James 1:19-27
19: This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. James described one who was not impulsive in making decisions or being hasty in judgment. Whenever possible, we must take time to discern before jumping to conclusions and becoming angry with man’s anger (Ephesians 4:26). Man’s anger does not achieve God’s righteousness.
When one puts aside all that remains of wickedness, receives the implanted word—the word of truth he mentioned in verse 18—then their soul will be saved. Yet James said they must do what the Word of God says, not just hear it, or they are simply deceiving themselves into thinking they’ve benefited by it when they haven’t. The Word of God is given for us to put into practice, and be changed into the image of Jesus as a result. We have a part to play in that.
James gave the analogy of one who looked into a mirror and then forgot what he looked like. So is the one who looks at/hears the Word of God but doesn’t put it into practice. If you read the instructions on how to build something but don’t ever put it together, you won’t benefit from the thing. It will sit in a pile unused. However, the one who uses the instructions to build, will be blessed in what he does.
James went on to say that a person’s ‘religion’ will be evident by what he says—how he talks. One who is born again and speaks contrary to the Word is deceiving his own heart. Jesus said the mouth speaks from that which fills his heart (Luke 6:45). He also called those hypocrites who honored Him with their lips, yet not their heart (Matthew 15:8/Isaiah 29:13). The heart and mouth are to agree. This is how God’s will is done in the earth (Mark 11:22-24).
James gave a definition of pure and undefiled religion in God’s eyes, which is to visit orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself unstained from the world. This describes one who responds to the Word of God, the image of Jesus Christ, by putting it into practice in their life.
20: for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
21: Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
21: Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
22: But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
23: For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
24: for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
25: But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
26: If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
26: If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
27: Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
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Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. James described one who was not impulsive in making decisions or being hasty in judgment. Whenever possible, we must take time to discern before jumping to conclusions and becoming angry with man’s anger (Ephesians 4:26). Man’s anger does not achieve God’s righteousness.
When one puts aside all that remains of wickedness, receives the implanted word—the word of truth he mentioned in verse 18—then their soul will be saved. Yet James said they must do what the Word of God says, not just hear it, or they are simply deceiving themselves into thinking they’ve benefited by it when they haven’t. The Word of God is given for us to put into practice, and be changed into the image of Jesus as a result. We have a part to play in that.
James gave the analogy of one who looked into a mirror and then forgot what he looked like. So is the one who looks at/hears the Word of God but doesn’t put it into practice. If you read the instructions on how to build something but don’t ever put it together, you won’t benefit from the thing. It will sit in a pile unused. However, the one who uses the instructions to build, will be blessed in what he does.
James went on to say that a person’s ‘religion’ will be evident by what he says—how he talks. One who is born again and speaks contrary to the Word is deceiving his own heart. Jesus said the mouth speaks from that which fills his heart (Luke 6:45). He also called those hypocrites who honored Him with their lips, yet not their heart (Matthew 15:8/Isaiah 29:13). The heart and mouth are to agree. This is how God’s will is done in the earth (Mark 11:22-24).
James gave a definition of pure and undefiled religion in God’s eyes, which is to visit orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself unstained from the world. This describes one who responds to the Word of God, the image of Jesus Christ, by putting it into practice in their life.
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