Week 3 - James
Last week, we
talked about how there are two paths of life that everyone must choose: the
path that leads to life and the path that leads to death. James teaches that
the lives of those on the path of life should bear fruit accordingly. The life
of a disciple should be marked not only by hearing the word of God but obeying
the word of God and bearing fruit. Life in this world is hard, but we must obey
God’s word. Our lives should be marked with self-control, a turning away from
sin, and living on mission.
The Point: Visible
faith practices what you preach.
James
1:19-27
19 Know this, my
beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to
anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with
meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers
of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 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. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once
forgets what he was like. 25 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. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and
does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is
worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is
this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself
unstained from the world.
The Holy Bible:
English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), James 1:19-27.
Study
Notes
Imagine a parent
giving instructions to their child. The child is eager to play outside, but the
parent knows there are rules to follow for safety. The parent says, “You can
play outside, but remember, you must stay in our yard. Do you understand?”
In these essential
words from James, we’re reminded of the importance of listening and obeying.
Just as a child needs to heed a parent’s instructions, we too must pay
attention to God’s Word. James encourages us to be quick to listen, slow to
speak, and slow to anger. Obeying God’s Word isn’t just about hearing it.
Obedience is about action. It’s like the child who, after listening to their
parents’ instructions, follows them diligently.
James was concerned
believers were merely listening to God’s Word and not living out its truth.
James maintained that just listening to God’s Word was insufficient. When one
hears the Word and doesn’t act on the commands contained in it, that person
really is engaging in self-deception. Simply listening to the message isn’t
enough. For James, authentic faith and daily obedience go hand-in-hand. James
compares merely hearing God’s Word to looking at our reflection in a mirror but
then forgetting what we look like as soon as we turn away. It’s empty and
futile if we don’t live out what we’ve heard. In the bustling noise of life,
it’s easy to hear but not truly listen. What’s the point of just reading and
hearing the Word of God but not obeying it? The ramifications are clear—we risk
living a life of deception and disobedience.
So, how do we
bridge the gap between hearing and doing? It begins with intentionality. We
must approach Scripture—not as passive spectators but as active
participants—ready to heed its call and apply its teachings to our lives. Since
the Bible is a living and active resource to follow God and deepen our
relationship with him, it speaks to our lives at any moment. It’s not a dated
or irrelevant message, but one that’s sharp today and for all eternity.
We’ve laid a
foundation for the Book of James and addressed the fact that life is
difficult—even for Christians. In life, especially when facing trials and
temptations, we’ll constantly face the same decision. Will we do what God’s
Word says? That question will present itself in different circumstances, yet
underneath the surface, the central point is the same. Those who have true
belief in Christ will act in accordance with God’s Word.
Control
Yourself
James identified
our language, relationships, and attitudes as visible reflections of what’s in
our hearts. Just as a right understanding of God’s Word produces godly action,
so does it produce godly speech. Often we’re tempted to not hold our tongues when
we feel that we’re being wronged in some way. Through the Holy Spirit,
self-control should be evident in the life of those who have been redeemed by
Jesus.
Turn From
Sin
One of the great
benefits of reading and hearing the Word of God is that it helps the
sanctification process of believers—the process of turning from sin and looking
more like Jesus. God’s Word convicts our hearts of things that don’t honor
Jesus, and therefore shouldn’t be a part of a believer’s life. Turning from sin
is obedience in Christ.
If our lives are
built on merely listening to the words of Jesus and not obeying them and
turning from sin, we will be deceived that our lives are okay, then one day our
lives will eternally and ultimately end in destruction.
Live on
Mission
True religion
expresses itself in loving service and holy living. James uses the examples of
taking care of orphans and widows as a way to live on mission. By caring for
the most helpless members of society, the church body put God’s Word into
practice. As Jesus commands us to be humble, serve and love others, and reflect
the work of God, we’re to live on mission in a broken and fallen world. God’s
Word provokes action, and if there’s no action from the Word, then clearly
there’s been no acceptance of the Word. This is the very nature of a faith that
works. At the end of the day, James is saying you have deceived yourself if you
think you’re right in your relationship with God because you’ve listened to the
Word of God, maybe even intently and consistently, but don’t live out the Word
of God in your life daily.
QUESTIONS
FOR DISCUSSION
How did James’s
earthly relationship with Jesus lend credibility and passion to his message of
being a doer, not just a hearer, of truth?
What role should
God’s Word play in our pursuit of Christ-likeness?
How does a heart
bent towards sin affect the way we receive God’s Word? Have you ever seen this
play out in your own life?
How well does your
speech reflect the truth of who you are in Chris? When are you most prone to lose
control of your tongue?
What did James mean
when he said we deceive ourselves (see v. 22)? Why is it deceptive to hear
God’s Word and not obey it? How does listening but not doing hinder the gospel
impacting others?
How is James’s call
for obedience different from an attempt to earn right standing before God—that
is, works-righteousness?
END
