now, the one looking intently into the perfect law, the one providing freedom and continues not having become a forgetful hearer but a doer he will be blessed in his doing.*
The perfect law is the word of God, who is Jesus, the truth, who provides freedom. The word of God is sown in our hearts. It can be snatched away by the devil so it doesn't grow at all. Or we can hear and receive it with joy on one day but not think about it again, in which case it doesn't grow up to bear fruit. The soils that do not bear fruit have this in common; they hear and receive the word with joy but they either do not grow deep roots so they fall away or they are choked out by the thorns and do not endure. A double-minded person, who goes back and forth between faith and doubt, fits into the soils that do not bear fruit.* Let's look at how to overcome doubt.
James explains the growth process of bearing fruit, which we see in the parable of the soils, as maturity, which he associates with wholeness, completeness in Christ.* A double-minded person James writes will not receive from God the wisdom needed for maturity. Because though he receives the word he then goes back and forth between belief and doubt. Maturity is what produces the fruit of doing, of practicing truth, of being conformed to the image of Christ in holiness and wholeness. Discernment, understanding thus obedience will never happen without maturity. The one tossed to and fro, at one moment is judging according to belief but when the circumstances of this life seem different, when the storm shakes them, the focus goes on the storm, thus they are doubting, anxious, worrying, even fear consumes their thinking. I teach from experience, as we see this truth from others in the scripture. Peter who within the storm walks on water when His eyes are on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of faith, but when he focuses on the storm, the circumstances, he begins to doubt and sink. Of course in his doubt and fear, Peter cries out for help and Jesus reaches down and grabs him. So we too can cry, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.
The parable of soils says a person can fall away because of the cares of this world, and the deceits of riches. We must deal with these issues of the heart, we must lose this life to gain the life of Christ. This also means we can not hold on to being double-minded, a worrisome, anxious, or fearful mind. Also, a person can be choked out by thorns or weeds, which the parable of the weeds tell us are planted by the devil.* "Now the Spirit clearly speaks in the subsequent times, some of the faith will fall away, applying their minds to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons."* The devil plants weeds for this purpose, to keep children tossed to and fro, so they are double-minded, not growing up. Transformation renews the mind allowing us to discern the will of God.* This mind protects us from the deceitful scheming of the devil. No matter how much religious activities we do the parable of soils and other scriptures tell us without a proper foundation people who had received the word with joy will fall away. Growth brings us into mature adulthood, into the image of Christ, which is purposed in the Church so that we grow up, not tossed to and fro in deceitful scheming.*
The promise God gave Abraham, that would come to all the nations of the earth, rested on Abraham having a son. Thus the promise rested on Abraham's belief in God promising him a son. Did Abraham doubt when he slept with his maidservant to have a son, when God had promised the son would come through Sarah? But Paul writes to us the faith of Abraham became unshakable, telling us he did not judge according to doubt, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and was established, became certain, fully convinced that what God promised he would do.* This is how we overcome doubt and unbelief; not looking intently on the doubt but intentionally strengthening our faith.
James writes we overcome this double mind by looking intently into the word. The word of God strengthens our faith, giving us freedom from doubt and unbelief. Be strengthened in faith until you believe, fully convinced that what God has said will come into existence. If God promised and I am doubting I need to understand the devil is actively looking to defeat the seed, the word being planted, and its growth. So I "judge" in my mind according to faith and intentionally take actions to strengthen faith, so I do not judge according to unbelief. When the word is sown into our hearts "look intently," which means to take a close and attentive look; to penetrate.* The word needs to penetrate, cut through like a two-edged sword, so to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.* In other words, looking intently into the word, it is active, growing up to bear fruit, giving us understanding, wisdom from God which surpasses the reasoning of the natural mind and aligns with faith, the spiritual mind, and the mind of Christ.
James explains the growth process of bearing fruit, which we see in the parable of the soils, as maturity, which he associates with wholeness, completeness in Christ.* A double-minded person James writes will not receive from God the wisdom needed for maturity. Because though he receives the word he then goes back and forth between belief and doubt. Maturity is what produces the fruit of doing, of practicing truth, of being conformed to the image of Christ in holiness and wholeness. Discernment, understanding thus obedience will never happen without maturity. The one tossed to and fro, at one moment is judging according to belief but when the circumstances of this life seem different, when the storm shakes them, the focus goes on the storm, thus they are doubting, anxious, worrying, even fear consumes their thinking. I teach from experience, as we see this truth from others in the scripture. Peter who within the storm walks on water when His eyes are on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of faith, but when he focuses on the storm, the circumstances, he begins to doubt and sink. Of course in his doubt and fear, Peter cries out for help and Jesus reaches down and grabs him. So we too can cry, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.
The parable of soils says a person can fall away because of the cares of this world, and the deceits of riches. We must deal with these issues of the heart, we must lose this life to gain the life of Christ. This also means we can not hold on to being double-minded, a worrisome, anxious, or fearful mind. Also, a person can be choked out by thorns or weeds, which the parable of the weeds tell us are planted by the devil.* "Now the Spirit clearly speaks in the subsequent times, some of the faith will fall away, applying their minds to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons."* The devil plants weeds for this purpose, to keep children tossed to and fro, so they are double-minded, not growing up. Transformation renews the mind allowing us to discern the will of God.* This mind protects us from the deceitful scheming of the devil. No matter how much religious activities we do the parable of soils and other scriptures tell us without a proper foundation people who had received the word with joy will fall away. Growth brings us into mature adulthood, into the image of Christ, which is purposed in the Church so that we grow up, not tossed to and fro in deceitful scheming.*
The promise God gave Abraham, that would come to all the nations of the earth, rested on Abraham having a son. Thus the promise rested on Abraham's belief in God promising him a son. Did Abraham doubt when he slept with his maidservant to have a son, when God had promised the son would come through Sarah? But Paul writes to us the faith of Abraham became unshakable, telling us he did not judge according to doubt, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and was established, became certain, fully convinced that what God promised he would do.* This is how we overcome doubt and unbelief; not looking intently on the doubt but intentionally strengthening our faith.
James writes we overcome this double mind by looking intently into the word. The word of God strengthens our faith, giving us freedom from doubt and unbelief. Be strengthened in faith until you believe, fully convinced that what God has said will come into existence. If God promised and I am doubting I need to understand the devil is actively looking to defeat the seed, the word being planted, and its growth. So I "judge" in my mind according to faith and intentionally take actions to strengthen faith, so I do not judge according to unbelief. When the word is sown into our hearts "look intently," which means to take a close and attentive look; to penetrate.* The word needs to penetrate, cut through like a two-edged sword, so to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.* In other words, looking intently into the word, it is active, growing up to bear fruit, giving us understanding, wisdom from God which surpasses the reasoning of the natural mind and aligns with faith, the spiritual mind, and the mind of Christ.