Hello Friends!
This week we’ll continue to work our way through this serious “study” series solemnly surveying the powerful book of James in considering the TRUE calling of the “Christian” life as directed throughout this excellent Epistle – “Putting Faith to Work!”
The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 1: Verses 21-27)
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 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. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world – James 1:21-27
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: The granted GENUINENESS of a person’s “religion” relished is NOT directly determined by their OWN opinion. Rather, it IS Divinely determined by our great “God’s” opinion! And although a person may “think” themselves to be quite “religious” as such, they are NOT the factor making that decision. The wonderful “Word of God” says we are genuinely “religious” in the TRUEST sense based upon HIM when our “lives” are mutually marked by overt “obedience” and lived-out “love” for Him and others. Incidentally, the true “believer” will also solely STRIVE to constantly “keep oneself unspotted from the world” by Biblical “faith” firmly found in “Jesus Christ” by the great “grace” of our grand “God the Father” formulated through the in-filling “power” of the “Holy Spirit” Sanctified – Thank YOU Lord!
Belief that BEHAVES!
Here “James” continues to carefully challenge his readers with TWO more trying TESTS of true “faith” as he further instructs the “brethren” entrusted into his PASTORAL care and nurturing:
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls – James 1:21
Another way we must “receive” the “Word of God” is with a “pure” life. However, we can NOT do so until we are rightly READY to wholly “lay aside” the influences of our “flesh” and the satanic “world” system SATURATED around us. The engulfing evil of the world’s “filthiness” and “wickedness” will hinder the real “righteousness of God“ from being produced in our lives. WHY? Because they do NOT please Him! Therefore, “James” intently instructs us to “lay aside” our “sins.” And a KEY word “James” uses here is "receive” as it is HOW one rightly responds unto “God” as they “receive with meekness” His intimate “implanted word” into their SUBMITTED heart. It is the “Word of God” that ALONE is aptly “able to save your souls” from damnation. If “you” are a TRUE bold “believer” there is a receptivity to the “truth of God” rightly working within “your” life soundly SUBMITTED unto the – Word OF God!
Doers OR Hearers?
The SEVENTH true TEST is being a “doer” of the “Word of God” in life – OBEDIENCE!
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was – James 1:22-24
One way to DEFINE a true “believer” is to diligently DETERMINE the one who is a “doer” of the “Word of God” and willfully “walks” in the “way” of the “Lord” in kind. They soundly SUBMIT their own “life” unto the “Word of God” and deeply “desire” to personally pattern their “lives” after Him. On the other hand, uniform “unbelievers” are NOT at all “doers” of the “Word of God” willed. They simply “observe” themselves as a “natural face” and then “goes away” quickly to “straightway” avidly AVOID it at all costs. Therefore, “we” must diligently DEAL with our “sin” source immediately! In other words, if “we” are ONLY a harkening “hearer” of the “Word of God” without REMEMBERING the maniacal “manner” of which “we” were, we’re dangerously close to decisively – DECEIVING Ourselves!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: If “we” try to construct a rank RELIGIOUS house built upon anything else but “obedience” to the “Word of God” alone, our effort is FOLLY. In fact, “James’” older half-brother as Sovereign “Savior” and “Lord Jesus Christ” asked this straight-to-the-point question:
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? – Luke 6:46
The called-out “Christian” has a deep “desire” to diligently DO what the wonderful “Word of God” has to SAY as such – Devoted DOERS!
DOER of the Work!
“But” now in stark CONTRAST considered, “James” aptly addresses the true “believer” in “Jesus Christ” alone:
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed – James 1:25
This Greek word for “looketh” used here is “Parakupto” and literally means to “bend down and examine” something with great care and precision practiced. This is the bold “believer” who THOROUGHLY searches out EVERYTHING and implies a true humbling of oneself. It is to “looketh” with an INTENSE diligent “desire” and eager effort at the “perfect law of liberty” and wanting to dutifully “discern” what is REVEALED rightly in “God’s Word” fully. Thus, “James” enticingly encourages the diligent “doer of the work” in that “this man shall be blessed in his deed” indeed WHY? Because the true blessing is in the actual DOING itself – DOER of the Work!
VAIN Religion!
The EIGHTH true TEST is being able to “bridleth” of our “tongue” in life – MOUTH!
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 – James 1:26
In the “fellowship” fold to which “James” adamantly wrote, there was a BIG problem present. Apparently there were many “religious” people misusing their torrid “tongue” for vilely “vain” and very VINDICTIVE pursuits. There seems to have been several would-be “religious” ruffians of whom were dire “deceivers” of the “brethren” and their rank “religion” was utterly USELESS to both “God” and “man” in kind. The point here is that a shallow SUBJECTIVE mental mind-set is implied by the word "seem" in that one outwardly "has the OPINION of himself that he IS religious” as such. After all, cantankerously corrupt and utterly unholy speech BETRAYS a heinous “heart” hankered – Ungodly USELESSNESS!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The Greek word for “religious” used here is “Threskos” and is a very interesting word, found ONLY here in the New Testament narrative referring to an external ceremonial “worship” as such. Incidentally, the Greek word “Eusebeia” means “godliness“ referring to the “heart” and the Greek word “Mataios” means to “accomplish nothing” and is thus USELESS for anything! Therefore, if someone “seems” himself to be liturgically “religious” in carrying out a sort of pompous and pious parade, but does NOT care to boldly “bridleth his tongue” tightly, he actually “deceives his own heart” and his rank “religion is vain” both externally and internally as such – DECEIVED Hypocrite!
Therefore, even though the “religious” rank RITUAL might be evangelical in nature and even though the caustic CEREMONY might be Biblical per se’ it is actually futile pagan IDOLATRY unless one’s “heart” is righteously RIGHT with the “Lord” Himself! It's the “hearing” and “doing” with a humble “heart” and mindful “motives” that indeed TRULY matters to “our” great “God” in heaven. WHY? Because if any “man” might himself “seem to be religious” but is NOT mindful to “bridleth” his own “tongue” tightly, his pious PROFESSION of fickle “faith” is a sure sham shorn – VAIN Religion!
PURE Religion!
Finally, “James” reports that a proper reaction to and reception of the “Word of God” also means a willingness to aptly APPLY it without a selfish intent:
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world – James 1:27
True “religion” rightly demonstrates our great “God’s” garnered LOVE and caring COMPASSION contained in Him. “Pure” is the word for CLEAN and “undefiled” is the word for UNSTAINED in full They are synonyms with each other and points to the PUREST kind of “religion” realized. Again, it is NOT about what we do on the outside that matters. Rather, it is what comes OUT of our “heart” from – The INSIDE!
Furthermore, before WHOM? Here “God and the Father” is speaking of His Sovereignty as “God” and His Love as “Father” as He evaluates and judges our “works” based upon His divine decree This word for "to visit" means much MORE than simply saying "Hello" to someone. It has a sense of CARE built into it and includes the idea of bringing pity to someone in NEED through genuine nurturing support and service surmised. And “James” chooses outcast “fatherless and widows” succinctly. WHY? Because they are a suppressed segment within the “church” that deeply demonstrates the obviously GREATEST need for compassion with the LEAST ability available to – RIGHTLY Reciprocate!
Then “James” finishes his thoughts as he ENCOURAGES his righteous readers to continually strive to “keep himself unspotted from the world” and its EVIL influence. The Greek word for “world” here is “Kosmos” of which refers to the dastardly demonic “system” of insolent ideologies, bogus beliefs, licentious lifestyles and wicked worldviews of Satan’s UNGODLY cultural influence. Absolutely ANYONE who is a fiendish friend of this waning “world” is the arch enemy of the great “God” of heaven – INCOMPATIBLE Influences!
HISTORICAL HINTS: The ardent “Apostle John” aptly applies this SAME truth in saying if you “love” the wicked “world” in full, you do NOT really “love” the “Father” Himself:
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world – 1 John 2:15-16
STRAIGHT to the POINT! In other words, there is absolutely NO place provided for absolutely ANY crass – Christian COMPROMISE!
In closing:
Having been “born again” by the SHED blood of “Jesus Christ” and baptized by the “Holy Spirit of God” confirmed through the wonderful “Word of God” we become its PUPILS and our heart's “desire” is to listen to it, learn from it and respond to it in the SAME way a baby “desires” milk…
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious – 1 Peter 2:2-3
After all, you do NOT have to “teach” a new-born “baby” to like or drink milk. WHY? Because it naturally WANTS to eat as soon as it arrives into the world – DIVINE Design!
The same is true of a “believer” totally TRANSFORMED by the “Word of God” as he “grows up” with a spiritual appetite toward the true “things of God” granted. For the true “Christian,” this appetite is there in a GROWING way and is indicative of the “new birth” found in “Jesus Christ” alone with an ETERNALLY encroaching – SPIRITUAL Supply!
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
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"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"
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