Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

that is “death bearing” and “death dealing” (Johnson, 261; Manton, 289) poison
(Ps. 58:3; 140:3). Once again the comparison with a snake comes into
view. Inasmuch as a snake can be defanged, this comparison is not too complimentary
to the snake that we usually regard as the most frightening of all
animals. Note well, this does not only apply to the unbeliever in his unregenerate
state (Rom. 1:13). James predicates it of the believer in his regenerate
state as well. It is indeed spine chilling to see how the tables are turned from
the highest praise (“legitimate boasting”) to the most heinous low (“uncontrollable
evil”) (Moo, 1985, 128). Believers are frightening folks, all right,
who must be most frightened by themselves!
Once again, this diagnosis must be accepted as a fact and not merely as a
possibility. James does not tell us, “Given the wrong circumstances, the
tongue can be set on fire by hell, can be an unruly evil, and can be poisonous.”
Such an interpretation would vitiate the message of James, and, therefore,
could not possibly serve the best interest of the reader. No, the believer
is totally and radically impotent to do anything that is good and pleasing to
the all-holy and almighty God. All of his existence and all of his activities are
fully dominated by indwelling sin, that powerful reality that dwells in all the
parts, aspects and phases of his existence. To be sure, the regenerate heart has
a delight in the law of God, and a thirst for holiness (Rom. 7: 22), but by the
same token the flesh or indwelling sin has a paralyzing influence upon everything
in general (Paul) and the tongue in particular (James). 287 The believer,
however much he thirsts for it, is by definition unable to perform any and all
acts of obedience. This “flesh,” as has been argued already, is neither a potential
(too little), nor an actual sin (too much). It is the believer’s fifth column
with such sinister power that the new heart is no match for it! In short,
indwelling sin, the enemy inside, is such a potent enemy that it, in conjunction
with temptation, the enemy outside, will be victorious over the new heart
when the latter is left to itself or attempts to cope with the indwelling sin in its
own strength. It is dynamite, always threatening to explode. It is poison, always
threatening to paralyze. It is a set of rods in a nuclear facility, always
out” at any moment as “the natural complement of James 2:8a” (Moo, 1985, 127). The latter
seems to be preferable in the context.
287 Zodhiates, II, 129, argues correctly that the notion of “two dogs in us trying to bark
through the same mouth” is thoroughly fallacious. The regenerate can be assured that their
rebel heart, their sin nature is crucified (Rom. 6:6) and replaced with a new heart, a new nature
(Rom. 6:6b, 17). Their new headquarters is secured. However their flesh, a fifth column,
is still “omni-present.” It must be emphasized, however, with Zodhiates and others that the
new heart and the flesh are not on a par, and have no equal rights. The new heart is the indestructible
new starting point in the process of sanctification. While it is no match for the flesh
without Jesus by definition, it is equally by definition victorious with Jesus, as I show at
length below.
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