5th November 2024

5th November 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (James 4v1-7)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Sadly there is nothing new about churches fighting and arguing amongst themselves. Why is this so often the case? I think James would answer “when earthly wisdom is given higher regard than heavenly wisdom.” Why do Christians sometimes fight and quarrel? It is because their earthly sinful passions war within them (v1). Christians are not perfect but can be described as “simul justus et peccator”. What does this latin phrase mean? We are at the same time justified and sinful. 


In practice when the sinful nature has its way there is no “harvest of righteousness” (James 3v18) but instead a “harvest of sin” The desire to have more possessions can lead to murder (v2). We covet goods but do not obtain them and so we fight and quarrel (v2b). When we have needs, we do not ask God but plot and scheme to satisfy our passions (v2c-3). No wonder James declared “you adulterous people!” (v4a).


The church of Christ should not look like the world around it and yet we could tell countless stories of fellowships acting in an entirely earthly fashion. James is blunt in his assessment of such churches. The one who is friends with the world is at war with God and has made himself an enemy of the Lord (v4).


It is good to remember that the Christian is a child of God - we belong to the Lord! To prove this very point James quotes Scripture saying “Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’” (v5) If you are wondering where you can find such a verse, well, you can’t. We’re not quite sure where James pulled this quote from but while we can’t quote “chapter and verse” it certainly summarises an important thrust of Scripture - the Lord is a jealous God. Please understand that when we describe God as “jealous” we are not calling Him sinful or petty. I might be sinfully jealous when my neighbour has a better car than me, but when we say that God is jealous we mean that God demands our loyalty. We are those for whom Christ died and so we have not been saved to keep one foot in the world. The Lord is jealous for His people.


What are we to do in light of the world’s temptations and our own sinfulness? Brothers and sisters, war against your sin and submit yourself to the Lord (v7a). We do not battle alone but the God of grace gives us more grace (v6a). He equips us for the fight and promises His help. The proud will find themselves opposed by the Lord but the humble will receive grace upon grace (v6b & Proverbs 3v34). But isn’t our enemy the devil incredibly fierce? He is but if we resist him then he will flee from us (v7b).  


Brothers and sisters, I’m always mindful of Samuel Rutherford’s quote about the Christian life. He said “Christ is now moving in this land and the wind is in His face. Therefore those with Him cannot expect the sunny or the sheltered side of the hill.” Life is hard and we are sinful, temptations will come and compromise is so seductive. Thankfully Jesus is a great Saviour of sinners and God calls us to obedience. Heed this call for you this world is not your home. You belong to the Lord!


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q27 Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist? Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.