4. (James 1:19-20) Standing firm against unrighteous anger
This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
This you know, my beloved brethren: They know what James has been teaching. They know that the Father is all light and brought them forth by His will to make them a first fruit among creatures. But, they are not living according to that knowledge. They were likely reacting in anger and doubt over the trials they were experiencing. They were speaking instead of listening.
Everyone must be quick to hear: In the day this letter was written, people did not have copies of the Scriptures (i.e., the Old Testament). The texts were kept in the synagogue and were read aloud during the weekly services. So when James says to be quick to hear, he is talking about being quick to receive God's word in the way in which it was received in that day--by hearing. Listening to God's word was to take the place of speaking and anger.
James says that we know trials are tests but just knowing that fact will not be enough in most circumstances to get us through the trial in a godly way. When a loved one has a life-threatening illness, or we lose our job, or our house is foreclosed upon, or numerous other instances in life come along, they bring stress, worry and fear. We are to remember that God is testing out spiritual maturity, and our response is being graded. We know we are to seek God's wisdom in His word and by going to Him in prayer.
However, we often tell ourselves lies. We say it is unfair that God is treating us this way. We strike out at others in frustration. We say unkind words against the people in our lives who are involved in the trials. We tell ourselves there is nothing in God's word which can help us with our situation. We entertain thoughts of self pity. Often, we get angry and frustrated which leads us to seek the world for wisdom and help. These are the ways our flesh responds to trials. But, this is not the godly way to respond.
Anger does not achieve the righteousness of God: Producing the righteousness of God is the whole point of the trial. God wants us to grow. He wants to give us opportunity to show our growth. He does not bring trials to frustrate us. But if we stubbornly persist in letting our flesh drive our response to trials, we will never grow. Instead, we are to be quick to hear God's word--read God's word--but we shall be slow to speak.
As in the examples listed above, speaking refers to our tendency to rationalize our circumstances to ourselves. We talk to others and ourselves about why something has happened or how we should respond. We talk so much, in fact, we stop listening. If we are truly going to hear God's wisdom and direction, we have to first silence the voice in our head and refrain our lips from speaking.
5. (James 1:21) Standing firm against the lusts of the flesh
Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
In humility receive the word implanted: James gives us the secret to receiving God's wisdom in a trial. The word for humility in Greek is prautes which means meekness. We have to humble ourselves and eliminate pride from our response to trials. We do not deserve anything. God does not owe us anything. We have nothing good in us save for Jesus Christ Himself. And trials are good for us.
We pray for health, wealth and an easy life because those things sound good to our flesh. But when God sends trials instead, we respond in ungodly ways if we fail to recognize the goodness of God in all those trials. And every trial God sets before us, He gives us everything we need to overcome it.
"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence." (2 Peter 1:2-3)
The word implanted: Did you notice that both Peter and James refer to this word as something already granted to you/implanted in you? James says that the word of God is implanted in you, which is the word which saves you soul. The word "soul" in Greek means the whole life, or the full measure of the person's earthly life. God's word is the way we are saved, and that word is also a Person Who lives in us. We receive that Word when we turn to it and seek His counsel over our own voice and emotions and when we understand our circumstances from His perspective.
When we are suffering from illness and feeling weak, we hear God's word telling us that our body is going to fail. We are to look forward to the new body. When a business fails, God reminds us that our eternal business is to first seek the righteousness of God. These words are words of life which can save our souls. Receiving the word implanted in us means yielding to the instruction of the word as the Spirit convicts us and prompts us to walk a different walk. But once we receive God's word, we have to act upon what we hear.
6. (James 1:22-25) How to receive the word of God
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
Prove yourselves doers of the word: If there is one indictment against the evangelical Christian today, it might be that many have become merely hearers of the word rather than doers. This is a classic critique of Bible churches. Groups of Christians who give lip service to the Bible and to God's word. We love to read it; we love to study it; we put up God's word on our Facebook page. But do we let it change our thoughts and actions?
The word "prove" in Greek means something that has been done or accomplished. It means to demonstrate something through action. In the context of trials, it refers to living according to God's word in the midst of a trial.
James sets up a choice of two paths once we have consulted God's word. We can hear it and tell ourselves we are ok. We assume it is talking about someone else. We sit in the pew and say to ourselves, "I hope Bob is listening to the pastor this morning. He really needs to hear this message." We delude ourselves by thinking the message was written for someone else. Or, we assume we are already living according to God's word. When we believe this, we become like a Pharisee. We have an overly positive view of our self. We have an unteachable heart. Ultimately, we are full of pride rather than humility.
It was common in the ancient world for people to hear a teacher. If you followed the teacher and tried to live what he said, you were called a disciple of that teacher. We may say that Jesus is looking for disciples--doers, and not mere hearers.
Jesus used this same point to conclude His great Sermon on the Mount. He said that the one who heard the word without doing it was like a man who built his house on the sand, but the one who heard God's word and did it was like a man whose house was built on a rock. The one who both heard and did God's word could withstand the inevitable storms of life and the judgment of eternity (Matthew 7:24-27).
A man who looks at his natural face in the mirror: The word of God is like a mirror. It causes us to examine ourselves in an honest and true way. It speaks with authority and truth. The Spirit in us takes those words and uses them to convict us of our sin. In that way, hearing the word of God is like seeing ourselves in a mirror.
I don't know about you, but I do not enjoy staring at myself in a mirror. The longer I look, the more imperfections I notice. The less I like my appearance. I seem to remember myself looking better. But, as I study my features in a mirror, a stark reality hits me--I seem to have remembered myself looking so much better than I do at this moment. Every little flaw and imperfection comes into focus. I suddenly notice my skin is less youthful and is showing the effects of age.
When we look into the mirror of God's word, we need to come with an honest heart ready to learn something about ourselves. When we learn something from that self-inspection, we have to put it into action. We have to be unlike the person who when he sees the problems in the mirror, instead of addressing the problems, the person just leaves the bathroom. (It is as if when we cannot see the problems, then we do not have any.) Instead, we must see our flaws, and we must act accordingly.
One who looks intently at the perfect law: The word for "look" is parakupto which means to stoop down to get a better look or to study intently. As we stare into the perfect word, we are to abide by it. Such a man is blessed in what he does. We are not talking about being busy. James is telling us to be better Christians by simply assuming a more active Christian lifestyle. The context of the first chapter is facing trials. In that context, the "doer" is someone who puts God's wisdom and instruction into action.
When you put God's words and His instructions into action, you will be blessed in what you do. If you hear from God in His word, consider it, but then never take steps to put those instructions into your own life, you are the forgetful hearer. Ironically, it we get busy in church doing things, serving in one way or another, but we never take the word of God and actually apply it in our own lives, we may feel like we are the "doer" James asks us to be. However, in reality, we are still the forgetful hearer. We are still the one who looks at ourselves, and instead of hearing and taking steps to adjust our Christian life, we are distracting ourselves by our works. We are doing Christian things instead of being a Christian.
7. (James 1:26-27) Examples of what it means to be a doer of the word of God
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father it this: to visit the orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Anyone who thinks himself religious: The word "religious" in Greek is threskos, and it means someone who fears or worships God. We are still talking about a believer. But the point is the believer who sees himself as someone doing the right things in keeping with their faith rather than someone who lives his faith properly. James says if someone thinks he has already achieved the perfect reflection in the mirror, then they can look upon God's word, hear it and come away thinking there is nothing they need to change in their lives. That Christian is the one who thinks he is religious.
Yet does not bridle his tongue: To that person, James offers a simple test--can you bridle your tongue? Is everything you say to yourself and to everyone else perfectly in accordance with God's word? You never lie, you never gossip, you never utter a hurtful word, you never speak out of pride or arrogance? If we cannot control something as small as our tongue, never mind being able to control the rest of our bodies. We deceive ourselves if we think there is nothing wrong in our lives--there is nothing we need to change in response to God's word. In trials, we are going to fail rather than be blessed because we are going to rely on our own thoughts and instincts.
That kind of religion is worthless. It is worthlessness is in respect to ourselves and not to God. It is not God who loses out. It is us. It is worthless to us because it leaves us self-deceived and without the possibility of receiving the blessing God offers to obedience in trials.
Pure and undefiled religion: If you want a picture of what pure religion looks like to God, it involves an external and an internal change. Externally, it takes the form of ministering to those who have nothing to offer in return. It is a selfless act of love. It is when you are suffering in trials, and your response after consulting God's word is to go to others who are even more vulnerable and minister to them. It is when you leave your pity and seek to serve others in their time of need. Notice the widows and orphans are in a time of distress themselves.
Finally, the inward change it to keep oneself unstained by the world. Do you want to be a doer of the word? It s not measured by the busyness of your religious activities or the accomplishments of your ministries. It is measured by the degree of Christ-likeness in your life. Stare at God's word. Compare it to the reflection of your own life. Be prepared to make the necessary changed to conform yourself to the One who is revealed in God's word.
No comments:
Post a Comment