As I was contemplating my next study, James was one book I kept coming back to… or being recommended.
I saw it referenced many places; and when I turned to it in my Bible, I noticed a note I’d written… sometime in the past 15 years:
Yep, I think I need this- {over and over again!} 🙂
I have no idea how often I will post, but if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, I will post any Journaling I do there first.
I was searching online for any ideas on studying James and came across Bible Study that seemed to delve into it quite deeply.* And the group leader recommended referencing Psalm 15 as a “primer” to studying James.
This intrigued me, so I am beginning with an overview from my own personal thoughts… after reading the first chapter of James and then reading Psalm 15.
Keep in mind, my premise behind this study is learning about growing in Spiritual Maturity… as a believer.
In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle and God’s Holy Hill were very specific places that the Israelites held as His Dwelling and places for their worship.
Today, as a believer, my person is now the dwelling of God, in the form of His Spirit:
[What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19]
Did you ever do something wrong and felt a twinge? Did it make you “uncomfortable in your own skin”-as the saying goes?
In contemplating these thoughts… I believe that in order to dwell peaceably with my own self {and His Spirit which dwells within}, I must take heed to the answer given in the following verses…
With prayer, I believe these thoughts will give us a launching point into studying about
Spiritual Maturity!
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And a free download at the end…
In my last post, I alluded to a relationship between Psalm 15 and the book of James…
Verse 1 of Psalm 15 asks a very interesting question: Lord, who shall abide in they tabernacle…?
We begin to see the answer with verse 2: He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
I like to break sentences apart and examine individual phrases (did I ever mention I was an English major in college?) as well as define words to their most basic meaning in order to understand.
So this verse tells me that if I am to dwell in God’s Holy Hill (His tabernacle, now ME)…
to walk means to go the way of, a manner of life, traverse.
uprightly means whole & entire, sound or perfect, in accord {agreement} with truth and fact, with integrity, wholesome and innocent.
work means to make or commit or do.
righteousness is justness of law; what is right; proper weights & measures [balance]; ethically right.
truth is the state of being true, something accurate based on reality {in this instance, I would suggest that Scripture is our only truth… feelings and emotions will lead us astray every time. We must line up with Scripture}
in my heart… my own heart. I must not try to deceive myself. I must be so in-tune with Scripture that I recognize a lie, whether I try to tell it to myself or another is trying to sway me.
Is my manner of life whole and full of integrity?
Do I walk in agreement with the Truth of Scripture?
Do my works commit justice of law? Are they ethical?
Are my deeds properly weighted or balanced?
Is my mind and heart so saturated with hearing and learning and mediating on truths from Scripture that I recognize a lie when the deceiver brings one to me?
Because, as Jeremiah writes in chapter 17: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
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The last post broke down verse 2… in answering the question from verse 1: LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
If you missed it, there were some weighty questions I asked myself at the end.
3~He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4~In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5~He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
I would like to just say up front, these are not easy or very comfortable points to talk about…
Becoming a mature Christian is not an easy path, but God does have a few promises that I would like to point out before I continue:
Paul often ended his letters with:
from Peter:
and a few promises from the OT that apply:
Our God WILL be with us; He will strengthen us; and He will fill us with His grace… as we meditate on His Word and place our hope in HIM.
…and these are only a bare scratching of the surface of the promises of God’s help for us when we trust in Him and study and apply His Words.
Psalm 139:9,10
We will delve into the actual verses in the next post…
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Last post I tried to prepare myself for the difficulty of what these next verses mean… There is a reason there are so many promises for God’s strength and grace for us in Scripture. 🙂
in answering the question from verse 1: LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
3~He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
4~In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
5~He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
So these verses continue with how am able to dwell in God’s Holy Hill (His tabernacle, now ME)…
I must NOT:
slander or spy out against
be disagreeable, vicious, unkind or unethical towards ALL MEN [“who is my neighbour?” ~Luke 10:27-37]
taunt or scorn or disgrace–my neighbor [anyone].
{{Is this convicting anyone else?}}
still NOT:
to be honest, this sounds as though we are not to make investments… and I cannot say that it is not saying that, though I doubt it; but I do know positively that in the OT, God warns us against lending money to a friend and charging a usury [interest fee] but encourages rather that we GIVE graciously to a friend in need… and only expect back the exact of what we lent [if anything].
a reward against would be a bribe… against the innocent. Do not let yourself be bought. If you have a price, someone will ‘buy you.’
They will buy your silence “if you want to keep your job” … buy your loyalty “if you want the connections”…, etc. We must stand for right and NOT “have a price.”
{{ouch… seriously, is anyone else even still reading this?}}
and a few things we MUST DO:
This one is hard, difficult… our eyes must find vileness contemptible. And not just that, but the person becomes loathsome to us. I think, this is difficult because as a society, we are so “into God’s Grace” and often tend to ignore His Justice.
BUT this is NOT a license to treat people with disdain or to think of ourselves a better person. We ALL have the capacity to become a vile person. If you feel differently about yourself, I would send you to Jeremiah in chapter 17: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
This IS having discernment. We must not allow ourselves to become calloused to recognizing wickedness. And we must recognize when a person is habitually vile. And we must realize that these people should not be our regular companions… [Psalm 1]
We must give honor to, make weighty or heavy [the testimony of] people who fear the Lord… and prove it with their actions. These people deserve our respect and, to an extent, our emulation [1 Corinthiasn 11:1]… as they continue following Christ. [Many Proverbs, 1 Corinthians 11:1…]
We must keep our promises, even when it causes discomfort to ourselves… and not let it change who we are. This is difficult. This is one reason I try to give great thought to anything even remotely like a “promise.” We are bound by our word, whether we actually carry it through or not. God knows.
As I mentioned before: Becoming a mature Christian is not an easy path, but God does promise to help us.
Please share your thoughts on these verses in the comments! I enjoy different perspectives.
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