by Gary L. Evans
(revised 8/2/2023)
Epistle of James– Part 6
Jas 3:1-2 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Not everyone in the assembly should be a teacher or preacher, because they will be held more accountable before God for every error they make than the rest of the assembly.
Jas 3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
We control a large horse with a bit in its mouth.
Jas 3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
We control large ships with a relatively small rudder.
Jas 3:5-6 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
The words that come out of our mouths can cause a lot of trouble. Falsehood or words spoken out of season can destroy an entire assembly. Our words can turn nature upside down. The words of a man’s mouth can be compared to the fire of hell, because they can be very dangerous and destructive.
Jas 3:7-8 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
We do not have the power to even control our own tongue, so we certainly do not have power over what other people say.
Jas 3:9-10 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
One minute we can be thinking and saying things which glorify God, and then the next we can get angry, for example, and start thinking and mumbling to ourselves hateful things about someone. But such contradiction in the words of our thoughts and that come out of our mouths should not be.
Jas 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
Can we drink from a well and with one sip taste pure water and in the next sip taste salt water?
Jas 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Trees cannot produce foreign fruit, but only the kind that naturally grows on them. So a well or spring cannot be both fresh and salty.
Jas 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Ministers must maintain humility while teaching.
Jas 3:14-15 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Stirring up bad emotions among people to turn them against one another is not God’s way, but is of this Satanic world.
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
When people become angry or hurt only confusion can result, and with confusion comes a lot of trouble.
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
The Holy Spirit is straightforward and peaceable in teaching, and willing to be questioned, showing no partiality and truly sincere.
Jas 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Christians are supposed to be peacemakers. And Christian ministers must show themselves to be peacemakers in deed and in truth to set the example.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Epistle of James — Part 7
Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
The word “wars” is from the Greek “pol’-em-os” which means “warfare (literally or figuratively; a single encounter or a series).”
The word “lusts” is from “hay-don-ay’” which means “sensual delight; by implication desire.”
Conflicts occur among us because of covetousness of sensual or worldly things.
Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
The word “lust” is from “ep-ee-thoo-meh’-o” which means “to set the heart upon.”
We are busy to covet things in this world, but we do not gain anything of value. We fight among ourselves and have nothing after the conflicts. Why? Because we do not pray.
Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
When we pray we receive nothing, because we ask for the wrong things, for sensual or worldly things.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
If our minds are busy seeking the things of this world, then how can we possibly be spiritually as virgins when our Lord returns? This is Satan’s world, so people who love this world are our Lord’s enemies.
Jas 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
The word “lusteth” is from “ep-ee-poth-eh’-o” which means “to dote upon, that is, intensely crave possession (lawfully or wrongfully).”
Men have been plagued by covetousness since the beginning, even before the flood of Noah.
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Our natural minds focus on worldly things, and when unchecked dwell on things that cause much trouble for ourselves and others.
Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Our Father has interceded in our lives to give us The New Covenant, whereby we receive a new heart and a new mind in Christ Jesus, which is The Holy Spirit. This is that unmerited favor or grace that God has shown toward us.
1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
The Holy Spirit is focused on the things of God, The Word of God, and the gifts He offers to us for the asking. But this is not the spirit of this world, which is of Satan, the arch-enemy of God.
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Satan will test us for a while attempting to turn us away from God, but after we endure without falling away from The Truth, he will run away from us. Why? Because our Lord has given us power over Satan, and as we begin to comprehend that fact, he leaves.
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
When our Lord calls us into His Grace, we are ignorant and filthy because of our sinful nature. But when we seek God, He is willing to come close to us. We must respond with repentance and sincerity. At first we may have doubts, often about our own conviction, but they will fade away as we learn more and more of God’s Word and become mature in Christ.
Jas 4:9-10 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
When we were lost in this world, we enjoyed things that did not profit us in the long run. Enjoying lawful things is our reward for our labor in this world. But food and drink and entertainment, for examples, are only fleeting pleasures. Our Father gives us wisdom and knowledge that leads to Eternal Life.
Jas 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
The phrase “speak not evil” is from “kat-al-al-eh’-o” which means “to be a traducer, that is, to slander.”
The word “judgeth” is from “kree’-no” which means “properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish.”
We must not bear false witness against other people, and certainly not to the effect that we condemn them or cause other people to condemn them. Bearing false witness is transgression of The Commandment. Often, idle gossip contains hurtful slander of innocent people. Just because a group of people are doing it together does not change the fact that it is a terrible sin.
Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
God gave us The Commandments and He is The Judge. How can we be so arrogant as to exalt ourselves to slander others and then condemn them? Remember, the words that come out of our mouths can be as destructive as the fire of hell.
Jas 4:13-14 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
We have no power ourselves to live another day, so we cannot swear an oath about what we will do tomorrow or the next day. Our flesh bodies are like phantom images that pass away.
Jas 4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
The only wise manner of making an agreement with someone is to say, Lord willing, I agree to do this or that.
Jas 4:16-17 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Epistle of James — Part 8
Jas 5:1-3 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
The phrase “the last days” refers to The Day of The Lord. All of the wickedness that people do by word or deed in this world will be fire upon their heads during The Millennial Reign of Christ Jesus. And they will not be able to escape. The Millennium will be the time of that “burning hell fire” that our Lord warned us about that is reserved for those who do not overcome the deception of Satan. This will be that time of “weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.”
The word “hell” in The New Testament is usually from the Greek word “gheh’-en-nah” which means “valley of (the son of) Hinnom; gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment.”
Gehenna was the garbage dump outside of the city of Jerusalem that burned day and night. It was the place where trash and dead animals and dead strangers were thrown to be burned. Jesus used it as an analogy to emphasize the hopeless pain and suffering during The Millennium that awaits all who do not receive Eternal Life while dwelling in the flesh. They will be spiritually dead, and will not have another opportunity for Eternal Life until The Great White Throne Judgment.
Jas 5:4-6 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
The word “just” is from “dik’-ah-yos” which means “equitable (in character or act); by implication innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively).”
The rich and powerful in this world abuse other people, rob and persecute them, but most people are powerless to defend themselves against them.
Jas 5:7-8 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
We must be patient unto the end of this flesh world. Our Father will preserve us if we remain faithful to Him. Our Lord promised to return, and that Day is coming soon. But remember, The Antichrist will come first, and then our Lord will return. Jesus taught us the signs leading up to His return in The Seven Seals which give us an outline of what to look for.
Jas 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
God is The Judge over all of us.
Jas 5:10-11 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Consider all of the righteous men and women who have lived before us, having endured persecution by the wicked, and maintained their faith in The Lord. Consider Jesus also, how He willingly was persecuted, beaten, and crucified for our sake.
Jas 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
When we agree with someone, say yes, and when we disagree, say no. We should keep our words to a minimum.
Jas 5:13-14 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Olive oil was used for anointing of kings and priests. And a little olive oil that has been sanctified and dedicated to The Lord in prayer should be used to anoint the head of anyone who is sick.
Jas 5:15-16 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The word “faults” is from “par-ap’-to-mah” and means “a side slip (lapse or deviation), that is, (unintentional) error or (wilful) transgression.”
Men cannot forgive sins except those done against them. Only God can forgive sins. But sharing our own shortcomings with other members of the assembly and praying for one another is very effective in producing a sense of unity in the fellowship, where each person shows humility before the others.
Jas 5:17-20 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Our labor to teach and admonish will not be unnoticed by God.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.