[James 1:19-27]
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.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 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.
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 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.
{Rev. Charles Han}
There is a book called, "In The Land of Believers" by Gina Welch. The author went undercover to investigate believers. She went for two years in a church and pretended to be a Christian. It's an interesting read, but not exactly our main point. It's very easy to blend into the church. The book of James is being very pointed on addressing this point. It is really showing us how we really know we are Christian.
Verse 18 sets the tone about the word of God, "Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." Those of us who are believers have been given new life. The Word of God has become alive in our lives. There is plenty of scriptural support for this:
Psalm 19:7;
Hebrews 4:12;
John 17:17. For those of us who are spiritually asleep or dead... we need the Word. It is how God revives us. This is the point of the passage today. This is authentic Christianity.
Be desperate for the Word of God, and receive it with humility. (Ver 19-21)We should be hungry and have the right posture to receive. But flip the attitude over, and you will see the tendency of our hearts. We are quick to speak and slow to listen. Quick to anger. This does NOT result in what God wants. If we know someone who always has something to say or a word for someone else, this person is the hardest to learn. They are too proud to receive the word of God with meekness. Godly people have the posture to receive more. They do not know enough. Isn't that the paradox of the Christian life? Those who know more, feel like they know nothing? Those who pray so often, feel like they pray so little... For those of us who sit in these pews, day after day, with hard hearts... our pride grows and poisons us.
Be doers of the Word of God and not just hearers. (Ver 22-25)Isn't this a cycle in our lives? We hear God's word, day after day, but we never apply it into our lives. When the author talks about looking into the mirror intently, he is referring to a bronze mirror. In those days, you would need to focus intently to see our reflection. But the author says, we forget after looking... The mirror is there to help us to fix ourselves. We are supposed to examine ourselves and apply God's word to our lives. This is the height of foolishness. Spiritually speaking, you're a mess. Spiritually out of shape and flabby. Look into our lives. Do you see a living prayer life? Or does it only happen when we feel like it? This is why we do not spiritually mature. Where are our convictions, our resolve?
Is this you? Spiritually, out of shape and flabby? Then resolve to walk in the Word this year. Let me get practical.
Here are some ideas...
* Have a plan to read the Bible regularly
I have a few caveats.
ONE, pick a plan that you can sustain. Don't try to read the whole bible in one year... That's a hectic pace for someone who never reads. How about reading the bible in 2 years? 5 years? a decade? The point is not to finish in a year. That's just an arbitrary number. The point is to be in the Word regularly.
TWO, it's not about checking it off your list. The reading plan should be a guide. Don't keep restarting on Genesis 1. If you miss a week, don't get guilty. Just start again where you left off.
* Learn the discipline of meditating on the Word
It is not about just reading the Word. We should not just read the Bible in the morning and completely forget about it for the rest of the day. It never comes up for the rest of your life. Consider this a slow meal of the Word. Do NOT just inhale your food. Chew it. Savor it. Take it slow and finally swallow it.
"
One sentence of the Bible prayed over and bedewed with the Spirit, and made alive, though it is only a short sentence of six words, will profit you more than a hundred chapters without the Spirit..." - Charles Spurgeon
* Live out the Word in community
Everything in the New Testament is done in community. This is not just about personal and private study. Join into studies with a friend. Share the word together and seek to apply the Word into our lives with one another.
Remember the gospel: we obey God not for his acceptance but from his acceptance. (Ver 25)What happens when we start studying the Word and praying? Someone asks us how we are doing? We feel like ZERO. Like a spiritual FAILURE. But the author doesn't want this, he wants us to stand on Christ. Not studying the Word as if our salvation depended upon it. We are saved by Christ. He is our Rock. This is not some sort of performance standard we must adhere to. This is not a law of bondage. It is a law of liberty.
God is not one who is hard to please. C.S. Lewis said, "God is easy to please and hard to satisfy." A good parent is thrilled by every step their child takes. They aren't like... I think you can do better. It is the same for God. Maybe last year, we didn't open our bible. Maybe, this year we read a little more. God isn't going to say... That's terrible. He is pleased with every incremental step we take. How about being hard to satisfy? God wants to perfect us and He will not stop until we are perfect in the likeness of Christ.
