Above All Things

Three times the New Testament (by my count in the KJV) uses the phrase “above all things” …

James 5:12 “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” Of course, many gospel preachers teach it is okay to swear for serious matters, especially in a court of law, but how could God have made it any more clear (than how He said it in this verse and Matt 5:34) that it is always a sin to swear? Always. Period.

I Peter 4:8 “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” Jesus said in Matt 22:36-40 love is the most important commandment in the Bible because it encompasses all the other commandments. If you really love God and your neighbor, you will follow through on all the details that love for them demands. This summary is true whether one lived under the old testament law or now lives under the new.

III John 1:2 “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Jealousy (envy) caused the Jews to crucified our Lord and Saviour (Matt 27:18). And jealousy can bite a lot of Christians (Gal 5:26, I Cor 3:3, Phil 1:15, I Tim 6:4, Tit 3:3, James 3:14, 3:16). In my opinion it is a very prevalent sin today, and causes all kinds of problems in God’s congregations. Our text says [if we are not envious of other abilities, position, circle of friends, anything else then] we will want all our friends, and acquaintances to prosper financially, health-wise, and especially spiritually.

Of course we are saved by grace, but the more we appreciate that grace, the more we love and respect Jesus, the more super careful we will be to obey every single one of his instructions to the minutest detail (Matt 23:23, James 2:10) – big or small. At the same time let’s don’t neglect to keep the main things the main things; let’s don’t neglect the orders the law of Christ says are “above all things” – hoping the best for others, loving others, and not swearing.

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