Doers Not Just Hearers (James 1:19 et seq)

Hearers and Doers of the Word
James 1:19-27

We receive the word of truth in salvation, but we also receive it as the guide to a life that pleases God. It works toward our sanctification. Jesus, in fact, prayed for his disciples, saying “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth”. (John 17:17)

James seems to interject a topic here with an instruction on speech and anger. Those were evidently problems in the churches to whom James wrote. They are problems in many churches today, and among many believers in general. Our spiritual maturity, our sanctification, can be measured by these things James discussed. So, James seems to say that steadfastness in faith is expressed in obedience to God’s word no matter what is going on around you or what is being done to you.

We should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. (19) Rashness or hasty speech and anger do not please God. The Old Testament teaches this also. Psalm 34:13, for example, says “keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”

Proverbs 18:27-28 says:

“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise.
When he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

James is very concerned with the tongue in this letter, making us think it was as much a problem for his audience as for us.

First of all, we should be quick to hear. Listening is a great talent. It is beneficial to your sanctification and to your relationships. We should be quick to listen to God’s word. Our first response should be to apply it to our lives, not argue with it or the one who presents it truthfully.

Second, we should be slow to speak. When you do not like what you hear, you can often benefit from thinking about it and praying about it before you respond. My family would say to “sleep on it”. Sometimes, what struck you unfavorably at first, may seem reasonable or good when thought out.

Finally, we are to be slow to anger. Anger usually impedes clear thinking and leads to speaking harshly.

The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. The NIV paraphrases this into “the righteousness life that God desires”. That captures the meaning here. I have heard horrible things said by church members “in the heat of the moment”. God is not pleased or honored by that.

I have worked to resist speaking about everything that comes up in church. I took a year moratorium from offering criticisms and suggestions. I extended it for another year. I offered a criticism that was not well received, and am now in another year of moratorium. I have found in the process that many things which initially aggravated me I did not have to bother with. Instead, I could focus on my own sanctification and ministry to others. I also resolved to not speak immediately upon every issue. I am not perfect in this, but it is what I seek to do.

I am not here speaking of confronting heresy or falsehood regarding the Bible. You are pretty much going to hear from me every time you offer that. Even then, I pray to answer with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15) But that is not the situation James addressed.

The next thing James admonishes us to do is to get rid of moral filth and wickedness. The Greek word refers to taking off these things as you would dirty clothes. If you want God’s word to have full effect in your life you have to put away your favorite sins. Those sins are rampant (ESV) or prevalent (NIV). James is saying, your reception of God’s word unto salvation is revealed in your obedience to God’s word. The saved person obeys God’s word out of love for him. The unsaved person rebels against God’s word. Jesus said we can know people by their fruits. (Matthew 7:15-20) A tree that bears bad fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire. That is a metaphor for the judgment of the unsaved person.

The fruit of the Spirit, the traits of the saved person, are listed in Galatians 5:22-24. The fruit of the flesh is described in Galatians 5:19-21. We may discern from a person’s character and behavior what their relationship to God is. I am not saying we will be perfect, but that the life of the believer should predominately express the fruit of the Spirit not the fruit of the flesh.

Television adds invite us to sin. Commercials for Los Vegas tell us to come there and sin and it will stay there. That is not true, of course. You will carry the marks of it.

There are common sins all around you every day and I do not need to list them for you. It is fine for the people belonging to the world to cover themselves with those sins. But it is not ok for the man or woman of God. People tell you to “lighten up” or to “get over it”. Christians will tell you it is ok to do a little. But God says to put it away. Take off those dirty clothes and put on righteous clothes.

1 Peter 1:22-2:1 takes a similar approach to James in this passage.

God takes sin seriously and he hates it. That is why James uses these graphic words here: filthiness and wickedness. Confess, repent and remove these things from your life. God does not want to hear “that is just the way I am”. He knows how you are and he wants to change you to be like Jesus.

Finally, we need to receive the word with meekness. We are open and receptive to it. We put aside pride, anger, sin and all our resistance. We hear the word and apply it to ourselves. We conform ourselves to the word. We do not change the word to fit our sin.

I have sat in many Bible discussion groups where the response to every command of God begins with “well, I don't think God really wants us to do this” as opposed to “oh no, I have to repent of this and stop doing it”.

In Mark 4, Jesus told a parable. We often call it the parable of the sower, but it is really the parable of the soils. There are four kinds of soil. Only one is described as good soil The good soil received the seed and produced much fruit. You are good soil if you received the seed of God’s word. When you do you will produce much fruit.

When the preacher preaches God’s word to you, your reaction should be to listen and apply God’s word to yourself. But often we want to think or speak a rebuttal. Sometimes we get angry at the preacher or teacher. If the teacher is giving you the truth of God’s word, that is not the way God wants you to receive it. It will prevent you from receiving it. As verse 20 says, it does not produce the righteousness of God in us.

Your first reaction to a lesson or sermon should not always be “I wish old so and so was hearing this”. The first application should always be to ourselves. But, it is harder to confront our sin than someone else’s sin. Yet, when we receive the word with meekness, it will change us. God will change us through it. As we change, our behavior changes. James will address behavior frequently in this letter. He is saying for us to conform our behavior to God’s standards now that he has changed us so that we can behave in a way that pleases him and brings him glory.

Notice that James calls it the “implanted word” in verse 21. The NIV says the “word planted in you”. This is another reference by James to the Old Testament. This time the reference is to Jeremiah 31:33. In that verse God said he would put his law within his people and he would write it on their hearts. God had described, through Jeremiah, all the ways his people had failed to keep his covenant and live according to his standards. He told them that he would change that in the new covenant.

So James calls it the implanted word. God has written his word, or law, into the heart of believers so we can live according to his standards. It is implanted in us. It is part of us.
It empowers us to live for God and not the world.

Repentance

"True repentance is displeasure at sin, arising out of fear and reverence for God, and producing, at the same time, a love and desire of righteousness.” John Calvin

NOT BY MIGHT

Zerubbabel was a descendant of David, grandson of the last king of Judah. He and Ezra led the 40,000 or so Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem after Cyrus gave them permission. He led the effort to build the altar and lay the foundation of the temple. But, after opposition arose from the local non-Jewish population, building stopped. In Zechariah 4, God gave Zechariah a prophesy to speak to Zerubbabel to get him going again. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit”.

Zerubbabel did not have the might or power to accomplish his task. But the Holy Spirit would accomplish it. It is the Holy Spirit that accomplishes the work and will of God on earth. Men and women do not have the power on their own to accomplish it. Often, men in their own strength and for their own glory build things, even impressive things, and say they are God’s. But they do not last and often are perversions of God’s plan.

When times are tough and opposition arises, take comfort in the fact that the Spirit will prevail. But take caution that you seek God’s will and glory and not your own. The Tower of Babel fell. God’s kingdom will endure forever.

HEARERS & DOERS OF THE WORD (part 1) - James 1:19-21)

Hearers and Doers of the Word
James 1:19-25

We receive the word of truth in salvation, but it also works to our sanctification. Jesus, in fact, prayed for his disciples, saying “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth”. (John 17:17)

James seems to interject a topic here with an instruction on speech and anger. Those were evidently problems in the churches to whom James wrote. They are problems in many churches today, and among many believers in general. Our spiritual maturity, our sanctification, can be measured by these things James discussed.

We should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. (19) Rashness or hasty speech and anger do not please God. The Old Testament teaches this also. Psalm 34:13, for example, says “keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”

Proverbs 18:27-28 says:

“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise.
When he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

James is very concerned with the tongue in this letter, making us think it was as much a problem for his audience as for us.

The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God, or the righteousness God requires of us. I have heard horrible things said “in the heat of the moment”. God is not pleased or honored by that. I have worked to resist speaking about everything that comes up in church. I took a year moratorium from offering criticisms and suggestions. I extended it for another year. I offered a criticism that was not well received, and am now in another year of moratorium. I have found in the process that many things which initially aggravated me I did not have to bother with. Instead, I could focus on my own sanctification and ministry to others.

I am not here speaking of confronting heresy or falsehood regarding the Bible. You are pretty much going to hear from me every time you offer that. Even then, I pray to answer with gentleness and respect. But that is not the situation James addressed.

The next thing James admonishes us to do is to get rid of moral filth and wickedness. The Greek word refers to taking off these things as you would dirty clothes. If you want God’s word to have full effect in your life you have to put away your favorite sins. Those sins are rampant (ESV) or prevalent (NIV). Television adds invite us to sin. Commercials for Los Vegas tell us to come there and sin and it will stay there. That is not true, of course. You will carry the marks of it.

There are common sins all around you every day and I do not need to list them for you. It is fine for the people belonging to the world to cover themselves with those sins. But it is not ok for the man or woman of God. People tell you to “lighten up” or to “get over it”. Christians will tell you it is ok to do a little. But God says to put it away.

God takes sin seriously and he hates it. That is why James uses these graphic words here: filthiness and wickedness. Confess, repent and remove these things from your life. God does not want to hear “that is just the way I am”. He knows how you are and he wants to change you to be like Jesus.

Finally, we need to receive the word with meekness. We put aside pride, anger, sin and all our resistance. We hear the word and apply it to ourselves. We conform ourselves to the word. We do not change the word to fit our sin. I have sat in many a Bible discussion group where the response to every command of God begins with “well, I don't think God really wants us to do this” as opposed to “oh no, I have to repent of this and stop doing it”.

When the preacher preaches God’s word to you, your reaction should be to listen and apply God’s word to yourself. But often we want to think or speak a rebuttal. Sometimes we get angry at the preacher or teacher. If the teacher is giving you the truth for God’s word, that is not the way God wants you to receive it. It will prevent you from receiving it. As verse 20 says, it does not produce the righteousness of God in us.

Your first reaction to a lesson or sermon should not always be “I wish old so and so was hearing this”. The first application should always be to ourselves. But, it is harder to confront our sin than someone else’s sin. Yet, when we receive the word with meekness, it will change us. God will change us through it. As we change, our behavior changes. James will address behavior frequently in this letter. He is saying for us to conform our behavior to God’s standards now that he has changed us so that we can behave appropriately.

Notice that James calls it the “implanted word” in verse 21. The NIV says the “word planted in you”. This is another reference by James to the Old Testament. This time the reference is to Jeremiah 31:33. In that verse God said he would put his law within his people and he would write it on their hearts. God had described, through Jeremiah, all the ways his people had failed to keep his covenant and live according to his standards. He told them that he would change that in the new covenant.

So James calls it the implanted word. God has written his word, or law, into the heart of believers so we can live according to his standards. It is implanted in us. It empowers us to live for God and not the world.

HOW SIN HAPPENS - James 1:13-15

How Sin Happens
James 1:13-15

Every trial brings temptation to sin. In contrast to enduring tests to receive the blessing of God, some may fall into sin and blame God for it. James tells us that is incorrect because God cannot be tempted by evil and does not tempt us to sin. (13)

God cannot be tempted by evil because he is completely good. Psalm 86:5 says “For you, O LORD, are good and forgiving”. Jesus said “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.” Matthew 19:17

Since God is good, he has nothing to do with evil. He is not tempted and he does not try to lure us into sin. He tests us to build our Christian character, but he does not tempt us to sin or evil.

So, then, how is it we fall into sin? James told us. We are lured and enticed by our own desire. It is a fishing metaphor. Bait lures a fish, then it is hooked and dragged away. As fallen, sinful beings, we have a heart full of sinful desires. A sinful desire is a longing for what God said no to. So, 1 Peter 2:11 says “abstain form the passions of the flesh with wage war against your soul”. God Gave us the Ten Commandments because he knew we had sinful desires in all of those areas.

It is not a sin to be tempted. Jesus was tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

For example, God said not to covet your neighbor’s stuff, including his house. (Exodus 20:17) It is a sin to covet someone’s house. I used to covet other people’s houses. I thought I deserved a better house. I wanted a better house for selfish reasons: to look as successful as other people and to fit in with them. I tried to sell my house and buy another one. God said no. I persisted. He brought about a housing down turn and my house would not sell. He said no. I decided to make it work anyway. I picked a house in a cool neighborhood, wrote a contract, obtained financing and pushed to make it work. I was not doing this to honor God, but myself. I sinned. I coveted the houses of others in that neighborhood, including those of people I knew, and tried to make it happen. The result: the owner died and it got tied up in probate and I lost my financing. It was a huge disappointment.

But God did not tempt me to buy the house. I drove around and found one I wanted and went for it. My desire for a house like my friend’s lured me into sin.

Not only does God not lure us into sin, he provides protection for us. 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God will not let us be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. Rather, he will provide a way out for us. In my case God forced the way out by keeping me from buying it. If I had bought it, I would likely have added the sin of pride to my sin of covetousness. God saved me from myself.

You might ask, if that is true, how can we fall into sin? It is because we refuse to take the way out. In my house example, I had many possible outs as difficulties arose. But I refused to heed them. My heart was so overrun with covetousness that I refused to take any of the ways out I was given. David had the opportunity to avoid sin when his servant pointed out that Bathsheba was married. But he refused the way out and he committed multiple, grievous sins.

Peter’s sin in denying Christ is another good example. Jesus warned Peter that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat. (Luke 22:31) He even warned him that Peter would deny him before the rooster crowed. (Luke 22:34) The warning was a way out. Peter could have swallowed his pride, confessed his weakness and allowed God to give him strength to stand for Christ. Despite the warning, and his pledge to follow Jesus to death, he denied him that same evening to a servant girl and two other people. (Luke 22: 54-62) He knew this temptation was coming, but his desire to avoid pain and disapproval was too strong.

Now the scary thing is that sin brings forth death. (15) That is what Paul said in Romans 6:23: the wages of sin is death.

James may have intended to reflect the image of Proverbs 5-9. Those chapters warn a young man against adultery. Solomon used the image of a woman enticing a man, of being alluring in appearance and speech. (Prov. 5:3) But the end of the affair is bitter. (Prov. 5:4) And ultimately, she leads to Sheol, or death. (Prov. 9:18) In contrast, the one who embraces wisdom, finds life. (Prov. 8:35)

Thank you Jesus for paying the price for my sin and bringing me to salvation. For that same verse in Romans says “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus or Lord”.

Virgin Conception

What we call the "virgin birth" would better be called the "virgin conception", for it is the conception of Jesus that is most important. The Bible says, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:18 it also says But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:20

INCARNATION

INCARNATION

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from old, from ancient days. Micah 5:2

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:4-7

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Luke 2:21

Read Primary Sources!

“There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books. Thus I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about "isms" and influences and only once in twelve pages telling him what Plato actually said.”
Introduction by C. S. Lewis to Athanasius: On the Incarnation

LOVE NOT THE WORLD - EVEN AT CHRISTMAS

1 John 2:15-17
The verses in 1 John are a timely warning for us during the “Christmas Season”. The world has turned this time into a free for all of materialism and partying. John says not to love the world. If you love the world, the Father is not in you. That is a huge and devastating statement. John did not tell us we can stand with one foot in the world and one in the kingdom, loving both. Love the Father or love the world. The Kingdom abides forever along with those who do God’s will. Everything else passes away.