SOUNDING A CALL TO SALVATION, SOBRIETY, WATCHFULNESS, FIDELITY AND BROTHERLINESS IN VIEW OF OUR LORD'S RETURN
 
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STUDIES IN JAMES

By Eugene Garner

THE NEED TO ATTUNE OUR WHOLE LIVES TO OUR COMING LORD

Scripture Lesson: James 5:13

I. IN JOY OR SORROW, SICKNESS OR HEALTH, THE LORD IS ADEQUATE FOR THE NEEDS OF HIS BELIEVING PEOPLE.
  1. "IS ANY AMONG YOU AFFLICTED?" This is the same thing that, in verse 10, he mentioned of the prophets who patiently endured.

    1. "Affliction" comes from the Greek word "katapatheo", and is rendered:
      1. "Endure hardness" in II Tim. 2:3.

      2. "Suffer trouble" in II Tim. 2:9, and

      3. "Endure afflictions" in II Tim. 4:5.

    2. When such things fall the lot of a child of God, is it sufficient reason to be weighted down with mental distress, self-pity or a sense of despondent hopelessness?

    3. James, rather, suggests; "Let him PRAY!" (comp. Ps. 50:14-15; 107:6, 13, 19, 28; Luke 22:31-32; Rom. 8:36-37; Is. 40:31).

  2. "IS ANY MERRY," (or "cheerful")?

    1. "Let him sing Psalms" - meaning "songs of praise to God", (comp. Eph. 5:19; I Cor. 14:15; Acts 16:25).

    2. Such a disposition should always characterize the people of God; there should be a song of praise in our hearts and on our lips, (Col. 3:12-16).

    3. Deliverance from the guilt and penalty of sin should result in PRAISE to God! (Ps. 50:15; 22:2-3, 23-26; 35:17-18; 40:16; 148).

  3. "IS ANY SICK AMONG YOU?

  4.         Before fixing upon this as a never-failing, fool-proof, guaranteed formula for physical healing, it would be well to raise and attempt to answer a number of pertinent questions.

    1. To whom is James addressing these words?

      1. NOT to a group of independent, charismatic religious zealots whose sole emphasis was on miraculous healings, or making maximum use of their spiritual "gifts"!

      2. Not even to a comfortably settled New Testament assembly that rejected the concept of "a little wine for thy stomach's sake" as being unspiritual!

      3. But, to Jewish Christians - obviously church members - who had been exiled from their native homes through persecution.

    2. At what period of time did James write? And is all that he wrote to be taken, literally and legalistically, as the Lord's commandment (or "order") to be followed by New Testament churches of all succeeding generations?

      1. Except for First and Second Thessalonians, James appears to have been the earliest of New Testament documents, written during a period of transition (when many church members were still participating in the services of the synagogues), and before the completed revelation of the "order" for the Lord's church, as set forth in Paul's epistles - addressed to specific local churches and church officers.

      2. Reared in devout Jewish home, and no believer in the Saviorhood and Lordship of his Elder Brother until after His resurrection, James' writings suggest a far deeper influence from Judaism than does the later writings of Paul who had so long walked in the blessed fellowship of His Lord before sending forth his letters of instruction and direction for various New Testament churches.

    3. Are we to regard every word of counsel, every commandment, every practice recorded of a specific New Testament church to be taken as the divine pattern, and, thus, obligatory upon every succeeding New Testament assembly?

      1. James was obviously aware that His Lord had set in the church certain "ministry gifts" - according to the need of each local assembly, and that one of these gifts was that of "healing", (I Cor. 12:28, 4-12; 14:26-33).

      2. James was confident of the Lord's adequate provision for the needs of his believing people - whether those needs were spiritual or temporal-physical.

      3. It should be recognized that the practice of New Testament assemblies recorded before the revelation of a specific New Testament church order (which was later revealed in the church and Pastoral Epistles) are not necessarily to be regarded as a "pattern" for all the Lord's churches.

      4. After the revelation of God's order for New Testament churches, and as the church (institution) matured, there was a "cutting off" of such temporary "gifts" or "spiritualties" (I Cor. 13) as was designed to assist the infant church in its development toward functional perfection - by which I mean the harmonious working of every part so as to "make increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love", (Eph. 4:11-6).
        With these thoughts as a background, let us return to James' questions and admonition as set forth in verse 14.

        "Is any sick among you?" It should be noted that James does not specify any particular kind of sickness - whether it be of the body or soul, or heart or mind. But, he does specify where a sick brother should turn for help! And the context strongly implies that this sickness has come as a result of sin.

        Sin, which is not unto death, may properly be dealt with only in a particular context and way.

        First, it must be confessed to God: repudiated and forsaken - assuring his forgiveness, (I John 1:9).

        But, God is not the only one against whom a church member sins; he sins against his brethren and fellow-body-members; nor is the sin-question ever settle until:
    1) One acknowledges that his sin has been against every member of the body of Christ, and

    2) With obvious sorrow of heart, and genuine repentance, he specifically seeks the forgiveness of those against whom he has sinned.

    3) When this is done he may be assured of forgiveness, restored fellowship and such a cleansing of the past that it may be completely left behind: clearing the conscience, unburdening the heart and liberating the spirit, so that there is restored a sense of oneness with the brotherhood.
        In Biblical times there was a strong tendency to regard ALL SUFFERING as being the result of some particular sin.

        Thus, Job's friends reasoned that, because he suffered so intensely, he has greatly offended God - requiring repentance, a change of his ways and a seeking after God's forgiving mercy.

        The fallacy of such reasoning is one of the clearest lessons in the Book of Job.

        However, the error persisted clear on down to the day in which our Lord walked among men, (John 9:1-3).

        Jesus emphatically denied that this man's blindness had come upon him as the result of some specific sin.
    It had not come as a divine judgment upon either this man or upon his family.

    We must not, however, take this to mean that there is never any connection between suffering and a particular sin!

    Any honest doctor can tell you that much suffering is a direct result of a man's SIN!
        There are times when the sins of parents are visited upon their offspring - who endure a portion of suffering for their parent's sin. So, the person who argues: "It is MY LIFE; I won't hurt anyone but myself!" is far too near-sighted!

        The palsied man who was once brought to Jesus was obviously suffering the consequences of His own sin and was deeply troubled by the guilt.

        Jesus, seeing that his deepest need was forgiveness and cleansing from sin, addressed his spiritual need before healing his palsied body.

        He dealt with the problem (the cause) rather than simply treating the symptom! (Luke 5:20-24).

        Jesus' healing of the man's body (cancelling the effects of sin) was clear evidence of His power to deal with the root cause.

        In his instruction concerning the anointing of the sick with oil, and the elders' praying the prayer of faith, James is applying Jesus' principle to a local situation in the church: "The Lord shall raise him up … and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him" - both by the Lord and by the body, (5:15).
  1. There are still times when church members suffer as a direct result of their sin.

    1. Luke has recorded the divine judgment that came upon Ananias and Sapphira for their "sin against the Holy Ghost", (Acts 5).

    2. Paul mentions certain sins, at Corinth (I Cor. 11:30-31), that not only threatened the well-being of the assembly: they threatened immediate judgment on the guilty. Sickness and death are said to be a consequence of misbehavior in the assembly!

    3. Against this sort of background, the significance of James' words, for his day, should be quite clear. Any sin that hindered the proper functioning of a New Testament church - either in its worship, or in the mutual fellowship of its members - should be acknowledged. Through confession and prayer, right relationships (with God and with one another) should be restored - the erring one seeking forgiveness and the church granting it!

    4. James shows what is the corporate responsibility of the church, as related to the sin and sickness of its individual members.

      1. 1) When there are any "sick among you", who "send for the elders of the church", there is at least an implication that they are asking for the prayers and fellowship of the whole body.

        2) Such a matter ought never be left to the leaders of the assembly, who are but representatives of the congregation.

        3) Thus, when the elders are called to minister to such a person, the entire congregation ought to be praying together - both for the one who is sick and for the elders as they minister to him.

        4) It is the responsibility and privilege of every member of the church to become involved where there is any NEED within the membership: "Pray one for another, that ye may be healed."

    5. Nor should such prayer-fellowship be limited to cases of serious, physical illness: any infirmity, in any member: whether it be of the spirit, the mind, or the body should be a matter of prayerful concern on the part of the whole church.

      1. 1) This is especially true in such a situation as hinders the proper functioning of the body in its worship of God or in its witness to the world.

        2) Is there any wonder that so few erring ones are restored to fellowship and wholeness, when church members assume that they "pay the pastor to handle such unpleasant matters?" When there is not real care? No loving concern? No burden?

        3) What a vast difference it makes when a whole congregation (every member) unites their hearts in such prayer of faith as seeks only the will, honor, and glory of their worthy and faithful Lord!

  2. James gives the assurance that repentance - expressed in the afflicted one's seeking for the elders of the church and a drawing near to the Lord in prayer, will not only deliver the erring one from his affliction; his sins will also be forgiven him, so that he may be restored to wholeness in the body.

  3. This is in perfect harmony with the assurance John later offered to his "little children", (I John 1:9).
        In his work entitled James Speaks for Today, Herbert F. Stevenson wrote:

        "No child of God, however conscious of unworthiness and convicted of guilt, need remain in distress through the accusations of conscience. Jesus has died, the Just for the unjust, to make atonement of all our sins and our iniquities: the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our guilt, as we draw nigh to Him in confession and repentance. The words of James are unequivocal, and valid for all time to the trustful believer: '....if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him',".