Daily Writing

Thursday, 27 June 2019

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

James spoke of the useless religion of a person in the previous verse. It belongs to someone who “does not bridle his tongue.” Now, he uses the same word to describe religion which is “[p]ure and undefiled.” The Greek word translated as pure signifies that which is without admixture. There is no contamination in it. The word translated as undefiled signifies that which is unstained. There are no blotches upon it.

Understanding this, he goes on to show how one can identify such pure and undefiled religion “before God and the Father.” The Greek actually reads with the article before “God.” And so it says either “our God and Father,” or “the God and Father.” The article unites the two together. Separating them as is done in the NKJV translation is an unfortunate error which could lead to faulty theology.

With this correction, what James will next describe is that which is deemed as acceptable religion to the God and Father. Before stating it, he says that what is acceptable “is this.” The words do not mean that this is all that is acceptable, but that he is giving an example of what is acceptable, just as he gave what was unacceptable in the previous verse.

Understanding that, he says that it is first “to visit orphans and widows in their trouble.” James uses this example because it is something that God has always found acceptable, regardless of the dispensation of time in which the act occurs. And the reason for this is that this conduct is a reflection of His own character. Time and time again, Scripture calls out this particular aspect of God. This is seen, for example, in Deuteronomy 10:17, 18 –

“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. ¹⁸ He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.”

Because God is this way, our conduct before God in a like-fashion is considered pure and undefiled before Him. And, James continues by saying, “and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” The word translated as “unspotted” signifies unstained, and thus fully acceptable. It speaks of that which is morally pure and unblemished.

Therefore, there is an active working out of one’s care of others which is united with a moral purity within the person. A person may visit orphans and widows in their trouble and yet not be acceptable to God because he is morally impure at the same time. Without the moral purity, the act is – like all other such things – exposed as a fraud before the God who searches both the hearts and minds of man.

Life application: The words of this verse are referring to a person who has called on Jesus; not everyone in general. Bill Gates, for example, has donated billions of dollars to the AIDS funds as well as other notable causes. However, one cannot buy their way into heaven and no deed is, in itself, good enough to please the Lord. This verse cannot be taken out of the Christian context and applied to non-believers.

Further, faithful Christians will be known for what they do, not for what they claim to have done. This goes all the way back to Acts 5 where a couple named Ananias and Sapphira claimed to have accomplished a righteous deed, but hid the fact that what they claimed didn’t actually match what had happened. As an example for later Christians, they were both “called home” for their wicked act. There is no reason to believe they weren’t part of the faithful believers, but their action was unacceptable.

When we care for orphans and widows, or when we do any other righteous deeds, we need to give the Lord the credit and not try to overstate what we accomplished on His behalf. In addition to this, we need to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world.

There are great disputes over what this means, and many congregations set rules based on their perception of it. This leads to legalism and a stuffy church. Instead, we need to maintain our Christian morals wherever we are and concerning whatever we are engaged in.

We have freedom in Christ to live properly in this world, just not freedom to sin while being here. When we do, we bring dishonor on the One who freed us from the power of sin. In essence, we are acting in a manner contradictory to the very message of freedom He has given to us.

Lord Jesus, it is hard to do good deeds in secret. You know our desires to be noticed, so give us a supernatural ability to overcome these feelings and to work to Your glory alone. Help our religion to be undefiled and free from the stain of sin. Give us the desire to help those who are truly in need while providing You with the credit. Amen.

Wednesday, 26 June 2019

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. James 1:26

Here James moves from the person who hears the word but doesn’t do it, to the person who deceives himself in his religiosity. He first says, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious.” James is speaking in general terms to all by saying “among you.” However, he is identifying individuals in that group. If there is anyone among his addressees (which, by default, includes anyone today as his letter is a part of God’s word) who “thinks he is religious,” he is to pay heed.

The word James uses for “religious,” thréskos, is found only here in the Bible, and nowhere else in any Greek writings. Its origin is uncertain, but it has a kindred noun which occurs in Acts, Colossians, and James, and which deals with reverence or worship of the gods. Its meaning is probably that of a careful observance of the restrictions laid out in practicing one’s religion. Do you feel this describes you? If so, pay attention to what James says.

Going on in his words, he says, “and does not bridle his tongue.” The word “bridle,” is introduced into the Bible here, and it is used only once in Scripture, again by James. It means to curb or restrain. Proper exercise of religion is an act of bringing the entire body into submission. A person who submits to God in one way, but throws off His guidance in another has not fully restrained himself. Think of a horse being restrained and coming to a halt, but its tongue flies out of his mouth and keeps on neighing down the road. This is what James is referring to. Instead of restraining his tongue, he instead “deceives his own heart.”

When a person acts piously and does everything with a great show, he naturally thinks he is in tight with God. However, if his little tongue, which is still a part of his body, isn’t restrained, then he has proven that he has simply deceived himself. Those around him can tell that he is not what he appears to be. And so, from there James says, “this one’s religion is useless.”

The word translated as “useless” signifies vain or worthless. In his attempts to be religious he has failed in what he purposed. There is a defect in his conduct which demonstrates, with all clarity, that he is not the man he appears to be from a distance. The tongue has revealed what the heart is actually like. This is spoken of by Jesus on several occasions, such as in this parable –

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. ³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:33-37

Life application: We should be able to understand, quite clearly, that our words reflect our character. If we can’t keep a rein on our tongues, then no one, including the Lord, will see us as anything other than irreligious.

Such is the case in almost every instance of someone who speaks too much. Eventually, he runs out of truths to tell and so he will keep on speaking with falsehoods. His words are meaningless because they have no truth or substance behind them. Solomon gives the cure –

“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

&

“For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.” Ecclesiastes 5:7

Instead of dreaming about being religious, act and speak as one who really is. Have control over your tongue and stand in awe of God. When you speak, let your words reflect both love and respect for Him and for others. By doing so, they will also reflect what is actually going on in your own heart.

Lord Jesus, how often we fail to keep our tongues in check. As Your servants, give us wisdom when we speak and let our words be carefully selected to be truthful, uplifting, and above all – glorifying of You. Help us to be the type that people can come to when they want to hear only words of truth. In Your precious name we pray. Amen.

Tuesday, 25 June 2019

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25

James now contrasts the individual of verses 23 and 24 by describing the person who not only hears, but also does. To describe him, he begins with, “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty.” The word translated as “looks” is one which signifies, to stoop and peer into. It was used three times in Luke and John, each concerning someone stooping and looking into the tomb where Christ had been laid. For example, in John it says –

“And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.” John 20:5

Again, a few verses later, it says –

“But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.” John 20:11

Being an aorist verb, it signifies one who “has looked into” the matter. It is done and yet it actively continues even after having looked (as will be noted). In the use of the particular verb, one gets the sense of peering into. The person doesn’t just “hear” and forget. He hears, and then in his mind he stoops over and peers intently into what he has heard. It is as if there is a well of life which can be mentally seen and accessed. This marvelous access is then described as being from “the perfect law of liberty.”

The previous verse spoke of the man who observes the “face of his birth,” meaning his carnal self which is the Adam in him. That person saw this and then failed to act on what he saw. This person looks into God’s perfect law and he finds the cure for his fallen nature in “the perfect law of liberty.”

Liberty defines the perfect law. It is what is obtained from it. And so, it is a law which is completely different than the bondage of sin leading to death which is found in Adam. It is the law which looks to Christ and it is a law of life leading to freedom. In peering into it, the glory of God revealed in His plan of the redemption of man is found. And this is because the person not only stoops down to look into it, but he “continues in it.”

The word translated as “continues” is a compound word which gives the sense of remaining close beside. He has stooped and peered. He then continues at that spot, peering into the perfect law of liberty, receiving its wellspring of instruction, and being renewed in his mind and soul. Such a person is then described by James as being “not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work.”

In the Greek, the word “hearer” is a noun, not a verb. And, there is no article in front of the word “work.” The words are more rightly translated as “not a hearer of forgetfulness, but a doer of work” (Ellicott). The contrast is obvious. One hears but is a person of forgetfulness. He walks away from what he has heard and there is no change in him. The other is a doer. He hears, and when he does, he becomes a doer of what he heard, changing his life from the image of Adam to that of Christ.

Finally, James says, “this one will be blessed in what he does.” In this, the Greek more literally reads, “this one will be blessed in his deed.” The peering into the perfect law of liberty, and the continuance of that, is considered a single deed because it is an ongoing act which leads to life. In this act, the soul is blessed.

Life application: Remember the guy who looked at his grubby face in the mirror and walked away not caring? He is the person who hears the word of God and doesn’t care enough to apply it to his life. James contrasts him with someone who has true wisdom. This person looks intently into the Bible; he listens closely to the Sunday sermon; he checks what he’s been told, and then he applies it to his life. As Solomon said –

“The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.” Ecclesiastes 12:11

Goads are pointed sticks used to prod a cow along. The Bible should be like that to us. It should prod us in the right direction and toward our goal. When we look into the perfect law and then follow what we have read, it gives us a freedom we previously lacked.

The Bible isn’t merely a rule book of things not to do; it is a guide for our souls. Not only should we follow its precepts, but we should continue to follow them daily as we continue on life’s highway. By doing so, we will certainly be blessed in all we do. This doesn’t mean we will be free from troubles and trials, but unlike those whose trials never find a happy resolution, ours will. The Lord will restore all that is lost, heal all that is torn, and raise all who have died in Him.

How precious are Your words to our taste, O God. They are sweeter than honey to our mouths! Help us to learn them and then to apply them to our lives. And Lord, help us to continue in them all our days so that we will grow to maturity in You. We love You and praise You, our exalted King! Amen.

Monday, 24 June 2019

…for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. James 1:24

The verse is part of a single thought which comprises the previous verse and this one –

“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; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

James says that this person is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror. The Greek gives a sudden, lively sense to what is said. The man “observes himself.” It is an aorist verb indicating a fleeting act – he observed himself. He next “goes away.” It more literally reads, “and has gone away.” The perfect tense indicates a completed action but it continues into the present. From there it says, “and immediately forgets.” There is no remembrance at all of what he saw. He did see himself, but he neglected to consider what he saw, which is “what kind of man he was.” Young’s Literal Translation gives the sense of the Greek –

“for he did view himself, and hath gone away, and immediately he did forget of what kind he was.”

The repetition of the word “and” reveals the sudden and swift nature of what occurred, and it brings out an ironic element. The person saw the face of his birth, meaning the carnal man, and yet it left no impression on him.

What is being compared here is this man to the hearer of the word who fails to act upon what he hears. In other words, he can be equated to the person in the pew who hears the words of the preacher, sees himself reflected in what was said, and who then fails to act upon the words which clearly pointed to his own natural, fallen state. There is no change in him except that he is a moment older in time.

Life application: When a person gets up in the morning, looks at the shabby face in the mirror – unshaven, stuff in his eyes, hair all messy, etc – and then walks away not caring about his appearance, he shows that his natural, unkempt, and (to others) offensive looks mean nothing. The Bible is like a mirror to us. It gives us common sense life lessons and warnings that are meant to guide us. Take this proverb as an example –

“A soft answer turns away wrath,
But a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

Someone who reads this verse, contemplates it, and then lives by it will certainly benefit from the counsel. No matter how correct your argument is, if you present it harshly, you will only stir up anger and chase people away from your view. If you are the type who has trouble dealing calmly with others, applying this proverb to your life can only benefit you.

However, by rejecting its words, you are just like the disheveled person mentioned above. You should know your appearance will offend others, but instead of shaving your whiskers, combing your hair, and washing your face, you go out as you are and no one wants to be near you. Then you wonder why you’re such a lonely guy.

Look into the Bible, absorb it, and then apply it to your life. Don’t be the person James uses for this negative example. Instead, be the person whom the Lord exalts because of his faithful application of sound biblical advice. In the end, you will benefit more than you can possibly imagine.

Heavenly Father, may we be wise when listening to sermons, reading your word, or contemplating daily devotionals. Help us to apply these valuable insights to our own lives, rather than walking away and forgetting what we have heard or read. In the end, we will certainly be the ones to suffer if we don’t. So prompt us to be responsible and faithful followers of You and Your word. Amen.

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.