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'A Stron Word Of Warning'

The pivot from the end of chapter four to the start of chapter five is very important to catch. It is masked by the misleading chapter and verse markings that were never in the original manuscripts. In the original, 4:13-5:6 is all one paragraph and is a description of one main thought. But, in many translations this is broken up into several thoughts, and so the unity of James on this issue is lost:
'Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow ...

Doing What It Takes

8-10 Come close to God and he will come close to you. Realise that you have sinned and get your hands clean again. Realise that you have been disloyal and get your hearts made true once more. As you come close to God you should be deeply sorry, you should be grieved, you should even be in tears. Your laughter will have to become mourning, your high spirits will have to become heartfelt dejection. You will have to feel very small in the sight of God before he will ...

'An Interlude to Think'

What James is trying to teach his readers is that they must get their minds off themselves and focus on the main point, it is that their life is in God's hands and they must seek His guidance and forgiveness for their sins. It sounds trite, but over the last two and a half chapters, chapters 2 to 4, James has pointed out some serious problems that are disturbing to any honest reader. So many in the fellowship were in open revolt and following their own desires. ...

'An Unfamiliar Road'

7So place yourselves under God’s authority. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you. 8Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners, and clear your minds, you doubters. 9Be miserable, mourn, and cry. Turn your laughter into mourning and your joy into gloom. 10Humble yourselves in the Lord’s presence. Then he will give you a high position. James 4

So far, James has been pulling the hearts and minds ...

Peaceful Wisdom

15 The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body. And be thankful people. Col. 3:15

2...Accept each other with love, 3 and make an effort to preserve the unity of the Spirit with the peace that ties you together. Eph. 4

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is...peace Gal. 5

6 Don’t be anxious about anything; rather bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, ...