to believe, so will we speak. However, the concept here is the horse will run wild, do all sorts of things, hurt others and itself in the process. The mouth of a natural thinking person is no different, they plant tares, seek validation, or self-importance, speak words of unbelief, yet deny they do. Proverbs 21:23 says, Whosoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles, yet here James points out it’s impossible with man, yet All things are possible with God.

Let’s face it, if James was around today, and marched into our local church to say, “Thou are corrupt, double-minded, and adulterers”, we would have a few things to say to the man. Why? We don’t like those things, yet we may need it. We can always learn, the most carnal, nasty, false accusing person can still provide a learning tool. One main lesson is not to be like them, but as teachers we always find something to help others.

In verse 4 we find the ship can be driven by fierce winds of doctrine, but the smallest helm guided by an experienced and wise helmsman can keep the ship from danger, by keeping it on course. The same is true with the Engrafted Word, it can divide, separate, and discern bringing us into a place of peace and patience to stay the course. Peace is an attribute of Wisdom, yet in many cases Peace is found when we our faith is working in the manner God desires.

Another key to walking in the Wisdom of God is humbleness, it seems pride will twist a “witness” into an opportunity to brag. The word Boasteth in verse 5 is the Greek Megalaucheo which is a compound word meaning Big (Megas) Braggart (Laucheo), it  points to the sin of bragging as it connects it to pride, thus the mind wanted to witness, but pride entered based on envy. Boasting is a way the old nature uses to not only validate itself, but to impress people. When someone brags on how their faith was the cause of the blessing, isn’t it Boasting? Yes, our faith is important, but God is still the Deliverer. We pray in with a sincere heart, yet we tell everyone how our prayers are the center of Power, when in truth God is the Power. The natural mouth will attempt to take credit for the works of God, or at least become the source for the work of God. The bit is an important weapon in the battle after the battle, there at times when it’s more important to remain still, then fall into a boasting.

James shows the tongue is a little member, but when guided by the spirit lusting to envy it becomes a harsh, nasty element looking to entice us. So, what is the tongue connected to? What causes the tongue to move? The person, thus the movement of the tongue produces words, or sounds, yet a work of faith would be to stop the tongue until the Word in us has determined the source.

The word Kindles in verse 5 is the Greek Anapto meaning To light up, thus the tongue starts its own fires, don’t blame anyone else, we started it. Every person is drawn away by their own lust. All this still relates, we ask in faith, here is what happens when we remove “faith” from the equation. The Wisdom of God becomes the hand on the helm, or the hand on the reign, as the element coming forth to quench the fiery dart we were about to send forth to harm another. The helm on our ship guides us, it doesn’t control others.

The tongue doesn’t have its own brain, or a will, it is the tool used by something else, it is like the rudder, it moves, but is controlled by an hidden element. During the Process of gaining the Wisdom of God the old natural wisdom will attempt to invade through wild emotions. The tongue is a Fire, an entire world of iniquity (failure to do what it’s suppose to, while doing something else), the tongue defiles us, when the lust is conceived. The Iniquity is of course not waiting for the New Man to produce words of Grace and Wisdom to hearer (v. 6).

The word Nature in verse 6 is the Greek Genesis, the same word used back in 1:23 in reference to the mirror, relating to the surface, or appearance. There would be no need to tell us this, unless there is the distinct possibility how we in the Body could find ourselves using the wrong spirit on occasion. It’s also the case in Paul’s teaching on Be angry and sin not, don’t allow anger to express itself in words. The unsaved soul puts wood where there is no fire, but the tongue sets the wood on fire; on the other hand there is the Fire of God based in Faith, it’s the latter fire putting out the former. Showing the Justification Declaration is firm in the Report, but the work is being done by the Witness on earth.

Jesus said, “it’s not what goes into the mouth defiling a man: but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (Matt 15:11), James said, “it defiles” (v. 6). Jesus also said, “for by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned” (Matt 12:37), a process (shall be), it’s what James is showing. It’s not a shame to slip, it’s a shame to refuse to acknowledge when we have.

Verses 7 and 8 display how man can tame lower life forms, but can’t tame himself. The obvious conclusion is no natural person is going to operate in the Wisdom of God, they may ask, but not in faith. They may say there is One God, but do they have His Son in them? The context here shows a mouth motivated by a double-mind, when the lust moves the tongue it’s conceived bringing forth sin, thus the act becomes the sin, not the thought, rather the thought is the place to handle the intent. Now wait, Jesus said if we thought about it, we did it. No, He said if we ponder it or form a plan, we will do it, thus both Jesus and James are saying the same thing, the place to deal with it is when it’s still a thought. This connects to Paul’s teaching on those who lay in wait to deceive, what wisdom do they use? What spirit?

Well it seems if we watch the “mouth gate” we will okay. Not so, we must have a new House behind the gate. James uses examples to show the difference between the Seed of God, and the unsaved soul. James gives us a Fountain, Fig Tree, and Vine, all three are important metaphors (v. 10-12). The Fountain refers to the Fountain of Living Water which we know is the Mercy of God energized by the Spirit, as it turns out, it happens to be an attribute of the Wisdom of God. The Fountain can’t bring forth both salt and fresh water; however what correlation do we have? If we have the Word in us, then the Mercy in the Wisdom of God will be living water. However, if we are still using the spirit lusting to envy, then bitter water will come forth. The example is how someone can bless God, yet curse man. They have their religious mask, they will say they love God, but they love to belittle people in the Body more. The exposure is to get rid of the “double-fountain”, in order to hold the One Fountain of Grace.

The Fig Tree points to the Rich, the Vine to the Poor, thus the Fig tree will not produce Grace, neither will the Vine will produce figs. The Fig Tree cannot bear the Olive,  thus the Law of Moses is not going to produce the Wisdom of God or the Mercy attached to it. God set forth the Olive Tree as the Proceeding word of His Mercy as a direct attribute  of the Cross for all mankind. Therefore, the Fig Tree cannot produce olives, the Olive Tree will not produce figs. We must not be “double-tree” person, use any element of the Law of Moses to gain favor from God, and you set yourself to be judged by the Law.

The term Salt Water refers to the world (sea), the word for Salt means Salt, thus the ways of the world produce Bitter water. Fresh Water refers to the Living Water, thus the Spirit will not mix the world with the Living Water, neither will Living Water produce Bitter Water, everything produces after its own kind.

From the Olive Tree comes the Oil referred to in James 5:14, in each case where we find “Oil” being used, it refers to Olive Oil, which connects to Mercy. Can the elders produce Fig Tree sermons when the Olive Oil flows? No, it will either be Fig Tree (Law of Moses) or Olive Tree (Anointing), it can’t be both. There are times when the people need Holy Spirit centered prayer, but we tend to give Fig Tree sermons, if they wanted a sermon, they would buy the tape, they need Olive Oil prayer.

The term Wise in verse 13 points directly to Proverbs, thus the Wise don’t mix salt water with the Living Water, showing the Wise are those with the Wisdom of God. The term Good Conversation has the same meaning as Paul’s letters, it’s not only words, but the behavior of the person: do they walk in the Faith, or merely talk about it. The phrase “meekness of Wisdom” goes back to James 1:21, indicating the Engrafted Word which is able to save our souls, showing meekness is an Inward Grace connected to the New Heart. How can we Brag if we are standing in meekness? We can’t, meekness and being humble are weapons to destroy pride. Receive with meekness the Engrafted Word, ask in faith, do they relate? Yes, it’s the Wisdom of God produced from the Engrafted Word, the Word is able to save our souls. We are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of them who believe unto the saving of the soul.

Verse 14 shows Bitter Envying and Strife in the heart, connecting back to bitter water. Verse 16 points to where these rule as well as the confusion they produce. The product of bitter envy would be bitter water (words), the source would be the spirit lusting to envy. Does it mean they don’t have the Spirit? No, it means they are double-minded, we must cast out the bondwoman with her son. We have Liberty and Power, thus we have authority over the spirit lusting to envy, as such we can use it, or reject it. The Wicked use it to their advantage, yet in the process they are destroying their own self.

Confusion is a product of envy and strife, making confusion the source of deception. If one operates from the spirit lusting to envy, they will produce confusion, since they exist in a state of confusion, thus they will use deception, since they are self-deceived. They will use the knowledge of man in a feeble attempt to understand the Knowledge of God. The obvious conclusion shows these elements are produced from within, yet their evil also works without.

If a Teacher teaches Truth to those who hold fables, will those who hold the fables be offended? Yes, is it the intent of the Teacher to offend? No, it’s the intent of the teacher to bring Truth and Liberty, but offense is in the heart of the holder. When Jesus taught in the Temple were the religious leaders offended? Yes, was the intent of Jesus to offend? No, it was to present the Truth. What the “hearer” does with the words determines the result in their life.

Confusion is exposed when Truth comes, thus those who hold the Truth are not confused. For some reason when confusion comes we blame the one who exposed our fables, rather than admit we’re the ones holding confusion. “Well gee, I wasn’t confused before they showed up”, no, you were living a lie by existing in fables based in strife and envy. When Truth came, the fable was exposed and confusion came. The other side is when the fable is presented to those with hold the Truth, they will see it for what it is, soulish, natural deception. How? By the Word operating in the Wisdom of God. The very first element to the Wisdom of God is Pure, if our eyes are pure, we see through the muddy water of deception.

If we are confused it’s a sure sign we are holding a tradition as doctrine, or a fable. When we twist Scripture to prove our fable, we have entered deception, yet deception is a wile of the devil. Deception and Subtil have the same source, the spirit lusting to envy. Strife is contending from a natural viewpoint to oppose a spiritual concept, without clear Bible justification. When confronted it will retort with personal comments to belittle, or entail slander, quarreling, fighting, discord, and conflict. Strife is the birthright of Envy, it’s mother is pride, but it’s father is the spirit lusting to envy.

Bitter water causes the curse (Numb 5:24), wickedness produces bitterness (Jere 4:18). Can something said from God become bitter? Yes, the prophecy is purposed to be sweet, can be taken by the carnal mind as evil, making the good word bitter. Also, sound Godly prophecy can be presented through a mind of strife, what is intended to be sweet, comes out as destruction, but the presentation is not God’s fault. The spirits of the prophets are still subject to the prophets.

The term “Glory Not” in verse 14 shows some take glory (pride) in their ability to belittle others, or use their manipulation or pride to control others, they will take pride in the “good gift” twisting it into something God never intended. The Gift is from God, without God there is no goodness. The wrong use of the tongue brings hate, anger and manipulation, are not something to glory in. Stolen water is not sweet, Bread eaten in secret is not a pleasure, deception twits truth into fables.

The two types of wisdom go directly to “works of faith”, out of a Good Conversation one shows their faith. This goes back to the ways of a person as they either ask in faith, or not. James is not saying he is so perfect, or walking in the fullness of the Wisdom of God, rather he is saying we should all be working to walk in God’s Wisdom.

Envy and strife bring about confusion in the one using the envy and strife, these things need not be so (v. 15-16). Truth will expose and remove confusion, showing the meaning of “every man is drawn away by his own lust”, thus the lust is based in envy and strife The Engrafted Word will separate and divide for us, but we must have ears to hear.

CHART COMPARING ELEMENTS OF THE SPIRIT LUSTING TO ENVY”

Bitter envying	Lust of the flesh	Earthly
Strife	Lust of the eye	Sensual
Confusion	Pride of life	Devilish

God’s Wisdom is not intellectual in nature, it’s an attribute of God producing one’s manner of conversation: knowledge is intellectual, understanding comes by experience. Like the word Work the word Wisdom has to be taken in context with the verse in order to determine which type it refers to. The same Greek word for Wisdom is used in both phrases, the Wisdom of God, as well as the wisdom of the world, thus there is a division. This takes us back to First Corinthians 2:11-12, where we found the spirit of man knows the things of man, including what lusts are still there, how to entice them, but the same spirit  hasn’t a clue to the things of God. The spirit of man is ignorant of the things of the Spirit of God; here we find the wisdom of the world is used by the spirit lusting to envy, which is the spirit of man a product of the old nature.

If all good gifts are from above, yet the wisdom of the world is not from above, does it show it’s not of God? (James 3:15). Yes, it’s earthly, or fall minded in nature, which connects it to the lust of the flesh: it’s sensual, or soulish connecting it to the lust of the eye, and it’s devilish connecting it to the pride of life. The wisdom of the world is not a devil, but it is devilish and self-based. Without the Word in us we will use the wrong wisdom in events, yet in each instance we may think we have won the contest, but in truth we are using bitter water. The Word in us must be Engrafted, the process is made easier when we operate in the Wisdom of God. The more we act like the Word, the more like the Word we become.

The Word and Wisdom of God working as a nature will often “feel” what’s going on, but the idea behind having Godly Wisdom is we won’t let what’s going on to disrupt us, or pull us into a war we have no business in. We will discern, and respond. How many times have we thought of “shake the dust off your feet”? Yet, spent hour upon hour attempting to simply let it go. The battle of wisdoms, the wisdom of the world is telling us to get even, to retaliate by teaching them a lesson; the Wisdom of God is telling us to let it go, apply Mercy, learn, discern and to on with God.

This is made clearer by the various words used, the word Earthly is the Greek Epigeios meaning Upon (Epi) the Earth (Geios), it’s not the earth itself, but what exists on the earth as a result of the Fall. This points the carnal fallen nature of man, when the leaders in the Body run to the world to learn how to deal with events and people, they are using the spirit of man, rather than the Spirit of Christ.

This really comes together when we see the word Sensual is the Greek Psuchikos meaning Soul Run, it’s a close kin to Psuchikos is the Greek Psuchikon meaning the body run by the soul (I Cor 15:44), which is how Paul described the first Adam. Therefore, the first Adam was perfect for his purpose, but hardly perfect; whereas Jesus was and is Perfect in all His Ways and Acts. This Greek Psuchikos was used in Jude 19 showing the false have not the Spirit, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have the Seed of God, it means they can’t hold to the Spirit since they have separated themselves by refusing to be Engrafted. Jesus never left them, they separated themselves, or drew back to an area where the spirit lusting to envy was waiting.

The word Devilish is the Greek Daimoniodes meaning Demon like, it doesn’t mean demon possessed, it means one who acts like a demon. This word was used to define a slanderer as well, and envy produces slander. Slander doesn’t man what they say is a lie, it means they said it based on an evil intent to do harm. The word Malicious means evil intent, what they say can be a fact, but it’s said to harm someone, making it slander. Godly exposure is not to harm us, it’s to open our eyes, to save us.

This shows us the “evidence”, if our minds are moving to envy or strife, it’s the wrong spirit. What to do? Take joy, we have discerned it before it can manifest, it’s the time to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God to be cleaned. If the evidence shows we are operating in one of the attributes of God’s Wisdom, take Joy, you asked, you received, now it’s manifesting. Whatever, faith begins when we believe God Is, thus if the lust wasn’t put there by God, yet it’s coming to the surface, how does faith fit? The exposure was allowed so the Word can be Engrafted, so our souls can be saved. The reason for asking in faith, or the exposure when God’s Wisdom begins to operate is to save us from the tares of the enemy.

God’s Wisdom produces the Wise who have meekness of Wisdom, the wrong wisdom produces soulish conclusions leading to devilish works. All this shows Proverbs was prophecy, it looked to the division between the Spirit of Truth, and the spirit of the world. Just as find the Spirit of Truth known as “The Spirit”, “Another Comforter”, “The New Man”, “Christ In Us”, or “Jesus in the flesh”. We also find the old man defined as “the spirit of disobedience”, the “spirit of the world”, the “spirit of error” becoming “the spirit of antichrist”. The division isn’t always within, we could be looking at someone who appears nice, but they are run by the wrong spirit, and they are about to “tempt us unto evil”. The wisdom of man entices the wisdom of man, to the carnal mind it seems right at the moment; therefore, we need the Word in us to bring discernment preventing us from entering the error. The application of the Wisdom of God then guides us in dealing with the event, as it provides the escape from the temptation by discerning the source.

In looking at the seven elements of God’s Wisdom we don’t seem to find Love or Faith, thus Wisdom is a product of the Faith working by Love. Each of the seven add together, and each is talked about in James. The word Pure is the Greek Hagnos meaning Freedom from defilement, thus the Pure Religion is being undefiled by the world, thus God’s Wisdom frees us from defilement. The word Peace is the Greek Eirenikos, which has a root word used by Jesus in the phrase, “Peace unto you”; this word adds to the concept telling us to Hold peace, after receiving it. Jesus presented us Peace, but the Wisdom of God gives us the ability to walk in what Jesus gave us.

The context shows we already have the Peace, it’s a matter of application. This Peace is Peace with God, thus Peace with God makes us Peaceable. God is Love, we desire to Love, there is a difference. Jesus is not Peace, He is the Prince of Peace, as our Prince we were able to make Peace with the Father.

The word Gentle is the Greek Epieikes meaning To be lenient or Tolerant. This doesn’t mean we excuse sin, it means we are slow to speak, but when we speak we speak as oracles of God. The phrase Easy to be entreated is the Greek Eupeithes meaning Easily persuaded by the Truth, or teachable. The phrase Full of Mercy is made up from different Greek words, the word Full is the Greek Messtos meaning Stuffed, of course Mercy is the Greek Eleos meaning ones motivation is based in Forgiveness, as they are able to show Compassion in all events. This goes much further than forgiving the forgivable, it goes to forgiving the unforgivable.

The term Good Fruits, reads in the Greek as, Good Fruit; however, we find the hand of the Holy Ghost pointing us to Galatians 5:22 where the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance, thus we find the Fruit is the evidence of the Tree. Ahh, the mystery, one tree has one type of fruit, although there may be many fruits on the tree. When one speaks of “fruit” it can be plural or singular, thus we can see a basket of fruit, and say, “what is the fruit?”, we don’t say, “what is the fruits?”. The fruit defines the source, as well as the type of tree if came from. If deception is the fruit, it’s a corrupt tree. If the attributes of God’s Mercy, Grace and Wisdom are displayed, then the source is the Spirit of Truth (New Man, Word). So, why fruits, rather than Fruit? More than one person, more then one event, more than one attribute required at any one time. It’s the same idea as the Manifestation of the Spirit, perhaps Mercy is needed at the moment, then being teachable, or a time to avoid hypocrisy, or to avoid being partial.

Looking at the Wisdom of God, we notice we have five positive elements as active attributes pointing to Grace, but they we find two things we do not do. First is partiality, which James talked about, then hypocrisy, which James noted as “therewith bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men” (v. 3:9). We found the one sure sign of a hypocrite is the yardstick they us, when measuring us it’s about one inch long, but when they measure their self it’s about twenty miles long, they are unequal. The same measurement we apply to ourselves, we must apply to others, an honest scale is an honor, a false one an abomination.

Verse 18 leads us into chapter four, as it points to, “the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God”, where would this wrath of man come from? The spirit lusting to envy (v. 1:20). However we also see, “the fruit of righteousness is sown in Peace of them who make Peace”, assuring us how Peace is actually a weapon (v. 18). Having Peace with God vacates those temper outbursts, anger controlling us, vengeance dominating our thinking, as it removes us from the wrath of God.

Clearly we find the spirit of the world cannot work the righteousness of God, rather it seeks self-righteousness, but at the same time produces wrath. This also shows those who are motivated by hate or anger are not working the Righteousness of God, but those who are the Peace Makers are those walking in the Love and Wisdom of God. Not only do they work the Righteousness of God, but they are the Righteousness of God. Isn’t the New Man created after God’s Holiness and Righteousness? Yes, it all connects telling us after we receive the Spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit.

Prior it was “if any of you lack Wisdom, let him ask of God”, then “ask in faith”, now we find Faith is connected to Peace, thus part of the work of Faith is displaying Peace in word and deed.

We can see the connection between God’s chastisement and the trying of our faith in this verse. Hebrews 12:11 says, “nevertheless afterward it yields the Peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby”. The word used in Hebrews for Peaceable is the Greek Eirenikos meaning Healthful, or Wholesome, it comes from the Greek Eirene which is the Greek word Jesus used in the phrase “Peace unto you”, meaning Peace, Rest and Prosperity, it’s the same Greek word used here in James, the Old Testament equivalent to Eirene is Shalom. The Hebrew Shalom means wholeness, soundness, health, well-being, prosperity, peace as opposed to war, void of strife, stress, conflict or depression. This is really the key, the spirit lusting to envy brings strife, contention, disruption, anguish, and a combative nature. The Word in us operates in the Wisdom as a Fruit removing us from war as it manifests Peace, if we are in Peace we are in Righteousness of God.

James 4:1-10

All this still connects, we started with praying in faith, now we find if we have not God’s Wisdom we asked amiss. What happened? We failed? No, exposure, we asked with the wrong intent. Nonetheless God gives liberally, but here we have not, so what happened? It wasn’t God’s error, the spirit lusting to envy has attempted to pervert the Wisdom of God, so now what? Rejoice, we have the opportunity to allow the Word to separate and divide as the New Man pulls up tares by the roots, and evicts the old nature.

Perhaps we wanted the Wisdom of God to avoid dealing with the event or the person. Perhaps we desired it so we could look Wise in the eyes of man. Perhaps we wanted it to use against people. Those are all asking amiss, or asking with the improper motive, which means we did not ask in faith. What are those? To please the self, not God. If we asked in faith, we wanted to please God. Some want knowledge to feel superior, they gain knowledge, but apply it by the wrong wisdom. Some want to impress others, some want to impress their own selves, they ask amiss. The word Amiss is the Greek Kakos meaning sick, diseased, unhealthy, or wrong.

If we are of Peace, how do these next verses fit? We war, fight, even of our own “lusts” (self-pleasures), we “lust” and have not, we “kill” (act enviously), and desire to have (envy), and cannot obtain, we fight and war, yet have not because we ask not. We ask, and receive not, because we want to consume it on our own “lust”. Three verses centered on “envy” and “lust”, has to define the “spirit lusting to envy”. Asking amiss is then asking from the wrong spirit, the spirit lusting to envy uses the wisdom of the world, it hasn’t a clue to the how the Wisdom of God operates.

There are some who pray to have more power than someone else, just to show them up. Some pray for the teacher to get sick, so they can teach. Some pray for Wisdom so they can destroy others. These are all based on the wrong spirit, which needs to be exposed. If the person is self-deceived, God will send them a teacher, or someone from the five fold ministry to bring Light, as James is doing here.

James just defined the wisdom of the world as earthly, sensual and devilish, now he says, “you adulterers and adulteresses, know you not the friendship of the world is enmity with God?” (v. 4). This connects to using the spirit of man with the wisdom of the world, indicating they desire based on envy. This is classic exposure, the spirit they had been using in their prayers was the spirit lusting to envy, much like having Satan as a prayer partner, not real smart.

The context shows it’s still Brethren, thus this isn’t to those in the world, but a warning to those in the Body who are using the wrong spirit. The word Wars is the Greek Polemos meaning to cause a battle, the Greek word for Strife is a derivative of this word, thus the War is bringing Strife through our prayer life. The word Fighting is the Greek Mache meaning To Battle, or produce controversy, connecting to strife. This has a two fold meaning, the first is asking for God’s Wisdom, yet fighting it when we are receive it. The next is the misuse of prayer life, or coming against people in prayer. The latter is closer to witchcraft, the main issue is asking for God’s Wisdom, yet fighting the exposure, causing a war in our members.

The word Obtain is the Greek Epitugechano meaning Attain one’s aim, pointing directly to the soulish desire to see people hurt, destroyed, or belittled, so we can take joy in their failure or destruction. Some of our prayers concerning the world are based in envy; the wrath of man still can’t work the Righteousness of Jesus.

The term Asking Amiss means to Ask with a wrong desire, it comes from the Greek Kathairesis meaning Demolition, thus the asking Amiss is when we ask for the purpose of destroying. This has nothing to do with destroying strongholds, it has to do with seeing people destroyed. God’s Wisdom being full of mercy is not designed to destroy, yet the wisdom of the world being devilish is. This would connect to “killing the Just”, or wanting Wisdom to deal with a person in a manner making us superior over them. It’s not the purpose of God’s Wisdom. Why do we want the Wisdom of God? To belittle people, so we feel superior? Those are lust based thoughts, we better present our prayer of faith before the lust overcomes us.

Then verse 5, we think the Scripture says in vain, the spirit dwelling in us lust to envy? We did a detailed study on this verse back in the Welcome Lesson, but there we enter another method to study. Is it easier? Yes, in this case we will use some “helps”. The verse has to be taken into context with the Book of James, along with the some basic tenets, God cannot be tempted with evil, neither can He tempt us with evil, since there is no evil in Him (James 1:13). We have the references to lust and envy we just looked at, we also have four words in this verse become the focus, spirit, dwelleth, lust and envy. If any of those are “evil” based, identifying the spirit, since there is no evil in God, nor in the Spirit that is of God.

The word for “spirit” is the Greek Pneuma, but it can point to the Spirit of Christ, or an unclean spirit. Then the word “dwelleth”, simply means House, but it in the Old English the word Dwelleth could mean past or present tense. If we go to Jay P. Green’s Interlinear of the Greek-English, which was taken directly from the Textus Receptus and other early documents we find the wording as “has dwelt”, meaning past tense. In George Ricker Barry’s Interlinear he shows this spirit “took up his abode”, indicating it was not invited, as we did in regard to the Spirit of Christ. The old English Dwelleth can be either past or present, but in either case James doesn’t show the spirit has power, he shows some use the wrong spirit, which is the key. Being used of a spirit, and using the spirit are far different. We have power and authority over the spirit lusting to envy, thus we can reject it, rebuke it, or use it to our fleshly advantage.

Then the word Lust which is the Greek Epiothei meaning to long after, or to yearn, it refers to longing after good or evil based on a love. We have John 3:16 where God so loved the world, yet we also have John 3:19 where man so loved darkness, both are love based, God’s being good, man’s being evil. Up to this point the three words looked at can be used in either a good or evil sense. However the word for Envy is the Greek Phthonos meaning bursts of envy, the Lexicon by Dr. Spiros Zodiates (Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament) shows the Greek word for Envy means unable to do good as it manifests as selfishness (self based, or sensual) or malice (devilish). This word was never translated in the New Testament as Jealousy, to confirm it we go to Wigram and Winter’s Word Study Concordance which lists every verse in the New Testament a Greek word appears (by Strong’s numbers). The Greek word for lust was used nine times (Matt 17:18, Mark 15:10, Rom 1:29, Gal 5:21, Phil 1:15, I Tim 6:4, Titus 3:3, James 4:5 & I Pet 2:1), never in a good manner. This one word is the clue to the entire verse, if God cannot do evil, then this spirit is not of God. If we take the manifested envy to the lust, then to the source we find the thing produced the envy can’t produce good, since the envy produced is incapable of doing good in any degree. It takes us back to the “spirit”, thus James being a Jew would use the term as most Jews would, to show a nature or spirit about a person. The Textus Receptus also adds one word suggested in the King James but not seen. The word is “or”, showing the reading as, “or do you think vainly the Scripture…” (Jay P. Green Interlinear p. 619), making it a conjunction to the verse prior which speaks of the enemies of God, as those enemies connect to the “world”. This spirit is the old nature lusting to envy, the spirit of the man who is ignorant of the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor 1:11). The nature of the flesh will war against the Wisdom of God by using the wisdom of the world, rather than Peace with God, it wars against God, rather than faith, it will consume. We can sing, dance, pray or prophesy, yet if we continue to deal with people or events with the wrong wisdom, we are using the wrong spirit, we are not allowing the Word to be Engrafted.

James 4:5 tells us the Scriptures affirm the saying of James, or the saying of James affirms the Scriptures, this is not looking for a specific verse, rather it’s a confirmation of many. The lust to envy would cause the Commandment “thou shall not covet” to fall on us. However, it was the affirmation of Scripture, but in verse 6 he changes sources, in so doing has given us hope, with an avenue  of escape. Verse 4:6 beings with “but He”, not the Scriptures, going right back to “ask in faith”. The spirit lusting to envy causes strife, contentions, temptations, causing us to pray amiss, so we can consume the product of prayer on a lust. How to we get rid of worldly wisdom? It’s the context here, go to the Lord, for the Lord will also give Grace (to be Born Again to have the Word) and upbraided not to those who humble themselves. When they are humble before God, they are resisting the temptation of the devil.

However, James also said if we do slip we are to Rejoice. Seems like he changed from “adulterers”, but it merely shows what the spirit lusting to envy results in, here we find the escape. The first place of being free is when we see the temptation for what it does to us and others, then we humble ourselves before God, which is an element of faith. We don’t demand, or use little sayings of self-justification, or fall excuses, it would be the wrong wisdom, we need to be cleaned by having the Word in us, so we can have God’s Wisdom. The asking in faith must be to receive the New Man first and foremost, without the Spirit that is of God, none of this will make any sense.

These verses in James lists several things, Submit, Resist, Drawn near, Cleanse our hands, Purify our Hearts, Be afflicted and Mourn, Weep, Mourning, Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord. Some things we see right off, the Pure heart links two things, the Wisdom of God is first Pure, but if have bitter envying and strife in our hearts glory not. Humbleness is the first step, the weapon opposed to pride and ego. However, let’s start at the beginning, Submit is the Greek Hupotasso meaning to Place in order, get things in the right place, then keep them there. When we Submit to the world, it doesn’t mean we lay down and let them run over us, it means we are using the things of the world in a religious sense, once we’re in the Kingdom there is no reason to use the spirit of man. We allow the world to be the world, we don’t attempt to make the world the kingdom, it places right in the act of adultery.

Then Resist which is the Greek Anthistemi meaning To Stand against, it doesn’t mean to Come against, it means to repel the advance. To Draw Near is the Greek Eggizo meaning To approach, it’s the same word and meaning found in God drawing near to us, but we must follow the Order. James doesn’t say “God will draw to you, and then you can draw near to Him”, in fact he shows a “work” of faith we have to do. Our faith says if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. Our faith doesn’t say, God will punish us greatly for our error, nor does our faith say we can ignore our error, rather we know by faith God is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Now James says to Mourn, Weep, but what happened to Rejoice when you fall into divers temptations? Did he forget already? No, this has to do with “being a friend of the world”, indicating the result of Exposure. We thought we were doing the Gospel, but we found we are up to our ears in the spirit lusting to envy. What to do? Repent, here we have the steps of Repentance. Here we find the things Judas did not do, but Peter did. Acknowledgment to whom we have sinned against, knowing we have hurt the Lord by using things we should not have. Then we resist pride, grab Grace, get Humble, admit the wrong, Draw near to God by faith; accept the Wisdom of God in the purpose and manner we’re suppose to.

God is going to resist the proud, but we resist the devil, do those all relate? Yes, the biggest sign post of someone using the spirit lusting to envy is their display of pride, the second biggest is false humbleness. Being humble before men to gain the advantage, while we know pride is raging on the inside is sinful. The mask of humbleness is not going to get us near unto God, false humbleness is like false repentance, they have outward signs, but lack inward sincerity. Judas was remorseful, but he was not truly repentant, rather he repented himself, or repented toward himself, rather than toward God.

James 4:11-17

Verse 10 continues with the evidence of repentance, it’s approximately the same context as we find in First John. Don’t slander the brethren, talk not evil of one another. This has nothing to do with Spiritual correction, rather it points to slander, and blasphemy, the recovery will be the basis for the “prayer of faith”. Wait “prayer of faith”, pray for God’s Wisdom by faith, wonder if they relate one to another?

Okay, what does “go now” have to do with forgiveness? It’s not just forgiveness, it’s operating in obedience in the Faith. James doesn’t say, “go to now, you who mourn”, or “go to now, you who walk in faith”. This is still directed at those who are still allowing the spirit of man to run their lives.

Learning to operate in the Now isn’t easy, especially today. James does make a point we need to consider, the term “buy and sell, and get gain” goes right to the Lust  of envy (James 3:14-16). It’s interesting, we don’t find, “go here or there and preach”, or “go here or there and suffer for the Lord”. James is giving us indicators to the lust, it’s never wrong to work in the world, it’s wrong to put our trust in the world. James is reaching right to the intent, while exposing the lust. The concern here is not wealth, but why one goes  with what they have, or what their motivation centers on. There are some who won’t preach here or there unless the money is right, these verses are sent to convict them. The real key to this is, if we know to go good, yet we don’t, then it’s sin to us (v. 17). It would seem to be an iniquity, but the context shows one missing the mark to do the good, not simply being unequal.

James 5:1-20

The same phrase of “go to now” is found in 4:13, the phrase could read, “come now”, it’s a compound word with the Greek Age meaning To bring, or Go, intimating compulsion, or a movement of some type. The other part of the word is the Greek Nun meaning a Time, indicating to Act Fast, much like we found with the word Today in Hebrews. Back in 4:13 they were leaving to what they felt was a better place, rather than having patience in the place they were at. It seems Patience is the premise, this is akin to asking in faith, some ask, sit for three minutes, if it doesn’t manifest they either give up, or use the flesh to fill their lust.

Now we’re back to the Rich men as the converted Jews, in Proverbs 5 we find, “Remove your way far from her, and come not near the door of her house: lest you give your heart unto others, and your years unto the cruel: lest strangers be filled with your wealth; and your labors be in the house of a stranger” (Prov 5:8-10). This brings the two Wisdoms into the light of Proverbs, the wisdom of the world is the “foolish woman” or “strange woman”, she thinks stolen waters (mercy) is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant (Prov 9:1-18).

We know James can’t be placing all materially rich people in a class, since it would be partial, and God’s Wisdom is impartial. We have to keep it in context, the converted Jews were killing the Just Gentiles by inducing the Law. James tells the Rich their “riches are corrupted”, their past connection with the Law of Moses or the Abrahamic Covenant is not enough to get them through the Door, it will corrupt them by removing them from Grace.

They have killed the Just by their legalist ways, yet God doesn’t resist them. Is it good? No, not at all, James is painting a big sign saying, “Danger, what you think is happening, is not what is happening”. They were becoming self-deceived in thinking the New Covenant was attached to the Old.

Verse 6 shows taking advantage of Jesus, the Body, and Grace is not a good thing. This is the Day of Salvation, God’s wrath is stayed, He will not “condemn”, rather He will give and upbraid not. They may think they are getting away with playing house with the spirit lusting to envy, but the price will be paid after the Night, unless repentance is made while it is yet Today.

James then switches gears, and goes from the Rich to the Just who are being killed by the Rich with the weapons of requirements and rites under the Old Covenant and  circumcision of the flesh. Get the Wisdom of God, see things as God does, let Patience have her Perfect work, be Patient unto the coming of the Lord, those good works of Mercy and Wisdom seemingly are not noticed, yet they are by God. There is a reward for the fighting to remain in the Wisdom of God, even when it seems the wisdom of the world is all around. Don’t think God isn’t paying attention, He is (v. 7).

Verse 8 connects to verse 7 denoting Patience, be also Patient, and “establish your hearts”, right back in James 4:8 where it was Purify your hearts. Verse 9 connects back to James 4:11, Grudge not one against the other, and speak not evil one of another, it only shows the fruit of the wrong wisdom. The word Grudge also means Murmur as did the children in the wilderness.

As far as the Rich killing the Just, take the prophets who stood their ground in the face of adversity. They suffered Affliction, but their words stand, if we find ourselves mocking the prophets of God, our haughtiness may soon be exposed, hopefully we will humble ourselves then “be afflicted and mourn” (James 4:9).

Then good old Job (v. 11), he endured, our faith will endure in Patience as we stay the course. We must endure by Patience in Peace, it’s not going to be easy, but it is possible through the New Man.

Verse 12 goes back to “today or tomorrow I will go here or there”, we are not to make vows or oaths and ask Heaven to back them up. We can’t go to the bank, make a loan, then tell God to pay it back. If God tells us to get a loan, fine it would disobedience not to; however, it’s a far cry from reading about someone in a book, then copying what they did, then telling God “God I know You are no respecter of persons, pay this thing”. It would be tempting God, no where near faith. If we asked in faith, we gave a vow to remain Patient until the product became a part of our nature, thus to run here or there is escaping, rather than enduring.

The prophets were afflicted, now “are any of you afflicted?”. How can this be? The testing and exposure is what Job went through, at times the testing seems hard. What are we to do? “Let him pray” (v. 13). Pray what? “Lord, get me out of here!!!”? This word for pray is different from the one used for “prayer of faith”, here it’s the Greek Proseuchomai meaning to pray an expression, but what expression? Here we have a mystery, all the way back in Chapter 1 James said, “let him ask of God”, but here it’s “pray”, why not use “pray” in Chapter 1? Or “ask” here? The word Ask means seeking the superior from an inferior, it’s the context here as well. If we are Afflicted we are in an inferior place, we need to be raised. “Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He shall lift you up”, do you lack the ability to deal with the event? Ask of God, He shall give you His Wisdom and upbraid not.

Is any Merry? Let them sign psalms, which points to “Praise ye the Lord”. Two areas, completely opposite yet connected. The Affliction comes with the testing and trial, but the Merry heart comes when it’s over. In either case seek ye the Lord.

Is any Sick? The word Sick is the Greek Astheneo meaning Powerless, Weak, Infirm, often referred to sick in body, but not always. This can be a defeated attitude, depression, feelings of rejection, or sick in body. This verse covers both sides of the coin, if we are the victim of someone beating us with stones of theological abuse, we need some prayer beyond ourselves. If we were the predator who caused the event, yet now we know we used the spirit lusting to envy, we repentant to be restored, we also need some prayer beyond ourselves. What to do? Call for the Elders, not the Apostles, not the Deacons, not the carnal minded. Elders are those who have an open display of walking in God’s Wisdom. They must have two elements, God’s Wisdom and the Oil in the lamp. We don’t care if they use olive oil, or not, we do care if they have the Oil (Anointing) in them.

The word for prayer in the phrase “Prayer Of Faith” is the Greek Euche which entails a Vow, going right back to “ask in faith”. This prayer is not “Lord make me wise”, or even, “Lord heal me”, rather he points out the position we find ourselves in may be the result of using the wrong wisdom. This prayer is seeking the Wisdom of God, to know how to deal with the thing which has come upon us. The sickness, regardless of the sickness is a sign, or manifestation of to tell us something. It doesn’t mean all sickness is a result of using the wrong wisdom, but we can’t discount it either. At times sickness is a cause of using the wrong wisdom, refusing to wear a jacket, or something else, indicating we used the wrong wisdom.

Here the Elders pray one form of prayer, the sick one prays another, the Oil is a symbol of the Anointing of Mercy being present. The Oil won’t heal us, but we also take Communion and know the grape juice or wine isn’t really the Blood of Jesus, neither is the bread the Body of Christ, they are symbols. The Oil puts on our mind on God’s Mercy, connecting it to how we deal with people. For the Elders it’s their Token of presentation, for the sick one it’s a symbol they can relate to, it takes faith to accept the symbol, not faith in the symbol. Therefore, the Prayer of faith is said by the one in need, not the Elders, since the word used for the prayer of the Elders means Praise.

The word for “shall save” in the phrase “the Lord shall save the sick” is the Greek Sozo, this is not salvation, but restoration. James doesn’t say the sickness is a result of sin, but he does say, “if he have committed sins” they shall be forgiven. What “sins”? Speak not evil one of another, asking amiss, partially, misuse of the good gifts of God, killing the Just, loving the world, using the spirit lusting to envy, being either an adulterer, or adulteress, or using strife and envy. This is the hope for all of us, and this is one area proving even anyone can be forgiven while it is yet Day.

This is showing sickness can be Good, it can be an allowed sign from God to bring us into repentance to keep us from using the spirit lusting to envy. It also suggests the cause of the illness came from a lust we used, we allowed anger to speak, we refuse to forgive, or we removed ourselves from Mercy. Before the Cross the call was “Son of David have Mercy on me”, our prayer of faith is similar, it’s God’s Mercy heals our body, but God’s Wisdom tell us why, and God’s Wisdom is full Mercy (v. 3:17). Rejoice, God cares, He is still working with us.

Now to confess our faults one to another, the Greek word is Paraptoma meaning Mistakes between parties or A wrong done onto another, it’s specific between parties. This connects back to the prayer of faith, indicating we used the wrong wisdom, and found ourselves “sick in body”. The Ingress Aires gave us the authority and power to remit sins done unto others, this area is when we have wronged someone. Perhaps we joined in some John 7 meeting, or we talked evil against the brethren, then found ourselves sick. It’s not to say, we remain sick, or go ahead and continue to talk evil, rather it shows God cares, He wants us to walk in His Wisdom. There are some who are nasty, false accusers, and they refuse to apologize, or make it right, yet they don’t get sick. They are in deep trouble, better to be sick and know we missed the mark, then never be sick while missing the mark.

If possible, we go to our brother or sister and admit our wrong, then ask their forgiveness, if we can’t, there are other means. “What if they are dead?”, We have Jesus, we go to Him since He is still the Head of the Body, and fully able to stand in the place of any member therein. This is not an excuse not to go to the person, but a means open to us when we can’t.

The Greek word for Healed is Iaomai, the root word for the Greek word used for Physician meaning Healed in body and mind. We pray for one another, when two or three are gathered together in the Name of the Lord, He is there to raise them up. Peter will tell us the stripes of Jesus has healed us, he also uses this same Greek word. Putting James and Peter together we find the verse does not say, “by His stripes you will never get sick”, rather we have a recourse, something greater than the healing aspects of man. Surely if we never get sick, it would stupid to call for the Elders. The Stripes of Jesus were before the Cross, but incorporated into the Cross. They are based on Him taking in His flesh the pains and sorrows produced by the flesh.

The effectual fervent prayer is no good unless it’s done by a righteous person, a righteous person sows Peace (James 3:18). What would it be? Ask in faith, nothing wavering. The word Prayer used here is the Greek DeesisEnergeo, thus the prayer is a work, meaning a prayer of faith is a work of faith. It still connects to ask in faith, while allowing Patience have her perfect work. meaning To make known a specific need, the need is still God’s Wisdom. The word Availieth is the Greek

Verse 17 and 18 talk about Elijah (Elias), but the context goes back to Rain (v. 7), it’s the Fruit of Righteousness we seek, not the rain of brimstone. The first word for Prayer in verse 17 is the Greek Proseuche, but the word for Prayer in verse 18 is the Greek Proseuchomai which we looked at. Proseuche means To offer prayer or literally “prayer of God”, one not only going to God, but came from Him as well, thus the prophecy tells us to ask for God’s Wisdom in faith, by using our prayer of faith in the asking. Prior James told us to ask for God’s Wisdom in faith, here is the same context, be specific in seeking God’s Wisdom, thus we can’t use this “prayer of faith” is some general request, it’s specific, get God’s Wisdom, the rest will fall into place.

Verses 19 and 20 show us the purpose of the letter, to bring those back into the flock. The context shows they “err from the truth” or “error of his Way”. The word Err is the Greek Planao meaning To wander, or To be seduced, going directly to the dispersed by a lust leading them astray. The word Convert is the Greek Epistrepho meaning To turn toward, or rejoin the flock. The phrase “save a soul from death” shows the purpose, this is for the Brethren, not the world. Ahh, the Engrafted Word is able to save our souls, ask for the Wisdom of God, but ask in faith, the prayer of faith to heal us, it all fits.

Let’s move on to First Peter.

By Rev. G. E. Newmyer – sbiles26rev7/ © 2003