Dake Bible Discussion Board ⇒ The passage all liberals hate!

[Rocky]

REVED
James was talking to saved people.

Then who are the sinners mentioned in this verse Billy?

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Hi Leon I am not sure I follow you on the book of James being written to sinners exclusively. From what I have studied about this epistle it was written to Christians addressing antinomianism taking Paul's teaching to an extreme. I use to believe the book was addressing gnosticism like 1 John, but upon further study I realized it was written to Christians who were going to the opposite extreme to legalism maybe even taking Paul's teaching to extreme, and James was trying to combat this. Yes the verse you use may seem like it was written to sinners and in a way it was, how ever other verses and chapters does show it was written to believers. And how works exemplify that justification that Paul taught. Oh another little interesting nugget is the Martin Luther called the book of James the "epistle of straw" because he detested the book. Martin Luther taught an unbiblical form of saved by grace through faith. So was James written to sinners? Not entirely

[bibleman]

REVED
James was talking to saved people.

Then who are the sinners mentioned in this verse Billy?

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Hi Leon I am not sure I follow you on the book of James being written to sinners exclusively. From what I have studied about this epistle it was written to Christians addressing antinomianism taking Paul's teaching to an extreme. I use to believe the book was addressing gnosticism like 1 John, but upon further study I realized it was written to Christians who were going to the opposite extreme to legalism maybe even taking Paul's teaching to extreme, and James was trying to combat this. Yes the verse you use may seem like it was written to sinners and in a way it was, how ever other verses and chapters does show it was written to believers. And how works exemplify that justification that Paul taught. Oh another little interesting nugget is the Martin Luther called the book of James the "epistle of straw" because he detested the book. Martin Luther taught an unbiblical form of saved by grace through faith. So was James written to sinners? Not entirely

HI Rocky,

No, not written to sinners "exclusively."

It was written to the Jewish people who had been scattered. And in the book there is a lot to say about those who are sinners.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

[Rocky]

REVED
James was talking to saved people.

Then who are the sinners mentioned in this verse Billy?

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Hi Leon I am not sure I follow you on the book of James being written to sinners exclusively. From what I have studied about this epistle it was written to Christians addressing antinomianism taking Paul's teaching to an extreme. I use to believe the book was addressing gnosticism like 1 John, but upon further study I realized it was written to Christians who were going to the opposite extreme to legalism maybe even taking Paul's teaching to extreme, and James was trying to combat this. Yes the verse you use may seem like it was written to sinners and in a way it was, how ever other verses and chapters does show it was written to believers. And how works exemplify that justification that Paul taught. Oh another little interesting nugget is the Martin Luther called the book of James the "epistle of straw" because he detested the book. Martin Luther taught an unbiblical form of saved by grace through faith. So was James written to sinners? Not entirely

HI Rocky,

No, not written to sinners "exclusively."

It was written to the Jewish people who had been scattered. And in the book there is a lot to say about those who are sinners.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Right, Its seems from what I gather these Jewish Christians where not perhaps living as they should. And even some of the Christians have actually completely backslid and gone back in to sin.
James 5:19-20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
I just wonder if they got into an early form of "once in grace always in grace" type of mentality. We know the gnostic Christians did, which is what John was addressing in his epistles.

[titus213]

I think Jewish Christians had a hard time of it in general . . . and if I try to put myself back in their sandals I can sense how hard it must have been to dump the legalism of Judaism for the Spirit-directed freedom of the new Way, together with the awkward reality of having to welcome Gentiles as equals in the Kingdom -- certainly Peter himself seems to have had a hard time adjusting (see Galatians).
At the other end of the spectrum, some of them may have abused their new-found liberty and gone off into an "anything goes now" mentality. Poor ol' James had his hands full!

[Rocky]

I think Jewish Christians had a hard time of it in general . . . and if I try to put myself back in their sandals I can sense how hard it must have been to dump the legalism of Judaism for the Spirit-directed freedom of the new Way, together with the awkward reality of having to welcome Gentiles as equals in the Kingdom -- certainly Peter himself seems to have had a hard time adjusting (see Galatians).
At the other end of the spectrum, some of them may have abused their new-found liberty and gone off into an "anything goes now" mentality. Poor ol' James had his hands full!

Good post

[branham1965]

HE WAS WRITING TO CHRISTIANS.EVERY COMMENTATOR WORTH A PLUGGED NICKEL SAYS SO.

REVED
James was talking to saved people.

Then who are the sinners mentioned in this verse Billy?

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Hi Leon I am not sure I follow you on the book of James being written to sinners exclusively. From what I have studied about this epistle it was written to Christians addressing antinomianism taking Paul's teaching to an extreme. I use to believe the book was addressing gnosticism like 1 John, but upon further study I realized it was written to Christians who were going to the opposite extreme to legalism maybe even taking Paul's teaching to extreme, and James was trying to combat this. Yes the verse you use may seem like it was written to sinners and in a way it was, how ever other verses and chapters does show it was written to believers. And how works exemplify that justification that Paul taught. Oh another little interesting nugget is the Martin Luther called the book of James the "epistle of straw" because he detested the book. Martin Luther taught an unbiblical form of saved by grace through faith. So was James written to sinners? Not entirely

HI Rocky,

No, not written to sinners "exclusively."

It was written to the Jewish people who had been scattered. And in the book there is a lot to say about those who are sinners.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

[Justaned]

1 Peter 3:8-12 (GW)
8 Finally, everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble.
9 Don't pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you, or ridicule those who ridicule you. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
10 “People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days must keep their tongues from saying evil things, and their lips from speaking deceitful things.
11 They must turn away from evil and do good. They must seek peace and pursue it.
12 The Lord's eyes are on those who do what he approves. His ears hear their prayer. The Lord confronts those who do evil.”

[Rocky]

1 Peter 3:8-12 (GW)
8 Finally, everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble.
9 Don't pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you, or ridicule those who ridicule you. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
10 “People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days must keep their tongues from saying evil things, and their lips from speaking deceitful things.
11 They must turn away from evil and do good. They must seek peace and pursue it.
12 The Lord's eyes are on those who do what he approves. His ears hear their prayer. The Lord confronts those who do evil.”

Ed I hope you are internalizing that scripture for your self as well.

[Rocky]

1 Peter 3:8-12 (GW)
8 Finally, everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble.
9 Don't pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you, or ridicule those who ridicule you. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
10 “People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days must keep their tongues from saying evil things, and their lips from speaking deceitful things.
11 They must turn away from evil and do good. They must seek peace and pursue it.
12 The Lord's eyes are on those who do what he approves. His ears hear their prayer. The Lord confronts those who do evil.”

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

[Justaned]

1 Peter 3:8-12 (GW)
8 Finally, everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble.
9 Don't pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you, or ridicule those who ridicule you. Instead, bless them, because you were called to inherit a blessing.
10 “People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days must keep their tongues from saying evil things, and their lips from speaking deceitful things.
11 They must turn away from evil and do good. They must seek peace and pursue it.
12 The Lord's eyes are on those who do what he approves. His ears hear their prayer. The Lord confronts those who do evil.”

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Good word my brother!!!!!!