New COVID variant: “NB.1.8.1”

Q: Who are the spiritually sick in the church?
Q: Am I spiritually sick?

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SYMPTOM #1: YOU PRIORITIZE PLEASURE OVER PEOPLE

James 4:1 – “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?”

War Terms:

“quarrels,” Gk. πόλεμος (polemos) – “to engage in battle”
“fights,” Gk. μάχη (machē) – “fight or contention”
“passions,” Gk. ἡδονή (hēdonē) – “pleasure or gratification”
“at war within you,” Gk. στρατεύω (strateuō) – “to engage in military battle”

Truth: Outward conflict usually indicates inward conflict.

James 4:2–3 – “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”

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SYMPTOM #2: YOU PURSUE THE WORLD OVER THE WORD

James 4:4 – “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

“adulterous people,” Gk. μοιχαλίς (moichalis) – “adulterer”

James 4:5 – “Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’?”

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TWO DIFFICULTIES

1. TRANSLATION DIFFICULTIES

Three words that are challenging: “spirit,” “jealously,” “yearn”

a. Spirit – Gk. πνεῦμα (pneuma) – “Spirit of God, human life”
b. Jealously – Gk. φθόνος (phthonos) – usually “human envy”
c. Yearn – Gk. ἐπιποθέω (epipotheō) – “to desire”

Option 1: “He [God] jealously yearns for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us”
Option 2: “The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely”

James 3:14, 16 – “jealousy,” Gk. ζῆλος (zēlos)

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2. INTERPRETIVE DIFFICULTIES

James 4:5a – “Do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says…”
“Scripture,” Gk. γραφή (graphē) – “writing”

Ex. 20:5; 34:14
Zech. 8:12

James 4:6 – “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (see also: Prov. 3:34)

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THE TREATMENT PLAN

1. RE-PRIORITIZE
James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

“Submit,” Gk. ὑποτάσσω (hypotassō) – antonym of “oppose,” Gk. ἀντιτάσσω (antitassō)

2. REPENT
James 4:8–9 – “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.”

3. BE RESTORED
James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”