James 4:8, NIV: Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8, ESV: Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
Full Answer
What does James 4 4 8 mean?
What Does James 4:8 Mean? Draw near to God and He will draw near to you Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Christians are eternally united to Christ by faith.
What is the Book of James about in Chapter 4?
The book of James is about what it means for a Christian to live a life of complete trust in God. Chapter 4 builds on the end of chapter 3, where James described the self-seeking wisdom of the world. Following this worldliness was the cause of fights among James's Christian readers.
What is the meaning of verse 8 in the Bible?
Pulpit Commentary Verse 8. - Draw nigh to God(ἐγγίσατε τῷΘεῷ). A phrase used of approach to God under the old covenant (see Exodus 19:22; Exodus 34:30; Leviticus 10:3). Equally necessary under the new covenant is it for those who draw near to God to have "clean hands and a pure heart" (Psalm 24:4).
What is the exhortation of Jam 4?
Jam 4:8. In contrast to the last exhortation and promise is the exhortation ἐγγίσατε τῷ Θεῷ, united in a similar manner with a promise. Whilst the devil is to be kept at a distance by resistance, we are to draw nigh to God. “ἐγγίζεινis not to be limited to prayer, but is to be understood generally of man’s turning to God” (Wiesinger).
What is the meaning of Draw near to God and He will draw near to you?
The phrase, “draw near,” means, very simply, to approach or get close to a thing. To draw near to God, means then, to get close to God. If you get close to God, James is saying, God Himself will come to be close to you. That seems a bit redundant at first.
What does it mean to Cast all your anxieties on him?
We can practice casting our anxieties on the Lord by stepping away from attempts to control our worries and leaning into the reassuring words of God. Once we do this, we can see that our anxiety is not a thing on which we should focus. Instead, we are called to give it up to God.
What does God mean when he says I will heal your land?
Our land is hurting and in deep need of God's divine healing. Appropriately, this admonition from God addresses the critical fact that the sin and wickedness in our life as a nation has direct — and disastrous — effects on our health as a nation and as a global community.
What's the meaning of double-minded?
wavering in mindDefinition of double-minded 1 : wavering in mind : undecided, vacillating a double-minded man unstable in all his ways — James 1:8 (Revised Standard Version)
How do I cast my worries to God?
How you too can cast your cares on the Lord…1 – Call on Him. As for me, I shall call upon God, And the LORD will save me. ... 2 – Trust Him. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. ... 3 – Give it to Him. Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ... 4 – Rest in Him.
How do I release my burdens?
Tips On Releasing BurdensTip 1 – Start your day in prayer. ... Tip 2 – Pick a scripture to stand on and allow it to be your mantra for the day. ... Tip 3 – Know when you have reached maximum output. ... Tip 4 – Reject the impulse to compete and measure your success against others. ... Tip 5 – Leave yourself room for processing.More items...•
How do you pray for healing of the land?
The passage is found in the book of 2 Chronicles. The verse reads, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV).
Why do we need to take care of our land a prayer for healing?
We all need air, water and food to live. The earth and its atmosphere give us all these. If we want fresh air and water in the future, we must take care of our land, the air around us and the water sources, by not polluting them and by preventing people who try to do so.
How do you bless a piece of land?
We ask God to bless them and the land that he has given us. That we care for it, work with it and praise him who gave us this earth as our common home. O Most High, all-powerful, good Lord God, to you belong praise, glory, honor and all blessing.
What is the crown of life?
The Crown of Life, also called the Martyr's Crown, is referred to in James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10; it is bestowed upon "those who persevere under trials." Jesus references this crown when he tells the Church in Smyrna to "not be afraid of what you are about to suffer...
What the Bible says about being two faced?
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
What does double tongued mean in the Bible?
deceitful or hypocritical in speech.
What does James say about separation from God?
Similarly, James reminds us that if we are separated from God as a result of sin, we are to draw close to Him, and He will draw near to us. Draw nigh to God, we are instructed, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded .
What is the meaning of the verse "Christians are eternally united to Christ"?
Christians are eternally united to Christ by faith. We become a child of God and are positioned in Christ at rebirth. At salvation, we receive the indwelling Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our eternal life and heavenly inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession - until we are raptured into His presence. ...
Is God faithful to forgive?
God is faithful and just to forgive His children their sins and to cleanse us once more, when we admit our faults. Although Christians are positioned in Christ and eternally united with Him, any post-salvation sins we commit will always break the precious communion we enjoy with the Lord.
What does James 4:8 mean?
James 4:8 (NLT) Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
What does the Bible say about coming near to God?
The Bible in Basic English. Chapter Parallel. James 4:8 (BBE) Come near to God and he will come near to you. Make your hands clean, you evil-doers; put away deceit from your hearts, you false in mind.
What does 4:1-10 mean?
4:1-10 Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Wordly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allow content or satisfaction. Sinful desires and affections stop prayer, and the working of our desires toward God.
What would happen if the favor of God were not obtained?
If the favor of God were not obtained but on this condition, none ever would obtain it . The passage is a strong injunction to holiness and singleness of heart: it does not say, however, that by these we obtain acceptance with God. Of his favor, holiness is the fruit, the effect, and not the cause.
What does Barnes say about God?
Barnes' Notes on the Bible. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you - Compare 2 Chronicles 15:2. This declaration contains a great and important principle in religion. If we wish the favor of God, we must come to him; nor can we hope for his mercy, unless we approach him and ask him for it.
Who had his eye on those who were vacillating in their purposes?
The apostle here seems to have had his eye on those who were vacillating in their purposes; whose hearts were not decidedly fixed, but who were halting between good and evil. The heart was not right in such persons. It was not settled and determined in favor of religion, but vibrated between that and the world.
What is the Bible's definition of "there must be a deeper work than that"?
There must be a deeper work than that; a work which shall reach to the heart, and which shall purify the affections. This agrees with all the requisitions of the Bible, and is in accordance with what must be the nature of religion. If the heart is wrong, nothing can be right.
What does the Bible say about purifying your hearts?
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. World English Bible. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Young's Literal Translation.
What does the Bible say about washing your hands?
Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. American Standard Version. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. Berean Study Bible. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
What does James' letter to Jews mean?
The book of James is about what it means for a Christian to live a life of complete trust in God. Chapter 4 builds on the end of chapter 3, where James described the self-seeking wisdom of the world.
What is the book of James about?
The book of James is about specifically understanding what saving faith looks like. How does faith in Christ reveal itself in a believer's life? What choices does real trust in God lead us to make? Those are the questions James answers. Most scholars believe the writer was Jesus' half-brother, a son born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus' birth. James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem. This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50. James addresses his letter to Jewish Christians scattered around the known world.
When did James come to believe Jesus was the Messiah?
James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem. This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50.