James 4:6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ” God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
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9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
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12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
James 4:6-12 ESV
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Imperative Principles for “More Grace”
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1. Surrender Control
“Submit yourselves therefore to God”
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2. Resist Evil
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”
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3. Restore Relationship
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
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4. _Remove_ sinful actions
“Cleanse your hands, you sinners”
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5. _Reject_ sinful attitudes
“and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
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6. _React_ to sin with sorrow and sadness
“Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”
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7. _Respond_ humbly
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
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- Humility is a _fruit_ of the spirit, therefore it is not generated by human effort or manufactured by human emotions.
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- True humility blossoms in the heart of someone who is submitted to God, walking in the spirit and growing in grace while maturing in faith.
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8. Refuse to slander others.
“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.”
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“devil” is the Greek word “diabolos” which translates “slander”
1 Timothy 3:11, Titus 2:3
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Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
Psalm 101:5
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Let no corrupting talk come out of you mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29