A Few Thoughts on the Epistle of James—James 1:19-25

C3 The Christian life—listening and actions James 1:19-27

D1 Believers Should Listen Quickly, Hesitate Speaking James 1:19-25

James 1:19-25 WEL So too my beloved brothers, all must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 Because the anger of man does not bring about the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filthiness and all types of wickedness. Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 Be doers of the word, not just 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 at himself in a mirror. 24 He looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks at the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, is not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work. This one will be blessed for what he does.

7 rules=

• 3 Attitudes and actions
  • Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger

• Good listening requires slow to speak.
• Slow to speak is to listen until the other has finished speaking, except for those who talk continuously.
• Slow to speak has the idea of thinking before talking.
• Slow to speak has the idea of not offering advice until asked.
• Slow to anger is to be angry slowly.
  • The next verse points out that our anger does not achieve (bring about, bring to reality). Arguing to prove doctrine or pressuring one to believe the Gospel, will not bring about God’s righteousness. So this leaves out bullying, verbal abusing, controlling, etc. behavior. These actions will not bring about God’s righteousness. In fact, often it makes things worse.
  • There are 2 wills: God’s will and any other will.
  • God’s way is best. Being angry at God’s thoughts, desires, words, and deeds does no good. Fighting it is wrong. The Pharisees were guilty of this (John 16:2, for example).
  • Our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds do not bring righteousness. Building a church, do it God’s man, not with man’s philosophical or business practices. Encouraging spiritual growth, same. 1 Peter 4:3 NIV For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
  • JFB: Man’s angry zeal in debating, as if jealous for the honor of God’s righteousness, is far from working that which is really righteousness in God’s sight. True “righteousness is sown in peace,” not in wrath (James 3:18).
  • It is not debating as Stephen did (Acts 7). It is an anger that destroys as Acts 15:2 NIV This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
  • Proverbs 15:1 NKJV A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
• Anger is not necessarily a sin. There is both an anger that is not sinful and a type that is. Consider, Mark 3:4-5 and John 2:13-16.
• Unrighteous anger leads to sin
  • Psalms 37:8 NRSV Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
  • Proverbs 15:18 NIV A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
• 4 duties
  • No moral filthiness
    • This is specifically referring to James 1:14-15)
    • It refers to dirt as opposed to clean.
    • Acts 15:20 NIV Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
    • Galatians 5:19-21 MKJV Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness,  20  idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies,  21  envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
  • No wickedness
    • Breaking God’s laws in thoughts, desires, words, and/or deeds
    • See Romans 1:18, Romans 1:29, Romans 6:29.
  • Read and study Scriptures especially the New Testament. Understand it, believe it, and live it.
  • Be doing what the New Testament teaches
    • This is what we believe and why
    • This is how to live and why

Implanted word= the Gospel and God’s law which is written on our hearts by God Himself. (Romans 2:29 and Hebrews 8:10).

Law of liberty= the opposite of Old Testament law which could not bring righteousness and reconciliation with God. The New Testament contains God’s rules for us (Galatians 5:1).

Reading the Bible brings blessings, but the Bible is not just to be read but to be lived. We live what we believe.

Questions

• How can we change our lives?
• If we can’t, who can?
• How do Christians cooperate with God to live more God’s way?
• Which law is greater, Old Testament law or New Testament law? Defend your answer.
• Why do Christians have to live by God’s New Testament rules?