one step: James 4.1

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

James 4:1

James writes to a church divided.* Caught in the middle of warring factions, he refuses to take sides, but seeks to get to the heart of the matter.*

We live in an extremely polarized society. The fight for things that we label “right” and those things that we label “wrong” comes with fiery language and impassioned hearts. If these fights do not translate directly into the church, the tactics and strategies of conflict often do.

Think about your community. Think about your church, your friend’s group, and your family. When was the last time you got into an argument? When James uses the word “quarrels,” he is referring to verbal sparring and criticism.* Do these words describe conflicts that you have been in? Do you walk away from these arguments closer together, or further apart?

The quarrels and fights that James refers to are not simple conflicts.* Conflicts and disagreements are a part of community life.* James is referring to divisive, militant arguments with troubling motivations and unwholesome practices.* Plagued by jealousy, selfish ambition, slander, anger, a willingness to depart from received teaching, and more, the church mirrors the corrupt surrounding culture.*

George Stulac suggests,

An important self-examining question for Christians in conflict is “What personal desire am I trying to protect or to gain?”

When we engage in conflicts with one another, there is something that drives us. There is a motivation that we must not too quickly assume is righteous. Each of us, as James suggests have passions at war inside of us. At times, we may align with truth, but our desire to see it come may be self-serving. At times, we may align with truth, but our weapons of warfare are carnal and injuring. At times, we may be completely wrong.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to ask Him to show you what you are trying to protect or gain through argument. Perhaps today God would have you adjust your style of conflict. Maybe today God wants you to allow Him to address the war inside of you before you engage in a war outside of you.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, p. 187). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 252–253). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 4:1). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 224–227). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 222–224). Zondervan Publishing House.
Martin, R. P. (1988). James (Vol. 48, pp. 144–145). Word, Incorporated.

one step: water break

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 john 1:9

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
James 5:16

The One Step Daily Devotional is intended to provide just one step each day for your journey with God. Every journey requires water breaks. Here is a water break for you.

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Why confess?

In a world that hides, twists, covers, invents, abandons, and sanitizes the truth, why would anyone confess?

Confession seems to be an unprofitable blow to one’s own advancement. Why do it?

When 1 John 1:9 uses the word confess, it’s a translation of the Greek word homologeō. This word means to say the same thing as another; to agree.* When we confess our sins to God, we are speaking the same thing as Him. We are choosing to agree with Him and His Word.

To refuse to or shrink away from confessing to God equates to refusing to agree with Him. Confessing a sin to God sounds like, “Lord, I come in agreement with you that what I did was sin. I agree with you that there is a better way, Your way.” This kind of confession leads to forgiveness and cleansing. To walk away from confession (or, to say something other than what God says about an act) is to walk away from forgiveness and cleansing of unrighteousness.

Sometimes we attempt to hide things from God, so when we confess, we think that we are surprising Him with something that could catch Him off guard. This is not the case. He knows. He’s waiting for us to come into alignment with Him.

That’s a pretty good reason to confess to God. But, is that enough?

James 5:16 is pretty clear that confessing to others brings healing. Healing is super important, but what does James mean? Does God intend for us to speak the same as others? I don’t think it takes much convincing that always speaking the same as others is not a good idea, nor does it bring healing.

In James 5:16, James uses the word exomologeō which we translate confess. This word derives from homologeō, but it includes a prefix èk. This prefix means of, from, or out.* Meaning, when we confess something to someone else, we are coming into agreement with God and His Word and getting it out to someone else.

How many times have you confessed something to someone and just felt so much better? Maybe you confessed something that was done wrongly to you. For healing to come, you had to get that out in the open. Maybe you confessed something that you did wrong and felt a weight release?

God desires to forgive all and for all to be healed. Confession to God brings forgiveness; confession to others brings healing.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to come into alignment with Him and speak the same thing as Him about something in your past or in your life. Perhaps today God wants you to find a trusted friend to confess that to. Maybe you have been the victim of someone else’s sin, and God would have you confess that to someone safe for healing.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a water break… we all get thirsty.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*"G3670 - homologeō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (nasb95)." Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 26 Jul, 2024. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3670/nasb95/mgnt/0-1/.
"G1843 - exomologeō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (nasb95)." Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 26 Jul, 2024. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1843/nasb95/mgnt/0-1/

one step: James 3.8

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3:18

If we aren’t careful, we can believe that God is speaking to us through James in generalities and etherial truths. The words in James 3:18 can seem like a general proverb - a rule for living. Though the words of James do qualify as proverbial, there is more to the story of his words.

James was known as a mediator and peacemaker amongst the vying factions of Jerusalem around 70 AD.* The good goal of pious Jews was to see God’s Kingdom established on earth.* Both Quietists and Zealots longed to see the redemption of Jerusalem and the salvation of Israel.* If their freedom strategies were placed on a spectrum, the Quietists sat of the opposite end of Zealots, with passivity and militarism characterizing each respectively.*

The words of James served as timely and necessary reminders of the words of Jesus that pronounced blessing over peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).* This pronouncement echoes throughout eternity as a part of the written Word of God. For us today, the words are life.

In our world today, strife and opposing strategies surround every problem. Even in the church, we struggle with one another with how to approach the things of God and how to apply them to life. Some want to fight for the good, bringing light to the darkness, while others want to sit quietly on a hill, holding their lights, hoping all will look and see.

According to New Testament scholar Ralph Martin, James, equally patriotic and pietist, argues that,

only in peace could righteousness be promoted (1:20), since in God’s kingdom the only law that is recognized is that of love (2:8–13; 4:11–12) and the noblest of goals can effectively be attained by methods that are consonant with that royal law.

In other words, peace is the pathway of righteousness. As Ephesians 2:15, Ephesians 4:3, 2 Timothy 2:22, and 1 Peter 3:11 collectively testify, a righteous community grows only in a context of healthy relationships where peace is highly valued.* This peace is a wholeness characterized by an embracing of prosperity, contentment, and security.*

God desires us to realize that the opposite of disorder and division in the body of Christ isn’t just a morally neutral order like that which the world may attempt to offer.* The opposite of disorder and division is a morally significant and weighty peace that we must all long for as it serves as the context in which righteousness can flourish.*

When we want something different than what this world can offer (namely, a peace that produces righteousness), we must go about it another way; we must go about it God’s way.

19th Century poet Horatio Bonar pens,

The kingdom that I seek

Is Thine so let the way

That leads to it be Thine

James doesn’t just write good ideas, he writes to us as a conduit of the Spirit of God. God’s Word is for today. Want to know how to live righteously? Look to God’s word and walk in peace.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to be a person of peace. Perhaps today, in our chaotic and polarized world, God would have you expand His Kingdom His way. Maybe today God wants you to sow righteousness as a response to the righteousness given to you by the work of Christ. Perhaps today God wants you to receive His peace and righteousness in the middle of your chaos.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, p. 177). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 251). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 3:13–18). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 222–224). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 209–210). Zondervan Publishing House.
Martin, R. P. (1988). James (Vol. 48, pp. 135–138). Word, Incorporated.

one step: James 3.7

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

James 3:17

If we are to reject the “wisdom” of this world, what does the wisdom from God look like? James is pretty direct in sharing the attributes of Godly (true) wisdom with us, but do we recognize these words when we see them in real life? Do we know how to live them out? Here are some definitions that will help us to recognize Godly wisdom in ourselves and others. Godly wisdom…

first pure - there must be nothing mixed with the wisdom of God.* It must solely be wisdom from Him. As such, it must be completely removed from moral and spiritual corruption.* With purity as a prerequisite, Godly wisdom places the holiness of God on display.* Like false wisdom, true wisdom is revealed by its results.*

then peaceable - also translated well from the Greek as peace-loving. This peace implies a multi-directional harmony between God and others and nature.* In the context of James 3, the focus is on human-to-human harmony, but the other aspects should not be disregarded.*

gentle - this describes a person who, though wronged, holds the right to enact justice but chooses not to.* It may also be translated as considerate or lenient.

open to reason - exhibits a willingness to submit.* The original Greek term communicates the willingness of a soldier to comply to their commander.* It could translate as compliant or accomodating.

full of mercy and good fruits - characterized consistently by compassion or kindness toward someone who has a need.* Jesus frequently used mercy as an indicator of a Godly person.* Acts of mercy are those fruits that genuine wisdom, like genuine faith, must produce.*

impartial and sincere - provides a picture of being undivided and avoiding the kind of hypocrisy that plays a part for the perception of others.* These words describing Godly wisdom communicate the opposite of double-mindedness and hypocrisy.*

These descriptors of the makings of Godly wisdom paint a desirable picture of human living! As Douglas Moo shares:

The person characterized by wisdom from heaven will be stable, trustworthy, transparent—the kind of person consistently displaying the virtues of wisdom and on whom one can rely for advice and counsel.

Amazing! That’s the kind of person that I want to be.

How do we get there? How do we have and exhibit this Godly wisdom?

Truly, none of these things come naturally; indeed, we must rely upon God to work in us for these good attributes. Like the fruits of the Spirit which Paul later pens (Galatians 5:22-23), we need to receive these as attributes that emanate from the Holy Spirit.*

Who can make themself pure? Who can make themself peaceable? Who can make themself gentle? Who can make themself open to reason? Who can be full of mercy and good fruits? Who can be impartial and sincere? We may pretend to embody these things for a time, but how long can we pretend? By pretending, we do not live in Godly wisdom at all.

Want wisdom? The only way to get it is to ask God for it (James 1:5).

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to allow Him to give you His wisdom. Perhaps today He wants you to ask for it. Maybe today God would invite you to stop pretending. Perhaps today God would welcome you to walk in purity. Maybe today God wants you to let Him give you each of the attributes of wisdom, one step at a time.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, pp. 175–176). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 250–251). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 3:13–18). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 219–222). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 208–209). Zondervan Publishing House.

one step: James 3.6

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

James 3:15

Selfish ambition and jealously often appear to end well. Those who bathe themselves in their “wisdom” seem to find financial success and dreams come true. Businessmen and women grasp for position and power as do politicians and parents in volunteer groups. Embracing the wisdom that James describes is not the wisdom that comes from above, as James notes, but it is also far more sinister.

James offers a progression of descriptors of this faulty wisdom that increase in severity.* Here they are in order:

1. earthly - wisdom that is earthly shuts out God and limits its scope to things on this earth.* It’s a fatal limitation to temporal realities. This wisdom then is inferior to heavenly freedom.*

2. unspiritual - having nothing to do with the Spirit.* It can refer to the soul of a person, dead without God, unable to respond properly to God.*

3. demonic - literally, of the devil.* The usage of the word implies that the demonic serves as the deadly source of the “wisdom” that comes from selfish ambition and bitter jealousy.*

Embracing bitter jealousy and selfish ambition isn’t just mean or lack kindness. It cannot be excused in words such as, “just doing business,” or, “it’s nothing personal.” Bitter jealousy and selfish ambition don’t simply emerge from our soul. It comes from somewhere.

As earthly beings, we have a limited scope. Temporal realities steal us away from the perspective of heaven almost daily. Apart from the Spirit, we cannot respond properly to God. But more than this, when we embrace bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, we open the door to things initiated by the devil. By embracing the wisdom of this world, we partner with darkness, operating with a fuel derived from the bowls of death.

Too dramatic? Scripture speaks often of spiritual warfare, and we are not immune. The choices we make, either giving into our flesh or embracing the spirit, will empower the Kingdom of Heaven or the kingdom of darkness. This is serious stuff.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to ask the Lord to remove any bitterness, jealousy, selfishness, or ambition from your heart. Perhaps today God wants you to receive His healing in your heart to enable that work. Maybe today God wants you to rejoice over the part you get to play in His Kingdom coming. Perhaps today God’s wisdom is waiting for you to ask for it.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, pp. 173–174). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 250). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 3:13–18). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 217–218). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 207–208). Zondervan Publishing House.