James Expounds on Faith Volume 22

 Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 5

James 2:9-10 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

To some the idea and the actuality of showing favortism to one person over another is not a big deal, but to God it is a big deal because it is sin in His sight and all sin against Him is a big deal. Therefore, the Apostle James reminded those early Hebrew converts to Christ and likewise he reminds those of us today and those of every era and generation of the requirements of God as it pertains to His Holy Law and that is continuous, constant, and complete keeping of the law in every point, as it is written for us here by the Apostle James, "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:9-10) (KJV). God does not have a sliding scale or is He like human teachers who grade on a curve ⤵, but He is the Holy and Perfect God who requires perfection from the human race, therefore, if someone plans to meet God in eternity, he or she better have not ever commited any sin in their entire life in word, thought, or deed. If someone is reading this and says to themselves that this is impossible, then you would be absolutely correct. So then, what was and is the 'law of God' given to humanity for?, well the answer to this question is found in these words written by the Apostle Paul in his letter ✉ to the brethren and sisteren @Galatia, "What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor." (Galatians 3:19-25) (NKJV). You see someone in the Body of Christ who favors one individual over another is reproved, reprimanded, and rebuked by the law of God as a violator of it. What many in the Church ⛪ of God regard as a trifling fault, that is, something that is not worth considering, is in fact very serious and offensive in the eyes 👀 of Almighty God.

Here is what the Expositors'  Bible Commentary declares of James 2:9-10, "The law is the expression of one and the same principle-love; and of one and the same will-the will of God. Therefore he who deliberately offends against any one of its enactments, however diligently he may keep all the rest, is guilty of offending against the whole. His guiding principle is not love, but selfishness-not God's will, but his own. He keeps nine tenths of the law because he likes to do so, and he breaks one tenth because he likes to do so. The fact of his willful disobedience proves that his obedience is not the fruit of love or loyalty, but of self-seeking. If we ask what his character is, the answer must be, 'He is a lawbreaker.' These respecters of persons claimed to be observers of the law, because they treated their rich neighbors as they would have liked to be treated themselves. St. James shows them that, on the contrary, they are transgressors of the law, because they pick and choose as to what neighbors shall be treated thus kindly. They keep the law when it is convenient to keep it, and break it when it is inconvenient to keep it. Such keeping of the law is in its essence, not obedience, but disobedience. He who follows honesty only because honesty is the best policy is not an honest man, and he who obeys the law only because obedience suits him is not an obedient man. There is no serving God with reservations. However small the reservation may be, it vitiates (corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality) all the rest. In order to 'fulfill the law' (a rare expression, found only here and in Romans 2:27), we must keep it all round, independently of our own likes and dislikes. St. James is not here countenancing the severity of Draco, that small crimes deserve death, and that there is no worse punishment for great crimes; nor yet the paradox of the Stoics, that the theft of a penny is as bad as parricide (someone who kills his or her parent), because in either case the path of virtue is left, and one is drowned as surely in seven feet of water as in seventy fathoms. He is not contending that all sins are equal and that to break one of God's commands is as bad as to break them all. What he maintains is that no one can claim to be a fulfiller of the law in virtue of his extensive obedience so long as there is any portion of the law which he willfully disobeys. Why does he disobey in this? Because it pleases him to do so. Then he would disobey in the rest if it pleased him to do so. The motive of his conduct is not submission, but self-will. He is in character 'a transgressor of the law.' Both defects are common enough still, and are likely to remain so. Paying respect to persons, dignities, and positions is a frequent form of meanness, especially in the manner here condemned, of courting the rich and slighting the poor. It is a Christian duty to respect the rank or the office of those whom God has placed in a position superior to ourselves, and it is also a Christian duty to reverence those who by God's grace are leading lives of virtue and holiness; but it is un-Christian partiality to honor a man merely for his wealth, or to dishonor him merely for his poverty. And, secondly, we are all of us prone to plead, both before the world and our own consciences, the particulars in which we do not offend as a set-off against those in which we do. To detect ourselves thus balancing a transgression here, against many observances there, ought at once to startle us into the conviction that the whole principle of our lives must be faulty. Our aim is, not to love God, or to obey Him, but to get to heaven, or at least to escape hell, on the cheapest terms."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 21

 Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 4

James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James reminds them and us that our Father in Heaven (although He is Just as well as Holy and will always punish the obstinate sinner and the transgressions of His children) is love 😍 and wants His sons and daughters to love one another just as He 😍 loves us, therefore, we read these words from James, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:" (James 2:8) (KJV). Loving one another does not mean spying on one another or vandalism or sabotage against one's property or coveting your neighbors wife or maid servant nor 🐂 oxen nor donkey nor anything that is your neighbors (Exodus 20:17), but instead you shall treat your neighbor with the same respect that you desire to be appropriated to yourself, no matter whether he or she is rich or poor. The Apostle calls this law the 'royal' law meaning that it is the preeminent law of God reigning surpreme over all others. I believe that in regeneration, redemption, and resurrection from spiritual death to life that is imparted to every born again son and daughter of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves his brother or sister who are truly 'in Christ' as he is 'in Christ' more than he loves his flesh and blood family 👪. The Apostle John said this of us passing from death to life, "In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:10-15) (NKJV). There we have it once again that Scripture authenticates Scripture, because the Word of God is not of man made origin, but instead it is the eternal, epic, and everlasting Word of Almighty God ✍ written by Him through the hand, hearts, and heads of over 40 different men concluding in one uniform message.

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 2:8, "Lest any should think James had been pleading for the poor so as to throw contempt on the rich, he now lets them know that he did not design to encourage improper conduct towards any; they must not hate nor be rude to the rich, any more than despise the poor; but as the scripture teaches us to love all our neighbours, be they rich or poor, as ourselves, so, in our having a steady regard to this rule, we shall do well. Observe hence, 1. The rule for Christians to walk by is settled in the Scriptures: If according to the Scriptures, etc. It is not great men, nor worldly wealth, nor corrupt practices among professors themselves, that must guide us, but the Scriptures of Truth. 2. The Scripture gives us this as a law, to love our neighbour as ourselves; it is what still remains in full force, and is rather carried higher and further by Christ than made less important to us. 3. This law is a royal law, it comes from the King of kings. Its own worth and dignity deserve it should be thus honoured; and the state in which all Christians now are, as it is a state of liberty, and not of bondage or oppression, makes this law, by which they are to regulate all their actions to one another, a royal law. 4. A pretence of observing this royal law, when it is interpreted with partiality, will not excuse men in any unjust proceedings. It is implied here that some were ready to flatter rich men, and be partial to them, because, if they were in the like circumstances, they should expect such regards to themselves; or they might plead that to show a distinguished respect to those whom God in His providence had distinguished by their rank and degree in the world was but doing right; therefore the Apostle allows that, so far as they were concerned to observe the duties of the second table, they did well in giving honour to whom honour was due; but this fair pretence would not cover their sin in that undue respect of persons which they stood chargeable with." Here also is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 2:8, "This epithet, of all the New Testament writers, is peculiar to James; but it is frequent among the Greek writers in the sense in which it appears St. James uses it. Βασιλικος, royal, is used to signify any thing that is of general concern, is suitable to all, and necessary for all, as brotherly love is. This commandment; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, is a royal law, not only because it is ordained of God, and proceeds from His kingly authority over men, but because it is so useful, suitable, and necessary to the present state of man; and as it was given us particularly by Christ Himself, John 13:34; John 15:12, who is our King, as well as Prophet and Priest, it should ever put us in mind of His authority over us, and our subjection to Him. As the regal state is the most excellent for secular dignity and civil utility that exists among men, hence we give the epithet royal to whatever is excellent, noble, grand, or useful."










If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 20

Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 3

James 2:6-7 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? KJV

The warning rendered by the Apostle James in the previous verse was a general one to all of those scattered Jewish believers back then and all of us today and of every era and generation. However, the Apostle James has received a 'word of knowledge' from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that some of those believers back then (and today and in all ⌚ times) have literally been doing the very thing that he is now warning all believers to not do by what he declares here with these very next words, "But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?" (James 2:6) (KJV). The English word 'despised' used here by the Apostle James is translated by the Greek word atimazō and it means exactly what our English definition of despised means which is to render infamous, that is, (by implication) contemn or maltreat: - despise, dishonour, suffer shame, entreat shamefully. In other words, to treat a brother or sister 'in Christ' shamefully or with dishonor simply because he or she is poor in erathly things is seen by our Father in heaven as reprehensible, repugnant, and repulsive. This is why the Apostle James is writing these words wanting to remind them and us that it is the rich unbelieving world (back then and in all times) who treat those of us who are followers of our Lord Jesus Christ with hatred and contempt calling us bigots and unloving simply because of our trust in the Lord Jesus and our belief that He alone is God and He alone is the only way to heaven for any sinner (John 14:6) and that His Word is the Only truth for humanity, remember what the Lord Jesus said about those who trust in earthly riches from Volume 19 (Mark 10:23-27). It is in large part the unbelieving rich of the world who have in the past and are in the present and will continue in the future to do all they can to silence true believers by violence and by making laws that declare the Bible to be taken out of schools (already done) and in every other way they can to stop the truth of the Word of God being spoken, 📝 written, or taught anywhere, even in the ⛪ Church and private homes or businesses. The rich are the primary oppressors of Christians because they hate and mock the true God of the Bible and their goal is to silence those who declare His truth, therefore, according to the Apostle James it is stupid, sick, and sorry for any individual or group of believers to show favoritism to any who are rich over the poor (even if the rich man 👨 or woman 👩 has become a believer). The English word 'oppress' used by the Apostle James in verse 6 is translated by the Greek word katadunasteuō meaning to exercise dominion against, that is, oppress. The Apostle James wanted to remind those believers back then and warn we believers today that those who are rich and have influence over local, state, and federal government have made it their prority to silence true believers, so the Apostle James asked this question to them and now to us, "Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?" (James 2:7) (KJV). The English word 'blaspheme' is translated by the Greek word blasphēmeō meaning to vilify; specifically to speak impiously: - (speak) blasphememously, defame, rail on, revile, speak evil. The rich unbeliever because he or she has not faith in the True God (Jesus Christ) mock Him as being nothing to them or to the world and they have made His beautiful and holy and precious Name into a curse word that flows out of their mouths with the ease of a knife 🗡 slicing through butter and they think 🤔 nothing of it and see their defaming and railing and reviling Christ Name as a joke, for they see Him now as of no consequence to them on earth 🌎 or even after their death (how wrong they will find themselves to have been).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 2:6-7, "Respecting persons, in the sense of this place, on account of their riches or outward figure, is shown to be a very great sin, because of the mischiefs which are owing to worldly wealth and greatness, and the folly which there is in Christians' paying undue regards to those who had so little regard either to their God or them: Consider how commonly riches are the incentives of vice and mischief, of blasphemy and persecution: consider how many calamities you yourselves sustain, and how great reproaches are thrown upon your religion and your God by men of wealth, and power, and worldly greatness; and this will make your sin appear exceedingly sinful and foolish, in setting up that which tends to pull you down, and to destroy all that you are building up, and to dishonour that worthy name by which you are called. The name of Christ is a worthy name; it reflects honour, and gives worth to those who wear it." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 2:6-7, "The administration of justice was at this time in a miserable state of corruption among the Jews; but a Christian was one who was to expect no justice any where but from his God. The words καταδυναστευουσιν, exceedingly oppress, and ἑλκουσιν εις κριτηρια, drag you to courts of justice, show how grievously oppressed and maltreated the Christians were by their countrymen the Jews, who made law a pretext to afflict their bodies, and spoil them of their property. They took every occasion to asperse the Christian name and the Christian faith, and have been, from the beginning to the present day, famous for their blasphemies against Christ and His religion. It is evident that these were Jews of whom St. James speaks; no Christians in these early times could have acted the part here mentioned." Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of James 2:6-7, "Or dishonoured, and reproached them, by showing respect of persons, in preferring the rich to them, and in distinguishing them in such a manner as was to their contempt and injury; which is a reproaching not only of them, but their Maker; and is in effect saying, that God has done either a weak or a wrong thing, in choosing them to be rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom, it being directly contrary to His conduct: Which may be understood either of rich men that were unbelievers; and these either the Heathen magistrates, who ruled over them in a tyrannical way, and with rigour, and often summoned them before them, and persecuted them with violence; or their own countrymen, the Jews, who stirred up the chief men of the Gentiles against them, and drew them to their judgment seats, as they drew Paul to the judgment seat of Gallio, Acts 13:50 or else of rich professors of religion, who assumed a despotic power over the poor brethren of the Church, and loved to have the pre-eminence over them, as Diotrephes did, and set up tribunals in the Churches, and tried and condemned them in an arbitrary way; or else upon civil accounts had them before heathen magistrates, and went to law with them in their courts, before unbelievers, which is a practice condemned in 1 Corinthians 6:1, and seeing now rich men used them so ill, the Apostle mentions this as an argument to dissuade them from respect of persons; seeing they had but little reason to show so much regard unto them, who had treated them in so evil a manner: this is not to be understood of all rich men; nor is the Apostle's design to destroy that natural and civil order there is among men, by reason of their different stations, offices, and circumstances; it being highly proper that honour should be given to whom honour is due, but not to the dishonour of another."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…





 

James Expounds on Faith Volume 19

 Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 2

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him? KJV Note:NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James wanted those scattered Jewish believers (and those of us today and in every era and generation) of our Lord Jesus Christ to closely listen to his instruction concerning this matter of showing favoritism to the rich over the poor by reminding them and us of the true and genuine impartiality to all sinners our Lord Jesus Christ has shown and continues to show with His willingness to receive anyone who will come to Him in repentance and faith despite their earthly status or position in this temporal world 🗺, as it is written for us by the Apostle James with these words, "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?" (James 2:5) (KJV). Our Lord Jesus Christ does not make any distinctions between a rich sinner and a poor sinner (the people of this world 🗺 do), but instead, He (Jesus) makes all who come to Him 'rich in faith' meaning that as a true believer in our Lord Jesus Christ any poor man 👨 or woman 👩 is now 'rich in faith' because of their/our access to, association with, and affiliation to Christ Jesus our Lord, as it is written of Him by the Apostle Paul with these words, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9) (NKJV). Faith + Grace makes us rich more than having all the riches on the earth 🌎, for let us remember these words from our Lord Jesus Christ speaking of some of those who are rich in earthly things, "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful." (Matthew 13:22) (NKJV) and also these very penetrating, piercing, and powerful words, "Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!' And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, 'Who then can be saved?' But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.' (Mark 10:23-27) (NKJV). Let us also not forget what our Lord Jesus Christ wrote through the Apostle Paul making this same point so very clear, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29) (NKJV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 2:5, "Believing Christians are rich in title, and in being heirs of a kingdom, though they may be very poor as to present possessions. What is laid out upon them is but little; what is laid up for them is unspeakably rich and great. Note again, Where any are rich in faith, there will be also divine love; faith working by love will be in all the heirs of glory. Note once more, under this head, Heaven is a kingdom, and a kingdom promised to those that love God." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 2:5, "And the poor have the Gospel preached to them. These believed on the Lord Jesus, and found His salvation; while the rich despised, neglected, and persecuted Him. These had that faith in Christ which put them in possession of the choicest spiritual blessings, and gave them a right to the kingdom of heaven. While, therefore, they were despised of men, they were highly prized of God." Here also is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 2:5, "The Apostle now proceeds to show that the rich, as such, had no special claim on their favor, and that the poor in fact might be made more entitled to esteem than they were. For a view of the arguments by which he does this, compare the analysis of the chapter. Those who are poor so far as this world is concerned, or those who have not wealth. This is the first argument which the Apostle suggests why the poor should not be treated with neglect. It is, that God has had special reference to them in choosing those who should be His children. The meaning is not that He is not as willing to save the rich as the poor, for He has no partiality; but that there are circumstances in the condition of the poor which make it more likely that they will embrace the offers of the Gospel than the rich; and that in fact the great mass of believers is taken from those who are in comparatively humble life. The fact that God has chosen one to be an 'heir of the kingdom' is as good a reason now why he should not be treated with neglect, as it was in the times of the Apostles. Though poor in this world's goods, they are rich in a higher and more important sense. They have faith in God their Saviour; and in this world of trial and of sin, that is a more valuable possession than piles of hoarded silver or gold. A man who has that is sure that he will have all that is truly needful for him in this world and the next; a man who has it not, though he may have the wealth of Croesus (a very wealthy man 👨, the last king of Lydia who died in 546 BC), will be utterly without resources in respect to the great wants of his existence. 'Give what thou wilt, without thee we are poor; And with thee rich, take what thou wilt away.' Faith in God the Saviour will answer more purposes, and accomplish more valuable ends for man, than the wealth of the Indies could: and this the poor may have as well as the rich."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 16

 Be Doers of the Word of God Part 4

James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

Next the Apostle John zeros in on our speech as an indicator of our faithfulness or faithlessness to our Lord Jesus Christ. The 😝 tongue of any of 👥 us who are walking with our Lord Jesus Christ should not be filled continously with the venom, viciousness, and volatility that was so common in our daily language when we were absent from and apart from Christ Jesus our Lord. This does not mean that we do not slip into some of our old ways of speaking, especially when we become 😡 angry, however, we must immediately recognize the rising tide within us and pray the Word of God hidden in our inner 👨 man or inner 👩 woman, such as this Word from the Word of God that I often 🙏 pray over me and my 😝 tongue, "Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips." (Psalms 141:3) (NKJV). This for me is of vital necessity because before coming to Christ, my everyday manner of speaking to anyone was to use profanity as my normal language and it was never-ending for me and the way I spoke at all ⌚ times, but when I was saved and born again by my Lord Jesus, I began to desire to eliminate that language from my vocabulary by the grace of God working within me. When I do not keep myself joined and connected to the Word of God as my spiritual lifeline, I find myself slipping back to allowing some of these words to come up from the well of my 'old man' or 'old nature', so we now read these words from the Apostle James to rebuke us who do not guard the words that we speak, as it is written, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." (James 1:26) (KJV). The English word 'seem' is translated by the Greek word dokeō which is a prolong form of a primary verb meaning to think; by implication to seem (truthfully or uncertainly): - be accounted, be of reputation, seem (good), suppose, or think. The English word 'religious' used here by the Apostle James is translated by the Greek word thrēskos (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning ceremonious in worship (as demonstrative), that is, pious: - religious. The English word 'bridleth' is translated by the Greek word chalinagōgeō meaning to be a bit leader, that is, to curb (figuratively): - bridle. In other words, the Apostle James is telling us that we must be responsible for checking, controlling, and conquering our tongue 😝 if we are to be true worshippers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and not be vain or empty pretenders, for no one can make us say the things we do (not even the devil) because what we say and what we do not say is a product of our closeness or lack there of with Christ and His Word, therefore, we should listen to and heed this wisdom from Proverbs, "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom." (Proverbs 10:19-21) (NKJV). Let us also take heed and remember what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church @ Ephesus when he said, "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them." (Ephesians 5:1-7) (NKJV). The Apostle James declares that it is our responsibility to control our 😝 tongue and keep our inner 👨 man or inner woman 👩 true to our Lord Jesus Christ with not only what we do and do not do, but also what we say and do not say, as it is written by the Psalmist here, "Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit."  (Psalms 34:13) (NKJV) Amen!

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 1:26, "Pious, or devout. That is, if he does not restrain his tongue, his other evidences of religion are worthless. A man may undoubtedly have many things in his character which seem to be evidences of the existence of religion in his heart, and yet there may be some one thing that shall show that all those evidences are false. Religion is designed to produce an effect on our whole conduct; and if there is any one thing in reference to which it does not bring us under its control, that one thing may show that all other appearances of piety are worthless. Restrains or curbs it not, as a horse is restrained with a bridle. There may have been some reason why the Apostle referred to this particular sin which is now unknown to us; or he may perhaps have intended to select this as a specimen to illustrate this idea, that if there is any one evil propensity which religion does not control, or if there is any one thing in respect to which its influence is not felt, whatever other evidences of piety there may be, this will demonstrate that all those appearances of religion are vain. For religion is designed to bring the whole man under control, and to subdue every faculty of the body and mind to its demands. If the tongue is not restrained, or if there is any unsubdued propensity to sin whatever, it proves that there is no true religion. Implying that he does deceive his heart by supposing that any evidence can prove that he is under the influence of religion if his tongue is unrestrained. Whatever love, or zeal, or orthodoxy, or gift in preaching or in prayer he may have, this one evil propensity will neutralize it all, and show that there is no true religion at heart. As all religion must be which does not control all the faculties of the body and the mind. The truths, then, which are taught in this verse are: (1) That there may be evidences of piety which seem to be very plausible or clear, but which in themselves do not prove that there is any true religion. There may be much zeal, as in the case of the Pharisees; there may be much apparent love of Christians, or much outward benevolence; there may be an uncommon gift in prayer; there may be much self-denial, as among those who withdraw from the world in monasteries or nunneries; or there may have been deep conviction for sin, and much joy at the time of the supposed conversion, and still there be no true religion. Each and all of these things may exist in the heart where there is no true religion. (2) A single unsubdued sinful propensity neutralizes all these things, and shows that there is no true religion. If the tongue is not subdued; if any sin is indulged, it will show that the seat of the evil has not been reached, and that the soul, as such, has never been brought into subjection to the law of God. For the very essence of all the sin that there was in the soul may have been concentrated on that one propensity. Everything else which may be manifested may be accounted for on the supposition that there is no religion; this cannot be accounted for on the supposition that there is any."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 15

 Be Doers of the Word of God Part 3

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Apostle James summarizes his point with these words on being a doer of the Word of God and not a mere hearer, "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25) (KJV). The little English phrase 'whoso looketh' at the very 🔰 beginning of this verse is translated by the Greek word parakuptō which means to bend beside, that is, lean over (so as to peer within): - look (into), stoop down. In other words, it is not a surface, shallow, or superficial inquiry but instead a diligent, diving, and digging into the Word of God with some effort as an athlete does when he or she is training hard to prepare themselves to compete at their very best in their next game or event, Remember when the Apostle Paul compared himself to such athletes, although referring to his preparation as spiritual training exercising self-control, as it is written, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) (NKJV). The Apostle James is telling us to look into the 'perfect law of liberty' and for us this means our gazing upon our Lord Jesus Christ who is the living Word of God and when we do so with gazing and not glancing we then can walk in His love for us and find ourselves living in freedom from our old nature. The Apostle Paul wrote his entire letter to the ⛪ Churches in Galatia to reprimand them, refute them, and then remind them of the freedom they received when they were saved by grace through faith and walking in the Spirit. Paul wanted to remind them that the law declares men 🚹 and 🚺 women guilty and imprisons them, but faith sets men free to enjoy liberty in Christ, however, liberty does not mean we now have license to sin all we want and as much as we want, but freedom in Christ means freedom to produce the fruits of righteousness through a Spirit-led lifestyle. Here is how the Apostle Paul greeted those brothers and sisters 'in Christ' in Galatia, "Paul, an Apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, To the Churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."  (Galatians 1:1-5) (NKJV). Christ redeemed us and paid our ransom to deliver us from this present evil age or time or period in human history, not so that we could continue to be the filthy sinners that we were in our first birth, but by our new birth live our lives enjoying and rejoicing in the liberty we have 'in Christ' to say NO to sin and pursue righteouness. Remember when the Apostle Paul wrote these words to the ⛪ Church @ Rome, "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign(rule) in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Romans 6:11-16) (NKJV).

There we have it, we can present our selves as slaves to Christ leading to righteousness or be a hearer of the Word of God only and not a doer and consequently continue in sin leading to unrighteousness and death (spiritual and physical), remembering these words written by the Apostle John, "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him (Jesus Christ), that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death." (1 John 5:14-17) (NKJV). Back in the day everyone who loaded up their vehicles to travel to places far from their homes carried with them a road map 🗺 that showed all of the highways and State roadways so that one could navigate their way to their final destination where ever that might be (the time before cell 📱 phones with talking navigation systems). Back then we had to 📖 read and study the 🗺 map intently so that we would know where we were and where we were going, the Word of God is to we believers in our Lord Jesus Christ our Road Map 🗺 that guides us down the right roads in our sojourn and pilgrimage here on the 🌎 earth into the will of God for us daily till we get home 🏡 in Heaven. Just like someone in a car 🚘 driving to a destination can get lost without reading and studying the road map 🗺, so can we Christians lose the sense or who we are and whose we are (the Lord Jesus Christ) when we put down our Road Map 🗺 the Word of God we will then fall into darkness, despair, and destruction losing the joy of our salvation. Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 1:25, "The Gospel is a law of liberty, or, as Mr. Baxter expresses it, of liberation, giving us deliverance from the Jewish law, and from sin and guilt, and wrath and death. The ceremonial law was a yoke of bondage; the gospel of Christ is a law of liberty. [2.] It is a perfect law; nothing can be added to it. [3.] In hearing the word, we look into this perfect law; we consult it for counsel and direction; we look into it, that we may thence take our measures. [4.] Then only do we look into the law of liberty as we should when we continue therein - 'when we dwell in the study of it, till it turn to a spiritual life, engrafted and digested in us' (Baxter) - when we are not forgetful of it, but practice it as our work and business, set it always before our eyes, and make it the constant rule of our conversation and behaviour, and model the temper of our minds by it. [5.] Those who thus do, and continue in the law and word of God, are, and shall be, blessed in their deed; blessed in all their ways, according to the first psalm, to which, some think, James here alludes. He that meditates in the law of God, and walks according to it, the psalmist says, shall prosper in whatsoever he does. And he that is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work which God's word sets him about, James says, shall be blessed. The papists pretend that here we have a clear text to prove we are blessed for our good deeds; but Dr. Manton, in answer to that pretence, puts the reader upon marking the distinctness of scripture-phrase. The apostle does not say, for his deeds, that any man is blessed, but in his deed. This is a way in which we shall certainly find blessedness, but not the cause of it. This blessedness does not lie in knowing, but in doing the will of God. John 13:17, If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. It is not talking, but walking, that will bring us to heaven."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 14

 Be Doers of the Word of God Part 2

James 1:23-24 For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

The Word Picture 🖼 that is given to us next by the Apostle James is something clearly any of us can understand in the natural realm because we often have occassion to look at ourselves in physical mirrors when we wash our 😔 faces or brush our teeth in the mornings when we are awakened by God or at 🌃 night before we go to 🛏 bed. Therefore, we find James now comparing our spiritual journey or 🚶 walk with Christ Jesus our Lord to that very thing with these words, "For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." (James 23-24) (KJV). In other words, how utter foolish would it be for us to behold our 😔 faces in the mirror and go away from said mirror and forget what we look like and then even more ridiculous to even 🤔 think and believe that we are some other person or that we have the face 😔 of someone else and then act out in public like we are that other person. This would be nonsense and we would be looked at by other people as being 🤪 crazy or mentally unstable. How much more then can we read the Word of God and hear what it declares to us and then live in a manner just the opposite of what the Word communicates to us, this is a form of spiritual insanity and it leads us into a defeated, downcast, and destructive life hear on the earth 🌎 as followers of Jesus Christ, for we are now the Temple of God and He will not continously allow us to bring disrepute or discredit to His Name, as it is 📝 written by the Apostle Paul to the Church @ Corinth with these words, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) (NKJV). We are the Lord God/Elohim's children now and He is a far better Father than any earthly father, therefore, out of love for Him we should desire to glorify His Name on the 🌎 earth and allow God the Holy Spirit to keep us in said state and condition as it is written 📝 with the following words, "I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore." (Psalms 86:12) (NKJV) and also "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." (1 Corinthians 6:20) (NKJV). We no longer belong to ourselves or anyone else on the 🌎 earth, but we belong to God, let us then desire to bring Glory to His Name and not blaspheme His Name among unbelievers. Throughout the epistles in the New Testament the subject of 'conduct' (behaving in a certain manner) is communicated often, for example, "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:17-24) (NKJV). It is as clear as the noon day ☀ sun and our rationalizing our sin, disobedience, and rebellion (and not repenting) to this truth will only hurt us more and more spiritually, for God is not mocked by unbelievers sure, but He will also not be mocked by us (believers) and He will grant to us the fruit of our declarations, deeds, and doings, as it is written, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:7-8) (NKJV) Amen!

Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 1:23-24, "This metaphor is very simple, but very expressive. A man wishes to see his own face, and how, in its natural state, it appears; for this purpose he looks into a mirror, by which his real face, with all its blemishes and imperfections, is exhibited. He is affected with his own appearance; he sees deformities that might be remedied; spots, superfluities, and impurities, that might be removed. While he continues to look into the mirror he is affected, and wishes himself different to what he appears, and forms purposes of doing what he can to render his countenance agreeable. On going away he soon forgets what manner of person he was, because the mirror is now removed, and his face is no longer reflected to himself; and he no longer recollects how disagreeable he appeared, and his own resolutions of improving his countenance. The doctrines of God, faithfully preached, are such a mirror; he who hears cannot help discovering his own character, and being affected with his own deformity; he sorrows, and purposes amendment; but when the preaching is over, the mirror is removed, and not being careful to examine the records of his salvation, the perfect law of liberty, or not continuing to look therein, he soon forgets what manner of man he was; or, reposing some unscriptural trust in God’s mercy, he reasons himself out of the necessity of repentance and amendment of life, and thus deceives his soul." Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 1:23-24, "The ground of the comparison in these verses is obvious. The Apostle refers to what all persons experience, the fact that we do not retain a distinct impression of ourselves after we have looked in a mirror. While actually looking in the mirror, we see all our features, and can trace them distinctly; when we turn away, the image and the impression both vanish. When looking in the mirror, we can see all the defects and blemishes of our person; if there is a scar, a deformity, a feature of ugliness, it is distinctly before the mind; but when we turn away, that is 'out of sight and out of mind.' When unseen it gives no uneasiness, and, even if capable of correction, we take no pains to remove it. So when we hear the Word of God. It is like a mirror held up before us. In the perfect precepts of the law, and the perfect requirements of the Gospel, we see our own short-comings and defects, and perhaps think that we will correct them. But we turn away immediately, and forget it all. If, however, we were doers of the Word, we should endeavor to remove all those defects and blemishes in our moral character, and to bring our whole souls into conformity with what the law and the Gospel require. The phrase 'natural face' (Greek: face of birth), means, the face or appearance which we have in virtue of our natural birth. The word glass here means mirror. While he looks in the mirror he sees his true appearance. As soon as he goes away, he forgets it. The Apostle does not refer to any intention on his part, but to what is known to occur as a matter of fact. How he looked; and especially if there was anything in his appearance that required correction."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 13

 Be Doers of the Word of God Part 1

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

Deception is defined by our English dictionary as a misleading falsehood. This is the concept of the Apostle James very next discourse to us declaring that we should not just be comfortable, cozy, or content with just reading the Word of God, but we should also do what it says and refrain from doing what it condemns. This isn't within our 🧓 old man to have the willingness or the desire to do, therefore, as we wrote of in the previous study/commentary we need the Power of God the Holy Spirit working ⚒ in us and with us to energize and empower us to hear the Word of God and to do what it says, as the Apostle James here states for us with these words, "But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22) (KJV). When someone else misleads you into falsehood, that's bad, but when you are your very own misleader, then that's worse, because you know better, yet refuse to 👂 listen and adhere to the truth of the Word of God. This is what we did regularly, radically, and routinely before we knew the 😍 love and grace of Christ Jesus our Lord, however, this should not be so now that we know and love Him, for we must remember His Words to us when He said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:15-18) (NKJV). Knowing that He has already come to us, we must not grieve Him, but when we do we must repent and turn our inner 👨 man and inner 👩 woman to Him, then and only then will be able to do the Word of God. The little English word 'doers' is translated by the Greek word poiētēs which means a performer or one who does something. The reading and studying of the Bible (the Word of God) is unlike doing the same with any other man written 📙 book because the Bible is Authored by God the Holy Spirit (3rd Person of the GodHead) through many different men and the Word of God comes with the Power of God, therefore, we have only ourselves to blame when we fail to let this Powerful Word engage us into action, for when we do so we bring blessings upon us and to us just as our Lord Jesus Christ declared with these words, "And it happened, as He (Jesus) spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, 'Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!' But He (Jesus) said, 'More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!' (Luke 11:27-28) (NKJV). The Apostle already told us in verse 19 that we should be swift or prompt or ready to hear, that is, 👂 listening to what the Word of God declares to us, but when we 👂 listen only and do not act upon what we have heard or ignore it, then our 👂 listening is in vain or empty and will not produce any fruit in our own lives nor will it bring light to the countless souls who are still in darkness blinded by the devil and all of his 🤥 lies, as it is written, "But even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age (the devil) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ, who is the Image of God, should shine on them." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) (NKJV). It is our mandate from our Lord Jesus Christ to be His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) here on the earth 🌎 while we are here and we can only do that by hearing and doing what the Word of God commands and the Apostle John expounds to us that what our Lord Jesus Christ calls us to is not something that causes us heaviness of soul, but to the contrary our souls are full, fabulous, and free when we are in obedience, as it is written, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:3-5) (NKJV). We see then that it is foolishness to us and folly for us when we don't do what the Word of God declares, but when we do we are overcomers through Christ Jesus our Lord who loves us and wants to see us live victoriously through Him. Amen!

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 1:22, "We are taught what is to be done after hearing (James 1:22): But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Observe here, (1.) Hearing is in order to doing; the most attentive and the most frequent hearing of the word of God will not avail us, unless we be also doers of it. If we were to hear a sermon every day of the week, and an angel from heaven were the preacher, yet, if we rested in bare hearing, it would never bring us to heaven. Therefore the apostle insists much upon it (and, without doubt, it is indispensably necessary) that we practice what we hear. 'There must be inward practice by meditation, and outward practice in true obedience.' Baxter. It is not enough to remember what we hear, and to be able to repeat it, and to give testimony to it, and commend it, and write it, and preserve what we have written; that which all this is in order to, and which crowns the rest, is that we be doers of the word. Observe, (2.) Bare hearers are self-deceivers; the original word, paralogizomenoi, signifies men's arguing sophistically to themselves; their reasoning is manifestly deceitful and false when they would make one part of their work discharge them from the obligation they lie under to another, or persuade themselves that filling their heads with notions is sufficient, though their hearts be empty of good affections and resolutions, and their lives fruitless of good works. Self-deceit will be found the worst deceit at last." Here also is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 1:22, "Obey the Gospel, and do not merely listen to it. It is implied here, that by merely hearing the word but not doing it, they would deceive their own souls. The nature of this deception was this, that they would imagine that that was all which was required, whereas the main thing was that they should be obedient. If a man supposes that by a mere punctual attendance on preaching, or a respectful attention to it, he has done all that is required of him, he is laboring under a most gross self-deception. And yet there are multitudes who seem to imagine that they have done all that is demanded of them when they have heard attentively the word preached. Of its influence on their lives, and its claims to obedience, they are utterly regardless." Here lastly is what Dr. John Gill had to say of James 1:22, "And they are such, who spiritually understand it; gladly receive it; and from the heart obey it, and make a sincere and ingenuous profession of it; and who submit to the ordinances it directs to, and keep them as they have been delivered; and live, and walk, becoming their profession of it. The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, 'be ye doers of the law'; and so one of Stephens's copies, as in Romans 2:13. Though the Word should be heard swiftly and readily, and received with meekness; yet it should not be barely heard, and assented to; but what is heard should be put in practice; and especially men should not depend upon their hearing, as if that would save them; this is deceiving your own selves; such as rest upon the outward hearing of the word will be sadly deceived, and will find themselves miserably mistaken, another day; see Luke 13:25. Arguments taken from hence are like the sophisms, paralogisms, and false reasonings of sophisters, which carry a fair show, and ensnare and deceive."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 12

 
Get Rid of our Moral Uncleanness & Receive the Word of God

James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

It is never unclear or poorly stated and described by God what His desire or will is for those of us whom He has adopted into His Heavenly 👪 family, however, we try to mold, manufacture, or massage the Word of God to fit into our fleshly desires instead of bending our knee to His will and allowing God the Holy Spirit to lead us into all righteouness as He declares it in His Word. The Apostle James wants to make it very clear to each and everyone of us who declare that we belong to Christ Jesus our Lord that we must not only say these words, but we must show them to be true by the new life we live for Him by the Power of the Holy Spirit who implanted deeply within our souls the very desires of God that all the writers (the Apostle James here) of the Word of God have 🖋 penned for our edification, education, and enlightenment. Therefore, we read these next words from the Apostle James to steer us clear of our old behavior that was and is detrimental to our well being while we remain pilgrims here on the 🌎 earth, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21) (KJV). The little English phrase 'lay apart' is translated by the Greek word apotithēmi which means to put away (literally or figuratively): - cast off, lay apart, lay aside, lay down, put off. The English word 'filthiness' is translated by the Greek word rhuparia (used this one time in the New Testament) meaning dirtiness (morally). The English word 'superfluity' is translated by the Greek word perisseia which means a surplus, that is, an abundance. The English word 'naughtiness' is translated by the Greek word kakia which means badness, that is, (subjectively) depravity, or (actively) malignity, or (passively) trouble: - evil, maliciousness, naughtiness, wickedness. In other words, we are to put away or lay aside all the filthiness/moral uncleanness, depravity and badness in our old 👨 man with all the abundance that was front and center in our lives before we belonged to Jesus Christ. It is not the Holy Spirits job to force our wills to bend to His will, but when we bend our knee to Him and say and mean for Him to take over, then He will do just that, but likewise when we grieve Him, then He will become silent in our souls and our lives and we will revert back to the old 🧓 man we were before we came to Jesus Christ our Lord.

This is unacceptable and we must repent and turn back to the truth of the Word of God as the Apostle Paul wrote of in this manner likening it to one changing or taking off their old clothes and put on some new and better clothes, as it is written, "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:17-24) (NKJV). When we humbly welcome the Word of God that has been implanted within our souls when we were regenerated and born again, then we can do exactly what the Apostle Paul declares above and we will be living out our true lives as Christ wants for us and requires for us to do. We must know and understand that the Moral Law of God (the Ten Commandments) were given to Moses to give to the Hebrew Nation outwardly on Stone Tablets, however, through and by the hearing and believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10) the Moral Law of God is then written in our inner man 👨 and inner woman 👩 just as God promised He would do through the Prophet Jeremiah with these words, "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34) (NKJV). Therefore, with this being our reality, we should watch with all vigilance against the wiles/trickeries of the devil trying to lead us back into sin, but instead we should allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into the truth of the Word of God.

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 1:21, "In view of the fact that God has begotten us for His own service; in view of the fact that excited feeling tends only to wrong, let us lay aside all that is evil, and submit ourselves wholly to the influence of truth. The word here rendered filthiness, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, It means properly filth; and then is applied to evil conduct considered as disgusting or offensive. Sin may be contemplated as a wrong thing; as a violation of law; as evil in its nature and tendency, and therefore to be avoided; or it may be contemplated as disgusting, offensive, loathsome. To a pure mind, this is one of its most odious characteristics; for, to such a mind, sin in any form is more loathsome than the most offensive object can be to any of the senses. And superfluity of haughtiness - Literally, 'abounding of evil.' It is rendered by Doddridge, 'overflowing of malignity;' by Tindal, 'superfluity of maliciousness;' by Benson, 'superfluity of malice;' by Bloomfield, 'petulance.' The phrase 'superfluity of naughtiness,' or of evil, does not exactly express the sense, as if we were only to lay aside that which abounded, or which is superfluous, though we might retain that which does not come under this description; but the object of the Apostle is to express his deep abhorrence of the thing referred to by strong and emphatic language. He had just spoken of sin in one aspect, as filthy, loathsome, detestable; here he designs to express his abhorrence of it by a still more emphatic description, and he speaks of it not merely as an evil, but as an evil abounding, overflowing; an evil in the highest degree. The thing referred to had the essence of evil in it; but it was not merely evil, it was evil that was aggravated, that was overflowing, that was eminent in degree. The particular reference in these passages is to the reception of the truth; and the doctrine taught is, that a corrupt mind, a mind full of sensuality and wickedness, is not favorable to the reception of the truth. It is not fitted to see its beauty, to appreciate its value, to understand its just claims, or to welcome it to the soul. Purity of heart is the best preparation always for seeing the force of truth. And receive with meekness - That is, open the mind and heart to instruction, and to the fair influence of truth. Meekness, gentleness, docility, are everywhere required in receiving the instructions of religion, as they are in obtaining knowledge of any kind. The Gospel is here represented under the image of that which is implanted or engrafted from another source; by a figure that would be readily understood, for the art of engrafting is everywhere known. Sometimes the Gospel is represented under the image of seed sown; but here it is under the figure of a shoot implanted or engrafted, that produces fruit of its own, whatever may be the original character of the tree into which it is engrafted. The meaning here is, that we should allow the principles of the Gospel to be thus engrafted on our nature; that however crabbed or perverse our nature may be, or however bitter and vile the fruits which it might bring forth of its own accord, it might, through the engrafted word, produce the fruits of righteousness. It is not, therefore, a weak and powerless thing, merely designed to show its own feebleness, and to give occasion for God to work a miracle; but it has power, and is adapted to save."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 11

 Listen to God's Word; Speak Less; Be Slow to Wrath

James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. KJV

Having received what we just read above, the Apostle James now begins to give us some direction in how we should yield to God the Holy Spirit. Despite the grace of our undeserved salvation from our Father in Heaven, we still have that old man 👨 (Ephesians 4:22) inside of us and therefore we need to hear what God's will for us is in all matters of life in our flesh as we sojourn our way home to heaven, so we find the Apostle giving us these instructions next to give us illumination on what we should be doing and not doing to keep our old man 👨 in check ☑ and keep disaster, dissappointment 😞, and 😒 dissatisfaction from coming into our 🌏 world, as it is written 📝, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." (James 1:19-20) (KJV). When the Apostle says first, 'swift to hear', he is prioritizing our need for time spent reading 📖 and studying the Word of God, as it is written 📝 in these following verses of Scripture, "And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God." (Nehemiah 9:3) (KJV) and also "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil." (Ecclesiastes 5:1) (KJV) and finally these words, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11) (KJV). When the Apostle says 'slow to speak', he is ⚠ warning us again just as some of the other 📝 writers of the Books 📚 of the Bible have also done exhorting us to be wise in the use of our words, as it is written with these passages of Scripture, "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction." (Proverbs 13:3) (KJV) and also "He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit." (Proverbs 17:27) (KJV) and also "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles." (Proverbs 21:23) (KJV) and finally these haunting words from our Lord Jesus Christ, "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37) (KJV). When the Apostle says 'slow to wrath', he means that not every confrontation needs to be resolved with violence (however, self-defence with deadly force is necessary in some occasions to keep yourself from being hurt or killed) and this is why he says be slow because intense anger (usually on an epic scale) does not allow for the assessment of the situation to see if it can be resolved without any problems, as it is written in these Scriptures, "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly." (Proverbs 14:29) (KJV), and also "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." (Proverbs 16:32) (KJV), and also "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." (Proverbs 25:28) (KJV) and finally these words from the Apostle Paul, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:26-27) (KJV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 1:19-20, "To restrain the workings of passion. This lesson we should learn under afflictions; and this we shall learn if we are indeed begotten again by the word of truth. For thus the connection stands - An angry and hasty spirit is soon provoked to ill things by afflictions, and errors and ill opinions become prevalent through the workings of our own vile and vain affections; but the renewing grace of God and the Word of the Gospel teach us to subdue these: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, James 1:19. This may refer, 1. To the Word of Truth spoken of in the verse foregoing. And so we may observe, It is our duty rather to hear God's word, and apply our minds to understand it, than to speak according to our own fancies or the opinions of men, and to run into heat and passion thereupon. Let not such errors as that of God's being the occasion of men's sin ever be hastily, much less angrily, mentioned by you (and so as to other errors); but be ready to hear and consider what God's Word teaches in all such cases. 2. This may be applied to the afflictions and temptations spoken of in the beginning of the chapter. And then we may observe, It is our duty rather to hear how God explains His providences, and what He designs by them, than to say as David did in his haste, I am cut off; or as Jonah did in his passion, I do well to be angry. Instead of censuring God under our trials, let us open our ears and hearts to hear what He will say to us. 3. This may be understood as referring to the disputes and differences that Christians, in those times of trial, were running into among themselves: and so this part of the chapter may be considered without any connection with what goes before. Here we may observe that, whenever matters of difference arise among Christians, each side should be willing to hear the other. People are often stiff in their own opinions because they are not willing to hear what others have to offer against them: whereas we should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak any thing that should prevent this: and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath; for a soft answer turneth away wrath. As this epistle is designed to correct a variety of disorders that existed among Christians, these words, swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, may be very well interpreted according to this last explication. And we may further observe from them that, if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. When Moses's spirit was provoked, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. If we would be slow to speak, we must be slow to wrath. II. A very good reason is given for suppressing: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, James 1:20. It is as if the Apostle had said, 'Whereas men often pretend zeal for God and His glory, in their heat and passion, let them know that God needs not the passions of any man; His cause is better served by mildness and meekness than by wrath and fury.' Solomon says, The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools, Ecclesiastes 9:17. Dr. Manton here says of some assemblies, 'That if we were as swift to hear as we are ready to speak there would be less of wrath, and more of profit, in our meetings. I remember when a Manichee contested with Augustine, and with importunate clamour cried, Hear me! hear me! the father modestly replied, Neither let me hear thee, nor do thou hear me, but let us both hear the Apostle.' The worst thing we can bring to a religious controversy is anger. This, however it may pretend to be raised by a concern for what is just and right, is not to be trusted. Wrath is a human thing, and the wrath of man stands opposed to the righteousness of God. Those who pretend to serve the cause of God hereby show that they are acquainted neither with God or His cause. This passion must especially be watched against when we are hearing the Word of God."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

James Expounds on Faith Volume 10

Every Good Gift Comes from God

James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of His own will begat He us with the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. KJV

The Apostle James next gives the testimony of God to all who are willing to 👂 listen, for He (God) is not as man is and He thinks not like man does nor does He have any inclination to that which is evil as man does, therefore, it is the desire of the Lord of Heaven and 🌎 earth to give good 🎁 gifts to His adopted 🧒 children. He does not want to see us receive the consequences of our sin or to see us defraud one another in matters of infidelity which will cause Him to render punishment to all of us who do so, for as it is written this is His desire to and for us, "For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." (Psalm 84:11) (KJV). The Apostle James desire in these next two verses of Scripture is to remind us that we have a Father in Heaven who seeks only our good and never seeks our hurt or harm no matter where we are in our walk of faith with Him. When we are 🚶 walking our way into trouble He always and at all times tries to poke us, pinch us, or prod us to steer us back onto the right path (even this process is His good and perfect 📦 gift to us) because He can see the danger we are walking into as we walk away from Him and the truth of His Holy Word. The Word of God needs to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalms 119:105). However, we all have feet of clay that are heavy and clumsy and stumble onto wrong pathways far too often, but that being said these words from the Apostle John still should 🔔 ring true at all times in our mind/soul, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1:17) (KJV). When the Apostle James uses the English word 'variableness', which is translated by the Greek word parallagē (used this one time in the entire New Testament) meaning transmutation (an act that changes the form, character or substance of something) that is, (figuratively) fickleness: - variableness. In other words, unlike us God's Character, Form, or Substance remains the same and will never change, for He does not change with the passing of ⌚ time nor is He fickle like we human beings are in our unfaithfulness and unreliability which makes Him above all that He has created or made, as it is written with these words, "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19) (KJV) and also these words, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure:" (Isaiah 46:9-10) (KJV) and also these words, "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3:6) (KJV) and finally to conclude the reality of our unchanging God these words, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8) (KJV). Here is what John Wesley said of James 1:17, "No evil, but every good gift - Whatever tends to holiness. And every perfect gift - Whatever tends to glory. Descendeth from the Father of lights - The appellation of Father is here used with peculiar propriety. It follows, 'he begat us.' He is the Father of all light, material or spiritual, in the kingdom of grace and of glory. With whom is no variableness - No change in His understanding. Or shadow of turning - in His will. He infallibly discerns all good and evil; and invariably loves one, and hates the other. There is, in both the Greek words, a metaphor taken from the stars, particularly proper where the Father of lights is mentioned. Both are applicable to any celestial body, which has a daily vicissitude (fluctuation) of day and night, and sometimes longer days, sometimes longer nights. In God is nothing of this kind. He is mere light. If there is any such vicissitude, it is in ourselves, not in Him."

To solidify this great goodness of God to we undeserving sinners the Apostle James concludes this 💼 brief but profound discourse of the goodness of God by reminding each and everyone of us that are blessed beyond measure to be 🤙 called His son or daughter that we had nothing to do with our adoption into His Heavenly family just as in the 🌎 earth realm it is the adoptive parents who choose the child they want to become a new part of their family, and so is it with our Heavenly Father as it is written here by the Apostle James with these words, "Of His own will begat He us with the Word of Truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1:18) (KJV). No human being is born into the 🌎 earth as a child of God, but only a creation of God. We become children of God by hearing and believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the Gospel is so written here by the Apostle Paul to the Church @ Corinth, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures:" (1 Coritnhians 15:1-4) (KJV). The faith that the Apostle James writes of in this entire ✉ letter comes from hearing and believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why we praise and worship Him so with our 💕 hearts because we deserve hell, yet we have received grace and mercy, so we can say what the Apostle Peter wrote with these words, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you," (1 Peter 1:3-4) (KJV). No one is a child of God if they have not come to Jesus Christ and His sacred, sacrificial, and substitutional death on the Cross for sin that each and every human being has in them and manifest outwardly in their lives, for Christ died to take our sin unto Himself and give us (what we do not have at our human birth) His righteousness, therefore, when we believe upon Him (truly in our inner 👨 man or inner 👩 woman) we are then born again (John 3:3), that is, born twice (not another physical birth but a spiritual birth that makes us 🧒 children of God). This is what the Apostle James means by the English word 'begat' which is translated by the Greek word apokueō meaning to breed forth, that is, (by transformation) to generate (figuratively): - beget, bring forth. In other words, somewhat like God the Holy Spirit inpregnated Mary with the Holy Seed that was and is our Lord Jesus Christ, so has God the Holy Spirit birthed us into His family by placing His seed within our inner man 👨 or inner woman 👩 while we are still down here on the 🌎 earth, which is what the Apostle means by us being a kind of first fruits, as it is written, "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." (1 Peter 1:23) (KJV). Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 1:18, "Here let us take notice, (1.) A true Christian is a creature begotten anew. He becomes as different a person from what he was before the renewing influences of divine grace as if he were formed over again, and born afresh. (2.) The original of this good work is here declared: it is of God's own will; not by our skill or power; not from any good foreseen in us, or done by us, but purely from the good-will and grace of God. (3.) The means whereby this is affected are pointed out: the word of truth, that is, the Gospel, as Paul expresses it more plainly, 1 Corinthians 4:15, I have begotten you in Jesus Christ through the Gospel. This Gospel is indeed a word of truth, or else it could never produce such real, such lasting, such great and noble effects. We may rely upon it, and venture our immortal souls upon it. And we shall find it a means of our sanctification as it is a word of truth, John 17:17. (4.) The end and design of God's giving renewing grace is here laid down: That we should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures - that we should be God's portion and treasure, and a more peculiar property to Him, as the first-fruits were; and that we should become holy to the Lord, as the first-fruits were consecrated to Him. Christ is the first-fruits of Christians, Christians are the first-fruits of creatures."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…



 

James Expounds on Faith Volume 9

 Receiving Wisdom from God Part 6

James 1:14-16 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. KJV Note: CEV=Contemporary English Version

The temptations to do evil never come from God to any of His children, nor is He the One who tempts the unbeliever into sin as it was declared to us by the Apostle James in the previous verse. Therefore, with that being the truth then where does and why does sin occur in the 🌏 world and even within the 🧒 children of God? The answer is simple, singular, and straightforward because sin is an inside job (as Dr. Adrian Rodgers put it) which is exactly what the Apostle James declares with these words, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren." (James 1:14-16) (KJV). The long English phrase 'when he is drawn away' is translated by the one Greek word exelkō (used this one time only in the New Testament) which means to drag forth, that is, (figuratively) to entice (to sin): - draw away. The English word 'lust' is translated by the Greek word epithumia meaning a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence (a desire for sexual intimacy; physical attraction), desire, lust after. The English word 'enticed' is translated by the Greek word deleazō meaning to entrap, that is, (figuratively) delude: - allure, beguile, entice. In other words, we human beings (men and women; believers and unbelievers) are drawn away from what is the truth of God into 🤥 lies when we are allured by a longing or physical attraction or desire for sexual intimacy with someone who is not our wife and yielding to these desires can cause serious problems in ones life by making such choices and not seeking the wisdom of God when we are 😔 faced with these scenarios. We see in the sports 🌏 world that the Head Coach of the Boston Celtics has now been suspended for an entire year from his position with the team for having a sexual relationship with a woman also in the Celtic's organization. The Word of God commands us (as believers in Jesus Christ) to yield not to these desires in our flesh and it is not because God wants to keep us from fun, or feelings, or fulfillment, but because He wants to keep us from the often times detrimental, dirty, and damaging consequences of our yielding to temptation. What has played out in the sports media over the last few days that has been extremely damaging to the personal and professional life of the Boston Celtic's 🏀 Basketball Coach was already known and seen by God and it could have been avoided if the Coach would have sought the counsel of God. Everyone of us have made similar choices that have had very bad consequences that could have been averted if we had gone to God for help. This is what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossian Church ⛪, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Colssians 3:5) (KJV) and he also wrote these words to the Thessalonian ⛪ Church, "Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder. Remember the instructions we gave you as followers of the Lord Jesus. God wants you to be holy, so don't be immoral in matters of sex. Respect and honor your wife. Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God. You must not cheat any of the Lord's followers in matters of sex. Remember, we warned you that He punishes everyone who does such things. God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure. So if you don't obey these rules, you are not really disobeying us. You are disobeying God, who gives you His Holy Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 4:1-10) (CEV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 1:14-16, "In other scriptures the devil is called the tempter, and other things may sometimes concur to tempt us; but neither the devil nor any other person or thing is to be blamed so as to excuse ourselves; for the true original of evil and temptation is in our own hearts. The combustible matter is in us, though the flame may be blown up by some outward causes. And therefore, if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it, Proverbs 9:12. Observe here, 1. The method of sin in its proceeding. First it draws away, then entices. As holiness consists of two parts - forsaking that which is evil and cleaving to that which is good, so these two things, reversed, are the two parts of sin. The heart is carried from that which is good, and enticed to cleave to that which is evil. It is first by corrupt inclinations, or by lusting after and coveting some sensual or worldly thing, estranged from the life of God, and then by degrees fixed in a course of sin. 2. We may observe hence the power and policy of sin. The word here rendered drawn away signifies a being forcibly haled or compelled. The word translated enticed signifies being wheedled and beguiled by allurements and deceitful representations of things. There is a great deal of violence done to conscience and to the mind by the power of corruption: and there is a great deal of cunning and deceit and flattery in sin to gain us to its interests. The force and power of sin could never prevail, were it not for its cunning and guile. Sinners who perish are wheedled and flattered to their own destruction. And this will justify God for ever in their damnation, that they destroyed themselves. Their sin lies at their own door, and therefore their blood will lie upon their own heads. 3. The success of corruption in the heart (James 1:15): Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; that is, sin being allowed to excite desires in us, it will soon ripen those desires into consent, and then it is said to have conceived. The sin truly exists, though it be but in embryo. And, when it has grown its full size in the mind, it is then brought forth in actual execution. Stop the beginnings of sin therefore, or else all the evils it produces must be wholly charged upon us. 4. The final issue of sin, and how it ends: Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. After sin is brought forth in actual commissions, the finishing of it (as Dr. Manton observes) is its being strengthened by frequent acts and settled into a habit. And, when the iniquities of men are thus filled up, death is brought forth. There is a death upon the soul, and death comes upon the body. And, besides death spiritual and temporal, the wages of sin is eternal death too. Let sin therefore be repented of and forsaken, before it be finished. Why will you die, O house of Israel! Ezekiel 33:11. God has no pleasure in your death, as He has no hand in your sin; but both sin and misery are owing to yourselves. Your own hearts' lusts and corruptions are your tempters; and when by degrees they have carried you off from God, and finished the power and dominion of sin in you, then they will prove your destroyers. Do not wander, that is, from the Word of God, and the accounts of Him you have there. Do not stray into erroneous opinions, and go off from the standard of truth, the things which you have received from the Lord Jesus and by the direction of His Spirit. The loose opinions of Sinon, and the Nicolaitans (from whom the Gnostics, a most sensual corrupt set of people, arose afterwards), may perhaps, by the Apostle here, be more especially cautioned against. Those who are disposed to look into these may consult the first book of Irenaeus against heresies. Let corrupt men run into what notions they will, the truth, as it is in Jesus, stands thus: That God is not, cannot be, the author and patronizer of any thing that is evil; but must be acknowledged as the cause and spring of every thing that is good."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…