Morning Moments

JAMES Devotional Outline

V. Miscellaneous Messes 5:1-20
A. External Pressue 5:1-12
1. Treasure 5:1-3
2. Treatment 5:4-11
a. Exploitation 5:4
b. Existentialism 5:5-6
c. Exhortation 5:7-11
3. Truth 5:12
B. Internal Pressure 5:13-20
1. Condition 5:13-14a
2. Call 5:14b-15
3. Confession 5:16
4. Confirmation 5:17-18
5: Conversion 5:19-20

Conclusion

Apparently, according to John and Paul and James one can SEE sins that lead to death because they are not hidden, but rather open lifestyles and signs of rebellious children and that is the key for any of us can fail into sin, but God chastens whom He loves and that chastening is not pleasant but grievous and according to Scripture is "afterward" yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. I realize that there is much confusion and misunderstanding about this whole matter, but if we pull all the Scripture together we must understand the practicality of it all.

1. God is our Father.
2. As His childre we are to love and obey.
3. When we disobey and go astray He chastens us as a good father.
4. If we persist in straying as a little lamb, he may break a leg (metaphorically) to get our attention. Restrict us as children is some way.
5. If we will not grow and persist as stubborn children, He has every right to take us home early, and does so in some cases.

This may seem an over simplification, but it demonstrates the point. He knows the stubborn heart. He did not tolerate it with Israel and will not tolerate it with us. Some children do not mature as rapidly as others and some prefer to remain children as were some of the Corinthians. We cannot afford to use one Biblical author against another but must see that they all come together on these points.

So the conclusion of the whole matter of being a child of God is that when one sins and breaks fellowship with God, He either immediately convicts that person by the Holy Spirit which leads to confession (agreement with God about the sin), and repentance (for the goodness of God leads us to repentance) or He may send another Christian to reprove, rebuke, and/or exhort with long-suffering and doctrine. He may use one person (friend, preacher, etc), a small group of two or three, or even a large assembly, but the purpose is not to harm, but to help and bring the sinner (sinning believer who has erred from the truth) to reconciliation.

If the sinning believer (always referred to as a saint in Scripture except in this case) is "converted" (turn around), as was Peter after his denial (three times), those who have been used as instruments in the process have saved him from physical death and have also COVERED not cleansed a multitude of sins. We only cover what God has cleansed. He (or they) who covers his sins shall not prosper, but he who confesses and FORSAKES them shall prosper.

If the sinning believer does not "convert" or turn from his sinning or erring from the truth, his life is in peril as it is then under a death sentence.

BLESSINGS!