Last Chapter we learned that our faith will be tested through trials that God allows in our lives to make us strong in our faith—lacking nothing in this life. James taught us that we can come to God in faith when we lack the wisdom needed as we face such things. And God promises to impart his wisdom upon us. And this is an amazing gift and promise because God is not limited in His wisdom. He is sovereign and he sees our problems from every angle and he knows how to handle it. James reminds us to be careful because, in these tests, there is the threat of temptation that will lure and entice us into sin. So we are to be careful to not blame God for our struggles rather we remember the word of truth. The word of truth is James' way of describing the Gospel—the good gift of God's grace and mercy that comes from above in Christ. Instead of giving in to temptation. Verse 18 says that God—by His own will—brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should resist temptation and bear fruit for God. This leads us perfectly into what James will tell us next starting in verse 19.
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:19 ESV)
It's important to remember James’ audience. He is writing the twelve tribes in the dispersion. These are first-century Jewish Christians who were persecuted in Jerusalem after the death of Stephen. These Christians were forced out of Jerusalem into communities around the Mediterranean for their faith in Jesus. These Christians would not find too much relief anywhere they went. Many were refused protection by those in Jewish communities in fear of persecution and others were exploited and enslaved by those in Gentile communities.
It’s hard to imagine what the first-century church was going through but how easy it must have been to react in frustration and anger to their circumstances. So James lovingly asks his beloved brothers to take to heart what he is about to say: "Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:19 ESV)
What these Christians needed is the same thing we need. We need to be quick to hear from God and be slow to speak and slow to anger. Perhaps this is why God gave us two ears and one mouth. Maybe we should be listening twice as much as we talk. And he tells us why, because quick speech and anger does not produce the righteousness of God. It's not going to solve anything. I am so guilty of this. Sometimes I think I must love the taste of my shoes because I was always sticking my foot in my mouth. My wife will tell you that my natural tendency is to be slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to anger. This often leads me to jump to conclusions and react in ways that are not helpful. As I journaled through the passage I wrote this;
"Jesus, Help me be quick to hear from you and slow to listen to myself and other sources that cause me to be anxious, speak quickly, and become angry. Forgive me of my sin and pride that leads me to jump to conclusions before consulting you and forgive me for the filthy and rampant wickedness that has come out of my mouth. Help me by your Spirit to repent and put it away. Implant your Word deep in my heart and save me from myself, my fear, my worry, my doubt, and my unbelief. These things have caused me to speak too quickly and become angry. I know it has been the source of worry and insecurity for my wife, my kids, my leaders, and my staff. It will never produce the righteousness that you desire. Jesus, please give me the strength to hold my tongue. Help me to seek the wisdom from the word you implant in my heart so that my speech will be edifying. Jesus, you are the word who became flesh. It is you that I find my hope. It is in your Holy word I find the truth that is able to save my soul. Thank you for your word and thank you for being willing to give it so graciously. It is in the anger quenching, truth giving, and soul-saving name of Jesus. Amen"
Because of our sin, it is our natural tendency with respect to God's word to be slow to hear and quick to speak.
This will cause us to jump to conclusions, be quick to judge, quick to say things that are not helpful, and maybe even hurtful. James says that not the truth and that will never produce the righteousness of God. A Faith that works is the faith that believes and trusts in God’s Word and produces the righteousness of God. It is going to require us to put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. This is when true transformation occurs in the heart of a believer. When the word of God takes root deep within us it brings conviction of our sin and assurance of God’s mercy. The word of God builds our faith as we believe more in the everlasting promises of God.
This wasn’t easy for the first-century church and it won’t be easy now. Because as it says in verse 21 wickedness was “rampant”. The first-century church was in the middle of rampant wickedness and they didn’t need to be consumed and controlled by the wickedness. They needed to be consumed and controlled by God's everlasting word. But it is not enough just simply to hear God’s word. Hearing God's word must be followed by obedience; truly excepting God's word means doing what it says. This is what James writes next.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. It's not enough to just know the word we have to be doers of the word also. (James 1:22 ESV).
The great Chuck swindle in his book called "Improving Your Serve", masterfully wrote this memorable illustration.
"Let's pretend that you worked for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I'm the owner and I'm interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until the new branch office gets established. I make all the arrangements to take my family on the move to Europe for 6 to 8 months, and I leave you in charge of my busy stateside organization. I tell you that I will write to you regularly and give you direction and instruction.
I leave and you stay. Months pass. And flows of letters are mailed from Europe and received by you at the national headquarters. I spell out all my expectations. Finally, I return. Soon after my arrival, I drive down to the office. I am stunned! Grass and weeds have grown up high. If your windows along the street are broken. I walking to the receptionist's room and she is doing her nails, chewing gum, and listening to her favorite disco station. I look around and notice the wastebaskets are overflowing, the carpet hasn't been backing for weeks, and nobody seems concerned that the owner has returned. I asked about your whereabouts in someone in the crowded lounge area points down the hall and yells, “I think he's down there”. Disturbed, I move in that direction and bump into you as you are finishing a chess game with our sales manager. I ask you to step into my office (which has been temporarily turned into a television room for watching afternoon soap operas).
“What in the world is going on, man?”
“What do you mean…?”
Well, look at the place! Didn't you get any of my letters?
“Letters? Oh, yeah—sure, got every one of them. As a matter of fact, we have let her study every Friday night since you left. We even divided all the personnel into small groups and discussed many of the things you wrote. Some of those things are really interesting. You'll be pleased to know that a few of us have actually committed to memory some of your sentences and paragraphs. One or two memorize it an entire letter or two! Great stuff in those letters!”
“OK, OK—you got my letters, you studied them and meditated on them, discussed and even memorize them. But what did you do about them”
Chuck Swindoll has a way of illustrating the point James wants to drive home. Such behavior in the business would be absurd. But how much less absurd is it when we hear God’s word without the slightest inclination to obey it. James tells us the word has the power to save our souls we must listen to it and do what it says. When we don't we deceive ourselves. James, then he gives us an illustration of his own.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:23-25 ESV)
God's word is like a mirror. When we look into it deeply we not only see that we are sinners and the depth of our sin but we see the grace and the mercy of God and the wonderful life He has secured for us. Tragically the first man sees his reflection in the mirror, contemplates his appearance, and goes on his way. There is no real effect on his life. This man failed to respond to God's word. He has received no lasting benefit from God's word when only giving a passing look. The second man is described as one who looks deep into God's word. He sees that God’s law is perfect. This reveals the truth about his spiritual condition that reveals he is a sinner. Instead of turning away this word, it has an effect on him, and he knows he needs God’s mercy. As he looks deeper into God’s word he sees the law of liberty. James calls this man blessed because he acts on what is revealed to him in faith. As he trusts in the liberating power of God's grace that not only liberates this man from his sin but also has the power to preserve no matter the circumstance.
How badly did the first century Christians need to hear this and how badly do we need to hear it now. There are two people in the church. Those who hear this word and are unaffected by it and those who hear this word and they see their need for God’s mercy. It all begins by how you see yourself in the mirror of God's word. Real faith is knowing God's word and doing what Jesus commands. This is the essence of our faith. Believers have a faith that is followed by works. The Bible says,
"Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. (1 John 2:4-5 ESV).
The love of God is in those who keep God’s word. If you say you have a faith in Jesus and live contrary to what he calls us to do we are deceiving ourselves. The call is to be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Being a Christian and having a faith that works. It is a faith that has the word planted deep into our hearts. The love and the grace of God then move us toward obedience.
PRAY
RESPOND IN WORSHIP
