Lesson 77
Intro Review:
Summary
1. James gives us two examples on opposite ends of
the spectrum of life's experiences as tests for us to indicate a basis to
evaluate whether we are growing or not.
2. Question to ask!
Do I pray when there are difficulties? Or do I react like the Exodus
generation complain murmur and wallow in self pity.
3. Prayer enables you to face the test or
difficulty with God's strength and grace.
4. We should not have to be under severe testing or
distress before we engage in prayer.
5. A second question? Am I thankful to God when things are going my
way??
6. Whether
in adversity or in prosperity it should be our objective to orient in every
circumstance faced in such a way that it glorifies the LJC.
5:14-16a Prayer
for the one who is sick
Intro:
One of
the more controversial issues of our day has to do with healing: divine healing
or faith healing.
The
Question to ask is
"What is the biblical teaching regarding healing?"
Some
basic foundational facts or some things we need to keep in mind as we go
through the immediate context.
#1. Part of the judgment related to the fall of
Adam was the receiving of a sin nature - which is genetically formed, part of
the body - with all its attendant consequences.
#2. Sometimes there is a direct link between
personal sin (disobedience)
and sickness and even death.
1 Cor 11:30; 1 Sam 28:7f Saul and the witch of Endor
#3.
Sometimes there is NO direct link between personal sin and sickness. - Jn 9:1-3; Acts 3:2-8;
#4. Must also recognize that it
may not always be God's will that everyone be healed.
Two examples:
- Paul had demonstrated the gift of healing; yet his buddy and
co-laborer in the faith became sick and almost died. Phil 2:25-28
- Paul had to leave Trophimus behind in Melitus,
where he remained ill. 2 Tim 4:20
What's important in salvation?
Spiritual
healing comes with regeneration - the new birth and the imputation of +R - the
becoming a new person in Christ.
5:14-16a Sickness Sin and
healing
There
is no real problem with this context so long as we allow it to mean what it
says-and not attempt to make it say something it doesn't.
Is anyone among you sick?
- This raises the first of 4 things that govern the
thrust - the interpretation of the context.
#1 2 are tied to the
words used for sick in this
and the next verse
#2 "if" in
vs:15 = 3rd class conditional statement - which is crucial
#3 The verb used for sick in vs:15 is a
pres ptc which tells us that the individual here is not terminal at the point
James writes.
Examine
the 2 words for sick here:
- 5:14 sick
- avsqene,w = describes one who is weak,
w/o strength basic idea of the word is to be weak in relationship to something
else
- in the gospels is used primarily for bodily weakness and
sickness Mt 10:8; Lk 13:11; Jn
4:46
- In the epistles it is used primarily for the
weakness that results from the sin nature in rulership and the spiritual
weakness of being a believer minus truth/BD therefore immature.
- Rom 8:3;
Rom 14:1; 15:1 1 Cor 8:9; 1 Cor 8:7
Conclusion:
the weakness, the fatigue refers to an illness/sickness and it could be from
one of two causes:
#1 - a legitimate
illness from disease - virus etc. some bug
#2 - an illness that results from divine
disciple 1st stage - 1 Cor