Faith Produces Humble Repentance

INTRO

Been brought low, faced with the accusation of “adulteress” and unfaithful to God, BUT GOD OFFERS GRACE, REDEMPTION

Question: What will you do? Would you admit it? Are you humble enough to accept what God says?

READ: James 4:7-10

Faith, true faith, drives Humble Repentance

(If not real interested in being a disciple, this message will bore you)

Repentance - defined, and direction is crucial

Proverbs 3:34 NASB95

Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

1) Submit to God (What’s in a word, hupotasso?)

Opposite of “oppose” - word used of government, church to Christ, marriage (wives, yeah, Christians, oh yeah!)

Quarrels? Turn to God first

Double-minded? Get focused on God

Conflicts? Check relationship with God

POINT: Make up your mind, submission to God

POINT: Prov. 3: 34 and here - you need, need humility to enjoy God’s grace

Repent - because relationship with God is awesome, not because you got scolded or for want of some superficial benefit - most won’t repent, it’s to much to ask

2) Resist Devil

Active resistance

Resistance is actually one of best attacks for believer (with Word, in Eph. 6)

Complacency with God is actually submission to devil)

REM: “friend of world” - resisting God, that is friend of world

Envy? Selfish? Conflicts? Devil is right there

3) Draw Near to God (a positive command, to move us)

ILLUST: Triangle - draw, explain, been to Grand Canyon? Can;t understand the scale unless you have been there. Can’t grasp amazing God, unless you know Him!

How it works: Draw near to God => resist Satan => by necessity you are moving nearer to God ---- You are going one direction or the other, thus the word “repent” - trying to do both? double-minded

BIG IDEA: PRAYER - Believer goes to God in prayer, ready to hear His will, for service

Then the believer goes from that encounter to actually perform His will, to serve

Wash hands? - external, used to illustrate proper action

Purify heart? - internal attitude

Believers are to help edify each other, bring them to God (like Grand Canyon)

Rhetorical: How can you do this with a wrong attitude and sinful actions?

4) Be Transformed By God (Rom. 12:2)

Let God’s Word attack the inner self that needs to die

When evil desire is acknowledged and attacked, then transformation occurs

James: grieve, mourn what is wrong (like the prophets did)

Like JESUS did! (BASIC) - He wept over Jerusalem

God’s Word exposes the truth (can be tough, but great!)

Transformation is NOT an external show, but a true change

Reverse your thinking - what they laughed about, they should have mourned

Where they found joy, they should have felt remorse (looking to world for ultimate pleasure and satisfaction)

Luke 6:25 NASB95

“Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

ASIDE: “Woe” is a funeral dirge - if this world is your ultimate source of peace and joy, you are spiritually dead - Jesus said that, not me

Laughter in OT was mark of the fool

5) Humble Yourself Before God (Inclusio, same idea as “submit”)

Humility elevates the believer

Do this now, instead of waiting to be humbled by Jesus later for your pride which rejects Him

Life live of worship, realizing God’s very presence

Overall: our job is not to convince others, but rather to truly relate to God

Then they’ll see, then they’ll let us take them to the “edge of the canyon”

RESPOND - GIVE IN - SUBMIT - WORSHIP!

CLOSE - CHALLENGE

Root out where you are resisting God - and humble self, find repentant heart, and submit, surrender - Never too late - today

Recognize your spiritual poverty without Christ - then choose to look to Him, not world

Luke 18:14 NASB95

“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

REM - James knows: Christ’s return is imminent, he has a clear idea of end times

Philippians 2:10 NASB95

so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Repent and willingly confess now, or humbly and against-your-will confess later

Boast in Christ - He WILL exalt you - through humble submission to God

DO THIS: Turn in the direction of God (up that triangle) - KEEP GOING!