People that study the Bible with me know I have a bugaboo about the New Living Translation of the Bible. It provides an easy to read and understandable text to what God is saying to us. But there are times when it dilutes what the writer of the Scripture wants us to hear. James 4:5 is one of those times. The NLT puts the focus on us, God’s passion for us who are faithful. Unfortunately, James didn’t write those words, “should be faithful to him”. It is a good truth, and the NLT is trying to make sense of a hard to understand sentence but that isn’t the point of the passage.
James points out the fact that before we were faithful, we were enemies of God. But despite being enemies, God wants us. God did something only He could do, He gave us His grace. God hates it when we are His enemies. He “jealously longs” for us, not only when we are faithful to Him, but even when we are faithless. I just can’t get over that fact, “This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (2 Timothy 1:9). Instead of fighting against us, His enemies, God fights for us, to get us on His team.
God’s grace brings us serenity like nothing else. Being at war with God is stressful, leading us to scheme how to get all kinds of other things to relieve that awful deep down gnawing at our souls. Nothing but God can bring us serenity. We need God’s grace and wow, He is right there with us ready to pour His grace out on us when we believe. The serenity that comes when we submit ourselves to Him is guaranteed, “He will lift you up” (v.10).
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. -John 14:27 (NIV)
