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James 1:19 and the Other Verses of James 1

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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”

Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively.  Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior.  Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This webpage could be periodically updated.  If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated.  Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.  

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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.  

When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:  

“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  

It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:  

“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”

It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:  

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”

A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned.  In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher.  Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:  

If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship:  whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living.  As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.

Note:  Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites.  Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM].  The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges.  The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity.  The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness.  In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human.  When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god.  Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.  

The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind.  In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:  

Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession.  Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram.  Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:  

Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:  

Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.  Also, it is still much more evident:  that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life.  Indeed, it is attested:  “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”

Note:  The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah.  Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body.  The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.  

Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest.  In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family.  Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:  

However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE.  You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Note:  Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people.  In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people.  The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23.  In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.  

Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Put succinctly:  itʼs the message rather than the messenger.  In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:  

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that.  I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book.  Worship God.”

*Note:  The word says is in the Greek historical present tense.  By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.  

Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated.  That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:  

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews.  Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.  Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.

Note:  The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”  

Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  While it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur on a day other than the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah.  Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah, one can be prepared for that day because of already being in the habit of being prepared.  Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life.  Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.  

Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:  

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.  Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52

Behold, I tell you a mystery:  we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation.  The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation.  1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic.  In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.  

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day.  We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober.  Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.  However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.  Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

Note:  In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent.  In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context.  Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!”  In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness.  The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture.  In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation.  Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

The verse of the day for May 25th is James 1:19.  The book James is also known as “The Epistle of James” and “The Letter of James.”  James is a half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ and a brother of Jude, who is another half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Epistle of James was addressed to Israelites who were believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  Those Israelite believers were dispersed abroad from the Promised Land.  The Promised Land is the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelites.  At the time the Israelites entered it, the land was inhabited by Canaanites.  In that regard, that land can also be referred to as the land of Canaan.  

God the Fatherʼs promise of land to Abraham is part of God the Fatherʼs promises to Abraham.  Also, the content of Genesis 12:3 involves some of God the Fatherʼs promises to Abraham.  God the Fatherʼs promises to Abraham are called the Abrahamic Covenant.  The Abrahamic Covenant is for Abraham, Abrahamʼs son Isaac, Abrahamʼs grandson Jacob, and the people descended from Jacob.  Jacob was renamed Israel.  In that regard, the people descended from Jacob can be referred to as Israelites.  Regarding Genesis 12:3, below is content related to Genesis 12:1–3.  

Genesis 12:1

Now Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One says to Abram, “Go away from your country and from your relatives and from your fatherʼs house to the land which I show you, 

Note:  At the time described in Genesis 12:1, Abraham was still named Abram.  In this verse, the uses of a present tense in the phrase says to Abram and the phrase which I show you are references to what has occurred in the past.  Such uses of a present tense have a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the past can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine past events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.  

Genesis 12:2

and I make you a great nation, and I bless you, and make your name great, and you be a blessing, 

Note:  The uses of a present tense in the verbs of this verse are references to the future.  

Genesis 12:3

and I bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I curse, and in you all the families of the earth have been blessed.”

Note:  The use of the perfect tense in the phrase have been blessed is a reference to the future.  Such a use of the perfect tense has a rhetorical effect.  In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future?  Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.  In that regard, the phrase in you all the families of the earth have been blessed indicated that it was 100% certain that the Savior would be descended from Abraham and that people of all racial groups would believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  

In Genesis 12:3, the phrase I bless those who bless you indicates that those who are kind to Israelites will experience blessing.  Being kind to Israelites can be referred to as being pro-Semitic.  Unspecified in this verse is in what way or ways the blessing will occur.  Also, such blessing can apply to individuals or groups of people.  In that regard, if kindness towards Israelites is widespread in a region, then that region will experience blessing.  

In Genesis 12:3, the phrase the one who curses you I curse indicates that those who are hostile towards any Israelites will experience cursing.  Hostility towards Israelites can be referred to as being anti-Semitic.  Unspecified in this verse is how soon the cursing occurs after hostility is directed towards any Israelites.  Also, such cursing can apply to individuals or groups of people.  In that regard, if hostility directed towards any Israelites is widespread in a region, then that region will experience cursing.  

The Abrahamic Covenant also involves promises related to land for Israelites.  Those promises will be completely fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth on the occasion of the Second Advent.  Below is a list of topics and related verses involving the land for Israelites.  

The land promise to Abraham when he was still named Abram is in Genesis 13:14–16.  

The dimensions of the land promise are referenced in Genesis 15:18–21.  

The confirmation of the promise to Isaac is in Genesis 26:3–4.  

The confirmation of the promise to Jacob and the Israelites is in Genesis 35:12.  

The fact that the promise of land was given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Israelites was communicated to Moses, and Moses communicated that fact to the Israelites whom he led in the Exodus out of Egypt.  That topic is covered in Exodus 6:2–9.  

Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to James 1.  

James 1:1

James [or Jacob], a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are in the Dispersion:  Greetings.

Note:  The phrase the twelve tribes who are in the Dispersion refers to Israelites who are dispersed abroad from the Promised Land.  

James 1:2

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials/temptations, 

Note:  The word brethren indicates that Jamesʼs message is directed to people who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior.  

James 1:3

knowing that the testing of your doctrine/faith produces endurance/steadfastness.

James 1:4

Moreover, let endurance/steadfastness have mature production / act / deed / doing / labor / work / whatever with which one is occupied / whatever one undertakes to do / thing done so that you may be mature and complete/intact/undamaged, lacking in nothing.

Note:  In James 1:4, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word that is translated as “production / act / deed / doing / labor / work / whatever with which one is occupied / whatever one undertakes to do / thing done” is ἔργον [pronounced EHR-gahn and transliterated as ergon].  That word is an inflected form of the root word ἔργον [pronounced EHR-gahn and transliterated as ergon].  In the context of James 1:4, rather than referring to attention-getting activities, ergon refers to whatever one does.  

In order for a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to do in a mature manner whatever that believer does, that believer must be in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  Once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

When a believer is in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, whatever that believer does is known as divine good.  In that regard, when the believer is in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, the results of whatever that believer does are known as divine-good production.  In contrast to divine good is human good.  The term human good refers to the seemingly good works done by believers who are out of fellowship with the Trinity and the seemingly good works done by unbelievers.  Human good is a cheap, phoney substitute for divine good.  

When a believer gets out of fellowship with the Trinity, the soul of that believer could be damaged by false ideas.  In that regard, a believer needs to keep on learning and obeying the Word of God so that the believer can have a soul that is filled with the Word of God instead of a soul that is damaged by false ideas.  Regarding learning and obeying the Word of God, a believer should be steadfast in doing so.  

James 1:5

However, if any of you lacks wisdom—and you do indeed lack wisdom—let him keep on asking of God, Who gives to all generously and does not reproach, and it will be given to him.

Note:  The content of James 1:5 indicates that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ should pray to God the Father for wisdom.  The mechanics of praying to God the Father are specified elsewhere in the Bible.  Below are some details regarding the mechanics of prayer.  

A good way to start a prayer is as follows:  “Dear Heavenly Father.”  

Listed below are four steps for praying.  

(1) Confession:  One must be in fellowship with the Trinity when praying to God the Father.  Once a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged all known unconfessed post-salvation sins—confessing only one time for each sin—fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

(2) Thanksgiving:  One should thank God the Father for His graciousness.  Thanking Him for sending the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged on the cross for oneʼs sins and the sins of humanity is a good example of thanksgiving.  

(3) Intercession:  One can pray to God the Father on behalf of others.  

(4) Petition:  One can pray to God the Father on behalf of oneself.  

There are no verses in the Bible that list that sequence for praying; nonetheless, it makes sense to make sure that one is in fellowship with God the Father before proceeding with any further communication, to then express appreciation to Him before making any requests, and to treat others as more important than oneself by making requests for them before making requests for oneself.  Sometimes, there is obviously only sufficient time for a short prayer without all of the steps.  In such a case, step 1 is still a necessary step because if one has committed known post-salvation sins for which one has not yet confessed to God the Father, one needs to confess those sins to Him before proceeding with the rest of the prayers.  

Also, at the end of any prayer, it is good to say something like the following:  “In the Lord Jesus Christʼs name, amen.”  The word amen can be translated into English as “I believe it.”  If the Lord Jesus Christ had not been judged on the cross for our sins, we would be unable to pray to God the Father.  When one prays in the Lord Jesus Christʼs name, one is calling attention to His work on the cross that made praying to God the Father possible.  Finishing a prayer in this way should even be done when confessing oneʼs sins without asking for anything.  

Also, when asking God the Father for something—in other words, when praying to Him—whatever the believer requests must be consistent with God the Fatherʼs plan.  Of course, details of God the Fatherʼs plan are at times unknown to a believer.  In that regard, the believer needs to recognize that if whatever a believer requests in a prayer is not given to that believer, it could be that the prayer was inconsistent with God the Fatherʼs plan.  Also, whenever a believer makes requests to God the Father when that believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity, whatever that believer requests might not be given to that believer.  Praying to God the Father regarding learning the Word of God is of course indeed consistent with God the Fatherʼs plan.  As with all prayers, the believer must be in fellowship with the Trinity when praying to God the Father for understanding about the Word of God.  

When a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ prays to God the Father, that believer has a desire or motive behind that prayer.  In that regard, how God the Father answers prayers can be categorized into four categories involving what God the Father answers positively and what He answers negatively.  Listed below are those four categories regarding God the Fatherʼs answers to prayers.  

1.  Positive-Negative:  God the Father gives a yes answer to the prayer but a no answer to the desire behind that prayer.  For example, if a believer were to pray for a million dollars because that believer is seeking happiness from money, God the Father could permit that believer to have a million dollars, but God the Father could refrain from making that believer be happy.  In such a situation, God the Father permits such a believer to experience self-induced misery.  

2.  Negative-Positive:  God the Father gives a no answer to the prayer but a yes answer to the desire behind that prayer.  For example, if a believer were to pray for a million dollars because that believer wants to help people with that money, God the Father could refrain from permitting that believer to have a million dollars, but God the Father could enable that believer to help people in some other way or ways.  

3.  Positive-Positive:  God the Father gives a yes answer to both the prayer and the desire behind that prayer.  

4.  Negative-Negative:  God the Father gives a no answer to both the prayer and the desire behind that prayer.  

The content of James 1:5 is repeated below for reference.  

James 1:5

However, if any of you lacks wisdom—and you do indeed lack wisdom—let him keep on asking of God, Who gives to all generously and does not reproach, and it will be given to him.

James 1:6

However, he must keep on asking in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

James 1:7

Indeed, that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,

James 1:8

being a double-minded / double-souled / wavering / vacillating man, unstable in all his ways.

Note:  The believer who prays to God the Father for wisdom but then doubts that that prayer will be answered is described in James 1:8 as having two minds or two souls.  Such a believer is unstable, and such a believer allows himself or herself to be overwhelmed by challenging circumstances.  The way to refrain from being such a believer is to learn the Word of God so as to be able to recognize what is sinful and to thereby be prepared to avoid sinning and to—as quickly as possible after sinning—confess/acknowledge to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins as mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  

Note:  In the below content of James 1:9, the word brother refers to a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Also, the context of James 1 involves believers in the period of time known as the Church Age.  With regard to the Church Age, below is a synopsis of human history as categorized into time periods known as dispensations.  In the below synopsis, there is the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn].  This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being 100% Deity and 100% humanity.  The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis].  After the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, His body was in the grave for three days and three nights.  He was then resurrected, and He was on the earth for forty days after He was resurrected.  He then ascended to Heaven, and ten days after that, the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst] occurred.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026.  

Regarding the word judgment, the proper way to spell that word is without an e between the dg and the m.  In that regard, the e of the root word judge is dropped when the suffix ment is added to that root word.  The formation of the word judgment is shown below.  

judge −e +ment

= judg +ment

= judgment

Another way to categorize human history is by means of civilizations.  Civilizations begin only with believers.  Regarding the timing of civilizations and dispensations, the first civilization began with Adam and ended on the occasion of the Great Flood (also known as the Flood).  That civilization is known as the antediluvian civilization and the predulivian civilization.  In that regard, the prefixes ante and pre mean “before.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time before the Flood.  Those spellings include antediluvian, ante-diluvian, prediluvian, and pre-diluvian.  

After the Flood, there were only eight believers on the earth:  Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sonsʼ wives.  With the removal of the unbelievers from the earth on the occasion of the Flood, a new civilization was started.  That civilization is known as the postdiluvian civilization (also known as the postdiluvial civilization).  Regarding the terminology, the prefix post means “after,” and the adjectives diluvian and diluvial mean “having to do with a flood.”  Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time after the Flood.  Those spellings include postdiluvian, post-diluvian, postdiluvial, and post-diluvial.  The postdiluvian civilization will end on the occasion of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.  On the occasion of the Second Advent, the Lord will remove all unbelievers from the earth.  Their removal will be by means of physical death just as the removal of all unbelievers was by means of physical death on the occasion of the Flood.  This is called the Baptism of Fire, which is either a metaphorical description because fire can be used to represent judgment or a literal reference to the use of fire in the judgment of unbelievers on the occasion of the Second Advent.  The Baptism of Fire is referenced in Matthew 3:11–12; Luke 3:15–17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9.  

Just as a new civilization started after the Flood, so also a new civilization will start after the Baptism of Fire.  That civilization is called the Millennium.  The Millennium is both a civilization and a dispensation.  The Eternal State is also both a civilization and a dispensation.  

James 1:9

However, the brother of humble status / low status is to rejoice in his high position, 

Note:  In James 1:9, the Koine Greek adjective that is translated as “of humble status / low status” is ταπεινὸς [pronounced tah-pay-NAHS and transliterated as tapeinos].  That adjective is an inflected form of the root word ταπεινός [pronounced tah-pay-NAHS and transliterated as tapeinos].  Also, the phrase high position refers to the Church Age believerʼs position of being associated with the Lord Jesus Christ.  In that regard, below is a translation of Romans 8:15–17.  In that translation of Romans 8:15–17, the word Spirit with a capital S refers to God the Holy Spirit, and the word spirit with a lowercase s refers to a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God.  At the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit.  An unbeliever lacks a human spirit.  In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general.  Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  Also, in the notes for Romans 8:15, there is a reference to oneʼs old sin nature (OSN).  Every human except the Lord Jesus Christ has acquired an old sin nature, and each humanʼs old sin nature is in the body of that human.  The old sin nature, which is referenced in Ephesians 4:22 with the term old man, can also be referred to as the sin nature.  It is also referenced using the word flesh in Ephesians 2:3 and Galatians 5:16.  The content of Romans 6:6 associates the sin nature with peopleʼs bodies, and the content of Romans 7:17–18 references the sin nature being in peopleʼs bodies.  Adam and Ishshah [ish-SHAW] (the name of Eve before Adam renamed her Eve) were created without old sin natures, and they acquired old sin natures when they sinned.  All other human beings have been conceived.  Only the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived without an old sin nature.  All the other humans that were conceived have been conceived with old sin natures.  Likewise, all humans in the future will be conceived, and the conceiving of each of them will involve each of them receiving an old sin nature at the moment that each of them will be conceived.  

Romans 8:15

Indeed, you have not received again a spirit of bondage for the purpose of fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba!  Father!”

Note:  In this verse, the two instances of the word spirit refer to the thinking of a person.  The phrase a spirit of bondage refers to thinking that is under the control of oneʼs old sin nature.  When a personʼs thinking is under the control of his or her old sin nature, that person will succumb to fear.  The phrase a spirit of adoption refers to a believerʼs human spirit.  In that regard, at the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit, which is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God.  An unbeliever lacks a human spirit.  In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general.  Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs].  

In the Roman Empire at the time that Paul wrote this epistle, adoption could involve adopting a person of any age into the family of the person doing the adopting.  In the Church Age, when a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, that person enters into a relationship with God the Father that can be described as adoption into the family of God the Father.  In that regard, the word Abba is a transliteration of an Aramaic [ehr-uh-MAY-ik] word that means “Father.”  

Aramaic was the language of the Arameans [ehr-uh-MEE-uhnz], who were the people of the nation Aram [ah-RAHM] (Syria).  In English, the word Aram can be pronounced as AHR-uhm, EHR-uhm, or AY-ram.  Also, the word Aramean can be spelled Aramaean.  The Aramaic language was widely used by non-Aramean peoples throughout southwest Asia.  That language was also used by the Jews in that region.  The Aramaic language can also be referred to as Aramean, Chaldean [kal-DEE-uhn], Chaldaean [kal-DEE-uhn], or Chaldee [KAL-dee].  

In this verse, the Aramaic noun transliterated into English as Abba is transliterated into Koine Greek as Αββα [pronounced ahb-BAH and transliterated as Abba], which is an inflected form of the root word ἀββα [pronounced ahb-BAH and transliterated as abba].  Because the Aramaic noun Abba means “Father,” this verse contains the noun Father twice.  The second instance of the noun Father in this verse is a translation of the Koine Greek noun Πατήρ [pronounced pah-TEHR and transliterated as Pater].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word πατήρ [pronounced pah-TEHR and transliterated as pater].  

Romans 8:16

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Note:  In this verse, the word spirit with a lowercase s refers to the human spirit of a believer.  Because a believerʼs human spirit is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking that involves the Word of God, it is by means of understanding the Word of God that a believer is able to understand that believers are children of God the Father.  God the Holy Spirit provides the ability for a believerʼs human spirit to understand the Word of God; therefore, God the Holy Spirit is involved with a believerʼs human spirit regarding the matter of a believer understanding that believers are children of God the Father.  

Romans 8:17

and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer together so that we may also be glorified together.

Note:  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are fellow heirs with Him.  In that regard, believers suffer just as the Lord suffered, and believers will be glorified just as the Lord is glorified.  It is important to note that absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything indicating that believers will suffer in the exact same way that the Lord has suffered.  Likewise, it is important to note that absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything indicating that believers will be glorified in the exact same way that the Lord is glorified.  

The suffering of a believer while that believer is in fellowship with the Trinity results in glorification of that believer.  Unspecified in this verse and the surrounding verses is who becomes aware of that glorification.  In that regard, angels or humans or both might become aware of that glorification.  Also, animals might become aware of that glorification.  Regarding the timing of the glorification, it is possible that a believer will be glorified while that believer is experiencing suffering, and it is also possible that a believer will be glorified after that believer experiences suffering.  Regarding glorification of a believer after that believer has experienced suffering, it is possible that that glorification will be after that believer has gone to Heaven rather than before that believer goes there.  Regarding being in fellowship with the Trinity, to be in fellowship with the Trinity, a person must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior and then, after committing any sins after salvation, confess/acknowledge to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins.  When a believer has unconfessed sins, that believer is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity is restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The content of James 1:9 is repeated below for reference.  

James 1:9

However, the brother of humble status / low status is to rejoice in his high position, 

James 1:10

and the rich man in his lowness / low status because like the flower of the grass/herbage/vegetation, he will pass away.

Note:  In James 1:10, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “lowness / low status” is ταπεινώσει [pronounced tah-pay-NOH-say and transliterated as tapeinōsei].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word ταπείνωσις [pronounced tah-PAY-noh-sees and transliterated as tapeinōsis].  The Koine Greek noun tapeinōsis is derived from the Koine Greek adjective tapeinos, which is the adjective used in verse 9.  A believer who is rich should recognize that he or she is of low status in comparison to the Trinity.  The rich believer might seem to have high status, but his or her time on earth will one day pass away.  This is a reminder to refrain from being proud of oneself.  

James 1:11

Indeed, the sun rises with the scorching wind and withers the grass/herbage/vegetation, and its flower falls off.  Also, the beauty of its appearance is destroyed.  In this manner, too, the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.

James 1:12

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial/temptation, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which He has promised to those who exhibit benevolence/goodwill toward Him.

Note:  In this verse, the pronoun He with a capital H and the pronoun Him with a capital H refer to God the Father.  Unspecified in James 1 is what the crown of life is.  That might be a literal crown, or it might be a metaphorical reference.  Regardless, there is a future reward referenced in James 1:12.  

James 1:13

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted from God,” for God cannot be tempted from the source of evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

James 1:14

However, each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust/desire.

James 1:15

Then, when lust/desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is accomplished / is brought to completion, it gives birth to death.

Note:  This refers to spiritual death, which, for a believer, means being out of fellowship with the Trinity.  When a believer succumbs to any temptation from a lust pattern of his or her soul, that believer thereby sins, and when a believer sins, he or she is thereby out of fellowship with the Trinity and also no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  The solution to being out of fellowship with the Trinity and no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit is confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

In James 1:14, the Koine Greek word that is translated into English as “lust” or “desire” is ἐπιθυμίας [pronounced eh-pee-thoo-MEE-ahs and transliterated as epithymias].  In James 1:15, the Koine Greek word that is translated into English as “lust” or “desire” is ἐπιθυμίᾳ [pronounced eh-pee-thoo-MEE-ah and transliterated as epithymia].  Both of those words are inflected forms of the root word ἐπιθυμία [pronounced eh-pee-thoo-MEE-ah and transliterated as epithymia].  Regarding the definition of that word, below is a quote from the Outline of Biblical Usage section of the webpage at https://www.BLBClassic.org/lang/lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1939&t=NASB95.  

“desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden, lust”

Also regarding the definition of the word epithymia, below are quotes from the Strongʼs Definition section of the webpage at the same above link.  

“a longing (especially for what is forbidden)”

“concupiscence, desire, lust”

Lusting is a manifestation of arrogance.  In other words, lusting is a manifestation of selfishness.  By way of application, some examples of lust are listed below.  

A greedy person lusts to have something or some things.  A person who is greedy for money has monetary lust.  A person who is greedy for material possessions has materialism lust.  A distinction between those two types of lust is that the person with materialism lust has specific items or categories of items in mind, while the person with monetary lust is focused on the money.  Also, a person could have both of those types of lust.  A person could have other types of lust, too.  In addition, a person could be greedy for power.  Such a person has power lust.  A greedy person can also be described as covetous because lusting to have something or some things can also be described as coveting something or some things.  In addition to covetousness referring to greediness for money, material possessions, or power, covetousness also more broadly encompasses lusting to have people.  A person with such lust treats people like objects.  

A spiritual bully has crusader lust.  Such a person has a “holier-than-thou” attitude, which is an attitude of self-righteous arrogance—he or she believes that he or she is more righteous than others.  With regard to the crusader lust, the spiritual bullyʼs self-righteous arrogance can manifest in the form of crusader arrogance—he or she conducts a personal crusade in which he or she attempts to “whitewash” the devilʼs world by trying to force other people to be as righteous as he or she perceives himself or herself to be.  In that regard, the spiritual bully disrespects the free will of each person over whom the spiritual bully lords himself or herself.  

A narcissist might lust to dominate a person and thereby try to control that other personʼs life, violating the free will of that person.  Such a narcissist has power lust.  Also, the co-dependent victim of such a narcissist might lust for sympathy from others or even lust for approval from the domineering narcissistic persecutor—or even lust for both.  

A man who is a womanizer has approbation lust (a lust for approval or praise) and sexual lust.  Such a man uses women like objects in a futile attempt to gratify himself through the worshipping and the sensory experiences that he receives from the women whom he exploits.  In that regard, such a man forms a phallic cult with the purpose of making himself a god on which that cult is focused.  Because such a man is inferior to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, that womanizing man is merely a false god.  Also, a womanizer is a narcissist because he is self-absorbed.  In his selfishness, when he grows tired of one woman, he will reject her in favor of another woman or women, thereby treating the rejected woman as a discarded object.  In that regard, such a man will have a woman or women who are his favorites, with the other woman or women being what some men refer to as “side chicks.”  A side chick is a woman whom the womanizer uses when the other woman or women are unavailable.  A side chick essentially has a lower rank than that of the other woman or women who are members of the womanizerʼs phallic cult.  In that regard, side chicks are like concubines.  A concubine has lower rank and less privileges than a wife.  Regarding concubines and wives, the men whom the Bible mentions as having more than one wife or as having one or more concubines in addition to a wife were men who were womanizers.  

Below is a list of different types of lust.  There could also be other types of lust absent from the list.  Hopefully, this list illustrates that lusts can involve a variety of forms.  Also, this list will hopefully help with recognizing the various forms of lusts.  In that regard, some of the below-listed variations of lusts are related to each other.  Also, some of the types of lusts in the list have descriptive names.  

Approbation lust (a lust for approval or praise)

Lust for attention (also known as look-at-me-look-at-me lust)

Popularity lust (a lust for admiration)

Lust for fame (including either positive fame or infamy/notoriety)

Lust for immediate fame

Lust for lasting historical fame

Power lust (a lust for power)

Control-freak lust

Crusader lust

Lust to fulfill oneʼs plans/dreams for oneʼs life (instead of accepting God the Fatherʼs plans for oneʼs life)

Lust for success

Lust to be king of the hill (a lust to be superior to others or to be perceived as superior to others)

Lust to win competitions

Lust to win debates/arguments

Lust for favoritism

Lust to be envied by others

Lust to be idolized

Social-ladder-climber lust (a lust to be a member of a seemingly more prestigious strata of society)

Lust for respect

Lust for recognition

Lust for an honorific title or titles

Victimhood lust (a lust to be perceived as a victim)

Lust to be perfect

Lust to be perceived as perfect

Misery-demands-company lust (a lust to make others as miserable as—or even more miserable than—the one with the lust)

Criminal lust

Revenge lust

Lust for violence

Competition lust

Lust to view a sporting event in which people harm other people

Lust to view a sporting event in which people humiliate other people

Lust to view a competition in which people humiliate other people

Idolization lust (a lust for an idol in the flesh)

Tribal lust (a lust to be a member of a group)

Lust to be associated with a victorious sports person or sports team

Lust to be associated with a victorious person or team involved in a competition

Lust for elation

Lust for elation from a victory (either experienced or viewed)

Chemical lust

Lust for alcohol (It is possible to consume alcohol without lusting for it.)

Lust for drugs

Sweet-tooth lust (a lust for sweets) (It is possible to consume sweets without lusting for them.)

Lust for foods that quickly raise the blood-sugar level

Lust for food in general (gluttony) (It is possible to experience hunger without lusting for food.)

Lust for entertainment

Materialism lust

Keeping-up-with-the-Joneses lust (a lust to have what others have or do what others do—or both)

Lust to take into oneʼs own possession what belongs to others

Monetary lust

Pleasure lust

Sexual lust

Lust for sexual conquests like King David did (People with such a lust are pieces of garbage [to put it mildly] and should be avoided at all costs.)

Lust for stimulation

Lust for thrills

Lust for comforting circumstances

Lust for comforting words

Lust for paradise or an approximation thereof

Lust to give birth

Lust to be a parent

Lust for something new

Lust for security

The content of James 1:15 is repeated below for reference.  

James 1:15

Then, when lust/desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is accomplished / is brought to completion, it gives birth to death.

James 1:16

Do not be deceived / led astray, my beloved brethren.

James 1:17

Every good thing given and every perfect gift are from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation nor shadow of turning.

Note:  The phrase no variation nor shadow of turning refers to the fact that the Members of the Trinity never change.  They are immutable.  Being immutable is known as immutability, which is a characteristic of the essence of the Trinity.  

James 1:18

In the exercise of His will, He brought us forth by the Word of Truth so that we would be a kind of first fruits / a certain first fruits of His creatures.

Note:  The term first fruits refers to the first of the crops that were gathered by the Israelites under the Mosaic Law.  The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites.  Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law.  When the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, He fulfilled the Mosaic Law.  After gathering the first fruits, the Israelites offered them to God the Father.  The reference to first fruits in James 1:18 calls attention to God the Fatherʼs plan involving Church Age believers being special to Him.  

James 1:19

This you know [or Know this], my beloved brethren; however, everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath/anger/indignation, 

Note:  The beginning of James 1:19 could either be a statement or a command.  The second half of the verse indicates that a believer needs to be an attentive listener, to be careful when speaking, and to be careful so as to refrain from quickly becoming angry.  

James 1:20

for the wrath/anger/indignation of man does not do / perform / produce the righteousness of God.

Note:  The wrath/anger/indignation referenced in James 1:20 is sinful anger.  This is logically concluded from the context.  Regarding wrath/anger/indignation, there is also righteous indignation, which is different from sinful anger.  One must be careful to refrain from having an attitude of sinful anger when one is trying to have righteous indignation.  How can one determine the difference between righteous indignation and sinful anger?  If one is being selfish, then the wrath/anger/indignation is sinful anger.  An example of being selfish while being angry is when a person has pride about himself or herself while being angry.  

If one is unable to determine whether one is being selfish while being angry, one can analyze whether one feels content or discontent.  Another way to determine whether one is being selfish while being angry is to analyze whether circumstances beyond oneʼs control are occurring and whether those circumstances are discipline from God the Son.  God the Father does the planning, and God the Son carries out the plans of God the Father.  If one is uncertain whether one is being selfish while being angry, then one should refrain from being angry about that particular matter about which one is angry.  Also, in such a case, one should confess/acknowledge to God the Father that anger in accordance with 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  While a believer might be uncertain about whether or not something that that believer thinks, says, or does is a sin, if that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father what that believer thought, said, or did, and if what that believer thought, said, or did was indeed a sin, God the Father will forgive that believer for what that believer confessed/acknowledged to God the Father, and God the Father will forgive that believer for all of those of the believerʼs unconfessed post-salvation sins that are unknown to that believer.  The phrase and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness in 1 John 1:9 references God the Father forgiving a believerʼs unconfessed post-salvation sins that are unknown to that believer when that believer confesses/acknowledges to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins.  

James 1:21

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and abundance of malice/wickedness, in gentleness / mildness of disposition / meekness / humility / grace orientation receive the Word implanted, which is able to deliver your souls.

Note:  In this verse, the word filthiness is used metaphorically to refer sinning.  Regarding the phrase is able to deliver your souls in this verse, that phrase references deliverance of believers from the sin unto death.  Ultimately, if a believer continues to refrain from confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer will experience the sin unto death.  The sin unto death involves an early physical death.  For a believer who physically dies after the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst], that early physical death involves an early departure to Heaven.  The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age.  The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē].  That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.”  Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected.  The Church Age will end with the Rapture.  The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies.  Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies.  Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026.  The departure to Heaven of a believer who experiences the sin unto death is an early departure in the sense that it occurs at an earlier time than it would have occurred if the believer had regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.  The topic of the sin unto death is covered in 1 John 5:16.  Rather than the content of 1 John 5:16 referring to some particular sin that is categorized as the sin unto death, the content of 1 John 5:16 refers to sinning in general that results in a believerʼs physical death occurring earlier than it would have had that believer regularly remained in fellowship with the Trinity.  

James 1:22

However, prove yourselves doers of the Word and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

Note:  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ need to obey the Word of God.  In order to obey the Word of God, they need to learn the Word of God.  

James 1:23

Concerning that, if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at the face of his birth in a mirror, 

James 1:24

for he has looked at himself and gone away, and he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

Note:  A believer needs to apply the Word of God that that believer learns.  If a believer learns the Word of God but chooses to refrain from applying what that believer has learned, that believer will forget the Word of God, and that believer will revert back to thinking in terms of human viewpoint.  The term human viewpoint refers to any viewpoint that deviates from the Word of God.  In contrast, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint of the Trinity.  All three Members of the Trinity have the same viewpoint.  Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can learn divine viewpoint by learning the Word of God.  Therefore, divine viewpoint is the viewpoint that comes from a proper understanding of the Word of God.  With human-viewpoint thinking, a person has unrealistic expectations regarding life.  Such a person is divorced from reality.  In that regard, the believer who learns the Word of God but chooses to refrain from applying what that believer has learned will thereby lose any divine-viewpoint understanding of himself or herself that he or she had.  

James 1:25

However, one who looks intently at the perfect law—that of liberty—and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but a doer of production / an act / a deed / doing / labor / work / whatever with which one is occupied / whatever one undertakes to do / a thing done, this man will be blessed in his doing.

Note:  In James 1:25, the word liberty refers to freedom from the control of the old sin nature (OSN).  Every human except the Lord Jesus Christ has acquired an old sin nature, and each humanʼs old sin nature is in the body of that human.  The old sin nature, which is referenced in Ephesians 4:22 with the term old man, can also be referred to as the sin nature.  It is also referenced using the word flesh in Ephesians 2:3 and Galatians 5:16.  The content of Romans 6:6 associates the sin nature with peopleʼs bodies, and the content of Romans 7:17–18 references the sin nature being in peopleʼs bodies.  Adam and Ishshah [ish-SHAW] (the name of Eve before Adam renamed her Eve) were created without old sin natures, and they acquired old sin natures when they sinned.  All other human beings have been conceived.  Only the Lord Jesus Christ was conceived without an old sin nature.  All the other humans that were conceived have been conceived with old sin natures.  Likewise, all humans in the future will be conceived, and the conceiving of each of them will involve each of them receiving an old sin nature at the moment that each of them will be conceived.  

Also, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word that is translated as “production / an act / a deed / doing / labor / work / whatever with which one is occupied / whatever one undertakes to do / a thing done” is ἔργου [pronounced EHR-goo and transliterated as ergou].  That word is an inflected form of the root word ἔργον [pronounced EHR-gahn and transliterated as ergon].  As with the context of James 1:4, the context of James 1:25 is such that rather than ergon referring to attention-getting activities, ergon refers to whatever one does.  

In addition, it is worth noting that in James 1:25, there are the words will be blessed in his doing rather than any words such as will attain eternal life.  It is also worth noting that in James 1:25, there are the words will be blessed in his doing rather than any words such as will retain eternal life.  Anything having to do with attaining eternal life is absent from James 1:25.  Likewise, anything having to do with retaining eternal life is absent from James 1:25.  Furthermore, absent from the entire first chapter of James is anything having to do with attaining eternal life and anything having to do with retaining eternal life.  In addition to that, absent from the entirety of all five chapters of the book of James is anything having to do with attaining eternal life and anything having to do with retaining eternal life.  

James 1:26

If anyone thinks himself to be religious and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this manʼs religion is worthless.

Note:  The heart refers to the mind.  Also, to bridle oneʼs tongue means to control/restrain/guide oneʼs tongue, which means to be careful regarding how and what one communicates.  In this verse, a metaphor involving a bridle, which is the headgear used to control/restrain/guide a horse, calls attention to the need to control/restrain/guide oneʼs communication.  

The Koine Greek adjective that is translated as “religious” in James 1:26 is θρησκὸς [pronounced thray-SKAHS and transliterated as thrēskos].  That adjective is an inflected form of the root word θρησκός [pronounced thray-SKAHS and transliterated as thrēskos].  The Koine Greek noun that is translated as “religion” in James 1:26 is θρησκεία [pronounced thray-SKAY-ah and transliterated as thrēskeia].  That noun is an inflected form of the root word θρησκεία [pronounced thray-SKAY-ah and transliterated as thrēskeia].  The noun thrēskeia refers to worshiping the Trinity in the sense of expressing reverence/respect for the Trinity.  That noun is derived from the adjective thrēskos, which refers to being fearful toward the Trinity in the sense of reverencing/respecting the Trinity.  

James 1:27

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of the God and Father is this:  to visit orphans / the fatherless and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained / unblemished / unspotted / unsullied by the world.

Note:  As in James 1:26, the Koine Greek word translated as religion in James 1:27 is the word thrēskeia.  The phrase God and Father refers to God the Father.  In that regard, the phrase God and Father is a hendiadys [hen-DIGH-uh-diss], which is a figure of speech in which two words joined by the word and are used to express a single thought when one of those words could be used to describe the other word.  

The reference to orphans / the fatherless and widows calls attention to helpless people in general.  In that regard, the phrase to visit orphans / the fatherless and widows in their distress refers to helping the helpless.  Rather than indicating that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ must seek out and visit orphans / the fatherless and widows, what this verse is indicating is that the believer must be unselfish.  In that regard, visiting orphans / the fatherless and widows is used as an example to demonstrate what unselfishness is like.  

In James 1:27, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word that is translated as “world” refers to an organized system.  In particular, it refers to the devilʼs organized system by means of which he rules the world.  In that regard, some people use the term cosmos diabolicus [KAHZ-mahs digh-uh-BAHL-ih-kuhs] to refer to the devilʼs system for ruling the world.  Cosmos diabolicus can also be referred to as the cosmic system.  The Koine Greek word translated as “world” in James 1:27 is κόσμου [pronounced KAHS-moo and transliterated as kosmou].  That word is an inflected form of the root word κόσμος [pronounced KAHS-mahs and transliterated as kosmos].  

The phrase unstained / unblemished / unspotted / unsullied by the world refers to refraining from being influenced by human viewpoint.  Because the thinking of demons [fallen angels] deviates from the Word of God, human-viewpoint thinking is reflective of the thinking of demons.  The thinking of demons can also be referred to as doctrines of demons.  Because Satan is the leader of the fallen angels, doctrines of demons can also be known as Satanic doctrines.  Satan is currently the ruler of the world, and as the ruler of the world, he tries to get his false ideas spread throughout the world.  It is important for the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ to refrain from being influenced by those false ideas that Satan tries to get spread throughout the world.  The more that a believer learns of the Word of God, the more that that believer is prepared to refrain from being influenced by the false ideas that Satan tries to get spread throughout the world.  

Also, a believer should be alert so as to be ready to analyze whether something is a false idea.  With regard to being alert, levels of alertness can be categorized in terms of a mindset color code that involves four colors.  The mindset color code describes states of awareness.  Below are the conditions of alertness of the mindset color code and descriptions of them.  

A believer in Condition White refrains from analyzing whether something is a false idea.  A believer in Condition Yellow pays attention so as to be ready to analyze whether something is a false idea.  A believer shifts his or her thinking to Condition Orange when that believer becomes aware of something that needs to be analyzed regarding whether that something is a false idea.  A believer shifts his or her thinking to Condition Red when that believer recognizes that something is a false idea.  When in Condition Red regarding something that is a false idea, the believer should consciously reject that false idea because refraining from consciously rejecting a false idea could result in subconsciously accepting that false idea.  

In order for a believer to be in Condition Yellow, Condition Orange, or Condition Red regarding false ideas, a believer needs to be in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit.  In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity.  After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored.  The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1.  Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30.  In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit.  Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer.  After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.  

Sincerely,

John