Do You Want To Know? #1994

But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:20, NKJV)

James posed a question that still needs asking and answering concerning knowing the truth of God’s word, “Do you want to know?” In context, his query probes the inclination and desire to know that “faith without works is dead.” Entire doctrines have been fabricated to blunt the force of this simple truth. Some reject James as inspired by God. Others contort the definitions of faith and works to justify their salvation by faith only doctrine (which James summarily rejects, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only,” Jas. 2:24). Faith without the obedience that activates and demonstrates it is profitless, dead, unseen, demonic, and incomplete (Jas. 2:14, 17, 18, 19, 22). We should ask ourselves this question about everything God’s word reveals, “Do I want to know the truth? Or, do I want to remain foolish?” Jesus put it this way, “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (Jno. 7:17). With a will to do God’s will, we will know the doctrine of Christ. With a desire to learn and know the truth, our faith joins with our works (obedience) and is made complete (Jas. 2:21-22).

Willing Hearts Give According to Ability #1636

10 And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. (2 Corinthians 8:10–12, NKJV)

Christians in Jerusalem were in desperate need of relief, and the Corinthian church desired to serve them. Their desire to help had prompted them to begin to help a year earlier (v. 10). Apparently, they had not yet completed this work. (Paul had previously instructed them on this matter, 1 Corinthians 16:1-3.) Now, Paul counsels them to bring their actual giving into harmony with their desire to help (2 Corinthians 8:16-9:15). Paul explained God did not expect from them what they were unable to give (v. 12). God would accept their giving based on their willingness and their ability to do so. We thus conclude that a willing heart plus one’s ability produces giving that Gods accepts. The Macedonian churches had set an example of willing hearts plus generous giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-5). Giving without a willing heart becomes coercion. Readiness to give without following through becomes empty rhetoric. With willing hearts, may we fully give according to our ability, we may be confident of the Lord’s acceptance.

“Your desire shall be for your husband” #1252

To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16, NKJV)

With these words He spoke to Eve, God not only increased her pain and sorrow in conception and childbirth, He also permanently confirmed the relation of the wife to her husband as one of desire, dependence, and deferential submissiveness. The word “desire” means “to run, to have a vehement longing for a thing” (Pulpit Commentary). Thus, God gave distinct, definable roles to women and men. The husband has the role of leader, and the wife has the role of willing follower (Ephesians 5:22-25; 1 Peter 3:1-6). The reversal of these roles led to sin: “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’…” (Genesis 3:17). The wife’s submissiveness to her husband’s leadership brings definable stability to the family, and to society. The husband is to lead his wife with love, and the wife is to defer to his leadership with devotion. Husbands must honor their wives, not oppress them (1 Peter 3:7). And, wives are to be submissive to their own husbands (1 Peter 3:1). God challenges wives to be sure your desire is for your husband, and not for another man, or for the man’s role in your marriage.