A Daily Devotional – James, the Epistle – Personal Meditation
Comment: The epistle of James is one of my
favorites, in that he directs the reader’s attention to personal evaluation of
his or her faith. This same personal challenge is found in another epistle
written by his brother, Jude, who is likewise the half-brother of our LORD Jesus.
Jude writes with a stronger plea to his readers to contend for our personal
faith, which is common. Common yes, but only among those who are being ‘sanctified’
(to be made holy, or beloved of God). Those of religion, along with false teaching and
apostates are NOT the holy or the beloved of God. What these people do, is not
common to personal faith. James in a milder tone writes about this false pride
of lust as we begin chapter four.
Devotional: James
4:1 – Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come for your
desires for pleasure that war among your members? Jude 1:8 – Likewise also, these
dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. The
lust of false teaching and the wars that develop among the false teachers and apostates
is the spiritual war that is mostly unseen. Yet, when it does reveal itself
among the brethren, it is spiritual adultery!
Those of us who worship God in Spirit and Truth (John
4:24) have a personal ‘common faith’. Those who adulterate the Truth, also deny
the Spirit of God, they do so by being friends with the spirit (Satan) of the
world. This is to put oneself in contention with God by being friends with His enemy. Also, the
apostle John in his first epistle has something to say about the action of Antichrist
in 1 John beginning in the last verse of chapter 3 through 4:6.
This is no small matter for you or me to sluff off, or
to say that these false teachers, apostates and self-willed people who commit
spiritual murder and spiritually covet control of our soul won’t affect us. Do
not be spiritually naïve! All of the writers of the Holy Word of God “the Scriptures”
James 4:5 “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain”. ““The Spirit who
dwells in us yearns jealously””?
From the scripture; Proverbs 3:34 “God resists the
proud, but gives grace to the humble”. Humble obedience to God, provides the
everyday grace needed to stand firm in our personal faith. As we will see
later, humility before God, is the only cure for worldliness.
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