Draw nigh to God ( ἐγγίσατε τῷ θεῷ ). A phrase used of approach to God under the old covenant (see Exodus 19:22 ; Exodus 34:30 ; Le Exodus 10:3 ). Equally necessary under the new covenant is it for those who draw near to God to have "clean hands and a pure heart" ( Psalms 24:4 ). Hence the following injunction: "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded." read more
"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." A truth to which all experience bears witness, and a most important one in teaching the doctrine of repentance. God not only tempers the wind to the shorn lamb, but he also makes the path easy to the returning sinner and meets him half-way. The prodigal arose and came to his father, but while he was yet a great way off the father saw him and ran to meet him. It is the first step in repentance which is the difficult one, and yet even... read more
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you - Compare 2 Chronicles 15:2. This declaration contains a great and important principle in religion. If we wish the favor of God, we must come to him; nor can we hope for his mercy, unless we approach him and ask him for it. We cannot come literally any nearer to God than we always are, for he is always round about us; but we may come nearer in a spiritual sense. We may address him directly in prayer; we may approach him by meditation on his... read more
James 4:6-10. But he God, giveth more grace To all those who, while they shun those tempers, sincerely and earnestly pray for it. Wherefore he saith, [see the margins] God, resisteth the proud The unhumbled; those that think highly of themselves, and put confidence in their own wisdom, power, or holiness, and who seek the praise of men rather than the praise of God; against these God sets himself in battle array, as it is expressed, Proverbs 3:24. He rejects them, and will not allow... read more
Worldliness and its results (4:1-12)Continuing his teaching on the evil results of worldly attitudes, James explains why fights and quarrels occur. Selfish ambition fights against the more spiritual motives. Some Christians are constantly looking for more power, increased possessions and higher status. Because they want the wrong things, they do not pray. If they pray, they find their prayers refused, and so try to do things their own way (4:1-3). This is worldliness, and it is opposed to the... read more
purify . Greek. hagnizo. See Acts 21:24 . Used of Levitical purifying four times. Used here, 1Pe 1:22 . 1 John 3:3 , in a spiritual sense. double minded . See James 1:8 . read more
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.Draw nigh to God ... The exact equivalent of this expression, "Let us draw near," as used in Hebrews 10:22ff, has a marked application to conversion, faith, repentance and baptism, all three being specifically referred to. See full comment on that passage in my Commentary on Hebrews, pp. 229-232. It is of special importance that Hebrews was also written to Christians and yet... read more
James 4:8. Draw nigh to God,— This seems to be an allusion to the manner in which the Jews in general, or rather the priests, drew nigh to God, by going to the temple, while the Shechinah, the glorious emblem of the divine presence, was there. Christians may all of them now draw nigh to God, as a holy nation, and a royal priesthood. 1 Peter 2:9. By clean hands the scriptures generally mean "hands not polluted with any vice or wickedness." The ancient Jews used to wash their hands before they... read more
8. Draw nigh to God—So "cleave unto Him," Deuteronomy 30:20, namely, by prayerfully (James 4:2; James 4:3) "resisting Satan," who would oppose our access to God. he will draw nigh—propitious. Cleanse . . . hands—the outward instruments of action. None but the clean-handed can ascend into the hill of the Lord (justified through Christ, who alone was perfectly so, and as such "ascended" thither). purify . . . hearts—literally "make chaste" of your spiritual adultery (James 4:3- :, that is,... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - James 4:7-10
Submission to God. This passage is a powerful and heart-stirring appeal to those professing Christians whose hearts had been lull of worldly "pleasures" ( James 4:3 ), and whose hands had been occupied with " wars " and "fightings." Within these four verses there are no fewer than ten verbs in the imperative mood; but the cardinal precept of the whole paragraph is the exhortation to submission, with which it both opens and closes. The other counsels in James 4:7-9 have reference to... read more