Bible Bits and Bytes

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

My Thoughts:

This is quite an indictment of the ‘rich’ - but I don’t think it is a condemnation of all those who have accumulated a lot of money. It is more, I think, about those who not only have the wealth, but then let that go to their heads, making that the end goal of their lives - and changing them into grasping people with no regard for anyone or anything else.

James makes it pretty clear that the ‘goods’ that are accumulated are not the kind that will last - he tells the rich to wail over the riches that are now lost - corroded away, spoiled - all their hoarding has, in the end, come to nothing.
He especially accuses those who make themselves rich on the backs of the poor who work for them, by denying them a wage that matches their work contribution. He says that ‘cries out against you’ - and that is what God hears.

Verse 5 puts it in a nutshell - ‘you have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence’ - and I hope that it was enough, for that is all the reward they will see. God will then judge what they have done to others to get where they are, and the consequences will be severe. It’s much more about attitude than wealth.

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Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

My Thoughts:

More powerful words from James! James is taking his readers (me) to task for making all these ‘future’ plans and boasting on what they (I) am going to do. He points out that we have no idea what will happen tomorrow - if we will even be able to do anything - if we are even going to be here tomorrow! Our tomorrows are in God’s hands - and that is Jame’s point. We are here today, gone tomorrow - and our importance seems much less when viewed like that.

But James doesn’t just leave it there - a negative comment on our outlook - he then tells us what we ought to say - ’if it be the Lord’s will…. - ah….therein  lies the difference. We (I) need to recognize Who made this world, who made me, who gave me the talents I have - and should I not think that God also has plans for those talents? Instead of looking to myself, I need to be looking to God for my direction.

His last sentence says so much…’Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins’ Now those are some words to ponder…

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Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

My Thoughts:

Easy to get bogged down in the words of these verses. They begin on such a negative note - and yet, I think James is addressing pride - that is what we need to rid ourselves of - to weep and mourn because we have not. But, then comes the comfort in verse10 - ‘humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up’ - it is a hard thing to deny our human desires, and turn to wanting what the Lord wants for us - it just goes against the grain - but when we do - He lifts us up - and we’ll be in a place that we could never achieve on our own.

Then James addresses a subject that could be preached in every pulpit right now and really hit home. ‘do not slander one another’ - I look around at society today, and that seems to be a way of life - done without thought or care. James then goes on to say that doing this will speak against the law - and here I don’t think he means the Old Testament law primarily - but the law Christ gave them - and in violating that, you also violate the older law, for the one is wrapped up in the other.

He ends by saying to us (me) that there is only ONE judge and lawgiver - and guess what - it isn’t me! So quit acting like you are the judge, and sitting in judgment of your neighbor - sage advice.

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You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

My Thoughts:

James uses strong words here….calling us (me) an ‘adulterous’ people - because we are trying to have it both ways - to have what the world offers, and to have God too. Doesn’t work - have to make a choice.

James makes it very clear - ‘friendship with the world is hatred toward God’ - now that’s pretty clear - for who is the leader of the world? Satan - this is his place, and to love the world is to love Satan - and that cannot be in the same place as God. Satan only rules because God is allowing it - and it makes the choice for us very simple - on the surface. Because every day, I have to choose again, and sometimes the world is looking pretty good. I have to, have to keep my eyes on Jesus to keep the perspective correct - to be able to make the choice for eternal life and not temporary reward.

James lets us (me) know that the Spirit of God that is in us (me) is jealous! God does not want to share us (me) with the world - if He is there, I am His - and I need to put that first in everything I do. So….how to do this ‘simple’ thing? Ah, God has planned for that too - He knows my weakness, and has made provision - grace! He knows I will stumble, and He will pick me up - He knows how seductive the world is, but gives me an out. And the best ones? Two -  ‘resist the devil, and he will flee from you’ and ‘come near to God, and He will come near to you’

The devil cannot stay if we command him to leave - and it is Jesus Christ who gives us the power to send him packing - and he must go. The last one is the most comforting words - ‘come near to God and He will come near to you’ - and therein lies the peace, the joy, the knowing I am in the ‘right’ place.

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What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

My Thoughts:

So much to say in so few words - these first verses of the chapter speak much! I think James knew people very well - and it is as relevant today as it was the day it was written - people are pretty much the same on the inside - even though the outside environment may be very different.

James asks about the source of fighting among them - what causes it? And then he answers it and just nails it! It is the desires inside us (me) fighting with each other.  I want but I don’t get it - I desire but I don’t have. That’s it in a nutshell - we are always after the things that we don’t have, rather than being creative with what we do have.

Then James gives the ultimate solution - stunning in its simplicity. ‘You do not have because you do not ask God.’ Whoa - can it be that simple? Is not salvation equally simple? We are the ones who complicate things….not God. Then James completes the thought - and shines a bright light on my ‘asking’.  ‘When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives’. Wow. What an uncomfortable truth that is. Getting right down to it, I ask because I want it for myself - and that is the wrong motive. If I ask for what God wants for me, then I will have abundance as a result. I need to get things in the right order - God first, me last. Very short, very true, very hard. And guess where I can get help with this too….that very same God.

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Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

My Thoughts:

This last section is just packed full of wisdom - and is about wisdom. James asks the question - and then shows how I can know the answer - if I am wise and understanding, then it will show in how I live - deeds done in humility. Now that for sure is not the world-view of things! But it will give me the peace of knowing I am doing the right things for the right reasons.

James then gives me the definition of the world’s view of wisdom -  to harbor bitter envy (I want what you have), and selfish ambition (I’ll get to the top no matter what it takes) - if this is my view, I’d best not be boasting about it - for it is clearly not what God wants. But it is how the world measures things - and rewards them. James also tells me that this kind of ‘wisdom’ will result in disorder and evil practice - neither of which come from God.

I love the definition James then gives me - a blueprint for how to spend my time: wisdom from heaven is first of all pure - then peace-loving - considerate - submissive - full of mercy and good fruit - impartial and sincere. Wow - that is one tall order - and on my own, I have no hope of doing all that - but….there is One who will help me get to every one of these goals - and that is Jesus Christ - all I need do is ask. So I will - every day!

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All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt^[a] water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

My Thoughts:

It was interesting to read that the list James makes of all the things that man has ‘tamed’ on earth  - animals, birds, creatures of the sea, reptiles - all lack language, at least not one that man understands. But man, he’s the one with the tongue that can be used as he pleases. And James calls it evil, full of deadly poison. Strong words!

The next part really bothered me, and I think it should everyone - for James tells us that we both praise God and curse others with the same tongue. Ouch. When was the last time I said something derogatory - after I had said my prayers and praises earlier? More often than I’d like. James tells us (me) that this should not be - for just as each type of tree bears only one fruit, and a spring only produces one kind of water - so should our tongues only produce one kind of speech - that which we would not be ashamed to say in front of our Lord and Savior. Letting these words sink in deep - and make me mindful every time before I speak.

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Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

My Thoughts:

This chapter starts right off with a lot of food for thought - all about the tongue.

Interesting that first, tho, he tells his followers that not many of them should presume to become teachers - because teachers will be held to a higher standard - it is more a calling than just a job. James re-iterates that we are all imperfect, and we all stumble - for if we did not, well, we’d be the perfect men - but there is only One who is perfect - Jesus.

I love the illustrations he uses! The horse - a big animal, but controlled by such a small thing as a bit in its mouth - a ship - a huge waterborne structure, yet it can be steered by a relatively small part - the rudder. And that is what our tongue is - a very small part of my body - yet it has enormous power - over me and what I think and believe. I truly believe that my behavior comes from the inside - from what I am there - that is what dictates my actions and decisions. And the tongue - it has the power to tear down with words, or lift up - way out of proportion to the actual size.

James compares the tongue to fire…with the same power to destroy or to set other minds on fire with the words spoken. The warning is clear….and I’d best keep it in mind every day!

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What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

My Thoughts:

Here James delves into the whole subject of faith vs deeds - and his conclusion? One cannot have one without the other. You are saved by faith and not by what you do - but that very salvation will instill in you the desire to then go out and express that faith in deeds. Deeds follow the faith - not the other way around.

His illustrations are vivid - verse 15 says ‘Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says ‘go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed’ - yet does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? Indeed. Too many people around giving lip service to the deed part since they have separated it from the faith part. The two are intimately connected.

Even more vivid is the last part of verse 19 - “ Even the demons believe that (in one God) - and shudder” Now there’s an indictment. Shows me so clearly that if you have faith, it must come out in your subsequent behavior - or it is a sham. James goes on to give an example of Abraham acting in faith when he went ahead and prepared to sacrifice his own son, because God asked him to - now that is an extreme example of living your faith. Faith, after all is defined as the belief in what you do not see - so the trust has to be there that God will bring it all to good.

The ending is a good thought for me to keep in my mind ‘As the body without the  spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.’ One will bring out the other - has to.

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Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

My Thoughts:

This part is both interesting to me and a bit confusing on the face of it.

First James tries to get his readers (including me) to realize that God chose them (me) because I am poor in things, for these are the ones more likely to be open to the message, and to embrace the riches the world does not possess. He then contrasts them (me) with the rich - the ones who are exploiting, dragging them in to court, slandering the name of Jesus - and asking who is it that they (I) want to be identified with? If I show favoritism - I am by default aligning myself with these rich, worldly folks.

Now for the confusing part - James now speaks of the “royal law” contained in the scriptures - is he speaking of the Mosaic law? Seems to be, for then he speaks of ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ - and says that this is doing right. But….I guess the motivation, the reason behind this obedience - whether as a result of grace and salvation, or as a law they were still observing as the law. It is not entirely clear here. He goes further by explaining that if one disobeys one section of the law, he is therefore a lawbreaker - ok - true enough - but are we not now under the law of grace not Moses? Ok….now in verse 12, maybe it is made a bit clearer - to ‘speak and act as if you (me) were going to be judged by the law that gives freedom’ - now this absolutely is not the Mosaic law - for that law only condemns - so James must be speaking of the law of grace under Jesus Christ. Since he follows this immediately with a statement about judgment without mercy  will be shown no mercy - it seems that he is warning about behaving with favoritism, which is in effect this kind of judgment.

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