Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is James 5:1-11.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-11:  I believe there are two things that are possibly going on in this passage.  The first is that James is speaking against those who have put their hope in their wealth or in getting rich.  James is casting a scary vision of what their ultimate destiny will look like when they meet God face to face, a destiny where all their wealth and material possessions have rotted and have no lasting or eternal value (v2-3a), how God will bring to justice those who have hoarded wealth by oppressing and mistreating their employees (v3b-4) and other innocent people (v6), and how God will bring to account those who have lived in luxury and self-indulgence but have not lived for God’s purposes (v5).  It’s a similar picture to Jesus’ parable about the rich fool in Luke 12:13-21 — “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21)  This passage shows how foolish and short-sighted it is to be obsessed with gaining material wealth.

The second thing I think may be going on in this passage is that James is speaking to those who are persecuting the church.  James is writing at a time in history when persecution of Christians was widespread and vicious across the Roman empire.  James himself would later be martyred for his faith .  James’ words in verses 1-6 may also be a diatribe against persecutors of Christians.  James is saying that although at this time Christians are weeping, wailing, being eaten alive by animals in coliseums, and set on fire, it is their persecutors who will suffer in the end.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is James 4:11-17.  Let’s go!

James 4:11 (ESV) 
11  Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.

On verse 11:  How is it that when I bad mouth someone and judge them I am bad mouthing God’s law and judging it?  It’s because when I bad mouth or judge another person, I am acting not in accordance with God’s law which tells me to not slander my neighbour and to love my neighbour as myself; rather I am acting in accordance with my own made up law which says, “JB is the judge and jury”.   When I bad mouth another person and break God’s law to not slander others, I send the message that God’s law at least in this case is not worth following and that instead I should follow my own law.   So by railing and ranting against people who we think have disobeyed God’s law, ironically and hypocritically we break God’s law ourselves and speak evil of the very law we think we’re holding other people accountable to.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is James 4:1-10.  Let’s go!

James 4:1-2 (ESV) 
1  What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 
2  You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
 
On verses 1-2:  James is saying that often times the reason why we slander, hurt and argue with the people around us is because there is something unhealthy going on inside of us. When we lust after things that don’t belong to us, when we envy what other people have, that unhealthy inside of us causes us to treat the people outside of us in unhealthy and hurtful ways.  Instead of looking to God for what we lack, we sit there, sulk and give others a hard time.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is James 3:13-18.  Let’s go!

James 3:13a (NIV) 
13  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life…

On verse 13a:  Earlier James told his readers to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5).  Now James addresses the question: How do you know if a person is truly wise or not?  Here in verse 13 we learn that wisdom is not so much shown in what facts and figures a person can recite.   Rather, how much wisdom a person has is shown by the way that person lives and by the decisions that person makes.  Wisdom and being book smart are not the same thing.  Some people are book smart and can tell you all sorts of facts and figures, but when it comes to making life decisions, or handling relationships, time or money, they live very foolishly.  God calls us to be wise and understanding in practical ways that matter the most.

James 3:13b (NIV) 
13  …by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is James 3:1-12.  Let’s go!

James 3:1 (NIV) 
1  Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

On verse 1:  Some love the limelight that comes with being a teacher of God’s Word, but with the power of the podium comes great responsibility.  Teachers of God’s Word are often looked to as examples of how Christians should act and live.  That’s why if you want to teach God’s Word with effectiveness and longevity, your character in private needs to exceed your charisma on stage.

James 3:2 (NIV) 
2  We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

On verse 2:  This verse teaches us two important truths.  First, none of us is perfect – “we all stumble in many ways”.   Second, when you are careful with your words, you keep yourself from getting into unnecessary trouble (or, in James’ words, you keep your body in check).  As Proverbs 13:3 says, “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”