The Double-Minded Person

[Christsfreeservant]

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8 ESV)​

I know I have talked about this before, but what stands out to me pretty much every time I read this, I think, is how so many people read verse 5 and stop there, and they assume that, whoever they are, that they can just ask God for wisdom and he will generously give it to them, without reproach (disapproval). But that’s not the completed thought. For there is an exception stated to what was just said in the words that follow.

But now, first of all, the words spoken here were written to Christians, to the church, to those professing faith in Jesus Christ, although it appears that not all had faith, as becomes evident in the things that James wrote as we continue reading. But the audience is at least those making professions of faith in Jesus Christ, and so the subject matter is of Christians (or professing Christians) praying to the Lord for wisdom.

But here is the exception. They must ask in faith, with no doubting, believing that the Lord will give them the wisdom that they so desire. And they must really want that wisdom, too. For doubting definitely comes into play if we pray and ask for wisdom and then we wait until the wisdom is given before we decide if we will follow it or not. But our Lord is not there to just make suggestions for us to follow. If it’s his wisdom, we need to take it.

I find this is especially true of some people who profess faith in Jesus Christ but who are still holding on to signature sins which they have not let go of. They will profess that they want to be free from those sins, and so they claim that they have sought the counsel and the wisdom of God in how to be free, but then when the Lord gives them the counsel, they don’t accept it, and so they go to other places looking for help which cannot help them.

Therefore, they didn’t really want his wisdom, because they don’t really want to be free from their sin, for if they do, they will take his counsel, and they will obey the Lord, and they will do as he directs them to do, in his power and strength. But instead it comes down to them trying to figure it out for themselves and them trying different things to try to make it work, but it never works. For they have to want God more than they want their sin.

So, if we really want our Lord’s counsel and wisdom, which he provides for us much through the teachings of the Scriptures, then when he shows us what to do, we need to do what he says. But if we just wait to hear what he has to say first before we decide if we will accept his counsel or not, then we are like the double-minded, like someone on both ends of a teeter-totter who continually vacillates back and forth between the truth and the lies.

And that person is unstable in all his ways, and so he must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. And I believe that includes salvation from sin and eternal life with God, too. For Jesus said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one doing the will of God the Father who is in heaven. So if we ask for wisdom and then don’t obey the Lord, then we aren’t doing the will of God.

So, we need to not be people who play games with God, i.e. who put him to the test. For he knows if we are sincere or not. We can’t fool God. We can’t just go through the motions of looking like we are genuinely seeking his counsel and then refusing to take his counsel when it doesn’t fit with how we want to live. And he knows our patterns. So just because you claim you are praying for help, it doesn’t mean that you are sincere.

So, don’t stop at verse 5. Keep reading. And don’t ask the Lord for his counsel if you don’t intend to put it into practice. And don’t claim that you have tried it and it didn’t work. For if it is truly the counsel of the Lord that he gives to you, and if truly your dependence is on him for him to help you out of your addiction to sin, he is not going to fail you. He will hold up his end, but you have to hold up your end. You have to do what he says.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Hebrews 10:23-31; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

Just a Closer Walk with Thee

Hymn lyrics by Anonymous/Unknown
Music by American Melody

“For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you” (2 Co. 13:4 NASB).

I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

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