I Surrender All

Big Idea: God’s gracious call to salvation requires a response not a formula…. 

James describes the elements of the response God requires.

1.  A call to submit.

(Journal) James 4:7a

Roman 10:9-10, ….if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

2.  A call to resist.

(Journal) James 4:7b

Ephesians 6:10-11, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

3.  A call to fellowship.

(Journal) James 4:8

Philippians 3:10-11, ….that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

4.  A call to cleanse.

(Journal) James 4:8b

Isaiah 1:15-16, When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes; cease to do evil…. 

5.  A call to purity.

(Journal) James 4:8c

Jeremiah 4:14, O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?

6.  A call to misery.

(Journal) James 4:9a

Luke 18:13, But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to Heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

7.  A call to sorrow.

(Journal) James 4:9b

2nd Corinthians 7:9-10, As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

8.  A call to tears.

(Journal) James 4:9c

Mark 14:72, And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

9.  A call to seriousness.

(Journal) James 4:9d

Lamentations 5:15-16, The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning. The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!

10.  A call to humility.

(Journal) James 4:10

Isaiah 6:5, And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

Next Step:  I choose to surrender my will to the will of God.