Message for Impenitent Sinners

Message for Impenitent Sinners

July 22, 2013 at 4:55pm

James 4:9,10

Grieve, mourn and wail. 
Change your laughter to mourning 
and your joy to gloom.

Let there be tears for what you have done. 
Let there be sorrow and deep grief. 
Let there be sadness instead of laughter, 
and gloom instead of joy.

Be wretched and mourn and weep. 
Let your laughter be turned to mourning 
and your joy to gloom.

Be miserable and mourn and weep; 
let your laughter be turned into mourning 
and your joy to gloom.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: 
let your laughter be turned to mourning, 
and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord...

(New International Version, New Living Translation, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, King James Version)
The Lord will not refuse to comfort one who really mourns for sin,
or to exalt one who humbles himself before Him.~ Matthew Henry

Afflicting the soul is meant, an inward mourning and weeping over the plague of the heart,
the impurity of nature, and the various sins of life;
after a godly sort..
in an evangelical way,
looking to Jesus,
and being affected with the pardoning grace and love of God
in Christ.

Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness;
meaning their carnal joy, on account of their friendship with the world,
and their enjoyment of the things of it,
since they consumed them on their lusts,
and which betrayed enmity to God.
~ John Gill


Be afflicted—literally, "Endure misery," that is,
mourn over your wretchedness through sin.
Repent with deep sorrow
instead of your present laughter.
A blessed mourning.

~ Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
Cleanse your hands, you sinners;
and purify your hearts, you double minded.
~ James 4:8

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause.
“Come now, let us reason together", says the LORD:
"though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword;
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
~ Isaiah 1:16-20

"Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven has come near...

Come to Me,
all you that labor and are heavy laden, 
and I will give you rest. Take My yoke on you, 
and learn of Me; 
for I am meek and lowly in heart: 
and you shall find rest to your souls." 

~ Matthew 4:17;11:28-29