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A greater grace

 

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

James makes a curious statement in this passage, “But He gives a greater grace.”  When I saw this phrase, I wondered what he meant by “a greater grace”. 

I’m pretty sure James is not thinking of “saving grace” (Eph 2:8-9) but something else.  What could “a greater grace” be referring to? It appears there is a special kind of grace reserved for the humble.  That is why he goes on to say, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

This sentiment is reminiscent of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  Special blessings are reserved for certain people; poor in spirit, those who mourn, the gentle, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted.

James 4:6 is not referring to greater saving grace but rather God’s special blessings for the child of God with a humble heart. I believe this is greater grace for everyday life.

James also gives some practical advice to the person in pursuit greater grace:

Submit to God  

a.      Your past. Recognize God’s sovereignty over all aspects of your life (Ps 139:13-16).  Acknowledge that He has been in control of all the details of our past and that all things work together for good for those who love God (Ro 8:28), even the hard things.

b.      Your present.  Yield yourself fully to God’s will (Ro 12:1-2).  Acknowledge that the Lord is King of all creation and Lord of your life.  Tell Him you want to submit every aspect of your life to Him. 

c.       Your future.  Trust God to lead and guide you.  Determine ahead of time that you will go where He leads and do His will.  Give yourself fully to Christ as your Lord and Master. 

2.      Resist the devil

a.      Watch your doctrine and life carefully. (1 Tim 4:16)  Avoid teachings that take you away from sound doctrine from God’s Word (2 Tim 2:26)

b.      Extinguish the fiery missiles of the evil one with faith. (Eph 6:16) Do not entertain those temptations and vain imaginings the devil throws your way.

c.       Take up the full armor of God so that you may stand firm (Eph 6:10-11).  This includes girding your loins with truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and prayer with petition.

3.      Draw near to God

a.      Be assured of His love. Thank the Lord Jesus for His death on the cross for you.  Know that you are covered by His blood and that all your sins are forgiven and forgotten. (Heb 10:17)

b.      Approach the throne of grace with confidence. (Heb 4:16) Draw near to God based on His work on the cross, not your own righteousness.

c.       Be assured that He welcomes you as you draw near.  You are His own dear child.  You may call Him “Abba” Father.

4.      Cleanse your hands

a.      Allow the Lord to search your heart and reveal any unconfessed sin. (Ps 139:23) Be open and honest with God.  Agree with Him that you have sinned by your actions and attitudes.  Confess ways you have grieved God.

b.      In what ways have you hurt your fellow man by word or deed?  Confess these sins.

c.       There are sins of commission and sins of omission.  Confess ways you have failed God by your failure to obey His leading. (James 4:17)

d.      Do not treat sin casually. James 4:9 says, “Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.” At times serious repentance is needed.

 We all need more of God’s grace in our everyday life. In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord promises special blessing to those demonstrating certain attributes. The greater grace that He gives is reserved for the humble. James equates humility with certain specific actions.  We must submit to God, resist the devil, draw near to God, and cleanse our hands.  We learn that the devil will flee from us, that God will draw near to us, and that He will exalt us in due time.   

“God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Let’s choose the path of humility.


[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Jas 4:6–10.


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