God Got Me!

 

No long sermon today. Just a reminder that working toward peace means having a clean heart in each thing you do, whether confessing sins, forgiving others their sins, or rebuking sins by the way you speak and do.

And because this is the message today, I think the third chapter of James is a good place to read.

I like the Young's Literal Translation (YLT) of this chapter. I like the YLT, because it clarifies that, when we do ministry (or when we're just living life!), we're not supposed to be "contentious," like when I said, and said again, that something wrong was b*******, and I didn't want to repent of saying that, even though b******* is a word I very much dislike.

When we're not pure in heart about something, it eventually springs forth in ways we don't like: not a good thing to happen, not a good way to be or to feel. And James reminds us spiritually salty water can't come from the same soul that curses.

I can't curse something someone did, and still be okay in Spirit!

So, like the YLT, two other Bible translations clarify that where many translations say "wisdom from above" is "impartial" (which isn't exactly true), the closer meaning is that spiritual wisdom is "without variance" or is "unwavering," "uncontentious."

That means that something upsetting should never cause us to waver into cursing or belligerence, should never cause spiritual unsteadiness, spiritual variance, or a partiality toward cursing. Because, with cursing, we may forfeit everything we've done in the Lord!

With cursing, instead of steadily warning and teaching, who ever will listen to us again?