James Ch5
Last of a 5 chapter letter from James, with remedies to christian problems.
James 5 -ASV
1. Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.
An exhautation.
Calling on the rich is not an indication that James or those near him are poor. He is simply calling for the attention of the rich, and those who consider themselves rich.
The rich are not to dwell in comfort and worldly joy all the time.
Miseries come when people are pre-occupied by all their earthly gains and have grown poor in the Lord (God's business).
This is also a warning for the coming myseries. There is the kindness of warning, before condemnation. This is in some ways judgement.
This is however not the final judgement. Those who are judged still have time for reconsideration, repentance and repair work. It is not too late yet.
It is important to warn the brethren, for people are like sheep, with poor vision, and lack wisdom.
2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
Wrong kind of riches. Where are the right kind of riches? Where are the garments from God?
A lack of personal concern. A biased way of living; disregarding even the basics.
3. Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days.
What is supposed to be incorruptable is corrupted.
This is due to misconception, gathering the wrong stuff. Misjudging what is in life.
It is easy to judge upon them, for the signs are blatantly clear. The contrasty evidence is present.
What one yearns for has become the very burden one can not bear.
A treasure of destruction. A value of bitter sufferings. The real thing is lost.
4. Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
Evil action revealed.
Vengeance is the Lord's. He will repay. He will execute justice.
Why not execute justice with the Lord?
5. Ye have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure; ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter.
Ye have not lived for the Lord, having pleasure in spiritual matters, for the kingdom of God.
Your preparation is for destruction.
6. Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one; he doth not resist you.
Ye committed evil, injustice.
The righteous one did not resist the Jews, the self-righteous ones. An example is set for the sons of peace.
Do not repay evil with evil. But do good to those who hate you.
7. Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain.
Another admonition.
Endurance is needed for patience.
8. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Establish our hearts while there is still time. The end is sensed. Very close. Almost there.
The Lord is not coming immediately. We are yet to prepare ourselves.
9. Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors.
Murmuring is no encouragement.
God, the Judge is ever so close. Take heart.
10. Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord.
An admonition. Take two/2 at the same time.
Take time (not hurry) in prophesy.
11. Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.
The prophets endured. They did not live through all worldly pleasures.
Do we not have their standards?
12. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment.
Remember this very important thing. Do not do what you cannot cope with. Do not act with wrong motive, wrong direction.
Be humble and honest at the same time. It is harder to fall on ground level than having been puffed up onto high mound.
13. Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise.
A remedy. Let him pray.
Think of witnessing for the Lord, and for the brethren. Act so that people are encouraged.
Direct your initial action to God; Not to any other first.
14. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
A remedy. Not calling just one pastor of the church.
Anointing is assuring.
He does belong to God in the name of the Lord.
15. and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.
An action sprung from faith.
It is the Lord who listens to prayers and take action. Not departed saints or idols.
Sins committed after the first repentance and redemption also need forgiveness. They include all sins not leading to death.
It is possible to commit sin after being born again spiritually. The earthly body of sin(its nature) still exists. Lots of lessons to learn towards Godlike perfection.
16. Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.
Confess your sins not just to higher officials, esteemed leaders, organisations, superiors; no; but to one another. To your close brethren. To your fellow worshippers. To your brothers and sisters.
The Roman Catholic Penance just does not fit into this verse.
Pray for one another as well. Not going to the Virgin Mary, Madonna, some other idols, statues, organisation, church buildings. Simply pray for one another. No single directional prayer, but mutual ones. No transmission through some departed ones. Pray together. In unity.
Seeing that one is praying for another. Action scene.
Healed by God. Not by some leaders, superiors.
Are you a righteous man?
Is the Madonna, Virgin Mary a righteous man?
Of course not! Wrong doctrine just do not fit in. They are alien to the truth.
17. Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months.
The greatest prophet, servant of God is no different to us.
Righteousness accomplish many miraculous things. It is not without power, though in the midst of sufferings. The Lord is able to bless in our difficulties.
18. And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
Praying also counted as works. Praying through faith. This is not praying aimlessly.
Scriptures do not teach aimless work or enjoyment for the people of God.
19. My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him;
The writer, James, is with his audience. He is not far off, set aloof.
Sinners and non-believers are amongst the believers. Our works are done in our midst. We are in the field of works.
Lets actively snatch sinners from hell fire. Lets save some by all means.
20. let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.
A reminder.
Salvation in conversion.
Being in the Lord, God, is being away from committing sins. There is much good being with the Lord. Which side would you choose to be with?
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