Lesson 73

Intro Review:

5:8 James Makes the application for them

You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

The How!!

strengthen your hearts (aor act imp - sthri,zw)

- to shore up or buttress a foundation; therefore to fix firmly, to establish

- This is a call to shore up your resources with the Word so that you have the strength to handle what ever is thrown at you in life.

- What should this bring to mind?

The Motivation

for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Summary 5:8

1. James here marks the importance of the application of patience in the lives of his readers.

2. Even in the midst of their own experiences of oppression and injustice they must cultivate a mental attitude of patience.

3. They must always keep before them the fact that God cannot deal with them unfairly.

4. Certainly God has the ability to remove their sufferings and judge their oppressors.

5. But God desires divine good and the maturation of every believer, this will only come with the refining of ones faith through tests - CHP's etc. which would be negated if the heat was lifted.

6. The 2nd imp - "to strengthen your hearts" - calls for them to put iron in their souls.

7. Rather than allowing themselves to slip into reacting to the circumstances and soul fainting they need to adopt a mental attitude of tenacity and toughness.

8. The single most important thing that they can do is to be consistent in face to face teaching. God's means of providing the DOA's.

9. The inner life is strengthened by BD known and your willing to apply.

10. The BD of the parousia - the sure return of Christ should be a major factor in the ph-2 motivation of the Believer.

5:9 Warning - Failure To Orient Results in Reaction

Do not complain, brethren, against one another

** This warning is against the natural tendency when subjected to oppression and injustice - the undesirable circumstances of life to lash out at those around you.

that you yourselves be not judged

behold, the Judge is standing right at the door

Summary 5:9

1. The exhortation of vs:7-8 applied would provide what is needed to deal with circumstances of injustice and oppression they faced.

2. The warning here in vs:9 is a caution against grumbling and complaining among believers in a congregation.

- Phil. 2:14; 1 Pet. 4:19

3. Criticism and faultfinding directed towards other believers demonstrates one's mental attitude.

4. By addressing them as "brethren" it shows that James' focus is their spiritual welfare.

5. James vividly depicts the Lord as standing at the door which represents the imminency of the Savior's return.

6. James uses the picture of the readers standing in a court room where silence is required out of respect for the judge to point out the necessity to not grumble and complain against fellow believers now.

7. If we do fall into this activity of grumbling we demonstrate our negative volition to truth and we effectively shut the door to fellowship with Christ's face (no fellowship).