Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (29.3)

The General Epistle of James

James Chapter 1:16-27 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

God’s goodness

v16-18  This point that God is not the author of evil is reinforced by this command, do not err. God’s word is truth.  Do not therefore wander away from God’s written word, the Holy Bible.  Errors and heresies occur because men wander away from God’s precious truths.  And this is the truth, that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.  There is nothing evil from God! 

Moreover, notice that God is here described as the Father of lights, for it is He that illuminates our spiritual sights to behold his wondrous existence and gives us spiritual understanding. In Him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. He changes not. 

Like the sun which He created, He stays fixed.  The shadows of turning are not caused by the movements of the sun, but rather by the movements of the planets around the sun.  We are the procurers and authors of all sins and miseries to ourselves; we turn away from God with our lusts. 

Now the good and perfect gift from God naturally includes our salvation. How is this done?  First notice that God begat us.  Yes, we are begotten of God, a new creature brought about by the renewing influence of divine grace. 

Notice that this is done by God’s own will.  Sinful man has no part in his own salvation; it is all of divine grace exercised through God’s divine will.  And what is the means to converting a sinner?  With the word of truth!  There is no room for man to boast, neither is there room for man to work for his own salvation. 

The word of God, which is the truth, is the only thing that will convict a sinner.  Why is this such a difficult thing for many to accept?  Why wonder and err from the truth?  And what is the end result of God’s grand design of our salvation?  Simply this, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Christ is the firstfruit of Christians, and Christians are firstfruits of creatures!

Instrument of our growth in faith - the word of God (v19-27)

Slow to wrath

v19-20  James says every man should be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. Oftentimes we get it the other way round.  We are slow to hear, quick to speak and swift to wrath.  That is a formula for disaster.  God’s word has to be listened carefully, digested and then taught to others. Wrath has no place in this process.  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Doers, not hearers only of the word of God

v21-27  James reminds us that it is the word of God that makes our faith grow---expressed in our actions. Faith comes by hearing, says the Apostle Paul, and hearing by the word of God. Nobody can grow strong in faith that neglected the reading of the Bible. How can we expect to know the great thoughts of God, the deep things of God, the underlying secrets of life, unless we spend time with the book that reveals them?

There is no other source. So, let your faith grow by rejoicing in trial and by understanding and doing the word. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

Filthiness refers to the worst kind of lusts while superfluity of naughtiness refers to all kinds of malice and spiritual wickedness. We are asked to lay apart, to suppress and cast out these two things.  Here learn that in times of temptations, laying apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness is a requirement to avoid errors and to be in the right frame to receive the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Notice that the word of God is to be engrafted into us, so that we can receive the wholesome word of truth, and not our own wisdom and understanding.  We are therefore to receive it with meekness. 

Next we are asked to be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves. Those that are hearers only are said to deceive themselves.  Hearing is to be followed by doing.  The key is to put to practise what we have heard from God’s word.  Head knowledge, if not accompanied by heart compassion and resolution, is the worst deceit of all.

The person who hears the word of God, and does nothing about it, is liken to a man who look into a glass mirror, sees himself, and straightaway forgets about how he looks. Now a glass mirror reflects the true features of a person – his wrinkles, his moles, his pimples, etc. 

The word of God is like this glass mirror – it reflects our sins.  If after hearing a sermon we do nothing about our sins – i.e. there is no conviction, no turning aside from sins to God in repentance – then we deceive ourselves.  Mirrors, like the word of God, show up our flaws (sins) so that we can take corrective action, but if we do nothing, we are simply saying all is well with us, and so deceive ourselves. 

A Christian today who looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continue therein he is a doer of the word. The law of liberty is the Gospel, which liberates us from sin, bondage, hell and death.  It is perfect, and so there is no need to modify or change it.  And the man who is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the word, is blessed in his deed.   Note carefully that the blessing is not for doing good deeds, but in his deed.  This blessedness is not because of good works per se, but rather in the doing of God’s will. 

The difference between hearers only and those who are doers of the word is liken to vain religion and pure religion.  James says if any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.  The key word here is seem. The first tell tale sign of a vain religion is that it has much to show, making it seem religious in the eyes of others.  This is a sure sign of a vain religion, when men are more concerned to appear religious. The problem is that this is all a show, make-believe, so that it seems religious while it is actually not. 

Today, there are churches that claim to be Christians, and yet their worship services are nothing short of entertainment, or showmanship.  Some have pop stars on stage singing and dancing away.  Rock music and even magic shows have appeared at these services.  And it is all done as part of a worship service!  They try to make it seem religious, using Christian’s lyrics but singing them to the beat of rock music.  That doesn’t make them Christian hymns anymore.