James and God’s Religion
Be doers of the Word!
James 1:22-27
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
“Don’t just listen to the word, do it…”
That’s the essence of the passage- Just do it, live your life according to the life of Christ within you and his word revealed to you through the scriptures.
As we journey through this passage today, consider if the Lord has been working on a particular area in your life, yet you haven’t committed to see it through.
James 1:22
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Howard Hendricks says “The word of God is not to make us smarter sinners, but to make us more like the savior”
Here again is a place where James is speaking Jesus.
John 14:23-24
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
James 1:23-24
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
If we were to set this up today, it may be something like “anyone who listens to the word but does not do it is like a person who sees the speed limit sign, and immediately forgets how fast they are to drive”
James 1:25
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
In contrast to the person who looks and forgets, the person who looks into the perfect law of Love in Christ, embracing what they have come to know in their daily lives, that person is blessed in what they do.
James 1:26-27
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
I believe It says a lot that only a few versus have passed since James instructed us to be quick to listen and slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Here he instructs us to keep a tight reign on our tongue.
The second test of true religion is shown by the degree at which we are giving ourselves too caring for the vulnerable in our society.
The final test of true religion according to James in our passage, is to walk in Holiness.
In light of this passage today, James has posed us a searching question
is there something that God has been dealing with you on, but you haven’t responded in obedience?
John 14:15-18
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
We have the assurance and promise of God’s divine presence to be right there with us, strengthening us, guiding us.
Will you do it today? Will you put into living what you have been hearing from the Lord?
James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY