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Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 1 * PART 1 * BOOK 54
James Prepares His Flock
James 3:7 - 5:20
Let’s get right back into the Book of James, chapter, 3 and we ended with verse 6 the last time we were together, so let’s just go back and take a run at verse 7 by starting with verse 6.
All right, in the next verse he speaks of everything in nature.
James 3:7
Now verse 8:
James 3:8
"But the tongue can no man tame; (no one can tame the tongue) it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." There’s no reference to the working and the controlling of the Holy Spirit - as over against the keeping of the Law - and it’s ‘legal.’ It’s the Word of God. It’s Scripture. Now, then, we move on into verse 9:
James 3:9a
"Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men,…." On the one hand, they could bless God, but on the other hand, they could curse fellow men. James 3:9b
Whether you curse men, remember, they are still made after the similitude of God. Now verse 10.
James 3:10
All right, read on in verse 11. James 3:11-12
Impossible.) James 3:13
Now you see, James is a legalist. James is writing from a totally different perspective than Paul is. James knows nothing of the Grace Age, and so it’s not contradictory. Look what Paul says here in Ephesians.
Ephesians 2:8
Now verse 9:
"Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10. For we (now as believers) are his (God’s) workmanship,.…" God works a work in us that literally makes us, now, what we are to be as believers - whereas James almost leaves it in the ability of the individual. So verse 10 again:
Ephesians 2:10
We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works. That ‘created’ did not happen until we were saved and enjoyed salvation - then God works a work in us that brings us, as a result of our salvation experience, to practice the good works, "...which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Okay, back to James once again. Verse 13:
James 3:13
Do you see any reference here to the work of the Holy Spirit? Now remember what James just said. "Let him show out of a good manner of life, his works, with meekness of wisdom." Not a word about the Spirit. Now look what Paul says here in Galatians.
Galatians 5:16-18
"This I say then, walk in the Spirit, (Holy Spirit. 18. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." Now, James doesn’t use language like that. What a vast difference in the language in James, the legalist writing to legalistic Jewish congregations, compared to Paul, writing to us in this Age of Grace!
James 3:14
James 3:15
James 3:16
Isn’t it amazing how sin breeds sin. Envying and strife will bring confusion and every evil work. Now verse 17, and we see the flipside.
James 3:17a
Now James doesn’t say, "The wisdom that comes from the leading of the Spirit" - he merely is showing that God is still in His place of power and influence. But, it’s in a whole different set of circumstances than what Paul gives us in this Age of Grace and the working of the Holy Spirit.
James 3:17
James 3:18
James 4:1-2a
2. Ye lust,.…" Now let’s go back again to Paul’s letters - let’s go back to Romans chapter 7 and see how Paul treats this very set of circumstances. All right, now then, Romans chapter 7 verses 21 through 24. Paul is now writing to us Gentiles under this Age of Grace:
Romans 7:21-22
22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:" In other words, he knew that the Mosaic Law was perfect. Now verse 23.
Romans 7:23a
"But (here’s the verse I came here for) I see another law in my members, (and what’s the word?) warring.…" Conflict. And where there’s conflict, there’s no peace. 24. O wretched man that I am!…." Galatians 5:17
"For the flesh (the Old Adam, the old sin nature) lusteth (warreth) against the Spirit, (the new nature under the control of the Spirit) and the Spirit (warreth) against the flesh: (the Old Adam.) Galatians 5:18
"But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." The Law has been crucified. The Spirit takes over. If they’re out there living in immorality and if they’re living in drunkenness and if they’re living in lasciviousness and all the things that are mentioned here - then you have every right in the world to discern - they’re not living godly lives. They’re living the flesh. Now verse 22 of Galatians 5. Galatians 5:22
"But the fruit of the Spirit (The result of the Holy Spirit coming into the life of a believer) is love, …" Look the opposite of love up in verse 21. "Envy." Galatians 5:22b
"…joy, peace…" Well, there’s no peace in those actions in verses 19, 20 and 21. Galatians 5:22c-23
"…longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (trusting God and His Word). 23. Meekness. Well you’d better, or you don’t know the Word of God. What does the last part of verse 21 say?
Galatians 5:21b
Let the Word of God speak for itself.
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