James 1: 19-27 2:1-7
Notes
Transcript
19-27
19-27
19
19
The first part of chapter one was telling of perseverance in trials and suffering, and warning against blaming God for our temptations and trials. James now moves to how we as a saved people should respond to the word of God. We should be always patient and quick or eager to listen to the word of God through scripture, read our Bibles over and over, take advantage of every opportunity to be taught sound doctrine. But we are to be slow to speak, cautious and careful to preach the will of God in the Bible. James also says slow to anger, and in this context of hearing the word, slow to take offence to disagree or be angry at what God has commanded of us through his word.
Can we honestly say that we are as James describes? Think back to before we knew Christ as our savior, can we see a difference in our attitudes toward the word and toward others now that we are saved?
20
20
Because to reject the word and thus the will of God will not produce righteousness.
This anger that James is speaking of is not the outward manifestation of rage but an inner, deeper resentment that would only be known by us and God. When we feel ourselves harboring this resentment what can we do to combat it’s hold on our thoughts and attitudes?
21
21
Read and accept the word of God as Jesus says, like a child, without our fallen minds filthiness and inherent desire to be our own king, our own personal god, and receive the living word of God that has the power to save our immortal souls.
Therefore, if you are a hearer of Gods word, slow to speak, and slow to anger then trust in God and with the help of the Holy Spirit put away, not only the outward sin, like anger and quick speech that harms, but also the inner sin, the sin in our thoughts and desires. Can we all agree what a blessing the Word of God can be at times of weakness in our flesh?
22-25
22-25
Also we are not to only read and hear the word of God we are to act, we are to be doers of the word. The Pharisees read and understood the law and the prophets but had no desire to live according to God’s will. We are not to be modern day Pharisees, we are not to be ones who read and understand what the gospels, epistles and letters say but not have them have an effect on our day to day lives. We must live according to the word and will of God, and be those who read the bible without any passion or desire to really know what is says and live out what it commands. Like reading the terms and conditions of some website, skimming over what it says, if reading it at all, then as soon as we are done reading it, we forget anything that is says, or as James says like one who looks at himself in a mirror and as soon as he turns away forget what he looks like.
Being doers of the Word and not only hearers is one of the main points in James’ letter. Faith without works is dead, or if you are not doing what is in the word of God then you are deceiving yourself about your faith and possibly your salvation.
Verses 23 and 24 is James’ analogy of someone who hears the word but does not have the works or fruit of it. Like a man who even though he looks in a mirror everyday and sees his face, but as soon as he is not in front of a mirror forgets what he looks like. Or someone who reads the bible everyday, several verses or chapters at a time and understands it on a surface level, but when the reading of the word is over completely forgets what he just read and continues on, being part of the world and doing what the fallen world thinks is good and normal and not what God commands.
Verse 25 has the converse of the forgetful person, those who look at the bible as it is, a perfect law, the words with the power to save, and also follows through on the words and is a doer of the commands and will of God, that person is blessed with many blessings. Namely the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven.
26
26
Those who claim to be religious but do not take care what they say, do not bridle or control where their tongue goes or spews forth, and deceives themselves by thinking that they are righteous because they are “religious” are proclaiming a worthless religion.
James uses another example of the two types of persons in 23-25, this time one who thinks or says that they are religious but does not do what the scriptures say, one who speaks out with incorrect doctrine or twisted, incorrect interpretations of scripture is deceiving themselves, or deceiving their own heart has a worthless religion. These will be some of the ones who cry out in Lord, Lord in Matthew 7:21–23 ““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
27
27
Christianity commands that we are careful and watch with all diligence what comes out of our mouths and that we care for those who are in need. Live not according to the world but according to God’s word and God’s will that is commanded of us in the bible.
2:1-7
2:1-7
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