INTRODUCTION #21
1. Open your bibles to James 4:7-10.
2. In these four verses James gives ten commandments. He does not repeat the 10 commandments that Moses gave, but instead gives 10 of the many commandments that are given in the N. T.
3. In a previous lesson we discussed the first three of James’ 10 commandments. We discussed the importance of Commandment #1: “submitting to God”, Commandment #2: “resisting the devil”, Commandment #3: “Drawing near to God”.
4. In this lesson we will discuss the remaining seven commandments. Interestingly, all seven of these provide warnings against sin.
5. We will discuss these seven warnings and refer to them as Commandment #4, #5, & etc.
DISCUSSION
IV. COMMANDMENT #4, JAMES 4:8b DEMANDS THAT CHRISTIANS CLEAN UP ALL THEIR OUTWARD ACTS OF SIN.
1. Let’s read James 4:8b, “cleanse your hands, you sinners”.
2. “Hands” is used in a figurative way and refers to any and all sin that one is guilty of. Sin must be repented of, which means to turn away from and in the process of turning, to turn to God and obey His commands.
3. Turn to 1 Tim. 2:8. Here, Paul uses “hands” in a figurative way as he encourages those who lead in public prayer to be men who are living good clean lives. Let’s read 1 Tim. 2:8, “8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting”.
4. Paul’s reference to “lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” is not to give instruction for the posture of prayer (standing and lifting up our hands), but rather Paul’s emphasis is for those who lead public prayers to be men who don’t have their lives full of sin.
5. God will not draw near those who do not draw near him. However, for those who will draw near God, He will be right by their side and a shield to protect them from Satan.
V. COMMANDMENT #5, JAMES 4:8c DEMANDS THAT CHRISTIANS NOT ONLY CLEAN UP ALL OUR OUTWARD ACTS OF SIN, BUT THAT CHRISTIANS SEE THAT THEIR HEARTS ARE PURE AND THAT THEY ARE NOT LIVING BY A DOUBLE STANDARD.
1. Let’s read James 4:8c, “and purify your hearts, you double-minded”.
2. Turn to Matt. 15:18&19. Here, Jesus teaches that our hearts must be pure because that our actions come from our hearts. The “biblical heart” is the intellect, the mental and moral makeup of man. Let’s read Matt. 15:18&19, “18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
3. Jesus is teaching Christians that if they will keep their thinking clean, then their actions will be clean.
4. “Double-minded” is only used here and in James 1:8 in the N. T.
5. Turn to Matt. 6:24. Here, we are reminded that a “double-minded” person is one who lacks integrity and who claims to be living one way and yet he is actually a hypocrite. In Matt. 6:24 Jesus declares, ““No one can serve two masters; for either 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 (or you can not serve God and material and fleshly things and please God!).”
6. Turn to Matt. 12:30. In Matt. 12:30 Jesus further drives home the point that a follower of his can not be guilty of trying to “straddle the fence”. Matt. 12:30 says, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”
7. Turn to Isaiah 55:6&7. Here God’s people are challenged to repent and get their lives and thoughts clean and prepare for the opportunity to go to heaven. Let’s read Isaiah 55:6&7, “6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”
8. All of these passages have demanded that we have “pure hearts” and that we live pure lives to prove that we are not “double-minded” or “two-faced” and hypocritical!
VI. COMMANDMENT #6, JAMES 4:9a COMMANDS THE HYPOCRITICAL CHRISTIANS TO “LAMENT”.
1. “LAMENT” refers to expressing inner sorrow. There is an inner pain that others may not know about, but we personally are extremely sorrowful that we have committed sin.
2. The KJV version has the command “be afflicted”. This refers to being distressed. This is the feeling of experiencing inner torment due to guilt for our sin. Again, others may not know that we are going through this “lamenting” and “inner affliction, distress or torment” but personally our sin is a very painful thing for us.
3. This is not referring to mentally or physically abusing one’s self. James is not referring to “afflicting” one’s self by the practice of extreme self-denial such as monks do in living in monastery seclusion for the purpose of trying to make themselves more humble.
4. In the context James is demanding that all who are guilty of sin to be extremely sorrowful about any sin that they are guilty of.
5.Turn to Luke 18:10-14. Here, we have an example of one who expressed “lameting” and “affliction” for his sins.
In this parable Jesus first makes reference to one who is confessing the sins of other people, but not his own sins. He is not “lameting” or expressing any “affliction” for his sin. The first man actually brags about how good he was.
The other man in the parable is standing far off to the side and probable no one hears his prayer but Jesus. Jesus may have actually read his thoughts. Let’s read this parable and the statement of the humble and broken spirited person: “10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
6. This man was “standing afar off” and in no way was trying to attract any attention to himself. However, he was expressing to God his “lamenting”, his “affliction”, his distress and the torment that he was going through due the sin that he was guilty of.
VII. COMMANDMENT #7, JAMES 9b COMMANDS CHRISTIANS GUILTY OF SINS TO “MOURN”.
1. Along with pointing one’s finger at one’s on self and admitting that they are sinning one must “mourn” over their sin. This begins to be a verbal expression that others will begin to know about. It is more than just dealing with our sins in a personal and private way.
2. Quite frequently we see individuals “mourn” over the loss of a loved one.
3. James is speaking of the same intensity and degree of mourning, but here is talking about intense mourning for the sins that we have committed.
4. Turn to Matt. 5:4. Here, Jesus is discussing the “mourning” – the verbal grief for sins that either we have committed or someone else has committed. Let’s read Matt. 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn (verbally grieve), For they shall be comforted.”
5. The “comfort” that Jesus is talking about will be the forgiveness of our sins. This forgiveness will only come after we have shown genuine remorse and confessed and prayed for the forgiveness of our sin. If you are not a Christian then you would need to obey the gospel. Believing, repenting, confessing and being baptized!
VIII. COMMANDMENT #8, JAMES 4:9c COMMANDS SINNING CHRISTIANS TO “WEEP”.
1. To “weep” is an emotional release and an outward display of “lamenting” and “mourning”.
2. Turn to Matt. 26:69-75. Here, Peter provides an example of emotionally and outwardly weeping because of his sins. This passage reports about Peter denying Christ three times during the time that Jesus was being put on trial and soon to be crucified. Let’s read Matt. 26:69-75, “69 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” 71 And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” 73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” 74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
3. An individual (H. Caunter) has written a poem about the message that tears can show. The poem: There is a tear that spots the cheek, And speaks more than the tongue can speak, In words without a name, That tells of many a pain within, Of many a foul and deadly sin—It is the tear of shame.
IX. COMMANDMENT #9, JAMES 4:9d, COMMANDS FOR PENTIENT CHRISTIANS TO BE SERIOUS.
1. Let’s read James 4:9d, “Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom (KJV (heaviness”).”
2. James is not condemning legitimate biblically approved “laughter” and “joy”. God wants His people to have much joy and laughter, as long as it is clean and pure.
3. James is condemning the flippant, trivial, worldly, self-centered, sensual kinds of laughter and joy that sinful people revel in, despite, and often because of, their sinful pleasures. God condemns laughing at nasty jokes and similar bad things.
4. God never approves of someone committing sin and then laughing about it.
5. Turn to 2 Cor. 7:8-11. This passage provides an example of those in Corinth “lamenting”, “mourning” and “weeping” and “repenting” of their sin. Godly sorrow (“lamenting” expressed by “mourning” and “weeping”) led them to turn away from their sin. Their example is an example that you should follow if there is a sin you need to repent of.
Let’s read 2 Cor. 7:8-11, “8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.”
6. Like those of Corinth, we can “clear” our self of all sin if we will get serious about removing our sin and repent and confess and pray and not be guilty of laughing and joking about out sin.
X. COMMANDMENT #10, JAMES 4:10 COMMANDS CHRISTIANS TO BE “HUMBLE”.
1. Let’s read James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
2. Let GOD exalt you. Don't try to exalt yourself.
3. Turn to Luke 15:16-24. This passage provides the example of the prodigal son humbling himself, admitting his sin, returning to his father and his father exalting him.
(1) All of these good things come to the prodigal son, but first he was guilty of demanding that his father give him his portion of the inheritance, even before his father died.
(2) The prodigal son then went and wasted all the father had given him in riotous or wasteful living.
(3) The only job he could get for his survival was the feeding of hogs. Since his money had run out he had to eat the same food he was feeding the hogs to be able to survive.
(4) Finally, he came to himself and began to express repentance and humility.
Let’s read Luke 15:16-24.
“16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’
20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
CONCLUSION
1. If there is sin in your life follow the scriptures and this example and come forward this morning. Plan to show that you are serious about getting rid of any and all sin that is in your life.
2. If you are not yet a Christian, come forward and express your belief, repent, confess that you believe that Jesus is the son of God and be baptized for the remission of your sins.
3. If you are already a Christian come forward and confess your sins and let us pray with you.
4. God will forgive and exalt you into His family as one with faithful standings.
5. Please come as we stand and sing.
Extra for some other lesson:
1. In the midst of these ten commandments there are three very encouraging promises to those who will be obedient to the ten commandments.
2. Promise #1 is in verse 7, “the devil will flee from us”.
3. Promise #2 is in verse 8, “God will draw near to us”.
4. Promise #3 is in verse 10, “the Lord will lift Christians up”.
5. These three promises are all made possible because of the promises in verse six of God providing “more grace” and of “God giving grace to the humble”.
6. “God’s grace” is God providing for man what man needs instead of the punishment that man deserves for his sin.
7. In verses 7-10 God’s grace is shown in God “giving us the instructions on how to get the devil to flee from us”. God’s grace is shown “in God promise to draw near us”. God’s grace is also shown in “God’s promise to lift Christians up”.
Acknowledgments for a lot of thoughts in the development of all the sermons on the book of James are to go to:
(1) Bob Winton CD Commentary on Matthew 27:50-54. 464 Ridgewood Drive Manchester, Tennessee 37355. If interested in CD covering many O. T. & N.T. books call (866) 753-8456.
(2) Miscellaneous commentaries by numerous others.
