A Few Thoughts on the Epistle of James—James 5:7-12

C2 The Christian life—Suffering James 5:7-12

D1 Believers Should Be Patient in Suffering James 5:7-9

D2 Believers Should Know About Those Who Have Suffered Before Us James 5:10-11

D3 Believers Should Know That Yes and No Are Better Than Oaths James 5:12

James 5:7-12 WEL Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the Lord comes. Look how the farmer waits for the valuable yield from the land and waits for a long time for the early and later rains. 8 Likewise be patient and steady your hearts, for the Lord’s coming draws near. 9 Do not complain about one another, brothers, lest you be condemned. Look! The judge stands at the doors. 10 My brothers, let the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord be your example of suffering affliction and of patience. 11 Look, we consider them happy who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and have seen the Lord’s conclusion [to it], because the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. 12 But above all, my brothers, do not take a vow, not by heaven, nor by the earth, or anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, lest you fall into hypocrisy.

Another list from James regarding how to live our Christian life.

Patience=

• The Greek word for patience is μακροθυμέω makrothyméō. It means to persevere patiently and bravely (Thayer’s).
• Patience towards God to intervene in suffering. He wants all to repent.
• Luke 18:7 NIV And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
• 2 Peter 3:8-9 CSB Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
• This patience is a character and action of love: 1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
• Abraham waited for many years: Hebrews 6:15 NIV And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
• We need patience, too, in this world of evils. God gives grace. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 GW I begged the Lord three times to take it away from me. 9 But he told me: “My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So I will brag even more about my weaknesses in order that Christ’s power will live in me. 10 Therefore, I accept weakness, mistreatment, hardship, persecution, and difficulties suffered for Christ. It’s clear that when I’m weak, I’m strong.

Lord’s coming=

• What is this coming?
• Various opinions
• This is His coming for Christians, that is, the Rapture.
• To destroy Israel and the Temple, Israel, and the Jews that existed in James time. Then Jesus would begin His reign.
• But why would James want the Temple and Israel destroyed? There is no indication that he wanted such a thing. He wanted his people, his kinsmen, to repent.
• The people that James wrote to want deliverance from evil. The Jews aren’t the only ones who are evil. All people are evil.
• Some resources.
• Major Rapture Terms and Passages (pdf)
• Waiting for the Blessed Hope (pdf)

Judgment=

• We need to stop complaining.
• Judgment is coming.
• James 5:9 GW Brothers and sisters, stop complaining about each other, or you will be condemned. Realize that the judge is standing at the door.
• So, we want to warn people.
• Romans 2:7-8 GW He will give everlasting life to those who search for glory, honor, and immortality by persisting in doing what is good. But he will bring 8 anger and fury on those who, in selfish pride, refuse to believe the truth and who follow what is wrong.
• 2 Corinthians 5:10-11 NKJV For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
• Personally, I understand this as a warning to those who do not believe that judgment is coming.
• But many others understand the warning to be to Christians that we must live a life pleasing to God, because we Christians will be judged.
• Doesn’t make much difference though, we must persuade Christians to live a life pleasing to God, and we must persuade non-Christians to believe. Judgment is going to happen but there is a different judgment for the believer and the unbeliever.

In verse 10, James gives examples of those who suffer and are patient (longsuffering)

Endure=

• We are to patiently endure testing and temptation: James 1:12 NLT God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
• The Lord Jesus is our example: Hebrews 12:2 NIV fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
• Again, it is God’s grace that we can endure, but we also need each other to comfort and pray for each other.

Vows=

• The Hebrew words are נָדַר nâdar (verb) and נֶדֶר neder (noun). They mean to do or give something, and is a promise to God. It is understood to be voluntary and of a free will. Here is an example: Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 CSB When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because he does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow. Better that you do not vow than that you vow and not fulfill it.
• Making a vow is very serious and should be a rare occurrence.
• Our yes and no should be sufficient.
• If a vow is necessary for someone to believe, it might mean that we appear to not be totally honest.
• God honors truth. He does not lie; He cannot lie.
• What James is teaching is a reflection of the Lord Jesus who said, “Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. "But I tell you, don’t take an oath at all: either by heaven, because it is God’s throne; "or by the earth, because it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. "Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. "But let your “yes” mean “yes” and your “no” mean “no;” Anything more than this is from the evil one.“ (Matthew 5:33-37 CSB)

Questions=

• What is patience?
• Is there a difference between a Christian and non-Christian’s patience?
• Why are we to persuade others?
• Why is making a vow to be a rather rare occurrence?

A Few Thoughts about Waiting on God

Psalms 27:14 NKJV  Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Wait on the Lord. This is one of the hardest things to understand. We pray and then wait.

Some examples:

B1 A short wait (they prayed and God answered quickly).

C1 Peter: Matthew 14:29-31 GNB  "Come!" answered Jesus. So Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water to Jesus.  (30)  But when he noticed the strong wind, he was afraid and started to sink down in the water. "Save me, Lord!" he cried.  (31)  At once Jesus reached out and grabbed hold of him and said, "What little faith you have! Why did you doubt?"

C2 Jonah: Jonah 2:1, 10 NLT Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish. ... Then the LORD ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

B2 A long time (they prayed and God has answered—wait).

C1 Apostle John: Revelation 22:20 NLT He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

C2 The Psalmist: Psalm 13:1 NLT For the choir director: A psalm of David. O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?

While we wait:

B1 What we can do:

C1 We keep busy: Psalm 25:5 NLT Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.

D1 Study Scripture (not every second, of course)

D2 Learn truth

D3 Seek truth

D4 Hope (that He will answer). All prayers are answered, but God does not say when they will be answered.

C2 We encouraged in trials and afflictions: James 5:7-8 WEL Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the Lord comes. Look how the farmer waits for the valuable yield from the land and waits for a long time for the early and later rains. 8 Likewise be patient and steady your hearts, for the Lord’s coming draws near.

D1 He promised to return, so we learn patience.

D2 Strengthen your hearts, that is, take courage. God strengthens us: Psalm 40:2 NLT He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

C3 Be steadfast and living the faith in words, desires, thoughts, and deeds. We need to do this with His grace until we die or He returns: Luke 12:35-40 NLT Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready. "Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.

C4 Use our spiritual gifts for witnessing and/or for ministering to our brothers and sisters: 1 Corinthians 1:7-8 NLT Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

C5 God waits for people to repent:

D1 Revelation 2:21 NIV I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.

D2 Proverbs 20:22 NLT Don't say, "I will get even for this wrong." Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.

D3 Example: The nation of Israel: Jeremiah 14:22 NLT Can any of the worthless foreign gods send us rain? Does it fall from the sky by itself? No, you are the one, O LORD our God! Only you can do such things. So we will wait for you to help us.

C6 We wait until a greater number are saved: Revelation 6:9-11 NRSV When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given;  (10)  they cried out with a loud voice, "Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?"  (11)  They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.

C7 We must fulfill our ministry: Luke 2:25-32 NLT At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, "Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!"

B2 The benefits of waiting:

C1 We grow in faith: In the parable of wheat and tares, both wheat (believers) and tares (unbelievers) grow. One grows in sin and the other grows in faith. We learn and practice God’s ways: Matthew 13:30 NKJV 'Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.

C2 God tells the Jews in Hosea’s time of prophecy: Hosea 12:6 NRSV But as for you, return to your God, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.

D1 We learn and can practice God’s love. We love what God loves.

D2 We learn and can practice God’s justice. We view and practice justice as God does.

D3 We learn and can practice patience.

C3 God will give us strength to endure and witness for Him: Isaiah 40:31 NIV But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

C4 Give us reward—the fulfillment of God’s promises: Hebrews 6:12 WEL So that you will not be apathetic but followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

C5 It increases our prayer life: Psalm 40:1 NLT For the choir director: A psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.

C6 We learn that God is good, and we learn discipline: Lamentations 3:24-27 NLT I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline.

Lamentations 3:26 NLT So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.

James 5

James Chapter 5

B1 The sins of the rich James 5:1-6

C1 Often trusting in money instead of God

D1 We are offered a choice, who are we going to serve, who are we going to love? Luke 16:13 WEL 13 "No household servant can serve two masters, for he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon."

D2 Money and things have their place and what we have we are to be disciplined with. Luke 16:9-12 WEL 9 "And also I say to you, ‘Make friends for yourselves by the unrighteous Mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.' 10 "He who faithful in what is least is also faithful in much, and he who is unjust in the least is also unjust in much. 11 "Therefore, if you didn't prove to be faithful with unrighteous Mammon, who will trust you with the true [riches]? 12 "If you didn't prove to be faithful in what is another's, who will give you what is your own?

E1 We are to use riches to help others in need. Our priorities.

F1 First, our spouse

F2 Second, our children

F3 The brothers and sisters of our local congregation

F4 Brothers and sisters elsewhere

F5 The unsave

E2 It is not wrong to give riches to those who are proclaiming the Gospel or other missionary work, but we are not to neglect those closer to us.

E3 If we can’t handle money, how can we handle God’s riches.

E4 We need to be faithful to what God has given/allowed us to have.

C2 Often money gotten with ungodly methods (unrighteous Mammon)

C3 Don't pay your employees

C4 Lived in pleasure instead of the fear of God and helping others

C5 Their evil treatment of the just

D1 Condemned

D2 Killed

D3 Note: "He does not resist you." Nonresistance, trusting God instead of war and revenge.

B2 Patience James 5:7-11

C1 The Christian life leads to persecution. This persecution may be spiritual (temptation), emotional, or physical. 2 Timothy 3:12 WEB  Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

C2 Goal: wait for the Lord Jesus to return

C2 Example: Farmer waiting for rain and harvest

C3 While waiting,

D1 Establish your hearts James  5:8

E1 Establish means to be set fast, as in setting a posting in concrete.

E2 A dedication to God and His ways as outlined in His book—the Bible (the New Testament specifically).

D2 Don't spend time complaining about the brethren James 5:9

D3 Endure whatever comes your way

E1 As the prophets of God James 5:10

E2 Job 5:11

B3 False oaths James 5:12

C1 We must learn to tell the truth.

C2 Our "yes" must mean "yes" and our "no" mean "no".

B4 What to do in troubles/afflictions James 5:13-16

C1 Afflicted: Pray

C2 Happy: Sing psalms

C3 Sick: Call for the elders

D1 Pray

D2 Anointing

D3 Prayer

D4 Mutual confession of sins

B5 Praying James 5:17-18

C1 Effectual prayer

D1 Opposite of a dead, formal prayer

D2 Does NOT mean something is guaranteed (a prayer that God HAS to answer. There is no such thing.)

D3 Meets conditions

E1 Confessed sin (including asking forgiveness from those who we sinned against)

E2 Treating wife right (according to what the Bible says is the right way)

E3 Praying in faith (God can answer this prayer)

E4 Leaving the results to God

E5 Content to wait

E6 Not trying to manipulating God (which cannot be done)

C2 Waiting for God's answer

B6 What to do with those who err from the truth James 5:19-20

C1 Point it out

D1 In gentleness

D2 In truth

D3 Remembering that we too are sinners

C2 It's blessing

D1 Save a soul from death. Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

D2 Hide a multitude of sins

E1 Comment: they will be forgiven, hidden under the blood of the Lord Jesus

E2 We must preach and live the Gospel for everyone faces 2 deaths—physical and spiritual. The final death is conscious suffering in the Lake of Fire. Revelation 21:8 WEB  But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

E3 Messiah Jesus is the ONLY savior.

F1 2 Peter 2:9 NRSV  then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.

F2 Acts 4:12 WEB  There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”

Our strength, our life, our hope is In Christ Alone