What are we doing on this earth? How is it that we have the great beauty of creation around us and yet some suffer? God has given himself to us as an example, He came and walked among us in Jesus Christ. Even so, many still refuse to recognize the way God intends for us to live. Not oppressed or oppressing, not sick and suffering, but living together in love. He has left us, believers in Christ, in 1 Peter 2:9–10 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”
You Have Lived Self-indulgently on the Earth
James 5:1–6
God created the earth to produce fruit from our labor, and it does. It produces abundantly. So why is there any lack? Well, we certainly can excuse sickness and disease that is the result of the fallen nature of the world, but not all disease because some are brought on directly by our own bad actions. We could prevent it if we would. And that is exactly the other problem, the other reason for lack by some is that others have in
James 5:5–6 You have lived self-indulgently on the earth and have lived luxuriously. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous person; he does not resist you.
What does he mean, “you have condemned, you have murdered the righteous person”? It is unfair labor practice in
James 5:4 Behold, the wages that were held back by you from the workers who reap your fields cry out, and the cries of the reapers have come to the ears of the Lord of hosts.
It isn’t labor unions that will right the scales, they will always fight the losing battle until the day of the Lord and the message to the oppressor is clear in
James 5:1 Come now, you rich people, weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming upon you!
There are those that may enjoy self-indulgent living for a time in this life, but that is fleeting and they can’t take it with them into eternity. Instead, they have stored up for themselves the cost of eternal misery.
Be Patient Until the Coming of the Lord
The Prayer of Faith Will Save the Sick
James 5:13–20
We sometimes think that the Christian life is all blessing, and yet we live in this fallen world where in
Ephesians 6:12 because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
so James says these things in James 5:13-16:
- Is anyone among you suffering misfortune? He should pray.
The Lord is the one that can answer us and show us the way for our life.Psalm 120:1 In my distress I called to Yahweh, and he answered me.
Psalm 55:16 As for me, I will call to God, and Yahweh will save me.
Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
- Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praise.
It is right for us to testify of the goodness of God when we overcome or any time we experience times of joy in our lives.Psalm 101:1 I will sing of loyal love and justice; I will sing praises to you, O Yahweh.
Psalm 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in you. I will sing the praise of your name, O Most High.
Hebrews 13:15 Therefore through him let us offer up a sacrifice of praise ⌊continually⌋ to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
- Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the elders of the church and they should pray over him, anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.
Sometimes sickness is the result of sin, and when it is, we can be forgiven and healed. But sometimes sickness just comes and even then, we can be healed as Jesus said inJohn 9:3 Jesus replied, “Neither this man sinned nor his parents, but it happened* so that the works of God could be revealed in him
Any time someone turns to God, we have a victory over sin and death as he says in
James 5:20 he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that person’s soul from death, and will cover over a great number of sins.
His Great Mercy Has Caused Us to be Born Again
1 Peter 1:1–12
The One Who Called You is Holy
You Yourselves, as Living Stones, are Being Built Up
1 Peter 2:1–12
There is a purpose for us being here, a purpose for us living in this fallen world. We are witnesses to the goodness of God as he says in
1 Peter 2:5 And you yourselves, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
God is making us, those that accept Jesus Christ, in
1 Peter 2:9–10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, 10 who once were not a people, but now are the people of God, the ones who were not shown mercy, but now are shown mercy.
We have a new relationship with God, we know His character, we know His mercy and love and it is for us to show the world what righteousness and holiness looks like as it says in
1 Peter 2:12 maintaining your good conduct among the Gentiles, so that in the things in which they slander you as evildoers, by seeing your good deeds they may glorify God on the day of visitation.
Study Verses
- James 5:1–6 You Have Lived Self-indulgently on the Earth
- James 5:13–20 The Prayer of Faith Will Save the Sick
- 1 Peter 2:1–12 You Yourselves, as Living Stones, are Being Built Up
Today’s Reading
- James 5:1-20
- 1 Peter 1:1-25
- 1 Peter 2:1-12