In James 4:4, people who have been unfaithful to God get a firm talking-to: “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” Wow. Whatever being a “friend of the world” means, it’s … Continue reading Friending the world and un-friending God
book of James
Satan’s kryptonite
James was the half-brother of Jesus and a prominent leader in the early church. In James 4:7-8 he says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” Resisting Satan and drawing nearer to God are closely related. If, as a disciple of Jesus, … Continue reading Satan’s kryptonite
Your verbal legacy
Words. They have power, don’t they? In the Bible, James writes: “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be” (James 3:9-10). So if … Continue reading Your verbal legacy
Washing your mouth out with hope?
Have you ever heard of someone getting their mouth washed out with soap? I’m guessing it’s not something that happens very much anymore, if ever. And that’s a good thing. But have you ever wondered why people did that? Among other things, it was a symbolic act meant to teach a child that their words … Continue reading Washing your mouth out with hope?
Faithfulness FLOWS
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James … Continue reading Faithfulness FLOWS
A faith that is dead, or alive?
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” So said an influential leader in Jerusalem named James in chapter 2, verse 26 of the biblical book that bears his name. When he talks about “faith” in this context he’s referring to a partial understanding of faith. He’s referring to … Continue reading A faith that is dead, or alive?
Playing Favourites
James 2:1 makes it clear: “believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.” But what is favouritism? It’s showing preferential treatment to someone based on status or outward appearances. James gives the example of two men coming into a meeting. One has fancy clothes and the other has “filthy old clothes.” If … Continue reading Playing Favourites
Powerless and vulnerable
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). This is a teaching by James, an influential leader in the early church. Last week I highlighted what he meant by being … Continue reading Powerless and vulnerable
Quick to listen
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires” (James 1:19-20). Quick to listen. The KJV translation says “swift to hear.” Either way, the meaning is clear. When we’re NOT quick to listen to God or to the concerns … Continue reading Quick to listen
Drinking Culture’s Kool-Aid?
James 4:4 (CSB) says: “Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?” Let’s think about that much-neglected passage for a moment. First, “friendship with the world” means just thoughtlessly approving and going along with the values of the society around us. Second, James teaches that when we do that, we are … Continue reading Drinking Culture’s Kool-Aid?
