Category: Weekly

Jam 1:8 …he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Jam 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The word “double-minded” in the text above literally means “double-souled”. If you look at the Interlinear Bible, which is more of a direct translation from the Greek, that’s exactly how it reads. So, do we possess two souls? What are these verses talking about?

I want to lay a little groundwork first to understand where James is coming from. Who is he writing to? Jm 1:1 says to the “twelve tribes …scattered abroad.” Now, the fact that he mentions the scattering is significant. These are the individuals scattered in Ac 8:1-4 as a result of the persecution of the church going on at that time, so this epistle is not a general letter to the Jewish nation. It is to professing believers, called the church here in Acts, that have been dispersed to different regions of the world. This fact means these people have endured some hardships. They’ve been under heavy persecution insomuch that they have had to leave their homes to escape imprisonment and even death. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense that James would begin his letter with the thought in Jm 1:2: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials…”

James is writing to those that professed Christ even to the point of leaving their homes rather than to deny Him in order to remain where they were, i.e. they have had some outward show of a true work of grace in their hearts. But I want to make this clear as well. Like the Apostle John in 1 John, James is not so naïve as to think that all who call themselves Christians truly are the Lord’s! Remember John’s statement in 1 Jn 5:13? “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” There is professing belief and then there’s true belief, right? True belief lasts and doesn’t change it’s mind later.

There were four types of soil in Jesus’ parable of the sower. The first type is easy to spot. It’s clear you’re dealing with an unbeliever because there’s no interest in the things of God. The word has no effect at all on them. The other three, however, can be hard for a while to distinguish. All receive the word with thanksgiving at the start. All show initial signs of growth to varying degrees. All are professing believers! They know the old, old story, but time reveals the true state of their hearts. Some can’t take the heat. The persecution that will inevitably come is more than they’re willing to take, and finally, these stony-ground hearers fall away. For others, they seem to be of longer endurance, but eventually “the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” (Mk 4:19).

I believe it’s this group along with true believers that James is focusing on in his letter. As I’ve said, they’ve already endured affliction and have stuck with the church. They’ve proven themselves to not be stony-ground hearers, but now we’re seeing some signs of thorns. If you consider the things Christ said choked the word out of their hearts, you see James dealing with these very issues. He addresses the cares of this world in Jm 1:27, 4:4. The deceitfulness of riches are mentioned in Jm 1:9-11, 2:1-9, 5:1-6. Finally, the lusts of other things are handled in Jm 1:13-16, 4:1-10.

James is not bringing to them again the gospel of repentance as if they’ve never heard the truth. Did you know that the word “repent” isn’t mentioned once in James nor is the word “confess” except as it applies to us confessing our faults to one another? The need of repentance toward God is a foundational principle (Heb 6:1) that they’re well acquainted with. He’s not retreading this ground. They’ve been sitting under the Gospel for a while. They know only God can deal with sin. When he tells them to cleanse their hands and purify their hearts, he speaks of both our responsibility and God’s work (See David Ps 26:6 and Ps 51:10 saying “I will wash my hands” but then asking God to give him a clean hear). Both must exist in the life of the believer if you are not merely a professor but are a possessor! We know that one of the strongest messages in the book of James is our responsibility. In fact, it’s hard to preach on the believer’s responsibility without reading Jm 2:17-20. He’s telling these professing believers that they may be no more than the devils! Their faith is dead of good works aren’t produced by it. Your limbs may be long, your leaves may be green, but what was lacking on the plant in thorny ground? It never produced any fruit! Over and over again in this letter, James is warning those that are hearers and not doers, that seem to be religious, but are self-deceived as in Jm 1:25,26.

With this in mind, we consider our text verses because, in light of the context of the letter as a whole, they make perfect sense! The soul is the seat of the emotions. It includes the thoughts of the mind. It encompasses our desires, our likes and dislikes. The Greek word for soul is where we get our English word “psyche” and is a root for words like “psychiatrist.” The soul is our identity. When we say someone bears his soul, we mean he’s showing us his true self.

Now, these double-souled individuals are those whose religion is vain and they have deceived themselves (Jm 1:26). They live with double identities. They come to church and participate. They may weep at the message (remember the soul includes emotions). They may have some good things to say (their minds knows the truth), but they are double-souled. They have their God-related identity and their world-related identity, but as in Jm 4:4, you’re an adulterer if you try to be both a friend of God and the world. You’re unfaithful. You’re like the adulterous spouse that comes home, putting on his faithful-to-his-wife identity, but when he’s away, he’s anything but faithful (and remember, Jesus is clear that adultery involves more than the literal act–Mt 5:28). You see, you can’t really be both! If you’re unfaithful when you’re away, you’re not really faithful when you’re there, right? A similar thought is presented in Jm 3:8-12. Fountains don’t produce sweet AND bitter water.

Children of God are like God. What He’s birthed within us is like Him. He’s called the “Father of lights” in Jm 1:17. He is the Light of the world (Jn 8:12), so guess what you are, children? The light of the world (Mt 5:14)! What does it say about God in Jm 1:17? With Him there is no “variation,” i.e. no change! Guess what you find with His offspring? They are unchanging in their character as well! Sure, we’re still warring with this flesh and struggling with sin, but you can count on true believers to be the same on Saturday as they are on Sunday. They are the same whether on the Internet or at church! You’ll find them to be a Christian on the church bench and the softball bench, whether at Wal-mart or in Sunday school, at work or at worship. They don’t maintain 2 identities! In contrast, a double-souled man is unstable (Interlinear reads “undependable”) in all his ways.

1 Cor 6:9-11 warns us, “Do not be deceived.” It then lists a long line of sins, and wraps up stating “such were some of you!” That lifestyle is in the past for a regenerated soul. We are instructed in 1 Cor 5:9-11 not to keep company with those (it says don’t even eat with them!) who practice such things and call themselves believers! They are double-souled! They are trying to maintain two identities, but they really only have one! They are deceivers, lying to others and themselves! That didn’t come from God. He’s not their father. Guess who is in Jn 8:44?

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

I pray we don’t ignore this message. Don’t apply it to someone you know. Practice 2 Co 13:5: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” Do you need prayer? On the authority of God’s word (Jm 5:16,17), there is great help in the prayers of the Lord’s people for those that confess their need. I’m trying to help. I’m trying to live Jm 5:19 and warn someone that “wanders from the truth.” My hope is that v. 20 will be the result. That a sinner might be turned from his way and a soul saved from death. Remember the encouraging word to the double-souled people in Jm 4:6-10. Submit to God. You will find Him to be gracious! Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you! Humble yourself before Him, and He will lift you up! May our response not be the sad response of the double-minded in 1 Ki 18:21:

“And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word.”

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

…

Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.

Jude 3-4, 8-10

Have you ever heard a preacher speaking boldly about what he was going to do to the devil? “I’m going to take that ol’ devil by the tail and swing him around and…” On and on and on he goes. I wonder if he’s ever read the 9th verse of Jude. If Michael the archangel didn’t speak to Satan that way and instead “dared not bring against him a reviling accusation,” I think we would do well to consider how we address this spiritual foe. Michael simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” In other words, God’s the one that can deal with this enemy. As David said concerning Goliath, “the battle is the Lord’s.” The individuals that verbally assault the devil and his demons are speaking evil of things “they do not know.” They should be careful lest their experience be that of the men in Ac 19:16. These were overcome by the demon they were rebuking and were left naked and wounded!

It seems that few people realize that Satan has a purpose in God’s plan for His people. It must frustrate Satan to be used of God, but he is powerless against what God determines to do. Like a mad dog chained to a stake in the ground that prevents him from going as far as he would, God let’s Satan out only so far as he fulfills the Lord’s will. Twice Paul speaks of Satan being used to correct individuals that were out of line within the church. Let Satan work on them for a while, and they’ll come to their senses! He said of the man in open sin within the church at Corinth: “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Cor 5:5) Just as a loving parent chastens a disobedient child (Pr 13:24; Heb 12:6), God uses Satan as a rod to correct those that step out of line. “…of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.” (1 Tim 1:20) Also, we often think of evil spirits as tempting us to sin, but we see from 2 Cor 12:7 that God in His wisdom can use them to prevent us from falling into sin! “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.”

It ought to comfort us greatly to know that God is in control of the powers of darkness. As the Lord says in Is 54:16: “Behold, I have created the blacksmith who blows the coals in the fire, who brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the spoiler to destroy.” No doubt, these spiritual enemies would destroy us eternally if they could, but listen to the joyful declaration to the children of God in v. 17!

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,

And their righteousness is from Me,”

Says the LORD.

Jamie

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Ephesians 2:1-3

Such was our state before God moved in. We were led about by our flesh, the world, and Satan and his demons. We were daily abiding under the wrath of God. That was our nature. That’s the way we were through and through…but then God moved in! Does anyone else want to praise God with me because Christ has set us free?!!! Can I get a “hallelujah”?!!! God has given us a new nature! But though He has “delivered us from the power of darkness,” (Col 1:13) He has also left us with responsibility. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” (Rom 6:12)

It’s amazing to see the number of times that the children of Israel desired to return to Egypt. They were slaves while they were there. They were mistreated by cruel taskmasters. In their distress, they cried out to God, and He sent a deliverer named Moses. And yet, it was only a short time later, the dust of Egypt still on their heels, when they began to murmur and complain of their current state. God fed them with manna, bread from heaven, and yet they complained, “We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic….” (Num 11:5)

But Moses was just a preview for the Main Attraction. Jesus Christ is that great Deliverer sent from God to free His people from those cruel taskmasters of sin and the devil. Moses was used to deliver the Israelites’ bodies from affliction, but our Lord performed a work upon the cross that would preserve not just the body but the “spirit, soul, and body.” (1 Th 5:23) Would we dare complain? Would we dare to desire that which we once had, or are we satisfied fully with our Bread from heaven, needing nothing more? (Jn 6:32,33)

Jesus told Paul that as he declared the Gospel, it would turn people “from the power of Satan to God.” (Ac 26:18) If then the Lord has delivered us from these spiritual powers of wickedness, we understand that we have no one to blame but ourselves if we grant them access to our hearts and minds through our tolerance and enjoyment of sin. “Don’t let sin reign in your mortal body!” Don’t forget the cruelty of your taskmasters in Egypt, O believer! Remember, “by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.” (2 Pet 2:19) “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (Jms 4:7)

Jamie

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.  And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”
2 Corinthians 11:13-15

I recently attended a service at a church in South Georgia that my in-laws had been visiting.  The short message that the pastor delivered was what I would call “safe.”  He didn’t dive very deeply into the handful of passages we considered.  His focus was mainly on the love of God particularly as it was displayed by Christ upon the cross being made broken bread and poured-out wine for us (1 Cor 11:24-26).  I began to notice a tendency on his part to shy away from passages that might be uncomfortable.  For example, as he read the passage on what we’ve come to call “The Lord’s Supper” or “Communion”, he ignored the somber warning of judgment upon those that partake unworthily in 1 Cor 11:27-29.

At one point, he began to read Ps 136 in which every verse ended with “His mercy endures forever” (the preacher’s translation said “His love endures forever”, but as I understand it, the word “mercy” is a better translation of the original Hebrew).  What a tremendous psalm!  It reinforces over and over again the everlasting mercy of God, for which we all ought to be thankful because if redeemed sinners are to live eternally in heaven, it will require God’s mercy to never run out!  But again, as the pastor read, I was concerned to see that he either read quickly over or entirely skipped verses in that psalm that might have been a bit unsettling for listeners.  For example:

v. 10
To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, For His mercy endures forever;

v. 15-18
But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, For His mercy endures forever;
To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His mercy endures forever;
To Him who struck down great kings, For His mercy endures forever;
And slew famous kings, For His mercy endures forever

Now I enjoy meditating on the love of God as much as anyone.  I love the hymn of that very name that declares God’s love to be greater than tongue or pen can ever tell.  I rejoice to read not only that God loves but that He IS love; however, I understand that God not only characterizes Himself as being loving, but says in Jer 9:24: “I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight.”

Now, in all fairness, I’ve only heard this one message from this pastor, and I realize it may not be fully representative of his ministry; however, I also understand the seriousness of our main text above.  It is imperative that as witnesses of our Lord that we declare Him as He is, entirely and completely.  Satan and his ministers in their counterfeit ministry don’t tell obvious and open lies but instead declare half-truths.  Just consider the way Satan tempted Christ.  He quoted Scripture!  He presented truths but only partially, totally misapplying them.  He tells us enough truth to appear as an angel of light.  As 2 Cor 2:11 points out, we must not be ignorant of Satan and his devices, or he will take advantage of us.  I pray we will not follow his example but will faithfully declare all that the Lord reveals concerning Himself lest we be guilty of preaching “another Jesus” (2 Cor 11:4).

Jamie