As I was preparing for our James Study this week, a verse popped out at me: "So whoever knows the right things to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." (James 4:17) The first four chapters of James are filled with exhortations towards holiness and rebukes towards worldly passions.A few examples:
Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds (1:2)
In faith, ask for wisdom (1:5-6)
Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger (1:19)
Be Doers of the Word, not just hearers (1:22)
Visit the orphans and widows (1:27)
Be unstained by the world (1:27)
Show no partiality/judgment (2:1)
Love your neighbor (2:8)
Produce good works as evidence of your faith (2:14-26)
Tame/bridle the tongue (3:1-12)
Do not be friends with the world (4:4)
Do not speak evil against one another (4:11)
Acknowledge the will of God (4:15)
In light of all of these, we have been talking about our responsibility as sisters in Christ to hold one another accountable in these areas. James 4:17 says once you know the truth, you are accountable to holding it otherwise you are in sin. So Yesterday as I was reading I came across Proverbs 27:5-6:
Better is an open rebukeCount it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds (1:2)
In faith, ask for wisdom (1:5-6)
Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger (1:19)
Be Doers of the Word, not just hearers (1:22)
Visit the orphans and widows (1:27)
Be unstained by the world (1:27)
Show no partiality/judgment (2:1)
Love your neighbor (2:8)
Produce good works as evidence of your faith (2:14-26)
Tame/bridle the tongue (3:1-12)
Do not be friends with the world (4:4)
Do not speak evil against one another (4:11)
Acknowledge the will of God (4:15)
In light of all of these, we have been talking about our responsibility as sisters in Christ to hold one another accountable in these areas. James 4:17 says once you know the truth, you are accountable to holding it otherwise you are in sin. So Yesterday as I was reading I came across Proverbs 27:5-6:
than hidden love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
A rebuke towards a friend will be faithful to bring out repentance. Hidden love (or ignoring the sins of a friend) will be as a kiss of the enemy. Better to cause a wound that leads to repentance, than a kiss the leads to death.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
profuse are the kisses of an enemy.
A rebuke towards a friend will be faithful to bring out repentance. Hidden love (or ignoring the sins of a friend) will be as a kiss of the enemy. Better to cause a wound that leads to repentance, than a kiss the leads to death.
My friends, if anyone among you wonders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wanderings will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20
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