We ought to be able to say to any man, saved or lost, that if he or she would draw near to God, then he would draw near to them. Hyper Calvinists like the "Primitive" or Hardshell Baptists, however, cannot say this to those who are lost. However, in the above text, James addresses "sinners" who need to be cleansed of sin, and who need their hearts purified, and who are double minded. This exhortation of James is similar to the words of the apostle Paul to the Athenian idolaters.
"And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17: 26-27 nkjv)
The exhortation to "seek the Lord" so as to "find Him," is akin to the exhortation "draw near to God." It is also similar to the words of Psalm 24.
"Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psa. 24: 3-5 nkjv)
It is also similar to these words of the prophet Isaiah who gives us this oracle of Lord God:
“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes...Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool." (Isa. 1: 16, 18 nkjv)
Notice how "wash yourselves" and "make yourselves clean" is not intended to mean that cleansing of sin is accomplished by literal washing of the body or body parts, but that what is symbolized by such washings is to be effected.
The words of James also resemble those of Peter who wrote:
"Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart." (I Peter 1: 22 NKJV)
Sinners, you need to be cleansed of sin, and this can only be accomplished by having the blood of Christ mystically or spiritually applied to your heart, mind, soul, conscience, and spirit. It is also accomplished by taking heed to the word of God, as David says: "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word." (119: 9 nkjv) Also, Paul spoke of the "washing of water by the word" for cleansing and sanctification (Eph. 5: 26). With confession and repentance of sin by faith you are promised cleansing of your sins, cleansing of your hands, feet, eyes, heart, mind, soul, spirit, etc. (I John 1: 9)
No Charge For This
As an ad extra, or what is outside the scope of what is above written for the benefit of Hardshell Baptists and other Hyper Calvinists, from the text in James 4: 8, we now offer a few words relative to the debate over whether water baptism literally cleanses away sin and whether in eating the bread and drinking the wine of the Lord's Supper Christ' body and blood are literally eaten and drunk. Christ is eaten when the mind is meditating upon Christ and the Gospel. When James says "cleanse your hands you sinners" as a way to approach God, he did not mean that literally washing ones hands is a necessary condition for cleansing of sins. It is a metaphor. Cleansing of hands is figurative of repentance as are the words "purify your hearts," for in repentance there is a change of mind and behavior, or a spiritual or moral cleansing. When Annanias told Paul to be baptized in order to "wash away" his sins (Acts 22: 16), he did not mean that the baptismal waters literally cleansed of sin. Notice these words of the apostle:
"Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb. 10: 22 nkjv)
Again, this is metaphorical. The washing of the bodies in pure water, an old testament ritual, or perhaps even an allusion to water baptism (which was not always done in pure water), corresponds to "cleanse your hands." In doing these things the intent is for sinners to do what those washings symbolize, which is an inward washing of the heart, mind, and spirit by the word and Spirit of God.
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