Posted December 17, 2006; back-dated.
Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 40:28-49, Ezekiel 41
NT: James 4
Ps: Psalm 118:19-29
Pr: Proverbs 28:3-5
Today´s notable verses:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7 (NIV)
Part of the beauty of this verse is that we are called to active submission to God, which is joined here with resistance of - almost/implied passive struggle against - the devil. Our call against Satan is not to fight - which is the responsibility of and was accomplished by Christ - but rather to resist. Satan will attack or tempt us, but we are called to stand firm against him (see also Ephesians 6:13).
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
James 4:17 (NIV)
Talk about a high standard! This definition of sin is simple to explain, yet in comparison to Mosaic Law it is a much higher calling. No longer is sin "doing wrong"; according to this standard, sin is also "not doing right". We are left with no middle ground - no gray area.
The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.
