James (written)

Sunday, 23 June 2019

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; James 1:23

James just spoke of those who are “hearers only” and not “doers of the word.” He notes that such people only deceive themselves. Now he begins to explain that by saying, “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer.” The words speak of the person who hears the word read (or today, someone who has his own Bible and picks it up and reads it), but who then fails to apply what he has read.

One might think of a person who gets something in the mail which requires assembly. He opens the box, reads the instruction, but then decides that his way is better. Or maybe he simply reads the instructions without actually mentally cataloging what he has read. He will not do the things he has just read. The resulting damage will be irreparable. James says of a person who treats the word of God this way, hearing and not doing, that “he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror.”

The Greek actually reads, “this one is like a man.” He is being made an object lesson for all others by singling him out in a definite way. There is a peculiarity about him which needs to be highlighted. James says he is like one who is “observing his natural face in a mirror.”

The Greek literally reads, “observing the face of his birth in a mirror.” The word is genesis, and it signifies his birth, lineage, or descent. It is the face he was born with and which carries the state he was in, even since birth. The idea here is that he is a man, a son of Adam. He is fallen and bears all of the nature of a fallen man. What will this man do about that state? He sees it, but will he take action concerning his natural state? James will continue to explain what such a person is like in the coming verse.

Life application: The Bible teaches many points of doctrine. One of them is that of “original sin.” This teaches that the sin of Adam is transferred to all of humanity. Further, it teaches that original sin extends to all humanity at the moment of their conception. Humans are conceived in sin, are born as fallen beings, and – without God’s corrective measure – will die in that state. In this, they will be eternally separated from God.

There is nothing man can do to be reconciled to God because the defect already exists. The cure for it is only found in Jesus. He came to replace Adam as humanity’s new head. Without Jesus, man’s sin remains. But in coming to Jesus, the sin-debt is paid, life is granted, and sin is no longer imputed to man. Thus, he is free from any future condemnation. Jesus Christ is the answer. Come to Christ and be cured of the inherited-sin defect.

Lord God, thank You for Jesus who alone can take away our sin. As only He can do this, may we demonstrate wisdom and receive the pardon that He purchased through His shed blood. Yes, give us this wisdom to receive and then to share, O God. Amen.

Saturday, 22 June 2019

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:22

James has just spoken of “the implanted word.” It is this, as he said, “which is able to save your souls.” He now builds upon that thought. It is the word which brings one to an understanding of the gospel (Paul says this in Romans 10:17 with the words, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”). Now James continues by saying, “But be doers of the word.”

In this, he is stating that believers don’t simply hear the word and become holy. Rather, they are to act upon it. Again, it is the same thing that Paul said in Romans 12:12, 13 –

“For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law ¹³ (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”

In Romans, as here in James, there is the thought of applying the word to one’s life, doing what it says. We are not to be “hearers only.” The word translated as “hearer” is found only there in Romans 2 and three times here in James 1. This is James’ first use of it, but he will repeat it in verses 23 and 25. This is a clear indication that Paul and James are on the same page despite having seeming differences in their messages. These seeming differences are fine points which will be considered one at a time as they arise.

Next, James says that when you are hearers only, you are “deceiving yourselves.” James makes a pun in the Greek which is not seen in our English translations. He uses the word paralogizomai. It comes from two words, para, meaning something which is contrary when it is compared side by side, and logizomi, meaning “to reason.” That second word comes from the same noun as that which is translated as “word” in the first clause, logos.

His pun can be seen if we show his thought in an English paraphrase –

But be doers of the word.
And not hearers only, thus contrary-to-the-wording yourselves.

The word is what gives wisdom, but the word is also to be acted upon. In not acting upon the word, one fails to make use of the wisdom which the word provides. Thus, we are to 1) know the word (which can only come about through reading and studying the word), and 2) apply that same word to our lives, demonstrating that we have obtained the wisdom of the word, and are willing to act upon it.

Life application: James was written at a time when people would have heard the word spoken, but there weren’t many copies of Scripture for personal use. So, when you read your Bible or daily devotional, keep this verse in mind as it applies as well. However, we will stick with the example given – listening to the word.

When you go to church, the pastor speaks on a given subject that he has studied and which is meant for you to listen to and then apply to your life. Many pastors add in real-life examples as they speak about the particular passage being analyzed. At times, you may have thought, “This applies to exactly my situation today.” Or, you may know someone in the congregation who really needed to hear a particular sermon because it applies to a situation in his life right at that time. However, he might walk out of church having heard the word spoken directly to him, and yet he will continue down the same unhealthy path that he was on before going to church.

Surprisingly enough, you may even hear the guy who listens even comment on what a great sermon it was. It is as if the message went in one ear and out the other, having no effect at all on his life. James is asking us to not allow this to happen. When you hear the word which specifically applies to you, it is because the Lord is trying to wake you up! Don’t merely listen to the word and so deceive yourself. Instead, do what it says!

Pay attention to your devotional each morning as it may be speaking to you, and pay attention to your morning Bible reading as it is certainly speaking to you. God sends His word out for your benefit. Pay attention to His word!

Lord God, we surely thank You for the times You prompt us to action through Your word – spoken or read. Give us wisdom and discerning hearts to apply the instructions we receive to our lives. Let us not simply deceive ourselves by hearing only, but let there be positive growth in us. All this is to Your glory alone. Amen.

Friday, 21 June 2019

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21

James now says, “Therefore.” That is given based on what he has been saying over the past verses concerning the temptation we face being something which comes from our own desires, not from God. As this is so, he implores the reader to “lay aside all filthiness.” Here is a word found nowhere else in the Bible, rhuparia. It properly means, “dirt.” It is the dirt or filth that clings to a person. Thus, it is equated with moral filth that stains the soul of a person. Peter uses a cognate noun, rhupos, in 1 Peter 3:21 which carries much the same sense. It is a grease-filth which soils everything it touches. James implores the reader, like Peter, to put away all such moral uncleanliness.

Next, he adds in “and overflow of wickedness.” The idea of “overflow” here is that which exceeds normal expectations. There is wickedness in the heart which can be controlled, but there is wickedness which overflows from a man and which seems to exude from him in all he does. Again, James says that this needs to be laid aside so that only purity and that which is morally correct issues forth.

He then gives a positive exhortation by saying, “and receive with meekness the implanted word.” Again, James uses a word unique to Scripture, emphutos, or “implanted.” It signifies that which is inborn, congenital, and natural. This is not the same as the idea of grafting which Paul speaks of in Romans 11, and which some translations use here. That is a different concept where something unnatural is brought into a source of life. This signifies that which is rooted.

The gospel is that which is planted in a person, and it is the source of that “which is able to save your souls.” When the gospel is planted, it is what establishes the person as being “in Christ.” It is what makes it possible to do the other things James has stated in this verse. Paul referred to the power of the gospel in this same way in Romans 1 –

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16, 17

The planting of the gospel, which then takes root and grows within man, is that which has the ability to save. And more, it is that which has the power to transform the one who is saved. James understood this, and his words are given so that his reader can as well.

Life application: James’ words were written over two thousand years ago. Immorality is nothing new. However, due to TV, the internet, etc. it has become a part of almost every living room in the world. We now no longer look with contempt upon someone who uses the name of God (or Jesus Christ – who is God) on a television show or a movie. Instead of walking out and refusing to watch that actor again, we ignore what we heard and continue on watching.

Further, the Bible clearly portrays homosexuality as moral perversion, and yet we condone it by watching such people on talk shows, reality shows, etc. without even batting an eyelid. But what we should do is turn that person off and refuse to give our attention to someone who so openly opposes the truth of what God says about such things.

Our lives are to be lived in holiness, not drunkenness; our speech should be seasoned with grace, not obscenities; our close friendships should reflect our character – never shunning the lost, but never condoning what is biblically inappropriate.

As Christians, we all must face the judgment seat of Christ. How will your judgment go? Will it be one of sadness and loss or one of expectation of joy and reward? The lost will face their own judgment and condemnation unless they come to Christ. But we cannot lead them to Christ if we are living like them and not drawing a line between what is acceptable and what isn’t. Keep the word close to you, learn it, live it, and understand that moral filth and evil will be judged for what it is.

Lord, certainly we fail You often in how we relate to the moral perversion which permeates our society. We let you down by not standing against those things which Your word forbids. May we be angry at sin and stand against it lest our morals grow cold and You be disappointed in the conduct of our lives. Help us to be vessels which are holy and set apart for Your good purposes. To Your glory alone. Amen.

Thursday, 20 June 2019

…for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:20

James had just said that believers should be “slow to wrath.” He now explains this beginning with, “for the wrath of man.” In the Bible, the idea of wrath is found numerous times; quite often wrath is ascribed to God. His anger is said to rise, and it is then worked out in His correction of what brought about the wrath. But, the wrath of God is a result of His just, righteous, and holy character. There is nothing arbitrary or vindictive about it. In fact, in understanding the nature of God, we see that God doesn’t change. He doesn’t “get” angry in the way we think. Rather, it is man who changes in relation to Him, and that results in His corrective action.

However, man is not like God. He goes from one state to another. And such a change in man is often fraught with problems. Man can get angry over a lack of food, too much constant noise, by being needled by another, etc. At times, he can go from holding back his anger to a sudden outpouring of it without having given any clue that he was angry in the first place. His wrath can also be vindictive and arbitrary.

In such demonstrations of emotion, James says that this wrath “does not produce the righteousness of God.” When God’s wrath is displayed, it is because His law is violated. It is given to correct this. When man’s wrath is displayed, it will often cause a violation of God’s law. Thus, the exact opposite result is seen at times in man in comparison to that of God. In man’s wrath, God’s righteousness is not produced. Instead, it is further violated. What is being spoken of here is not an increase in God’s righteousness, as if God can be affected by our actions, but rather it is speaking of a decrease of His righteous character in the one who displays wrath. God remains unchanged through the process.

For this reason, man needs to be “slow to wrath.” We are to display wrath only in a controlled way, and only when it will cause us to reflect God’s righteous character.

Life application: Generally, people who fail to listen and are quick to speak are also the type to burst into anger more readily. That may be because they want to control the situation with their words and when they can’t, the next step is to blow up in anger.

But James says (and which is painfully obvious to those around such a person) that this doesn’t bring about a righteous life. In fact, it normally demonstrates just the opposite.

When two people are debating an issue, the one who is calm and even normally (but not always) has the proper view on the matter. The one who is excited and verbally abusive normally doesn’t have a leg to stand on and therefore he can only defend his position in this way. The language and actions belie any sense of righteousness or godly character.

To see this type of discourse close up, just turn on the news and watch two people debate a political issue – one will be from the left and one from the right. When one of them starts fidgeting, elevating his voice, making unwarranted accusations, and even becoming angry, that person is most likely attempting to defend an indefensible position and is also not living out a righteous life (at least at the moment) which God desires.

By watching people behave this way, we can learn what not to do – but be careful you don’t get yourself sucked into the conversation and start yelling at your TV! When you engage in conversation, listen a lot, speak a little, and avoid ungodly anger. By doing so, you will demonstrate wisdom in your interactions.

Lord, You know what pushes our buttons and also those things which cause us to lose our cool. Give us wisdom when we speak so that we might not sin against You with our mouths. Help us to have salt in our speech and a gentle attitude towards those we may not agree with. This we pray so that You will be glorified, and that we will have peace in our conversations. Amen.

Wednesday, 19 June 2019

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; James 1:19

James now enters into a section of exhortation by saying, “So then.” With a very small change in the first word, some manuscripts say, “Know this.” Thus, it would be stated as an imperative. Either way, the intent is that the reader is to call to mind the words of exhortation to follow.

James then repeats his words of verse 16, “my beloved brethren.” Again, as there, he wants to ensure that his words are taken as they should be. They are given in a spirit of love and fraternity towards those who are in Christ. They are intended to spur them on to right thinking and right living.

With that understood, he then says, “let every man be swift to hear.” The old saying that, “you were given two ears but only one mouth for a reason,” applies here. We are to listen to God through His word. We are to listen to others, assimilating what they have to say. We are to even listen to our own thoughts, thinking them over rather than pouncing upon the first thing that comes to our mind.

With that in mind, and as the baseline for what he will next say, James then continues with, “slow to speak.” One should listen first, contemplate what has been said, and only then engage the mouth. Anything less than that will cause a person to put forth words which were hasty and not well thought out. As Solomon says in Ecclesiastes –

“Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.” Ecclesiastes 5:2

Job was so fed up with the hasty and not well-considered words of his friends that he cried out to them –

“Oh, that you would be silent,
And it would be your wisdom!” Job 13:5

In shutting their mouths, they would prove their wisdom above the babble that they had been spewing forth.

James then finishes with, “slow to wrath.” This could be considered a general guide for the conduct of life, but the intent here is more specific. James is speaking about listening and speaking. Therefore, this is referring to wrath connected with discerning a matter, not specifically being an angry person in general. We are being exhorted to listen to a matter, speak only when we have thought it through, and then to not get angry as we discuss it. He will further define this in the second half of the sentence.

Life application: As has already been noted, James is the closest to a book of wisdom in the New Testament. This is because he uses ideas which permeate the wisdom literature and which are meant for general life guides as well as specific Christian life. In this verse, he mentions three particular ways of conduct:

1) Be quick to listen –

“He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.” Proverbs 18:13

2) Be slow to speak –

“A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his soul.” Proverbs 18:7

3) Be slow to become angry –

“Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry,
For anger rests in the bosom of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9

As you can see, each of these concepts has already been addressed in the Old Testament books of wisdom. Not only is this so, but each idea is brought up several times there. In order to properly understand God’s plan and purpose for our lives in its fullness, it really is necessary to dig into the entire Bible.

If you find reading certain areas of the Bible difficult, then join studies with others who might have less trouble with those particular areas. Also, make sure the church you attend is willing to speak on any subject or book of the Bible. By doing so, you will be a much more rounded believer and also able to handle the trials which arise in life’s walk.

What a wonderfully intricate treasure Your word is, O Lord! Thank You for the wise guidance and counsel You have provided in it. Help us to learn the lessons which it teaches and then apply them to our lives. Help us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. This we pray in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.