Author: Charlie Garrett

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.

Tuesday, 18 June 2019

Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. James 1:18

James now speaks of the faith of the believer and how it comes about. The words here are to be contrasted to those of verse 15 –

15) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

18) Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

James had spoken of the bringing forth of death through one’s own desires. Now he speaks of being brought forth (to life), as he says, “Of His own will.” In other words, the contrast is between what man wills, with its resulting negative effects, and of what God wills, with its resulting positive effects.

An obvious question, and one which divides scholars, is “What does, ‘Of His own will,’ signify?” Does James mean that God’s will is being worked out apart from man’s will, or does it speak of God’s will being followed by man in order to work out His determined end?

The first is known as monergism. Monergism comes from two words which signify “one work.” It signifies that God’s will is solely seen in the process of salvation – apart from man’s will. The second is known as synergism. This speaks of a cooperation of two or more agents to produce a combined effect. To determine which is correct, more needs to be considered.

James next says that it is of God’s own will that “He brought us forth.” The word used is the same as in verse 15. This now is its second and final use in Scripture. It is a medical or physical word which signifies the closing of a pregnancy. Thus it is to bring forth as a child.

In the course of nature, a child has no part in his bringing forth. If this were merely speaking of a physical birth, the answer to the question concerning man’s will would be clear. But James doesn’t stop there. He next says that this bringing forth is “by the word of truth.” To understand what James is referring to, a comparison to the same thought in 1 Peter is necessary –

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, ²⁴ because

“All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
²⁵ But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:22-25

Peter explains that “the word of truth” is speaking of the word of God, meaning Scripture, and specifically “the gospel.” Albert Barnes rightly states –

“With the word of truth – By the instrumentality of truth. It was not a mere creative act, but it was by truth as the seed or germ. There is no effect produced in our minds in regeneration which the truth is not fitted to produce, and the agency of God in the case is to secure its fair and full influence on the soul.”

James is showing the difference between choosing the natural inclination of man through desires and enticements and choosing that which God offers through the word of truth. It is obvious, based on the presentation by James, that what is being spoken of here is a synergistic model.

God’s will (Of His own will) is revealed in Scripture. However, that will can be accepted or rejected. If it is accepted, it brings forth the new being through the act of regeneration. The will receives the word and believes it and the Holy Spirit regenerates the man. James then says there is a purpose for this. It is so “that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

Another obvious question arises with these words, “Who is ‘we’ referring to?” James’ words could be speaking of the Christians of the apostolic age only. He could be referring to all Christians at all times too. Or, he could be referring to the believing Jews of his day. First, the letter is written (as it says in verse 1:1) “To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.” Secondly, the apostles had no idea what an “apostolic age” meant. They didn’t know if Jesus was coming back before their deaths or not. The answer is that James is referring to the Jewish believers of his time as “a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

It was understood, even at an early age, that Gentiles were coming to faith in Christ. This understanding led James to equate the Jews as “a kind” of firstfruits. It was already understood that Christ is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” That is speaking of the resurrection of Christ. As Christ arose, so will those who are in Christ.

However, there were also firstfruit offerings brought forth at the time of Pentecost. The firstfruits indicate a portion of a whole which is taken and offered as representative of a greater portion. These early Jewish believers were considered as the consecrated portion and the first of the Lord’s brought-forth creatures. This is why he says, “a kind of firstfruits.” It shows that he is speaking in figurative terms. The addressed portion is given to represent the whole.

Life application: James speaks here of being born again as is stated in John 3:3-6. Jesus didn’t make it optional; you must be born again in order to enter the kingdom of God. This doesn’t mean rolling around on the floor or speaking in odd tongues. Rather, it means being born from above; from a divine source. Hyper-dispensationalists say that the term “born again” only applies to Jews. Reformed theologians say that a person is “born again” first by the Spirit. In this, he is then enabled to believe. He then believes, and then he is saved. In other words, they separate the idea of being born again from being saved.

Both of these ideas are foreign to Scripture, and they both come from taking the words of Scripture completely out of context. It is sad too, because if someone says, “I’m a Christian, but not ‘born again,’” then he isn’t a Christian. The two are inseparable. Or, if a person believes that he is “regenerated in order to believe,” meaning born again first, then how can he know that he is really saved? Maybe his experience came from being light-headed because of not enough water to drink on a hot day.

Rather, we are given birth through the “word of truth.” Jesus is the Word of God and He is revealed in the word of God, meaning Scripture. It is through faith in Him alone that we receive this new birth. We are presented with the information, and then we have a choice to make. This does not mean that God is denied glory. Salvation is wholly of the Lord. There is no deed of the flesh that merits it; no goodness good enough to satisfy the debt we owe. Instead, the transfer is made in Jesus Christ. We accept His cross and He gives us His righteousness. He did the work; we believe and receive.

The problem with monergism is that it fails to make a distinction between the work necessary for salvation, and the process of salvation. All work is accomplished by Jesus Christ. There is no “thing” that we can do to merit salvation. However, the process of salvation says that man must believe in the work of Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Belief is not a work. James shows us this in his words of Chapter 1 of his epistle.

In the end, the process of salvation is so simple that many fail to understand it. Paul calls it a “stumbling block” because of its simplicity. Don’t trip over it yourself, but rather accept by faith what Jesus has done. Be certain of your eternal destiny; call on Jesus Christ today!

Thank You, O God, for Your sure word of truth that points us to the wonders Jesus has accomplished on our behalf. May we never take for granted the splendor of His work. Help us to be wise, understand what He did for us, and then receive that good news to the saving of our souls. And then, help us to keep our eyes and our thoughts fixed on Him – to Your glory alone. Amen.

Monday, 17 June 2019

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

James has been talking about evil desires and how they produce sin; sin in turn produces death. Now he abruptly changes his angle and speaks of the good and perfect gifts which come down from the Father of the heavenly lights. This is done to contrast the death which we have earned through being enticed to sin. No such thing is to be found in that which comes from Him.

The first words of this verse form a hexameter. Some suppose that because of this, the words are part of an ancient poem. Or, it could be that James was purposefully forming them in this way on his own. Either way, he starts this thought with this hexameter, “Every good gift and every perfect gift.” Two different words are both translated as “gift.” The first is a verb which indicates the act of giving. The second is a noun which refers to the gift itself. A more literal and understandable translation would be, “Every good giving, and every perfect gift” (YLT).

In this, the contrast is made. Man falls into temptation through his own desires. He is enticed by them, and by them he sins. However, God only gives that which is beneficial and His act of giving is inherently good. And what He gives is perfect, meaning it is complete in all its parts and it lacks nothing. Such gifts from God are (as James tells us) “from above.”

Though God is omnipresent, He is always considered above. In this, the imagery is that of a Father presenting gifts to His children who eagerly wait for them with outstretched arms. With this idea developed in the mind with the words “from above,” James then confirms it by saying, “and comes down from the Father of lights.”

The verb is a present participle. It reads, “and is coming down.” It speaks of something which is continuously repeated. God habitually provides that which is good and perfect because He is the “Father of lights.” The Greek has a definite article here. It reads, “Father of ‘the’ lights.” It is speaking of the sun, moon, and stars as heavenly bodies. In the Greek translation of the Psalms and Jeremiah, the term is used when referring to the Lord. He is the Creator of them, and the One who sustains them even now.

James then describes the heavenly Father by saying, “with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James had to pull out his science book to make this description, because the terms he uses here are technical in nature. The word translated as “variation” is parallagé. It is found only here in Scripture and it signifies a parallax. This is the effect “whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions, e.g. through the viewfinder and the lens of a camera” (Online Dictionary).

The word describes a transmutation of phase or orbit. If you hold your thumb out in front of you and close your left eye first, and then your right eye, the position of your thumb will change slightly. This is a trigonometric parallax, or simply a parallax. The author seems to have chosen this word specifically for his audience to make it completely clear that there is no “shift” or “change” in God – even in the slightest.

A parallax will occur when a reference changes even minutely – such as in the atomic level. But in God there is simply no parallax at all. This is why the description “Father of lights” is chosen. If our field of view changes in the slightest, our view of the stars will change. But with God, who created and sustains the stars, there is no change at all. No matter how we view God, there will never be any change in Him.

This is further described by James with “shadow of turning.” As lights move, shadows will move in accord with the source of light. As heavenly bodies move, there will be eclipses of other bodies. However, there is no such change in, or obscuring of, the glory of God. His radiance is not in any way affected by the creation. Rather, His glory transcends the creation because He is omnipresent.

This unchangeable nature of God is confirmed by several other verses of the Bible, such as Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:8. This is also confirmed by philosophic considerations about God. As He created time, space, and matter, He is outside of those things. They have no bearing on Him. Therefore, He must be One (monotheism), and He must be unchanging.

Life application: If you sometimes have doubts or questions about your faith in the Christian God, don’t! The Bible absolutely confirms God’s nature; a nature we can determine from reason alone. You are on exactly the right path when you call on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – He is the image of the invisible God and our only path of restoration to our infinite, unchanging, and glorious Creator.

Lord God Almighty, You who alone are unchanging and beyond our ability to comprehend – thank You for every good and perfect gift in our lives. Thank You for our Lord Jesus Christ also. He who came to reveal You to us. May we never forget that He is the greatest expression of Your unfailing love for the fallen sons of Adam. In His name we pray. Amen.