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James 4:6
6 But [de] he giveth [didomi] more [meizon] grace [charis]. Wherefore [dio] he saith [lego], God [theos] resisteth [antitassomai] the proud [huperephanos], but [de] giveth [didomi] grace [charis] unto the humble [tapeinos]. KJV-Interlinear
6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, 'God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' NASB
James is writing this letter to Jewish believers, and to all believers indirectly. He is not writing to unbelievers.
Thus far his message is, that you not be double minded, that you not operate in your life in a manner that suits you out of convenience at any given moment, that you not imitate the pattern of life of unbelievers, that you not consider your natural instincts as the primary design of your makeup, that you not function in your daily life in an envious mode, and so forth.
Because the world offers nothing of value as a reward for your thoughts, beliefs, or actions, or even the results of these things.
To all of humanity, God offers common grace. We all have air to breath, water to drink, divine establishment laws that rule society, economies, and nations, and provide stability in a world that is determined to run itself by jungle laws.
But to believers there is a spiritual grace that is unique to believers only.
When you believed in Christ, you became a member of Gods family. And as a member of Gods family, you are … well … family. In contrast, unbelievers are not family. They are strangers.
God treats His family with His family rules. We receive His discipline and we receive His special family grace. A grace which we simply call spiritual grace.
But James introduces us to a new category of grace. He calls it 'more' grace. And the word for more, 'meizon' actually means 'greater.' And greater, does not mean more of the same thing, but a higher level or a higher category of the policy we call grace.
Blessings in the spiritual life are unique to believers. They are not available to unbelievers. But as you advance to spiritual maturity, then you become a recipient of 'greater' grace blessings, which are unique to mature believers only, not to immature believers.
A child does not have the privilege to drive a car. He has to grow up into an adult before he can get a drivers license. In similar fashion, a mature believer has more capacity, ability, and responsibility to handle the greater blessings of the mature spiritual life.
And this is why so many folks do not receive these special blessings in life, because they do not get out of their 'baby' mode, they do not get out of their double minded mode, they do not get out of their 'world first' mode, and get on with their spiritual growth.
God opposes, or does not favor those who embrace the carnal life style. They choose to live under the control of the sin nature. But God does favor those who pursue the spiritual life, here described as the, 'humble.'
And again, the Bible makes it very clear that there is benefit, there is advantage, there is a unique gain when the spiritual life is pursued. And when it is ignored, there is nothing!
So why do you suppose folks do not subscribe to the mandates of God, but instead embrace their own ideas regarding life?
