Overcoming double-mindedness

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE DOUBLE-MINDED (James 1:8; 4:8) Answer: The term double-minded comes from the Greek word DIPSUCHOS, meaning “a person with two minds or two souls.” It’s interesting that this word appears only in the book of James (James 1:8; 4:8). Bible scholars conclude that James might have coined this word. To grasp the full meaning of this word, it is best to understand how it is used within its context. James writes of the doubting person that he is: “like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does” (James 1:6–8). A double-minded person is a doubter. Jesus had in mind such a person when He spoke of the one who tries to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). As such, he is “unstable,”which comes from a Greek word meaning “unsteady, wavering, in both his character and feelings.”