Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
When we look at Christians, we must ever be careful to view them in two
different ways to get an accurate picture of where they are
To take one at the expense/the other leads to an skewed understanding
[i] We must view the Christian as he stands positionally in Jesus Christ
What glory attends to the child/God as we do this!
Positionally, he is accepted in the Beloved Son/God (Ephesians 1:6)
All of Christ's righteousness and merits are accredited to his account
Just as God looked upon Jacob and saw no iniquity (Numbers 23:21)
so too, we are justified i.e. clear of any charges laid against us
In Christ, we are blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3)
We have all that we need in Him to stand before God and not feel/fear judicial wrath against us for our sins against Him
These are things we ought to think often about
As the Devil and the world (which is an enemy of God: v4) come against
us and seek to draw us away with their false/empty promises, we should
consider what we have by our position in Jesus Christ
The Devil cannot hold a candle to all our possessions in Jesus Christ
Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death,
or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are
Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3:22-23)
It is thinking along these lines that we will be encouraged to live for
Christ and to serve him and have assurance/salvation etc.,
[ii] But we must view the Believer's state as well as his position
His position cannot be bettered or improved in Jesus Christ
But his everyday state, as long as he in the flesh, will fluctuate
His justification by grace through faith is 100% perfect in Jesus Christ
His sanctification is far from perfect and will ebb and flow according
to his obedience and desires after the revealed will of God
For James to say that his Christian readers "have not" therefore is a
reference to their spiritual state and not their spiritual
standing/Christ
Will look at the "have not" problem which James tackles here (4 points)
1) MANY CHRISTIANS SIT SPIRITUALLY IMPOVERISHED:
A/ James is not writing here just for a few people at the end/line
Without arguing that this ought to be the norm for Christians, yet
every Christian goes through dry barren periods when what things are
and what things ought to be are poles apart
Do not despair therefore if it happens to you, but neither should you
just sit back and excuse/ignore it and hope that it will pass over
B/ Such spiritual poverty may be readily observed among Christians:
[i] James makes mention of the trouble in the church (v1)
This trouble was outward i.e. among Christians fighting with one another
It was also inward i.e. within the soul of individual Christians
But whichever…it did nothing for peace/harmony in the congregation
There was serious distraction going on
[ii] Such impoverishment could be observed in the lusts (inordinate desires) which these fighting Christians displayed
Not learned to be content with such things as they had (Philippians 4:11)
Certainly had not learned to be content with their spiritual riches
Could never sing those words with any conviction or honesty:
Ten thousand charms around Him shine, but best of all, I know he's mine
Again, there would be few honest takers for the hymn:
What though the world its gifts deny, I've riches more than gold can buy
The Key to treasures in the sky…O bless the Lord I've Jesus
There was a greed evident among these Christians
[iii] This effected their prayer lives - they asked in vain for things
Doubtless, the praying for things gave a religious cloak over the
matter, but the non answer of their prayers and for the reason giving,
exposed it all fir what it was: A desire to further their own ambition
[iv] Further seen in a very worldly spirit (v4) hence the rebuke
No one calls for Christians to be permanently withdrawn from the world
i.e. the ascetic sense/word i.e. We can enjoy all that is good/the
world:
The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof (1 Corinthians 10:26)
Paul further encourages us to use the world and not abuse it (7:31)
We may have legitimate business with and in the world as human beings
(Bible deals a lot with pursuing different relationships in the world)
But this is a far different thing from being a worldly person, so that
the only difference between us and the world are a few pious phrases
which escape our lips when pressed to do so
C/ The Last Days will witness a great impoverishment among the people/God when the love of many will wax cold (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
These are those who will have a form of godliness, but deny its power
This should put us on our guard so that we avoid it even if others don't
2) SUCH SPIRITUAL IMPOVERISHMENT IS TO BE LAMENTED:
A/ For obvious reasons that simply ooze out/words like "war/lusts" etc.,
Can't be good in the number of relationships which the Believer has:
[i] The Believer's relationship with God is effected
Not his union (which is 100% secure in Christ) but his communion
Those non answers to prayer are a sure sign of something wrong
He is evidently praying outside the will of God, otherwise:
And this is the confidence that we
have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he
heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1 John 5:14-15)
We are told that this is the case (v3)
It is possible that even in praying for something spiritual, that we are doing so to advance our own cause:
Awful abuse of the privilege/prayer
Such a thing is bound to grieve the Spirit/God (Ephesians 4:30)
B/ It affects the Believer's relationship with himself:
If grieving the Spirit/God, then he himself will be robbed of the Spirit's joy and comfort and help
The Spirit Himself does not withdraw from the Believer, but He can and
does remove His graces/help in order to bring the Believer back/senses
But let that Believer continue on in his worldliness etc., and he will fast become spiritually sad and empty
Surely we have all been there? How many times have you had to come and
confess your sin to God on this matter? How many times have you had to
stop the car (as it were) and do a U turn?
C/ It affects the Believer's relationship with the Fellowship
This may be either in a large way or a small way
[i] Small way: We each have a part to play in the fellowship
If we picture the reverse: The influence that a good solid Believer has within the fellowship: What blessing it is!
Think of Stephen (Cp mourning at his passing) and Dorcas etc.,
But what when there is a discontented Believer? Cannot but have a dampening influence upon the people/God: Little leaven etc.,
What if we were all feeling under the weather? Bound to affect us
[ii] Affect us in a large way also
Achan's blatant worldliness affected the whole camp at the one time
More than just the people whom he came into immediate contact with
Whole work/God was held up at that time over one man's departure
D/ It affects the Believer in his relationship to the unsaved around him
Listen to how it ought to be:
Do all things without murmurings and
disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God,
without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among
whom ye shine as lights in the world; (Philippians 2:14-15)
But is this the case when we are off the boil? You and I know that when
we have grieved the Spirit/God, then we are simply not in the form to
speak to others: The enthusiasm is gone and that leaves the unsaved
without the God ordained witness for his salvation
E/ I accept that we can do things even when we are not in the form
God can overrule them for His glory - but we are still responsible for our walk with God
3) SUCH SPIRITUAL IMPOVERISHMENT IS SELF IMPOSED:
A/ It is true that God is sovereign in dispensing/His spirit and His
gifts: 1 Corinthians 4:7 Some Believers are better endowed than others
It is also true though that God gives more to those who seek it (a
principle enunciated in v6-7/10) and if we are impoverished, hen it is
evident that we have not been seeking to be anything else:
Isaiah 44:3/Matthew 7:7/Luke 11:13
B/ The responsibility for such impoverishment lies firmly with the
Christian: The emphasis of James is constantly on the "you" while the
words of v4 would be unduly harsh and entirely unfair if his readers
had no real, meaningful part to play in this matter
C/ The actions of other Christians (particularly if poor in response)
should not influence us in this matter of our hearts before God
Even if the whole professing church decided to lie down in lethargy
before God, it would still be incumbent upon us as individuals to
get up and seek to enrich ourselves in those unsearchable riches/Jesus
Christ
4) THERE IS A SIMPLE REMEDY TO SUCH SPIRITUAL IMPOVERISHMENT:
A/ We are to simply ask and the only qualification is: that we do
so for the right motives (v2-3) i.e. to the greater glory/God and not
ourselves
B/ When such is sought for, it will be given and given again (v6)
There is always "more grace" for the child/God
And being for God's glory, it will be sought for
[i] In humility (v6-10)
[ii] Despite the Devil's opposition (v7)
C/ What a difference this will make when/if it is so
Think back to all those places/relationships named when we thought of
our spiritual poverty i.e. before God/ourselves/fellowship/world
The difference will be noticeable especially if we are coming from a position of coldness and poverty
The ground that is thirsty (Isaiah 44:3) displays every evidence of its
barrenness - the cracked, dried earth, baked by the sun etc.,
But see it when the rain falls and the verdure is green/fruitful
When the desert blossoms as the rose etc.,
D/ In closing, let us be thankful for the Lord Jesus Christ, who never
experienced a barren period on His sinless life, but did always those
things that please the Father (John 8:29) It is this that gives us our
perfect standing before God and enables us to enjoy its benefits
THE END