Draw Nigh Unto God

1. James is Believed by Many

James is believed by many conservative scholars to be the earliest of the written New Testament books. His composition of the letter, “to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad,” is listed among the general epistles as it was directed to the Jewish Christians who made up the Jewish communities of the diaspora and not a specific church. The intent of the epistle is on practical behavior of believers and was not directed to doctrinal issues as was the Apostle Paul. 

He identifies himself with the preferred title of “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” However, we know him as the Lord’s half-brother, the eldest of the children born to Mary and Joseph. In the gospels, neither James nor his siblings declared their faith in Jesus as the Christ until after Jesus’ resurrection. Following the resurrection, when the 120 were in the upper room praying, Luke noted that “Mary the mother of Jesus” and “his brethren” were also there; James being included here. In the interval between the resurrection and ascension, the resurrected Lord showed Himself first to Cephas (Peter), then the twelve, then to more than 500 believers, and then to James (1 Co. 15:4-7). The point being James’ conversion is attested by Luke and Paul and his presence and position among the disciples and believers and his authority was never questioned. The epistle that bears his name was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and is authoritative in its language.

2. The Twelve Tribes Which Are Scattered

“The twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” were the Jewish Christians from Jerusalem who had fled persecution and hardships that had come upon the followers of Jesus Christ especially following the crucifixion and resurrection. They were viewed as a sect. A dangerous threat to both Rome and Israel’s religious status quo. Mounting pressure from Rome and Israel’s religious leaders applied upon the followers of Christ drove them from Jerusalem throughout Asia Minor where they had resettled forming Jewish communities within mostly Gentile cities. They were the diaspora; the scattered. elemental

3. The New Testament Church

The New Testament church, as we know it, was in its elemental and developmental stages at the time of this writing, and these Jewish Christian communities were not without their problems even then. So, James directed his authoritative letter to them. He wrote with authority, boldness, and directness to them. True believers, they were, but true believers have their issues. From the tenor of the epistle and the opening remarks of this chapter, James addressed serious sensual conflicts within the fellowship or their loose assemblies and the effects of those conflicts in their fellowship with the Lord. A spiritual war, conflict, raged within believers for control of the body, soul, and spirit. Professing believers were at “war,” in spiritual conflict and fighting with other believers. They had given themselves over to sensual delights to gratify the flesh, complaining that their prayers were not answered, not understanding, or knowing that their motives were impure, and they were petitioning God from an impure heart to satisfy their fleshly desires even more.

4. In a Series of Ten Imperatives

In a series of ten imperatives (commands) from verses 7-10, James set forth the spiritual conditions of drawing nigh unto God. Each believer has a duty and responsibility to perform if he or she wishes to enjoy close communion and fellowship with the Lord. We will present briefly, only briefly, five of these commands that appear in verses 7-8. “Submit yourselves unto God” as Moses did on Mt. Horeb when the Lord appeared to him and said, “put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground” (Ex. 3:5). Or submit yourselves as the barren Hannah who longed for a son so badly that she prayed and vowed a vow unto the Lord that she would devote him entirely to Him if God would give her a son (1 Sa. 1:11); and God gave her Samuel. James said, however, that God “resisteth the proud” (7) as He resisted Cain and his sensual offering and King Saul who disobeyed Him. “Resist the devil,” as Joseph resisted the temptation from Potiphar’s wife. James made his appeal to those who had spiritually rebelled against God and invited them to “Draw nigh unto God.” Do as the godly Abraham when the Lord God came and announced to him His intentions to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

5. Scripture Said That

Scripture said that “Abraham drew near” and prayed that He would not destroy the righteous with the wicked (Ge. 18:23). Don’t take God’s grace for granted and assume God’s favors as did Esau. It was written of him that “he found no place of repentance” (Heb. 12:16-17). Keeping to the positive theme, James said, “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (8). “Cleanse” and “purify” bring together two priestly ceremonial requirements. These Jewish Christians would recall how the priests would cleanse and purify their hands at the laver following the ritualistic sacrifices of the lambs and goats before continuing their work inside the tabernacle. Years later, Paul would draw on James’ truth and say to Timothy, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Ti. 2:8). 

6. Draw Nigh to God

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” conveyed a sure confidence to the Jewish Christians in the Jewish communities and to us. This was the confidence of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were cast into the fiery furnace when they refused Nebuchadnezzar’s command to bow before his image of gold. They confidently replied, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Da. 3:17-18). And there is the confidence of Daniel who prayed with his window open towards Jerusalem even with the knowledge that his adversaries were watching him (Da. 6:10).

This is my prayer, for myself and you, “Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh unto you.”