James 1:13-17

[Hidden In Him]

Curses, Spiritual Pregnancy, And The Maturation Of Both Good And Evil



Like a child growing in the womb, our thoughts and intentions will eventually be borne out by our actions. Godly thoughts produce godly actions when meditated upon and allowed to "grow" to maturity, but the opposite is true of evil thoughts, and Jesus hinted at this in the Gospel of Mark when He stated the following:

"That which comes out of a man is that which defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:20-23)

The reason such thoughts spiritually "defile" a man is because the Lord sees into the spirit realm, and knows thoughts like this are ultimately often coming from evil and unclean spirits. Demons wait for moments of weakness to whisper evil thoughts into our ears, hoping we will nurture them until they fully mature into sinful words and actions.

This is what James is communicating in our next passage. Demons can become great impersonators of God if allowed to, especially regarding things like pronouncing curses, where we receive a "leading" to chastise others for the sins they are committing against us. We need to careful, however, and discern which leadings are truly from the Holy Spirit and which are from the enemy before acting on them and potentially generating resentment in the other person. The temptation to rebuke others "in the Lord" is not always coming from God.

Let no one who becomes tempted say, "I am becoming tempted from God," for God is untempted by evils and He tempts no one. But each one is tempted through his own desires, having been drawn away and allured. Then, when the desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully brought to maturity it brings death.(James 1:13-15)

Again, by looking ahead into the next few Chapters, you find out what James was talking about here. He was talking about the desire to pronounce curses over others, for in Chapter 3 he will say this:

8 No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the image of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. (James 3:8-12)

So why was James warning against them thinking they were "becoming tempted from God"? It's because there was actually such a thing as a godly curse in Jewish culture; a notification or warning to all that this person was heading for judgment from God unless they repented of their sins and transgressions. Jesus himself did this with the Pharisees when He told them the following.

29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, "If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets." 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, vyou brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to Hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. (Matthew 23:29-36)

This was not an inaccurate prophecy. They would go on to fulfill these very words. By extension it was not an inaccurate curse either. They did not escape the judgment of Hell, for Jesus knew the course they had already set for themselves, and how wicked it truly was.

But curses had no power if they were not spoken by the Spirit of God Himself. As Balaam even confessed, “How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?” (Numbers 23:8). But the problem was, sometimes you had people assuming that another person was accursed of God when they were not. This led to pronouncing curses upon them which were not from Him but actually coming from the Devil.


Birthing Evil Desires



Unfortunately, some were presuming they were being led to chastise their own brethren over sins and doctrinal errors when it was in reality the enemy tempting them to do so out of spite. James was therefore here warning them not to justify cursing one another by using the excuse that "God" was leading him to do so. The motivation was not coming from God but from the darkness, as is evident in how James used the Greek word "demonic" (δαιμονικός) to describe what kind of "wisdom" was leading some of these early Jewish Christians to curse their own brethren rather than bless them:

My brothers, do not become many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation, for we all falter in many ways... Behold, the tongue is a fire [kindling] a world of iniquity. And so is the tongue established within our membership, defiling the whole body and setting aflame the wheel of momentum, being set on fire by Gehenna. For every species of beasts, both of birds and reptiles and creatures of the sea, is being subdued and has been subdued by the human species. Yet no one among men is able to subdue the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of death-dealing poison... By this we curse men who have been made in God's image... Who is a wise and understanding man among you? Let him demonstrate it from the good behavior of his works, through meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth. This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but is earthly, soulish, and demonic. (3:1, 5-10, 13-15)

This had actually long been a problem in Jewish society. Occasionally some took it upon themselves to curse an individual they assumed was under God's judgement and would never escape. Such was the case with Shimei, who cursed King David after his sins were laid bare before all to see.

Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came... And thus he said when he cursed, “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!” (2 Samuel 16:5-8)

Scripture says that "Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at David, and kicked up dust" (2 Samuel 16:13). But when David was eventually restored to the throne, Shimei came asking forgiveness, and David swore an oath to him not to kill him. Only it appears Shimei was still cursing David in his heart, because although David kept the oath he swore to him, his son Solomon was under no such obligation, and when Solomon assumed power after David's death, he had Shimei executed, citing his never-ending disdain and mistreatment of his father as the reason why (1 Kings 2:36-46).

So what happened to Shimei? He got baited by demons into pronouncing curses upon the king that were not coming from God. As James said, he got lured into it through his own resentments, for the Greek verb δελεάζω was frequently used of the bait that was used to entice animals into a trap, and in this case it led to Shimei's demise. Though tragic, the story illustrates how evil desires can eventually give "birth" to actions that lead to a person's death.

This is why in the next few verses James will add, "Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath, for the wrath of man does not cultivate the righteousness of God." When the Lord sees there's the possibility of a person coming to repentance, He will still seek to cultivate righteousness in them to help so they can avoid their impending judgment. Such happened in the case of Nineveh in the Old Testament. But for those who get enticed into bitterness and wantingto see judgment come upon the other person, speaking curses over them in the name of God which He has not spoken is an egregious sin. It is why the exhortation was always to give place to God, for vengeance belonged to Him alone.

Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse... Neither avenge yourselves, but give place to God's wrath, for as it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:14, 17, 19)

 

[Hidden In Him]

It should also be pointed out before going on the last section that "cursing" in the modern sense bears a close resemblance to Biblical curses, in that both arise from evil intent and are inspired by the darkness rather than the Light. One Hell account given by Richard Eby illustrated the kind of language demons use towards the damned after they have been seduced into eternal torment, and it amounts to the same thing as what James will refer to as "speaking evil" of others (James 4:11).

It was total panic. Jesus had caste me for two minutes into the role of an unbeliever who had died without accepting the gift of salvation... The demons around me in the tiny hole of solid rock were ecstatic at my desperate wish to escape. "You blankety-blank fool!" they screamed at me (mind to mind). "You listened to our lies up on earth, and we got you now! You can never escape from us. Satan assigned us to deceived you, and you listened!... Now we'll make it Hell for you forever, you ___ _ ___ idiot!" I have cleaned up the above taunts. Actually, their language was so loaded with obscenities and filth that it merits only complete removal from human ears. (Eby, Didn't You Read My Book, P.92-93)


"Wayward Stars"

James went on to compare the spirits that tempt us to curse others (whether verbally or simply in our hearts) to the moon and the stars, in that the moon waxes and wanes, and the stars likewise cease to give their light after they deviate from their courses. Jewish legend has it that some began to do so after the angels who sinned with women in Genesis 6 were judged and cast down into Tartarus. Indeed, it is now an established fact that some stars can no longer been seen in the Northern or Southern hemispheres at certain times of the year.

The only true source of Light that can invariably be counted on to give us light consistently is the sun, and James was here comparing the sun to our Father in Heaven, i.e. the "Father of Lights." So he was in effect telling them not to be deceived by any spirit which gave light to them one day but then darkness the next.

Do not be led astray, my dear brothers, every good impartation and every perfect donation is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no deviation, nor shadow of turning. (James 1:16-17)

Demons often speak half truths and half lies to sell a deception, so the analogy of stars that "wandered" or deviated from their courses was a fitting one. Jude also mentioned teachers who were departing into heresy as well, again comparing them to the angelic "wayward stars" of old, who were now awaiting the day when they would be cast into outer darkness, and reap what they sowed for what they did to mankind.

These [heretics] are blemishes in the midst of your Agapes.... Waterless clouds, being carried away by winds. Unfruitful autumn trees which have died twice over... wayward stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 1:12-13)

Jude also quoted from the Book of Enoch in this letter (v.14-15), and the Book of Enoch is where several references are made to the fallen angels who sinned with women and bore giants into the earth. These same passages compare them to "stars" who had been thrown into a prison of burning fire to await their judgment.

11 And beyond that abyss I saw a place which had no firmament of the heaven above, and no firmly founded earth beneath it... 13 The angel said, 'This place is the end of heaven and earth. It has become a prison for the stars and the host of heaven. 14 And the stars which roll over the fire are they which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord in the beginning of their rising, because they did not come forth at their appointed times. 15 And He was angry with them, and bound them until the time when their guilt should be consummated. And Uriel said to me, "Here shall stand the angels who have joined themselves with women, and their spirits - assuming many different forms - are defiling mankind and shall lead them astray into sacrificing to demons (as gods). (1 Enoch:18:11-15, 9:1)

Thus, these were the "deviating" stars James was referring to, and he was making an allusion to fallen angels, whose "seed" can potentially be inseminated within us if we allow ourselves to be seduced over to resentment, and incited to curse our brethren unjustly.

But although evil can potentially be "born" within us, James also implied that Christ, the Word of God made flesh, can as well. This is what Paul later referred to when he told the Galatians, "My little children... I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed within you" (Galatians 4:19). Christ is formed within us when we allow His thoughts, His desires and His Word to grow, much like how Mary allowed the Lord Jesus Christ to grow within her until He was born out from her into the earth as the only begotten Son of God.

What would "Christ being formed within us" look like? I believe what it manifests outwardly as is the full manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit, and as the supernatural gifts of the Spirit as well, in combination with the word of God being understood and taught with great authority. James touched on the proper fruit in Chapter 3 when he pointed out the difference between the wisdom of those who give "birth" the darkness and those who give "birth" the Light.

If you have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in your heart, do not boast and lie against the truth. This is not the wisdom coming down from above, but is earthly, soulish, and demonic... the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, forbearing, yielding, full of pity and good fruits, does not apply double standards, and is not hypocritical. And the fruit of righteousness is being sown in peace by those creating peace. (James 3:13-18)

Lastly, James stated that "God is untempted by evils" so no one can justify that the resentful curses and criticisms they speak are coming from Him. The Lord is not swayed by evil spirits into harboring bitterness, so one cannot claim "God is the One tempting me to curse them." As we have seen, God can and will curse those who have already sealed their own fate, but He is never goaded into walking in a spirit of hatred by demons. That is something evil spirits can only accomplish in the hearts of men.


Questions And Applications

1. What came to mind in reading through this study? Did anything in particular jump out at you?

2. Have you ever succeeded at obeying the command to bless those who cursed you? This was taught by Paul as well in Romans where he stated, "I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.... Love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and the evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful." (Luke 6:27-28, 35-36)

3. Have you had difficulty cursing in your past, whether as an unsaved person or even after coming to Christ? If so, why do you think you did so?

4. If Christ is formed within us by allowing His word to grow, do you feel you are spending enough time in study and meditation for Him to fully manifest Himself through you? If not then why?

5. Give an example from real life - any story you remember or that you can find on the internet - of someone allowing an evil desire to grow within them until it eventually led to their death (road rage incidents, battles between neighbors, business associates, or marriage partners that ended in murder, etc). It can be from a crime documentary as well.