on James 4:8

James is one of the 20+ books I have not studied thoroughly. (If you'd like any of my notes, send me an email at DSchansb at i u s . e d u.) If I had, I'm sure I would have caught and remembered the following two connections. Ahh....someday!

1.) 4:8's "double-minded" (NIV) connects to the same word in 1:5-8. (These are the only two uses of "dipsychos" in the NT. Great word, huh?!) 1:5-8 has been an influential passage for me. Along with 1:2-4's focus on character over circumstances, 1:5-8's call to wisdom and avoiding "double-mindedness" is a big deal for discipleship with Jesus.

2.) More exciting (at least for me): 4:8's equivalence with Galatians 5:16 (the third memory verse in DC: Thoroughly Equipped​, by the way). In both cases, the ordering and greater causation are the opposite of what is often presumed: Walk with and draw closer to God / Holy Spirit, SO THAT you can do great things and avoid being a knucklehead.

(h/t: K's ch. 9 of "Provocations")