James 4:8 NKJV
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:8 NKJV
James wrote to Christians who did not live according to God’s righteousness by faith. Instead, they were behaving just like the world.
They fought with each other because they could not get what they wanted.
This group of people did not know their God because their conduct was contrary.
Therefore, this passage is not addressed to those who live by faith in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Christ drew near to us, He lives in us by His Spirit. No one can cleanse themselves but Christ Jesus who cleansed us from all unrighteousness.
Jesus purified us and presented us all in Him as holy and blameless.
The call of James is to everyone. It is a call to know God so that we can live like Him.
Without knowing God, we will not be able to fully live in His ways.
In knowing God we will find out that we have been cleansed from unrighteousness. Therefore, we will live according to His righteousness.
We have been purified. Therefore, we will act according to His holiness.
And we have been born again in the Lord Jesus. Therefore, we will love each other.
We are to commune with God who made Himself present in everyone who believes in Christ.
It is very crucial that we as believers are to be single-minded to focus on Christ and live in all that He has done.
Let us live life by beholding our Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessings
Ps Ambrose