Years ago, Bro. Kent said in a sermon, "We don't have to make God's Word relevant; God's Word IS relevant." That is so true, and this James study has been such a reminder of that! James, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote this book roughly 2000 years ago, but it applies so perfectly to life right now, today.
One thing to remember when studying the book of James is that it is a letter written to believers. That was especially helpful to me in unpacking some of this week's verses.
1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
What am I lacking wisdom about today? This was the first question I asked myself when starting my study of these verses. I had a long list! Anyone else? :-) Normal everyday stuff--family needs, finances, scheduling, health stuff--intense stuff, including major health issues we're seeking answers about--and then all the chaos that's going on in the world today--issues surrounding Covid-19, freedom vs. submission and dealing with government overreach, so much cultural unrest--the list just goes on and on and on.
First, let's look at the word "lacks". In the Greek, it means "to fail", "to be left behind in", "to fall short of", "to be wanting in", or the one that stuck out most to me, "to be destitute of". He's not just referring to being a little unsure of something, but being completely destitute of wisdom. That is comforting to me, because that's how I feel sometimes--completely destitute of wisdom. But He doesn't leave us there, as we're about to see.
"Wisdom"--What is it? The Greek word refers to insight, skill, intelligence, clarity. The Greek word used here, sophia, which according to Strong's, is the root word of our words "sophistication" and "philosophy", which mean "the art of using wisdom" and "affection for wisdom". According to Thayer's Greek Lexicon, the specific meaning in James 1:5 is "the knowledge and practice of the requisites for godly and upright living."
Wisdom involves not only knowing in our heads, but practicing what we know, living it out. It's being able to rightly handle what we know, to use it to live as God calls us to. Wisdom comes from God, not from man.
One friend shared this yesterday from her Life Application Bible study notes: "Asking for wisdom is ultimately asking to be like Christ."
"he should ask God"--When I went through this passage studying the Greek origins of the major words the first time, I skipped over the word "God" in my notes. After all, we know Who James is referring to there; there is no doubt about the meaning. When I went back through my notes later, I was struck by the fact that while there is no doubt about the meaning of the word, it needed to be in my notes! We must not overlook the importance of that word in this verse.
It is crucial that when we ask for wisdom, we ask in the right place! There are SO many voices out there today trying to convince us that they have the answers. There are writers, speakers, social media influencers, celebrities, politicians, scientists, and many others who want us to believe that they know best. They want us to go to them for information, to look to them for what to think, what to believe, how to act, what to base our lives on.
There is definitely a place for seeking wise counsel. And we are certainly to be part of a church where the Bible is preached clearly, solidly, and truthfully. Books are wonderful. (Celebrities and politiians not so much! :-D) I have been strengthened and encouraged and taught by posts from godly people online.
But we must realize that all wisdom comes from God. (Proverbs 2:6-8, Proverbs (;10, Romans 11:33) When we seek wisdom, we are told to ask God. Any other source must be examined against God's Word. If it doesn't align with the Bible, we must realize that it isn't Truth.
In our world today, it is so easy to get caught up in and taken in by other voices who aren't speaking God's Truth. Asking God for wisdom and searching His Word will keep us from being "tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes." (Ephesians 4:14)
"Who gives generously"-- "Generously" here means "graciously", "bountifully", "liberally". It's overflowing giving. God isn't stingy with His wisdom! If we ask Him, in faith, believing, He pours out His wisdom to us. He doesn't ration it. I love that description for the way God gives His wisdom to us.
"without finding fault" -- I also love this description of what God doesn't do. "Finding fault" here means "to reproach, revile, upbraid", "to rail at, chide, taunt" And James says, God doesn't do that. He doesn't tear us down. He doesn't jump down our throats, tear our heads off, or mock us.
I couldn't help but think of how much reviling, upbraiding, railing at, and taunting are going on in our world today. It's everywhere! Even among professing Christians. There are times when we must speak Truth, when we must stand for what is right, when we may need to lovingly confront someone who is wrong. But the Truth must always be spoken in love. (Ephesians 4:15) If God can give wisdom generously without reviling, upbraiding, railing at, taunting, surely we should follow that example.
"it will be given him" --Given here is "a prolonged form of the primary verb 'to give'" in the Greek. It's a promise, and it's ongoing.
1:6-8 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
"faith" -- We are told we must ask in faith, so what is that faith? The Greek word here is pistis, from pietho. It means to "persuade, be persuaded, come to trust". It is always a gift from God, and not something that can be produced by people. "Pistis is God's divine persuasion, distinct from human belief/confidence, but involving it." (HELPS Word-studies)
Secularly, pistis referred to a guarantee or warranty. "In Scripture faith is God's warranty, certifying that the revelation He inbirthed will come to pass (His way)." (HELPS Word-studies)
Faith is always received from God and never generated by us.
"with no doubting"--to doubt here means to hesitate, to waver, to withdraw from. It involves "overjudging", going too far, vacillating. Also, "to be at variance with oneself". The KJV here says "without wavering".
"for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind" -- "Wave" here refers to rough water. The original means "billow", "surge", and suggests an uninterrupted succession--not just one wave, but wave after wave. "Driven and tossed by the wind" means to be tossed to and fro, to be agitated (as by a fan or wind). The picture I get here is of one of those huge fans you see at Sam's Club or other stores with a beach ball bouncing in the air above it. That ball is bounching wherever that fan blows it. It has no control over where it goes or what it does.
"For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." -- "Double-minded" means wavering, two-spirited, vacillating. "Unstable" means unsettled, almost anarchic. According to Strong's, English doesn't really have a strong enough word to carry this meaning.
1:9-11 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
I think I've been making these verses too hard all these years. First, we have to remember these verses are written to Christians. And they aren't saying the rich brother is wrong or bad for being rich. These verses are an admonition to focus on the eternal, rather than the earthly, no matter if we are the lowly or the rich. They are a reminder that earthly riches and honor will wither, fade, and die.
The lowly brother is to "boast in his exaltation" -- Boast here means to exult, to glory, to vaunt, to glory proudly. HELPS Word-studies says "living with head held high, boasting from a particular vantage point by having the right base of operation to deal successfully with a matter; refers to God-given confidence." It goes back to that wisdom he was talking about earlier!
"Lowly" refers to an "inner lowliness describing the person wh o depends on the Lord instead of self. It means being God-reliant rather than sef-reliant, which ironically always exalts a person, bringing their true worth." (HELPS)
"His exaltation" -- high position, eminence, rank, high station. All through God! Not because of self.
"But the one who is rich" -- wealthy, abounding in, fully resourced, abundantly supplied.
should exult in his lowly position -- low condition in circumstances, humble state.
Looking at verses 9-11, the poor should glory in their spiritual wealth and the rich should glory in eternal things. The rich Christ-follower knows that his earthly wealth will pass away into nothing, but he can rejoice in his future humiliation (in the sense of being humbled) at death because he knows he has an eternal future ahead. (Verse by Verse Commentary online) The important thing for all is to keep an eternal point of view.
Last night a couple of ladies shared about this in terms of contentment--that regardless of one's wealth or status on earth, if our focus is on God, if we realize that all we have is from Him, and that there is eternal glory coming, we can be content in what we have here. Paul said in Philippians 4:11-12 that he had learned to be content in all things, in plenty and in want.
We must keep a proper perspective on physical wealth and focus on spiritual wealth.
I loved this from Matthew Henry's Commentary:
No condition of life is such as to hinder rejoicing in God. Those of low degree may rejoice, if they are exalted to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of God; and the rich may rejoice in humbling providences, that lead to a humble and lowly disposition of mind. Worldly wealth is a withering thing. Then, let him that is rich rejoice in the grace of God, which makes and keeps him humble; and in the trials and exercises which teach him to seek happiness in and from God, not from perishing enjoyments.
1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
"Blessed" -- Greek "makarios"-- happy, blessed, to be envied, supremely blessed.
HELPS says "Makarios ('blessed') describes a believer in enviable ('fortunate') position from receiving God's provisions (favor)--which (literally) extend ('make long, large') His grace (benefits). This happens with receiving (obeying) the Lord's inbirthings of faith. Hence, faith/pistis blessed/makarios are closely associated (Romans 4:5-7, 14:22-23; Rev. 14:12-13)."
"remains steadfast" -- slightly different Greek word here than last week, but basically the same meaning: persevere, endure, have fortitude, bear. It's the same word used in 1 Cor. 13, "love endures all things". It literally means "to stay under".
HELPS says, "to remain under the load, bearing up, enduring; for the believer, this uniquely happens by God's power."
Strong's says, "absolutely and emphatically, under misfortunes and trials, to hold fast to one's faith in Christ, when trials assail, in tribulation. To cleave faithfully, to wait for the Lord."
"under trial" -- experience of evil, solicitation, provocation, adversity. A putting to proof.
"because when he has stood the test"-- when he has been approved, accepted, "tried, tested, and approved". It's the term used for coins and metals, and indicates one who is of tried faith and integrity.
"he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him."-- The crown here refers to a garland that indicates honor and glory, it's the crown of victory awarded to the victor in the ancient Greek games. The word for crown here is also the word used for the crown of thorns placed on the head of Christ at His trial. (HELPS)
Strong's says this refers to the eternal blessedness which will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ; the reward of righteousness.
1:13-15 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
This tempting to sin discussed here is different than the trials discussed above. Temptation isn't from God. He hates sin, He can't commit sin, and therefore He can't tempt others to sin.
And yet, as humans, we've been apt to try to blame God for our sin since the very beginning. Remember Adam in the Garden, saying to God that "it was the woman You gave me." God had warned Adam and Eve, had given explicit instructions, and they still chose to sin. Then they tried to blame God for it! We do the same, in so many ways.
James says here that we must not do this! He then says that we are tempted by our own desire. That old sin nature inside of us causes us to be lured and enticed. We can't even blame our sin on Satan. Yes, he tempts us, but the responsibility for our sin lies inside of us, in our own old nature.
"Lured" here is a picture of a fish who sees something that looks good and delicious, and yet when the fish takes hold of it, it brings death. Sin looks good to us. It is alluring and enticing. We must use that wisdom from God to turn from it, so that the temptation doesn't give birth to sin, and then in the end bring death.
Matthew Henry says that "the true origin of evil and temptation is in our own hearts." We must constantly look to God and ask for His wisdom and power to avoid the sin that seeks to entangle us.
If you are studying James either via the Messenger Rooms study with us, or on your own, I'd love to hear what God is teaching you through it! Or if you are studying some other part of the Bible, share with us what. You can comment here or on FB or IG. I'd love to hear from you!
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