Review of the Introduction to The Epistle of James Author: God Writer: James (brother of Jesus) Time Period: ~45-50 A.D. Written To: Believing Jews scattered

Review of theIntroduction to The Epistle of James

Author: GodWriter: James (brother of Jesus)Time Period: ~45-50 A.D.Written To: Believing Jews scattered from Jerusalem because of persecution.

Review of theIntroduction to The Epistle of James

James deals with one topic which he addresses through four evidences.1. True Spirituality:

a. Faith in action.b. Self-Control.c. Unselfish, Generous, Impartial,

Patient.d. Submits to God through Prayer.

James teaches what True Spirituality means, and also teaches the mechanics needed in order to be “Truly Spiritual.”

Review of pistewV

pistewVfaith

pistewV is a feminine noun which means, “complete dependency.”

It identifies a relationship between two or more objects or persons in which one of the objects or persons is completely dependent upon the other for some thing or action. i.e.: Sitting in a chair.

Review of swfoV

swfoVwisdom

The Koine Greek word used by James which the English translators have translated as “wisdom” in verse 5 literally means, “understanding how to apply knowledge to circumstance.”

Review of Verses 6 & 7

6. But he must ask in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

7. For that man should not expect that he will receive anything from the Lord

Through verses 6 and 7 we learn that the believer who asks for an understanding of how to apply knowledge to circumstance from God without placing a complete dependency upon God should not expect to receive it from God because he is not operating in faith.

Review of Verse 6

6. But he must ask in faith, without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

The phrase, “without any doubting” refers to someone who is not evaluating data and attempting to make judgment based upon the data.

Review of Verse 7

7. For that man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord

The one who evaluates data and attempts to make judgments based upon it is compared to the surf of the sea, being controlled by external forces.

This is the man whom James calls “double minded.”

Sidenote 1: The Anatomy of Humanity According to Scripture

Genesis 1:26-27:“Then God [Elohim] said, ‘Let Us make

man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”


Genesis 1:26-27:“Then God [Elohim] said, ‘Let Us

make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule…”

Humanity as the image and likeness of Elohim includes being a spiritual being, possessing volition (free will), and being granted governorship over creation.


Genesis 2:7:“Then the LORD God formed man of

dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

From this verse we learn there are three parts which comprise the whole of man.


Genesis 2:7:“Then the LORD God formed man of dust

from the ground, “

This is a reference to the physical bodily creation of humanity. That is, the creation of the body which houses the human, and is also simultaneously a part of the human. The Physical Body comprises part 1 of the anatomy of humanity.


Genesis 2:7:“Then the LORD God…breathed into

his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

The phrase “breath of life” is literally “breath of lives” in the Hebrew text.


Genesis 2:7:“Then the LORD God…breathed into

his nostrils the breath of lives;”There are two formats of life which God gives to man.

1. Soul life.2. Spirit life.

Soul life and Spirit life comprise parts 2 and 3 of the anatomy of humanity.


Genesis 2:7:“Then the LORD God formed man

from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives; and man became a living being.

Notice that when the three parts come together that man “became a living being.”

This is called the trichotomy of humanity.


The Doctrine of the Trichotomy of Humanity:Humanity is comprised of three parts

which are the physical body, the soul life format, and the spirit life format.

Anatomy of Humanity:1. Physical Body2. Soul Life Format3. Spirit Life Format

This is at least, how humanity was created originally by God.


Genesis 2:15-17:“Then the LORD God took the man and

put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.

The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;

But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’”


Genesis 2:17:“’…for in the day that you eat from it

you will surely die.’”

The phrase, “you will surely die” from verse 17 is in the original languages literally, “dying you shall die.”


The phrase, “dying you shall die” identifies two types of death:

1. Instantaneous Death.2. Future Death.

The tense use of the original Hebrew indicates an immediate, instant death, which precedes a future death.



dying (instantaneously) you will die (in the future).’”

What then, dies instantly, and what then, dies in the future?


Genesis 2:17:“’…for in the day that you eat from it dying

(instantaneously) you will die (in the future).’”


The instant death relates to the Spirit Life Format. This means that spiritual death was the instant result of Adam’s eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Sidenote 1.1: Spirit Life Format

The term “Spirit Life Format” refers to the spiritual essence of man. The human spirit is that which relates to spiritual phenomena. It is what humans must have in order to perceive, understand and interact with things pertaining to the spiritual world.Scripture identifies unbelievers as not able to understand the spiritual things of God because they lack a spirit.

Sidenote 1.1: Spirit Life Format

1 Corinthians 2:14:“But a natural* man does not accept the

things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

* “Natural” here is literally, “soulful” from Greek “ .yucikoV ” It is a reference to the man who lacks a spirit and therefore is only able to relate to things of the Soul Life Format.

Sidenote 1.2: Soul Life Format

The term “Soul Life Format” refers to the soulful essence of man. The human soul is that which relates to soulful phenomena. It is what humans must have in order to perceive, understand and interact with things pertaining to the soulful world.Scripture identifies unbelievers as soulful because they lack a human spirit and are only able to understand soulful things.

Sidenote 1.2: Soul Life Format

Within the Soul Life Format, mankind finds all things which relate to humanity.

PersonalityEmotionVolitionConscienceMorality

These are all found in the Soul Life Format. A person does not need a spirit in order to have these things.



dying (instantaneously) you will die (in the future).’”


The instant death relates to the Spirit Life Format. The future coming death relates to the Soul Life Format.


Therefore, as a result of the fall of humanity and the death of the Spirit Life Format in Adam and Eve, the genetic makeup of humanity became dichotomous (made of two parts):

Dichotomous Humanity:1. Physical Body2. Soul Life Format3. Spirit Life Format

Man is then in need of the rebirthing of the Spirit Life Format (cf. John 3).

Trials & Tribulation (Part 7)

anhr diyucoVman double minded

James uses the phrase anhr diyucoV(pronounced, “ah-naer dip-soo-kos”) to identify the type of man he is talking about.

Remember this is a reference to the believer who lacks wisdom and asks for wisdom from God, but attempts to find wisdom on his own.



Anhr (pronounced, “ah-naer”) is a masculine noun meaning “man” in the sense of mankind or humanity.

Because of this, the reference includes both male and female believers. “Human” would be the proper literal rendering of anhr.



anhr is modified by the masculine adjective diyucoV (prounounced, “dip-soo-kos”) which literally means, “two-souled.”

It is comprised of -di referring to “two,” and yuch, meaning “soul.”



James is therefore identifying a human which is “two-souled.” This is an idiom which identifies that a trichotomous human (being a believer) is using the Soul Life Format to evaluate and understand things which are spiritual.

In other words, the believer is operating from human viewpoint, rather than from divine viewpoint.

Sidenote 2: Human Viewpoint vs. Divine Viewpoint

Human Viewpoint (Sight-based):A process of thought or manner of

thinking which is based on data perceived and developed by the human senses within the realms of this human world system.

Divine Viewpoint (Faith-based):A process of thought or manner of

thinking which is based upon dependence upon Spiritual Truth Doctrines of God’s World System.

Sidenote 2: Human Viewpoint vs. Divine Viewpoint

In the Story of David & Goliath

Human Viewpoint Divine Viewpoint“You cannot” (1 Sam. 17:33) “The LORD Can”(1 Sam. 17:37)

“Wear this” (1 Sam. 17:38) “I Cannot” (1 Sam. 17:39)

“With Sticks?” (1 Sam. 17:43) “With God!” (1 Sam. 17:45)

What would a two-souled David have looked like?



James says a believer who is not operating in faith is two-souled. That is, he is trying to understand spiritual things from a human viewpoint.

Because of this he is identified as restless.


akatastatoVunstable

The adjective akatastatoV (pronounced, “ah-kah-tahs-tah-tos”) references someone who is unable to rest in a settled position.The believer attempting to understand spiritual phenomena from a human viewpoint perspective will be restless in his search.


en pasaiV taiV odoiV autouin all the ways of him

The remainder of verse 8 identifies that the two souled believer will be restless in the variety of paths he takes.

A restful life is one which is faith based, dependent upon divine viewpoint through one’s dependency upon God to lead.


Evidence 1 of True Spirituality is Faith in Action.

When believers depend upon God to lead, they are led.

This is what it means to be truly spiritual:To follow the leading of God through

complete dependency upon Him to lead allowing Divine Viewpoint Perspective to keep you settled in your dependency.

Documents

Review of the Introduction to The Epistle of James Author: God Writer: James (brother of Jesus) Time Period: ~45-50 A.D. Written To: Believing Jews scattered