Study From the Book of James,5

                                                   Study from the Book of James,5

Today is the fifth part of this series, where we study chapter four and as usual, we pick up a couple of biblical principles and lessons that can be useful in biblical counselling.

In chapter 4, the apostle James talks about a couple of topics. First, to warn us of the sin of pride. Pride promotes strife. It can bring wars and fights “You lust and do not have; you murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you spend it on your pleasures,” James 4:2-3. Second, he gives advice concerning our spiritual warfare that:” Resist the devil and he will flee from you. “James 7. Third, he commands us do not judge a brother, because those who do that speaks evil of the law and judges the law.  

Structure:

Verses 1:6: pride promotes strife

Verses 7:10: humility cures worldliness

Verses 11:12: Do not judge a brother

Verses 13:17: do not boast about tomorrow.

Principle 7, verse 4:2: “-you do not have because you do not ask.”

Lesson 7: Why does God make us ask Him for what we need and want, rather than giving it to us without asking? For one thing, He knows that if He did not set it up this way, He might never get to fellowship with us.

Principle 8 verse 4:17, “-therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Lesson 8: This is a difficult verse. Sin is not just to violate the ten commandments. But for us who enjoyed the grace of God, we need to do more than that.  If we know to do good for someone and do not do it, it is regarded as sin.  1/11/2012