God wants to change us by expanding our experience with him and knowledge of him through our reading and study of the Bible. So God reaches down and connects with us using our common experience. For example, James tells us that we should not pray with a double-mind (James 1:6-8). To understand this, we must have experienced double-mindedness in our communication with others. When we hear or read God’s word in the Bible given in human terms, then we can understand what he wants in his relationship with us.
When we relate to other humans with a double-mind, we say one thing but feel or believe another. No one likes this insincerity when they discover the truth has not been shared. God knows the truth right away. He will not play games by going along with insincerity. Prayer is communication within an honest relationship with God. He will not respond to prayers uttered in hypocrisy.
When James gives us this teaching, it informs us that God expects what honest people expect and honest people expect it because God expects it. So the teaching is like a double edged sword (Hebrews 4:12-13). It teaches us both about how to relate to God and how to relate to each other. This is what happens when reading the Bible makes a difference in our lives.
© Wm. Stephen Williams, 2018