James: Hands-On Christianity….
James 1:19-27
The kind that occurs in
a Christian between
“hearing the Word” and
“living the Word.”
lamented ….
“There is an evil which I have
seen under the sun. .… It is
the glaring disparity between
theology and practice among
professing Christians. ….
… So wide is the gulf that
separates theory from practice
in the church that an inquiring
stranger who chances upon
both would scarcely dream
that there was any relation
between them. …
… An intelligent observer of our
human scene who heard the
Sunday morning sermon and
later watched the Sunday
afternoon conduct of those who
had heard it would conclude
that he has been examining two
distinct and contrary religions.
… It appears that too many
Christians want to enjoy the
thrill of feeling right but are
not willing to endure the
inconvenience of being right.
So the divorce between
theory and practice becomes
permanent. …
… In fact, though in word the
union is declared to be eternal.
Truth sits forsaken and grieves
till her professed followers
come home for a brief visit,
but she sees them depart again
when the bills come due.”
The basic theme behind his letter
… the importance
of behaving as we believe.
James 1:19-27
James 1:19….
“My dear brothers and sisters,
take note of this...,”
A command:
James 1:19a….
“My dear brothers and sisters...”
Each one of us
as a member of
James 1:19b….
“Everyone should be quick
to listen, slow to speak and
slow to become angry.”
The TRUTH is addressed to each
believer in the Christian family.
James carries his
thoughts
through a logical
progression that
involves…
1. Preparing
ourselves for
the truth.
2. Actually
taking in
the truth.
3. Responding correctly to that
truth in our daily lives.
Preparation IS necessary for
receiving the truth.
Without preparation, we simply
whitewash our lives with knowledge
that will quickly peel, revealing an
unchanged character underneath.
Beginning in James 1:19,
he sets forth 4 requisites for
PREPARING ourselves to
James 1:19a….
“My dear brothers and sisters,
take note of this: Everyone
should be quick to listen ...”
[TNIV]
One reason our lives are often
separated from the TRUTH is because
we don’t really HEAR what God says.
We are hard of…
The Pharisees were known for
their meticulous knowledge of the
law.
really LISTEN to what they hear.
ALLOW God’s truth to speak to them
personally.
James 1:19c….
“Everyone should be….
slow to speak ….” [TNIV]
No one can SPEAK and LEARN at the
same time!
Before we can LISTEN,
we must first learn to control
tongues.
our
James 1:19d….
“Everyone
should be ….
slow to become
angry ….”
[TNIV]
James 1:20….
“Because
our anger does not
produce the righteousness
that God desires.” [TNIV]
We can be so preoccupied with spiteful
thinking that we have no room for
thoughts of God, nor energy for godly
deeds.
“Anger” demands
our full attention.
“Being slow to anger”
means
“keeping ‘anger’ in check,
dealing with anger before
it deals with us,” and
being patient with others.
James 1:21a….
“Therefore, get rid
of all moral filth
and the evil ...”
[TNIV]
First, there must be the removal
of “filthiness.”
William Barclay explains that the
word “filthiness” is a vivid term
derived from the
Greek word “rupos.”
William Barclay….
“When rupos is used in a medical
sense, it means wax in the ear. It
is just possible that it still retains
that meaning here; and that
James is telling his readers to get
rid of everything which would
stop their ears….
…. to the true word
of God. When wax
gathers in the ear,
it can make a man
deaf; and a man’s
sins can make him
deaf to God.”
Second, we are to
put aside “the evil
that is so prevalent.”
The Greek term for
“wickedness” refers to hidden
sins, motives, and attitudes
that cause the corrupt outer
behavior that others see.
2 important insights into the
process of actually
RECEIVING the truth.
James 1:21b….
“... humbly accept the word
planted in you, which can
save you.”
[TNIV]
One essential ingredient
for receiving the truth
is having the
RIGHT ATTITUDE.
James wants our attitude
to reflect “humility,”
which means “with
gentleness, openness;
having a teachable spirit.”
There must also be an action
– we must receive, meaning we
need to welcome it.
Many Christians live in
separation from the truth
because they confuse AGREEING
with Scripture
with OBEYING it.
James urges us to go beyond
preparing and receiving;
we must also ACT ON
what we have heard.
James 1:22….
“Do not merely listen
to the word, and so
deceive yourselves.
Do what it says.”
[TNIV]
James did not say
“just” BE DOERS!
The Greek term for “hearers” is an
interesting one.
It refers to someone who
listens carefully and
takes note, BUT has
no assignments, tests,
or responsibilities.
James describes
2 different types of people:
James 1:23-25….
“23 Those who listen to the word
but do not do what it says are
like people who look at their
faces in a mirror 24 and, after
looking at themselves, go away
and immediately forget what
they look like. ….
James 1:23-25….
…. 25 But those who look
intently into the perfect law
that gives freedom, and
continue in it – not forgetting
what they have heard, but
doing it – they will be
blessed in what they do.”
[TNIV]
is compared to a
“mirror.”
Unlike a physical mirror which
only reflects
outward appearance,
the Scripture REVEALS
our inner character.
promptly forgets.
gives careful attention to the
Scriptures, responds positively,
applies what he hears, and
is genuinely fulfilled.
The doer OBEYS what
the Scriptures reveal and,
in turn becomes
a mirror reflecting
How can we know
when someone is a
real doer?
James 1:26….
“Those who consider themselves
religious and yet do not keep a
tight rein on their tongues
deceive themselves, and their
religion is worthless.” [TNIV]
James 1:27a….
“Religion that God our Father
accepts as pure and faultless is
this: to look after orphans and
widows in their distress….”
[TNIV]
James 1:27b….
“… and to keep oneself from
being polluted by the world.”
[TNIV]
Is your life on the rocks because
you have allowed TRUTH and
PRACTICE
to drift apart?
Start RECONCILING the two!