Freedom from Deception

Overview of Earlier Colossians Bible Studies

Without going into too much detail, before this Bible study, which covers Colossians 2:8-10, we studied the background of the Letter to the Colossians and from Colossians 1:1 to Colossians 2:7 through ten different Bible studies. The study titled Background of Paul's Letter to the Church at Colossae taught us about the cultural, philosophical, and spiritual aspects of Asia minor that affected the Christians in Colossae and Laodicea. Identification helped us understand who Paul and Timothy were and how they identified with the Colossians and Laodiceans. This helped the Christians there understand and identify with them. The Bible study titled Thanksgiving in Colossians explained Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving to God for these Christians. Paul continued his prayer for these Christians in Colossians 1:9-12, as we studied in Glorious Might. In these verses, Paul asked God to give the believers the knowledge of His will with His spiritual wisdom and understanding so they would please Him by bearing fruit in good works. He asked, too, that God would strengthen them with power, steadfastness, and patience and that they joyously give thanks to Him.

In Colossians 1:13-20, Paul began telling about God, Jesus Christ, and how Jesus is enough for salvation. In Snatched and Delivered, he taught that the Father is the one who rescues believers and transfers them to Jesus for salvation. Superabundant Peace explained Paul’s Christology, who Jesus is. Paul proclaimed Jesus is the exact embodiment of the Godhead. In Attaining Hope, which covers Colossians 1:21-23, Paul used an if… then clause to explain who the Christians were and, if they would exercise the faith God gave them, Jesus would save them from their sins and death.

The Bible study titled God's Power and Gentle Persuasion, which covers Colossians 1:24-29, told us of Paul’s calling by Jesus and the stewardship he has to God. God’s call on his life was to proclaim the Gospel. This proclamation included telling people about the “mystery of God,” that Jesus Christ is for all people, not just the Israelites. Jesus died to cleanse the sins from each person who believes in Him and to give them salvation from death. God speaks to each person through the Gospel with gentle persuasion telling of His love for each person and the salvation Jesus offers.

Rejoicing During Trials is the Bible study teaching about Colossians 2:1-5. In this passage, Paul showed his pastoral care for the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea. He struggled for the church because of his love for them, which Jesus put in him. Paul encouraged these Christians to stand strong and unified in love so they would attain “to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, Jesus Christ Himself, in who are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3 [NASB]) He taught this so the false teachers could not trick the Christians with persuasive arguments. Paul explained this to them this so they would not succumb to the false teachers and their persuasive arguments. He told these believers he cared for them and did not want the Gnostics to delude them about their surety of salvation and hope of glory.

In Overflowing Gratefulness, which teaches from Colossians 2:6-7, Paul reminded the believers of their salvation by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through faith in Him. Because they trusted in Jesus and received salvation, they could know they were rooted firmly in Him. As these Christians learned and grew, Paul encouraged and reminded them that Jesus saved them at a point in time and firmly rooted them in Himself. Though their salvation happened in the past, the Christians were to continue being rooted in Christ, built up, and established in their faith. These present continuous verbs show growth as a Christian comes from our actively staying in a close relationship with God. Salvation happens at a point in time, but growth and sanctification should be the continuous aim of each person. It should compel him or her to learn, follow, and be in a closer relationship with Jesus.

Empty Philosophy and Christ

Paul returned to what he had alluded to in Colossians 1:23 and the “mystery” of God in Colossians 1:26. God had called him to preach about these. In Chapter 2:8-10, Paul taught in depth about the philosophical thoughts the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea faced. He explained again who Christ is and how His sacrifice for salvation is sufficient. For Paul, repeating himself several times was not a difficulty. He wanted to make sure these false teachers did not take the Christians captive with their deceit.

Empty Philosophy

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 [NASB])

Paul described the false teaching in four ways. He said this teaching was philosophical, deceiving, manmade, and according to elementary principles. When we do a word study of this verse, we learn Paul meant, “Discern what is empty philosophy and deception and do not let them captivate and capture you. Do not let these empty philosophies lead you away from the truth so you become a slave to them.” He wanted the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea to understand that what they heard from these false teachers was empty. It had no truth in it so they should not let these false teachers deceive them.

This philosophy taught ideas contrary to the Gospel Epaphras taught the churches in Colossae and Laodicea. The word “philosophy” Paul used in this verse comes from the Greek word philosophia. Philosophia is a secular philosophy or thought as compared to the wisdom of God. It serves to elevate human wisdom over God’s wisdom. This teaching, Paul said, was philosophical, from man’s ideations.

Paul continued about this false teaching by saying, it was “empty deception.” In the Greek, these two words mean foolish pretension without truth, and made with the motivation to deceive. These false teachers sought to trick people and gain followers by teaching them they must do more to be spiritual.

Paul added, this false teaching is “according to the tradition of men.” The traditions of men mean generations of people pass the teaching down to the following generations. Divine teaching derives its starting point from God. In an oral society, as in New Testament times, a father or grandfather taught the sons and so the false teaching carried from one generation to the next. The form of Gnosticism during the time of this letter was in its earliest stages. Gnostics continued to teach it from then, and it still deceives people today. Paul taught this false teaching of the Gnostics came from the minds and logic of humanity, not from God. This teaching came from the tradition of men.

Lastly, Paul said these false teachings are “according to the elementary principles of the world.” The word phrase “elementary principles” comes from the Greek word stoicheion. It comes from the philosophy structure of first principles upon which other points build. For the Gnostics, these elementary principles, these thoughts, dealt with heavenly bodies. It served to aid people in attaining the highest principle of life, the highest spiritual stature. Remember, for them anything material was bad and anything heavenly or spiritual was good. Because of that, since Jesus lived in bodily form, He could not be God to them. This meant they aimed to rise in philosophical thought, so they would become a heavenly being, like an angel. This goal was in their minds. To them, no human could be God. They imagined they could get as close as possible to that level by being angels or other heavenly beings. Their minds could conceive of nothing higher than this level to get near in stature to the Godhead.

Each of these four things showed the false teachings in that region directly opposed the Gospel. They taught philosophical, deceiving, manmade, and elementary principles of the world. The instigator of these philosophical thoughts was Satan. As he has always done, he twists the truth of the Gospel to trick people into considering salvation needs more than Jesus provides. Satan wants people to imagine Jesus is not able to save people. This would cause unbelief in Jesus and fewer people in heaven. Yet, repeatedly, the Bible teaches Jesus paid the sacrifice for all people to receive salvation from their sins and from eternal death, eternal separation from God. Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself for the sins of humankind occurred because of God’s love. Satan’s trickery comes from his desire to keep people from receiving eternal love from God. The difference between these two motives is Satan wants to gain and keep people from heaven. God wants people to be saved. Satan is self-focused. God’s love makes Him people-focused.

Who Jesus Christ is, Reiterated

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” (Colossians 2:9-10 [NASB])

Paul wrote in Colossians 1:15-20 about Jesus being fully divine, though living as a man on earth. He said Jesus Christ created all things, was preeminent before all things, holds all things together, is the head of the Church, is the firstborn from the dead, has all the fullness of deity dwelling in Him, and reconciles all things to Himself through the blood of His cross. In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul reiterated, “In Him (Christ) all the fullness of deity dwells in bodily form.” Jesus is completely God. He has divine fullness in Him. In and through Jesus Christ, the superabundance of the Godhead dwells and emanates because He is fully divine, fully God, though He lived in bodily form while on earth.

Paul continued in verse ten by saying, “And in Him you have been made complete.” Completion is not being born with ten fingers and toes. This “completion” is a present perfect verb that began working in the past and continues into the present and future. This verb is in the indicative form; it is factual. Paul meant, “You can know truly, because Jesus Christ is fully divine and is your Savior, you will be brought to completion.” This completion Paul wrote comes by Christ making the believer fully perfect upon that his or her entrance into heaven. The word “complete” comes from pleroo and has the same root word as the word “fullness” (pleroma) that tells of Jesus Christ’s being fully divine. Christ is complete, perfect, fully divine. He gives of His fullness to make each Christian complete, perfect. Jesus makes each believer totally complete, perfect, upon the believer’s entrance to heaven. The life of the Christian from the point of belief and salvation through entrance into heaven shows the continuousness of the verb “have been made complete.” What Jesus begins in each person from when he or she trusted in Him for salvation, that person continues with His grace, strength, etc. given through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit while on earth so that that he or she grows to be more like Jesus Christ each day. Jesus then completes that being made perfect upon entrance to heaven. In Jesus Christ alone, Paul said, the Colossian and Laodicean Christians could know perfection, completion because of their salvation by Jesus Christ. They did not need to add any other philosophy or teaching to get the salvation and perfection Jesus Christ gives. Jesus Christ is fully divine and gives of His fullness to everyone who trusts in Him for salvation from sin and death. Believers in Him “have been made complete.”

Paul said in Colossians 1:16, “By Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him.” [NASB] He reiterated in Colossians 2:10, because of Jesus’ authority and power, He is head over all rule and authority. Nothing and no one has authority or rule over Jesus Christ since He created them, as Paul said in Colossians 1:16. The word “rule” comes from the Greek word arche, which means principality. Paul used this word to include angels and demons. Jesus, the fullness of God, is the head over them like He is the head of the Church. He exercised His headship over all authorities, too. The word “authorities” comes from the Greek word exousia, which means power and authority. These powers ad authorities include the physical, spiritual, and moral power and authority. As fully divine and as Creator preeminent before all things, Jesus Christ is the head of all things, including spiritual and natural beings who rule and have authority over parts of His creation. Jesus Christ rules and reigns over all things.

Because of this, Jesus is greater than Satan, sin, and death. He gives a sufficient salvation to each person who believes in Him as the Messiah sent from heaven. Paul, with this reiteration, said Jesus provides complete, full, perfect salvation and brings believers to perfection, completion, and fullness because He is fully God. No other sacrifice is necessary for salvation. Nothing more is required for salvation to occur for any person who wants to be saved. No one can add to belief in Jesus to make it more perfect. The idea the Gnostics had of becoming more perfect is a deception. A person cannot become more perfect than what Jesus gives from His fullness, His superabundance. You cannot perfect perfection. Each Christian is being made complete. It started when they first believed in Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. Jesus will complete it when they enter heaven. Paul taught the churches in Colossae and Laodicea that all Christians can have freedom because of Christ. John said it this way in John 8:36, “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” [NASB]

Thoughts to Consider

People often want to feel better or greater than others. To do this, they devise ideas to teach and trick people into feeling smaller so they themselves feel more powerful and knowledgeable. Sometimes these ideas and deceptions cause people to question their faith and consider adding something more to make it salvation more effective. Paul told the Christians of Colossae and Laodicea the false teachings they heard were philosophies based on human reasoning. They were empty and deceptive. These teachings were “nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9 [NASB]) They came from the traditions or men. In addition, these false teachings were according to the elementary principles of the world, like astrology or Gnosticism. They were fanciful human beliefs to make those teachers feel secure. Instead, their sole purpose was deception.

The Lord knows people try to plan their every step, but they cannot gain salvation without Christ. Psalm 94:11 speaks of this. It says, “The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are a mere breath.” Instead of thoughts that are only a mere breath, which passes after its exhalation, Paul wrote to the Colossian and Laodicean Christians to remind them Jesus Christ is the fullness of Deity. Jesus never passes away like people, their thoughts, and their philosophies. He will perfect His followers, when he or she enters heaven. Jesus gives from His fullness, from His superabundance, so people may receive perfection.

Paul said Jesus Christ is above all things and the Creator of all things. He is the ruler over all rule and authority. Psalms 33:10 speaks of this, “The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.” God has supremacy. His plans and power are greater than anything people can imagine. Nothing can thwart Him.

Paul said the church can stay free from false teachings by remembering who Jesus is. The Church, Christians, can stay free from these and all false teachings by accepting the fullness Jesus Christ gives from Himself. The salvation He gives is enough to save each person and bring them to fullness, perfection. No one ever needs to add anything to make salvation perfect. Nothing mankind plans lasts forever or has the fullness of power from Deity. The LORD is almighty and all-knowing. He directs the steps of people. (Proverbs 16:9) Jesus gives from His superabundant perfection to make each believer perfect. Perfection cannot be perfected. Neither people, principalities, rulers, or authorities can make more perfect what God through Jesus Christ provides and perfects.

Questions:

• Are there steps or processes you required of yourself and/or others to make sure you get to heaven when you die? If so, is that working for you? Is it keeping other people from knowing Jesus Christ as their Savior?
• Do you have the peace of assurance in God because of knowing the perfection through salvation He gives is enough to save and keep you? Isaiah spoke about this peace when he said, “You (LORD) will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” (Isaiah 26:3 [NASB])
• What keeps you from accepting and acting on the faith God gives you to believe in Jesus as His Son?
• What keeps you from teaching the truth that Jesus’ sacrifice for sins is enough to make each person complete and perfect in Him?

For the next Bible study, re-read Colossians 2. Specifically, look at Colossians 2:11-15.

“Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12 [NASB])

Good Enough or Complete?

Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48 [NASB])

I’ve been in a few cars with flat tires. They happen. The challenge is changing them with the spare. Think about this. If the last time you had a flat, you took your flat tire to the mechanic for repair and he/she filled it with air and gave it back to you. What would happen when you replaced your newest flat tire with that old flat tire filled with air? If the mechanic didn’t find the cause for the hole and repair it, your replacement tire would be no better than your current flat tire. For the mechanic, the refilled tire was good enough. For your purposes, you didn’t need good enough. You needed perfect, a job done completely. Jesus spoke about lives lived completely instead of in a “good enough” way. Consider what He taught in Matthew 5.

In Matthew 5, Jesus began preaching His Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes. He began this famous sermon by proclaiming certain people are blessed, people who may not have ever considered themselves blessed. Jesus said these groups of people are blessed: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the gentle, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and the people who are insulted, persecuted, and have false things said about them because of their relationship to Him.

We look at this list of people, and we may see one of more of these attitudes to which we can identify and say, “Yes, that happened to me!” If we consider these attitudes closer, we realize, Jesus described His experience on earth with each one of them. This should make us consider again, has what we experienced been like what Jesus experienced? Are we really that much like Jesus?

Jesus, next, in verses thirteen through sixteen, told His disciples what they would be if they closely aligned themselves with Him. They will be salt of the earth. His disciples are to bring flavor back to life by telling people about Him. While Jesus has not returned to earth to claim it for Himself and cast Satan into the pit, Satan roams free in the world. Life is flavorless; no distinction exists between Satan and another way to live. It’s a bland existence. When Jesus came to earth the first time, He called, and continues to call, people to be His disciples. His disciples bring a new flavor, a freshness, to life. Jesus’ disciples are salt in the world. Blandness gets cast away by the new flavor, new Life. Jesus also told His disciples they would be the light of the world. Blandness comes from having just one influence, Satan.  When a new leader enters, new light illumines the darkness of what life was really like before the Light, Jesus, came into the world. Disciples are to be the light, which the Light of the world ignited so the city, the people of the world, can see the things Satan hid in the dark. When the disciples show their light, people will glorify the Father in heaven who sent the Light.

After Jesus taught about the Beatitudes and who would receive the reward of heaven and after He explained the role of His disciples, He made a stunning statement to the Jews. He said He did not come to abolish the Law or Prophets, but to fulfill them. The Jews expected the Messiah to come as their warrior King defeating their enemy, the Romans, and re-establishing the kingdom of David. The Pharisees would have sat straighter at this statement. Yet, Jesus continued by saying, “Whoever annuls one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:19 [NASB]) Maybe it went over the heads of the Pharisees, maybe it didn’t. The Pharisees often required more of the Jews than the Laws of God required. They changed the Laws to make it harder on the people and to show their own holiness as greater than others. What Jesus said next, He stated plainly. The Pharisees could not have missed His meaning in verse twenty. Jesus said, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” [NASB] Can you imagine the shock on the faces of the Pharisees who listened that day and on the faces of the Pharisees who heard about it? Can you imagine the rage that would have engulfed them for a man born in small Nazareth as a carpenter’s son, to teach the people they had to have righteousness greater than the Pharisees? The hidden meaning of Jesus’ statement was that the Pharisees were not righteous. They were not poor in spirit, gentle, merciful, and all the other descriptors Jesus used of those who would inherit the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount describing those who would inherit the kingdom of heaven. He then taught what His disciples must be in the world. By speaking next on the Law and Prophets, righteousness, and the Pharisees, He contrasted the people of the opening attitudes and disciples with the Pharisees. The people might have wondered, if the Pharisees are not to be our standard or goal in life, then who is? What must I do to be perfect? Jesus answered this with verses twenty-one through forty-seven. He teaches the people listening to Him on the mount about going beyond the Law and Prophets. Jesus taught them about loving their neighbor as themselves, as He would in Matthew 22:39. Then He reminded these Jews, even the Gentiles did these things, and they did not believe in Yahweh. So, if the people are no better than the Gentiles and they are to be better than the Pharisees, who are they to be like then? Who is their standard?

With verse forty-eight, Jesus explained to the people who they were to be like. He said, “Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Jesus contrasted His statement from verse twenty when He said, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” with verse forty-eight. Jesus gave the people a new standard, their heavenly Father, the One who gave them life and gives new life through regeneration, being born again. Our heavenly Father is the standard not only because He’s our Creator, but because He is perfect, the definer of perfect. “Perfect” comes from the Greek word, teleios. Teleios means being complete as in maturity, a going through stages to reach the end goal, like a spiritual journey. For God, He has always been perfect. Our goal is to be made in His image, to be like Christ. That is our spiritual journey; it is having the mind and character of Christ, as Paul said in Philippians 2:5-8. When our spiritual journey is complete, which will only occur when we are in the kingdom of God, then we will be like Christ. We will be perfect, and our journey will be complete.

Just as Jesus gave the attitudes of the people who were like Him, gentle, meek, merciful, etc. in verses one through eleven, and so He was on earth and is in heaven, and just as His disciples are the salt of the earth and a light to the world telling of Him, we, as those whose righteousness surpasses the scribes and Pharisees in our world, will become perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus told the people what their lives will be like on earth as His followers and told them who should be their standard. Today, as people living on the earth as Jesus lived and taught on earth need to realize Jesus teaches us this same message. We will have difficulties and hardships. People will persecute us because of our relationship with Him. But we can rejoice and be glad, for our reward is in heaven and it is great. (Matt. 5:12) When God is our standard, we will suffer at times, but we can know our Father, the One who created us and is re-creating us in His image, calls us His children and gives us hope and joy knowing we have a reward in His kingdom with Him. Our standard is not the world’s standards, not the standards of the scribes and Pharisees. Our standard is God and we will become perfect as He is perfect.

If we choose to live a life according to the world’s standards, it can be good enough according to the world, but it will always fall flat. If we live a complete and perfect life with God as our standard, then our lives will be full of hope and joy. Though we may endure hardships, God will always be there and provide all we need to endure and get through it. He won’t be like the mechanic who just did a good enough job by refilling the tire. He will do a perfect job, fix the problem, and give us all the help we need. Do we want to live by the world’s standards where the answer is good enough and we continue needing air put in our tires because the problem is not remedied? Or, do we want to live by God’s standard, trust God who gives us everything we need for each situation, and live knowing, with God as our Savior, we are complete. We have every good and perfect gift that comes from God above? (James 1:17)

To whose standard do you live?

In whose image do you stand?

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 [NASB])

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. (Philippians 3:13-16 [NASB])

Lord, I am not perfect; I am not yet complete in You. Lord, thank you for wanting me, providing a way for me, and calling me to Yourself. Thank you that You were willing to provide the sin sacrifice for my sins because of Your love and mercy for me. Lead me in Your paths and for Your glory. Help me walk in Your ways and to Your standard, not allowing the morals of the world to be “good enough”, but instead always seeking You. Use me to be salt and light in this world so people will know there is more to life than what they see and to the limited time of earth. Lord, show people Yourself through me so they want to give their lives to You in faith and by confession. Give them Your hope and love. Thank you for what You have done and what You are going to do. Thank you for being the definer perfect and complete. Amen.

Judging God? - James 4:11-17

Introduction

In the earlier chapters, James taught the Jerusalem Christians about putting into action their faith. He said, “Faith without works is dead” in chapter two. To James, a true conversion of a person into a follower/disciple of Jesus Christ, created a new heart led by the Holy Spirit to show love to God and other people. This love brought forth spiritual fruit, as James mentioned in chapter 3. James taught Christians 1) Not to show favoritism, 2) Help the poor, 3) Tame the tongue, 4) Seek God’s wisdom and understanding instead of being jealousy and pursuing selfish ambition, 5) Guard the tongue so as not to judge or slander another, and 6) Rely upon God in plans for the future.

The last two teaching points from the list above are what this Bible study will consider. James taught in James 4:11-12 about slandering people and judging them. In verses thirteen through sixteen, he spoke about planning for one’s business in the coming year and replying upon God. James brought together everything he instructed the Jerusalem believers into one succinct and profound statement in verse seventeen. With this one statement, he issued a challenge for righteous living.

Slandering and Judging

In verses 11-12, James continued to speak to Christians as he has throughout this epistle. He said in verse eleven, “Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.” In this verse, James spoke explicitly about slandering another Christian. The verb “speak against” comes from the Greek word katalaleo. It means to implicate someone in a crime, to slander a person, to speak badly of or tell lies about a person to damage that person’s reputation[i]. We understand James spoke to other believers because he used the word “brothers.” From this, we realize James spoke against slandering other brothers and sisters in the faith. He taught in chapter three Christians must tame their tongues and to do that, they must rely upon the power and strength the Holy Spirit gives them. James said God gives to any believer who asks the wisdom and understanding to recognize what is right and how to stand firm in godliness. When the Holy Spirit lives in a person’s heart and a believer relies on its strength to live, the believer’s heart is changing to be more Christlike. By taming the tongue through God’s power and strength, a person grows toward perfection in Christ Jesus, which is the ultimate aim and end for every believer. In chapter four, therefore, James advances the thought of taming the tongue to include not slandering other Christians.

We must remember that during the time James taught and led the church of Jerusalem, a famine occurred. The Christians of the city were mostly poor. Aid sent into the city from the outlying parts of Israel and the diaspora (the Israelite people dispersed throughout the Roman Empire), went to care for poor Jews. With so little help available for poor Christians, the likelihood of the human heart toward bitterness was greater. Slander tends to rear its head during desperate times. At these types of times, believers most need to rely upon God realizing He will provide. They must claim the strength and power available to them from Him to live righteously in and through their minds, hearts, mouths, and actions.

James’ earlier instruction in this epistle explained being a “doer of the law” meant following Jesus Christ in obedience to God because of love for God. Taming one’s mouth is one way to be a “doer of the law.” Jesus taught what comes from the mouth originates in the heart of a person (Matthew 15:11, 15-20). To tame the mouth, a change must occur in the heart of a person. That change is effected by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit within a believer leads that person to recognize God as almighty and righteous and to understand His laws are good and perfect. A person who speaks against a brother, James said, speaks against the law and judges it. The person who speaks against another Christian does not allow the Spirit within to change his or her heart or to guide his or her actions and words. That person’s foolishness makes him or her not accept God’s laws and judgments are righteous and perfect, and by association, does not recognize God is greater, most righteous, and perfect. That believer’s heart shows by his or her words lack of recognition of God’s greatness and his or her insignificance. James carried this one step further when he declared in verse sixteen, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy, but who are you to judge your neighbor?” James avowed God is the only Lawgiver and Judge. He is the only One who has power to save and destroy. Believers cannot save or destroy; they are not God. On what basis, then, can believers judge other people.

James said, the believer who judged the law is not a doer of the law. Besides this, he said when the person judged the law, he or she judged the Lawgiver – God. Can it be that we truly understand the ramifications of our words against another person? When we slander another person, we speak against the law and judge the law. When we judge the law, we judge God. Are any of us so simple-minded to misunderstand what James said here? When you slander another person, you judge God. We must be careful now since we understand this. Our thoughts and words originate from our hearts. If slander comes from our hearts, we are not perfect, do not follow Christ well, do not rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit, and do not ask God for wisdom and understanding. God can change our hearts if we allow His Holy Spirit to do so. We must decide to give our whole selves to Him as Lord. He is greatest, mightiest, and wisest.

Arrogance in Boasting

In verses 13-16, James spoke to the Jerusalem Christians about boasting and arrogance over their plans and future prosperity. A wise business man or woman makes plans for his or her business. James did not fault them on planning. He corrected them about planning without consulting God.

James said in verses thirteen and fourteen, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Hear the boastfulness of the business person telling another person of his or her travels and the destinations to which he or she will go. Listen to the pride of earning a profit. Notice the person’s lack of giving the glory to God for the profit by him or herself making the profit. Recognize the arrogance of the person in his or her plans, destinations, duration of being abroad, and providing for his or her family. Detect the person’s non-reliance on God in making the plans and in living them. The person gave no glory to God for past profit, plans, and safety and looks not to have consulted God in his or her current business plans.

James caught the listeners’ attention. He brought it to an abrupt stop with verse fourteen. James said, “You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.” How can a person plan for the day or week, much less the next year when he or she does not know what will happen in his or her life. God knows what will happen and that Christian business person did not consult Him first when planning for the year. James said, that business person – all humans, too – are just a vapor that is hear and then gone, but God has always been and will always be. He knows about tomorrow just like He knew about yesterday. We Christians cannot plan for the next year realistically without consulting God and getting His guidance.

James said in verse 15, “Instead you out to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’” This shows reliance upon God for each day to live in His plan. He knows the length of each life. Reliance upon God allows each person to live the best life because God knows and provides everything and loves profoundly. He wants the best for each person.

 James continued in verse sixteen, “But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” Boasting and planning for your future without consulting the One who loves each person profoundly and who knows each day until the end of time is turning away from God; it is sin, and that is why James said it was evil. When people boast in their skill and the works of our hands, they sin. We cannot provide for ourselves if the Lord did not allow/provide it. We cannot live another day to gather more profit had God not given us breath for another day. Boasting in what we did or plan to do takes the glory away from God, idolizes ourselves, and is sin – evil. This boasting comes from a prideful heart, a heart that remains in our own control and not given over to the Holy Spirit to change in the image of Christ. Surely that is not what Christians truly want. It was not what they set out to do. James called the Jerusalem business people back to examine their motives and hearts to determine if they gave their whole hearts to the Lord to re-make.

Doing What’s Right

With the final sentence of chapter four, James compiled his teachings to the Jerusalem Christians into one singular lesson. He said in verse seventeen, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” The word “knows” comes from the Greek word oikeios. It means belonging to a house or family, belonging to the family of God because of having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ[ii]. This knowing comes from being related to God through the blood of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Through Jesus and the Spirit, people can comprehend the heart of God. No believer can say he or she did not know the right thing to do because the Holy Spirit teaches of righteousness and convicts of sin. James said if a person recognized he or she was supposed to do something, but did not do it, omitting or choosing not to do what he or she recognized was right made him or her a sinner. Whoa! Intentionally not doing something right is a sin. Intentionally choosing to do something wrong is evil and a sin., too.

Christians cannot say they did not understand because the Holy Spirit will tell each believer what is right and wrong to do, say, and think. Luke spoke about this in Luke 12:47 when he said, “That slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes.” The person who chooses not to do what God says is right, God will judge. John recorded Jesus telling the Pharisees, since they understand what is right, when they do not do right things, they sin. John 9:41 says, “Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin, but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.’” Peter took this idea further in 2 Peter 2:20-21. He said,

For if, after they have escaped defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. [NASB]

Now as we understand what James meant in verse seventeen, how then is it a compilation of his earlier teachings? Consider his teachings.

• ·         Do not show favoritism to the rich hoping to gain influence and help from them in the future. God provides for each person what he or she needs when she needs it. Consider, too, you have a rich inheritance in the kingdom of God. Love all your neighbors as your self. Show your love of God in your obedience to His laws – love each person equally, care for their needs. Do what is right. (Chapter 2)
• ·         Show God’s love to even the poorest among you by giving food, clothes, shelter, and daily needs. By doing this, you show your faith by your works. You fulfill the second greatest commandment. Remember faith without works is useless (2:20). Do what is right. (Chapter 2)
• ·         Guard your tongues; watch what you say. Blessings and curses cannot come from the same mouth. Ask for God’s wisdom and allow the Holy Spirit to help you bridle your mouth. By bridling your mouth, you bridle your whole body and show the new creation your relationship with God through Jesus Christ effected. Teachers have a greater accountability and stricter judgment from God for this since they can lead many astray with their influence and teaching. Do the right thing. (Chapter 3)
• ·         Ask for God’s wisdom to guide you so jealousy and selfish ambition do not lead you astray to arrogance and lying against the Truth. Instead, seek wisdom and produce the fruits from above – purity, peacefulness, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, good fruits, and stability and steadfastness. Do the right thing. (Chapter 3)
• ·         Do not envy another person what he or she has. That leads to quarrels and fights. It makes a person an adulterer, someone who is hostile toward God. Remember God gives the greater grace – the better blessing(s) – salvation and eternal life. James gave six things for each believer to do to turn back to God. He said:

ü  Submit to God

ü  Resist the devil

ü  Draw near to God

ü  Cleanse your hands

ü  Purify your hearts, be miserable, mourn, and weep

ü  Humble yourselves before God.

        When a believer does these things to come back to the Lord, James said                God will draw near to the person and exalt him or her. Do the right thing.             (Chapter 4)

• ·         Do not slander and judge another person because by doing so you judge God. You are not greater than God, so you are not great enough to judge another person. Do the right thing. (Chapter 4)
• ·         Consult God when planning for your future – in business and everyday life. You do not know what tomorrow holds and cannot plan without God’s guidance, recognizing He holds the future and provides the profit you earn and everything you need. Do the right thing. (Chapter 4)

Each of the lessons James taught to the Jerusalem Christians in this epistle dealt with the whole person – heart, head, mouth, and body. He taught about how to speak and act as Christians in this world, not as the natural person he or she was before profession of faith and salvation through Jesus Christ. James taught Christians to be “doers of the word and not hearers only.” That meant embodying the love of God in their daily lives. Since the Christians understood what they were supposed to do because of the indwelling Holy Spirit and because of James’ and other preachers of the Word, they sinned if they did not do what is right and just. Christians cannot just say they do not want to get involved. As Christians who understand the right thing to do, they must do the right thing in the situations they encounter in their daily lives. Be “doers” of the word, not omit-ers.

Recap

Today’s lesson from James 4:11-17 included slander, judging, planning, and arrogance. He taught speaking against another person, in particular another believer, came from a judgmental attitude. James said slandering meant a person acted against the law and in essence declared the law in valid. By declaring the law invalid, the person judges the law and no longer is a “doer of the law.” When the believer judges the law, he or she judges the Lawgiver and Judge. James stated no one is great enough to judge the Lawgiver and Judge –God – because God is greater than any person. God is able to save and destroy people, so who is able to judge God or his or her neighbor. James’ logic is sound and should shed light for people. When they choose not to follow God’s laws, they are doing more than that. Christians who break God’s law judge and question God, His righteousness, and His right to give laws and judge people based on them.

Besides this, James taught that planning for the future of our businesses and providing for our families must include consulting with God. Christians must seek Him to determine His will - what He knows and what His plans are. Because people are finite, they cannot know what the next day or even the next year will bring. They have no control over tomorrow. James said people are like vapors that are here for a short time then vanish, but God is everlasting and knows all things. Instead of planning your days and your businesses on your own and boasting about your plans and the profits you will make, recognize God is in control of what happens and He is the One who provides you with your profits. Submit your plans to Him and seek His will, then you will have the best outcome and realize you cannot be arrogant about your future or profits. Both of these God holds in His hands.

The final and culminating point of James’ teaching is verse seventeen. He said if a person knew the right thing to do and did not do it that person would be sinning. When a Christian omits to do the right thing, he or she is just as deliberate in that non-action as intentionally stealing, slandering, fighting, and quarreling. Christians must realize this and give over their wills to the power of God through the Holy Spirit. God gives the power and strength to do right and just actions and speak righteous words.

Relevance and Conclusion

In today’s section of James, we learned about sins from words. Sinful words come from sinful thoughts, thoughts not focused on God. These thoughts lead to arrogance and a judgmental attitude. Besides this, the thoughts lead to turning away from God and living as way the world lives.

We each must stop to consider if we have an untamed tongue that abuses other people – slanders other people. When we do this, we malign God and judge Him. We must realize we are doing this and have no right since we are lower than Him. People cannot control salvation or eternal destruction. God can. When we recognize our slandering or talking bad about a person comes from a judgmental attitude, a posture of superiority, which we do not rightly have, we realize we are putting ourselves above God and counting His laws as beneath us. We then make ourselves our gods. Our desires and tongues become our idols. Surely we did not intend to downgrade God in our lives. Surely we just misunderstood how our speaking against another person reflected on our relationship with God.

Consider, too, our plans. Often we drive ourselves to make sure we have enough money for our families. We plan to do things to earn an income forgetting we do not realize what will happen tomorrow or even in the next year. When we stop to consider this, we realize the futility of our actions and return to God who knows all things and what will happen tomorrow and the next day. We recognize our insignificance is like vanishing vapor when compared to God’s infinite-ness. As we come to this realization, we must turn back to God, consult with Him as to His plans for us, and step out in faith on what He says to do. He has always provided for His children. God never fails; He never forsakes us. Our understanding that makes it easier to trust in God’s plan and walk in faith with Him.

As we consider this week’s lessons, we must consider principally our hearts. If anyone has not given part of his or her heart and life to God that person will stumble and sin. He or she will battle sin in his or her own strength never finding enough power to overcome every temptation and have joy in the journey. By allowing the Holy Spirit to have complete control in one’s life, each person allows Him to re-mold him or her from the inside so that his or her outward actions and words reflect Jesus Christ more each day. Your life will show love for God and your neighbors more. As you grow towards completion/perfection in Christ, intentional sins against other people and sins of omission (not doing what is right) become less frequent.

We each choose to follow Jesus each day and allow His Spirit to change us to grow in our relationship with God. Whether you have been a Christian for 30 years or just a day, each person has to choose for him or herself to let God be Lord of his or her life that day.

Some people may say, “This is more important for new believers. I have been a Christian for a while and I am fully grown.” We are never fully grown, mature, complete Christians until we are in God’s kingdom.

Other people may say, “I work for and with God every day. He is already Lord of my life.” Have you spent time with Him today? How about every day this month? Has there been a day when you woke, dressed hurriedly, and ran to do the work of God forgetting to pray first asking for God’s guidance that day? If you said yes to any of these, you still have growing to do to get to maturity in Christ.

Another person may say, “My life is pretty good. I buy everything I need. Why do I need God?” Let me tell you what Jesus said. Matthew recorded Jesus speaking on this in Matthew 6:19-21. Jesus said,

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; or where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [NASB]

What we can give ourselves on earth will not last. Just as our bodies die, so other things of earth rust, corrode, and rot. They do not last. God provided a way for us to have eternal life with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. Our bodies die here, but our souls stay alive. Whether we choose Jesus Christ or not determines where our souls will go for eternity – in heaven or hell. Hell is eternal separation from God an eternal punishment. You get to decide for yourself if you want God’s love and gift. Do you want a relationship with God? Accept Jesus Christ is God’s Son. Believe He died on the cross for your sin, taking your sin judgment upon Himself. Confess your sins to God. “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 [NASB])

We each must make a choice each day.

Will you choose God first?

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[i] Thayer and Smith, The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon, 1999. (https://www.google.co.za/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=traduce%20meaning).

[ii] Ibid. (http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/oikeios.html).