James 1:5-8
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Introduction
Introduction
The nature of trials makes it very difficult to know which way is up.
Jesus promised that men would have tribulation in this world.
It is not limited to just any disciple, but ALL disciples.
9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10 “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
15 “These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16 “In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 “And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
29 His disciples said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech. 30 “Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
v.5
v.5
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
The Epistle of James (b. Wisdom Comes through Prayer 1:5–8)
Verses 5–8 form the second subsection of the opening. They revolve around two concepts which will appear again later in the text, wisdom (cf. 3:13–18) and double-mindedness (cf. 4:8). Neither idea is unimportant for James. James argues that the gift of wisdom is granted to those who trust God, who are not double-minded. In asserting this, he is arguing that those who compromise their faith, who look to both God and the world for their norms and security, are in reality lacking the essence of any faith at all. If they had faith they could have wisdom, which, the context implies, would make them perfect (probably by helping them to discern the situation of testing and react to it properly).
“But if any of you lacks wisdom...”
“But if any of you lacks wisdom...”
The idea is that of not having the wisdom that you need at that moment.
Wisdom in the middle of a trial in order to see the will of God there.
To discern the tree of life vs the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Wisdom is what the worshiper needs in order to decide properly how to pray.
Is it wisdom in order to avoid trials, or wisdom during the trial?
To avoid trials - no.
James talks about “falling into various trials.”
He does not condemn a person for having trials.
To have during a trial - yes.
A saint will have trials.
Wisdom to make sure that one is following Christ in that test, in order to pass, is vital.
Notice that the condition for prayer for wisdom is that you lack it in the middle of the trial.
If you don’t lack it, should you pray?
Yes!
Prayer is natural to a mature believer’s life.
“…let him ask of God...”
“…let him ask of God...”
1 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 3 ‘Give us each day our daily bread.
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! 12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
22 “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
“…who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him...”
“…who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him...”
The one asking for wisdom must ask consistent with faith.
3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the Lord And discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
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; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
Therefore, the emphasis in prayer is not the request, but the faith of approaching God.
Faith is not double-minded or vacillating.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Notice the emphasis on prayer in James.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
v.6
v.6
6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
“But he must ask in faith without any doubting...”
“But he must ask in faith without any doubting...”
17 Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18 and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19 While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20 “But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.”
Explained by μηδὲν διακρινόμενος as meaning “in constancy (ὑπομονή) of faith.” “Faith” is the fundamental religious attitude, not an incidental grace of character, and the words mean here more than “in confidence that he will receive his request.” ὁ διακρινόμενος is a man whose allegiance wavers, not one tormented by speculative intellectual questionings, which do not fall within James’s horizon. This is indicated by v. 7, which shows (as Beyschlag well remarks) that the kind of waverer whom James has in mind fully expects to receive some benefit from God.
“…doubt...” = διακρινόμενος
δια-κρίνω, [in LXX for שׁפט, דִּין, etc.;] 1. to separate, hence, to distinguish, discriminate, discern: μηδὲν δ., Ac 11:12; οὐδὲν δ. μεταξύ, Ac 15:9; σε, 1 Co 4:7; τὸ σῶμα, 1 Co 11:29. 2. to settle, decide, judge, arbitrate: Mt 16:3, 1 Co 6:5; 11:29 (ICC, in l.), ib. 31; 14:29. Mid. and pass.; 1. to get a decision, contend, dispute: seq. πρός, Ac 11:2; c. dat. (but v. ICC, in l.), Ju 9; absol., Ju 22 (R, mg.) 2. Hellenistic (NT and Eccl., but not LXX), to be divided in one’s mind, to hesitate, doubt: Mt 21:21, Ro 14:23, Ja 1:6; ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Ja 2:4; ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ, Mk 11:23; μηδὲν δ., Ac 10:20; δ. τ. ἀπιστίᾳ, Ro 4:20, Ju 22 (R. txt.).†
“…for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind...”
“…for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind...”
The Epistle of James b. Wisdom Comes through Prayer 1:5–8
The instability of the doubter is reinforced by the use of a vivid metaphor of “the restless swaying to and fro of the surface of the water” in the sea (Hort).
20 Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
22 The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
v.7
v.7
7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
“For...”
Explanation.
“…that man...”
= the man who doubts God.
“…he should not expect…”
The doubter in prayer should not believe that he will receive anything from God.
God will not answer doubt.
