Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 9B
James 4:8
Bob Rakestraw
In the last posting I introduced James 4:8 as the text of the month: “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” There are very few verses in the Bible that I have leaned on more frequently and more expectantly as this one. Many, many times during my Christian life I have approached God with this text in mind, and have found that God’s Word here is rock-solid, consistently reliable and filled with hope.
Reciprocal Grace
In the last piece I did not write much on James 4:8 itself, but on the principle of reciprocal grace lying behind the verse. Reciprocity refers to the back-and-forth movement of grace between God and us. This does not mean that we give grace to God and then he gives grace to us. All grace flows from God to us. But we do need to respond in faith and humility to God’s prior approaches and gifts of grace to us, and in that sense God receives from us our devotion and desire to serve. When God sees our godly response, “he gives us more grace” (James 4:6). We then welcome these further gifts of grace in order to love and serve God more, and the reciprocal action continues throughout our lives.
I also explained that grace is not only God’s kindness and favor, but also his power and strength. This latter perspective on grace is not as often emphasized as the former, yet it is very helpful for the full understanding of the Bible’s teaching on God. An example of grace used in the sense of God’s power and energy as well as his favor and kindness is found in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This truth is greatly encouraging and, literally, powerful!
Seeing the Whole Picture
The scripture text for the month appears to stand alone, complete in itself: “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” But the longer I study the Bible the more I see that seemingly self-contained verses such as James 4:8 need their broader contexts to be fully understood and practiced. Someone might complain that this text “does not work.” They may have called out to God in prayer (“Come near to God”) yet say that he does not “come near” to them in a reciprocal way. I know of Christians who say this, and my encouragement to them is to look carefully at the verse in light of the whole book of James, especially James 4:6-8. In these verses we see the broader picture of God’s reciprocal action.
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
‘God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.’
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
The focal text of the month seems quite simple when it is engraved on a plaque and hung on the wall. And it is simple. But it is not simplistic! Viewing the whole section above—verses 6-8—helps us to see the fuller range of thought God intends for us to see. Strictly speaking, there is only one condition we need to fulfill in order to have God come near to us: “Come near to God.” However, it is essential for our total comprehension and well-being that we “come near to God” according to the teachings of James 4:6-8, the whole fourth chapter, as well as the rest of the scriptures.
The Problem of Pride
Pride is exposed in James 4 as the major blockade to receiving God’s grace. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” The word “opposes” is a very strong word. It means to “stand against,” and evokes the image of God stationing himself in a fixed position, with all of his divine power against the enemy. This is a frightening picture (especially in light of James 4:1-4), and makes me want to follow verse 10 with all of my will: “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.”
The Bible does not tell us in explicit terms how to “humble” ourselves, but the Author of scripture assumes that when we read these words (as well as the similar passage in 1 Peter 5:5-10) we will know by the inner voice of his Spirit, and the specifics in the context, how to do this. An attitude of submission to God and those in authority over us, and a stance of resisting the devil, are foundational, according to both James and 1 Peter. And thorough, God-wrought purification is absolutely necessary as well. I am truly grateful that God takes charge of this cleansing when we come to him with a broken spirit and a heart eager for his righteousness (Psalm 51:17).
A Plea
I want to close with a plea from my heart. I sincerely and eagerly urge you, my readers, to come near to God. The reason I desire this for you is the same reason I desire it for myself: the Bible says that God will then come near to us. And if God is near to us, then we don’t have anything to worry about. We are very safe, dear friends, when God is near us. God will handle the most difficult situations we are facing.
The present financial crisis is affecting all of us, some very severely. If God is near you, you need not worry. I have to remind myself of this often or I will lose heart and be overwhelmed by anxiety. Some of you are afflicted by health issues, as I am, and these will devastate us if we give in to fear. With others, the stresses on you may pertain to your children, relatives, educational plans, debt, home, job, relationships, personal failings and lack of hope. With every ounce of my being I urge you to come near to God. Read this essay again if God has already used it to quicken you, and spend time alone with God and the scriptures as soon as you are able. Nothing else is as important right now. God will come near to you, he promises!
Peter reminds us: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you,” and then gives us all a deeply comforting benediction.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:7, 10-11)
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Come Near to God: Amazing Grace is God’s M.O.
Top 12 Scripture Texts: Number 9A
James 4:8
Bob Rakestraw
The Bible text for this month is James 4:8: “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (NIV). I cannot remember when this scripture first gripped me strongly, but it was at least twenty-five years ago. I know this because during the latter 1970’s and early 1980’s I was going through a major re-thinking of my ideas about God and how God interacts with the people of this world. I was searching carefully through the scriptures, with the published help of some wise Christian scholars, studying the issue of divine-human reciprocity: who moves first in the relationship, God or the person, and who or what governs the sequence of action and reaction in our relationships with God?
The Principle of Reciprocity
Being of a mathematical/scientific mind, I came up with a “law [or principle] of reciprocity.” I cannot recall how or where I discovered this principle, but—when combined with an expanding, more biblically-grounded view of God’s grace—it began to answer a number of tough questions for me. I began to see more and more the beauty and mystery of God’s actions toward us and our responses to him, as well as our actions toward God and his responses to us. James 4:8 is just one of many scriptures that expresses the principle of reciprocity. It is also seen in Matthew 13:12: “Whoever has [i.e., responds well to the grace of God already given] will be given more. … Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” We see the law of reciprocity also in Zechariah 1:3: “ ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you’ ” (see also Malachi 3:7).
By “the principle of reciprocity”—operating in the way God intends it to work—I mean that God gives himself (his grace) freely and lavishly to those who call upon him with sincerity (single-mindedness), humility and a submissive spirit, and we receive God’s grace with a grateful and godly spirit, bringing about further gifts of grace. Other terms for reciprocity are mutuality and complementarity. Reciprocal or mutual affection, for example, means that two people give and receive affection between each other. Reciprocal or complementary trust means that each trusts the other. The concept of reciprocity is truly rich, even if it is a bit difficult to understand. It is closely intertwined with another very special word: grace.
The Grace of God
During my early years as a Christian I came to understand grace as God’s “unmerited favor” because of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. I still see this as the primary meaning of grace according to the Bible. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9). When I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at the age of 19, I knew this salvation I was receiving was a pure gift of God, a work of his grace through the cross of Christ.
About 15 years later the Spirit showed me from the Bible that there was more to grace than his “unmerited favor.” Grace is also God’s energy, power, and dynamic presence. It is not a substance or essence or something in the material realm like electrical power, but neither is it merely an attitude or favorable disposition. I saw a balance in scripture between these two poles. Grace, in addition to being God’s merciful favor and kindness, is also the force or strength of God himself working in and through his people. I desperately needed then, as I do now, the strength of God within me, to enable me to speak, think, act and love as I should. I will be forever grateful to God for showing me the dynamic, actual reality of his powerful presence.
There are dozens of scripture texts that teach this often-neglected aspect of God’s grace. In the epistle to the Hebrews, for example, the writer urges: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The latter half of this verse makes much more sense if “grace” is understood as God’s power, strength, and energy and not merely his attitude of favor. Of course, his favor logically precedes his actual help. His power working for us, in us and through us is the result of his incredible love, grace and mercy.
God’s M.O.
What does the above have to do with James 4:8: “Come near to God and he will come near to you”? The answer is that God comes toward us, and at times moves away from us, in the manner, method, mode or process of his grace. We sometimes speak of a person’s M.O.—his or her modus operandi—one’s mode of operating or doing something. God’s M.O. is by grace, which is another way of speaking of God’s presence—the Holy Spirit himself—working in us or withdrawing from us. We are not to think of God, however, as some kind of material substance or essence, but as the self-sustaining and active being of eternal power, purity and love. This is, of course, beyond our full understanding, but it is not a teaching that we should therefore ignore. It is, rather, vitally important.
As I indicated above, the Bible speaks very often of grace as both divine favor and divine power. Just two verses before this month’s text we read that God “gives us more grace,” and that he “gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Grace is something real, just as God is real, just as the Spirit of God is real. In fact, I sometimes substitute the term “Holy Spirit” for “grace” when the biblical context allows for that reading, just to remind myself how close the two are. These are not identical, however. The divine author of scripture led the writers to speak of God’s grace as separate from himself, but very closely related. He is “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10).
I know this essay has not presented James 4:8 with personal application, but I felt I needed first to explain the reciprocal nature of God’s gracious movements in our lives. I encourage you to “Come near to God,” keeping the whole section—James 4:6-10—in view, and I look forward to being with you again soon to consider our text more personally.
James 4:8
Bob Rakestraw
The Bible text for this month is James 4:8: “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (NIV). I cannot remember when this scripture first gripped me strongly, but it was at least twenty-five years ago. I know this because during the latter 1970’s and early 1980’s I was going through a major re-thinking of my ideas about God and how God interacts with the people of this world. I was searching carefully through the scriptures, with the published help of some wise Christian scholars, studying the issue of divine-human reciprocity: who moves first in the relationship, God or the person, and who or what governs the sequence of action and reaction in our relationships with God?
The Principle of Reciprocity
Being of a mathematical/scientific mind, I came up with a “law [or principle] of reciprocity.” I cannot recall how or where I discovered this principle, but—when combined with an expanding, more biblically-grounded view of God’s grace—it began to answer a number of tough questions for me. I began to see more and more the beauty and mystery of God’s actions toward us and our responses to him, as well as our actions toward God and his responses to us. James 4:8 is just one of many scriptures that expresses the principle of reciprocity. It is also seen in Matthew 13:12: “Whoever has [i.e., responds well to the grace of God already given] will be given more. … Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” We see the law of reciprocity also in Zechariah 1:3: “ ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you’ ” (see also Malachi 3:7).
By “the principle of reciprocity”—operating in the way God intends it to work—I mean that God gives himself (his grace) freely and lavishly to those who call upon him with sincerity (single-mindedness), humility and a submissive spirit, and we receive God’s grace with a grateful and godly spirit, bringing about further gifts of grace. Other terms for reciprocity are mutuality and complementarity. Reciprocal or mutual affection, for example, means that two people give and receive affection between each other. Reciprocal or complementary trust means that each trusts the other. The concept of reciprocity is truly rich, even if it is a bit difficult to understand. It is closely intertwined with another very special word: grace.
The Grace of God
During my early years as a Christian I came to understand grace as God’s “unmerited favor” because of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. I still see this as the primary meaning of grace according to the Bible. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8, 9). When I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at the age of 19, I knew this salvation I was receiving was a pure gift of God, a work of his grace through the cross of Christ.
About 15 years later the Spirit showed me from the Bible that there was more to grace than his “unmerited favor.” Grace is also God’s energy, power, and dynamic presence. It is not a substance or essence or something in the material realm like electrical power, but neither is it merely an attitude or favorable disposition. I saw a balance in scripture between these two poles. Grace, in addition to being God’s merciful favor and kindness, is also the force or strength of God himself working in and through his people. I desperately needed then, as I do now, the strength of God within me, to enable me to speak, think, act and love as I should. I will be forever grateful to God for showing me the dynamic, actual reality of his powerful presence.
There are dozens of scripture texts that teach this often-neglected aspect of God’s grace. In the epistle to the Hebrews, for example, the writer urges: “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The latter half of this verse makes much more sense if “grace” is understood as God’s power, strength, and energy and not merely his attitude of favor. Of course, his favor logically precedes his actual help. His power working for us, in us and through us is the result of his incredible love, grace and mercy.
God’s M.O.
What does the above have to do with James 4:8: “Come near to God and he will come near to you”? The answer is that God comes toward us, and at times moves away from us, in the manner, method, mode or process of his grace. We sometimes speak of a person’s M.O.—his or her modus operandi—one’s mode of operating or doing something. God’s M.O. is by grace, which is another way of speaking of God’s presence—the Holy Spirit himself—working in us or withdrawing from us. We are not to think of God, however, as some kind of material substance or essence, but as the self-sustaining and active being of eternal power, purity and love. This is, of course, beyond our full understanding, but it is not a teaching that we should therefore ignore. It is, rather, vitally important.
As I indicated above, the Bible speaks very often of grace as both divine favor and divine power. Just two verses before this month’s text we read that God “gives us more grace,” and that he “gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Grace is something real, just as God is real, just as the Spirit of God is real. In fact, I sometimes substitute the term “Holy Spirit” for “grace” when the biblical context allows for that reading, just to remind myself how close the two are. These are not identical, however. The divine author of scripture led the writers to speak of God’s grace as separate from himself, but very closely related. He is “the God of all grace” (1 Peter 5:10).
I know this essay has not presented James 4:8 with personal application, but I felt I needed first to explain the reciprocal nature of God’s gracious movements in our lives. I encourage you to “Come near to God,” keeping the whole section—James 4:6-10—in view, and I look forward to being with you again soon to consider our text more personally.
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