Study in the Book of James – Part 3
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What are things you remember or take away from our last lesson on James?
The rest of James 1 looks at our behaviors and how we are to serve God and others. James 1:19 tells us: Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
This is a saying that all Christians should embrace. What do you think are the benefits to being quick to hearing or listening? Are there other Bible verses that support this?
Why is it important to speak less? Are there other Bible verses that support this?
Why should you be slow to anger? Are there other Bible verses that support this?
Controlling Your Anger
To support his previous statement, James continues in v. 20-21, stating “20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”
The message that James makes here is to put off evil, to put it away. Can you find other passages in the Bible that support this call?
How can a person “put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness?” What would that look like?
What does it mean to “receive the meekness implanted in the word?”
How do you think embracing this meekness would help to save souls?
A Controversial Topic
God calls us to be people of action. We are told that God is love. However, this is not about a feeling that God has about everything. It is the action that God provides. In everything He does, He presents love.
This then leads us to the next passage in James. James 1:22-25 reads, “22 But be doers of the word, and not 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 intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 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.”
Almost the entire Book of James is encapsulated in four versus. James is prodding us to be men and women of action. Many of the teachings you will find in the letters of Paul, John, Peter, and others are geared towards teaching believers the foundation of the faith. However, James tells believers that we must be men and women of action. We must take the things that we have heard and let that become to an action that demonstrates our faith. As we continue through the Book of James, we will often refer to these verses and compare how James’ teaching is part of what he is calling us to do here.
James begins this section by stating that one who hears the word but does not put that into action is deceiving him or herself. How is that person deceiving him or herself?
Do you think James believes that that a person who has accepted the faith and has heard the teachings of Jesus but is not implementing them is fooling him or herself in some way? If so, how is he or she doing so?
Next, James uses a very interesting metaphor. He compares the person who is hearing the Word of God but not acting on that to a man who stares in the mirror but walks away forgetting what his face looks like. What do you think James is trying to say in this metaphor?
Can you give some examples of what it would look like if a person was a hearer of God’s word but was not a doer of it?
Why do you think many struggle to be actionable in their faith?
This section concludes with James declaring that the perfect law is a law of liberty, that perseveres and leads a person to be a doer in his or her actions. What do you think James means here when he says the “law of liberty?”
In Luke: 11:28, it reads, “’But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” Here Jesus is speaking, and He confirms the exact same message as James. One who hears the Word of God and does what is asked will be abundantly blessed. How do these verses impact the way that you should live?
A Call to Watch Our Tongues
The last two verses of our lesson are James 1:26-27: 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 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.
This is only 49 words, but it provides three substantial callings that all believers are to embrace. This is what the moral life of a Christian should look like. These two verses tell believers what being a “doer” of the Word of God is.
Now, it should be noted that he is not saying that these are the specific things that a person should do. He is giving very clear examples of what the life of a follower of Jesus would look like, so you do not need to be visiting orphans and widows to be a person who is doing God’s work.
First, he states that if somebody believes that they are a religious person, a person who is devout in their faith, then he or she should “bridle” his or her tongue. What do you think the word “bridle” means?
The dictionary provides two specific definitions that apply. The first is a “curb or check,” like to bridle someone’s spending. The second is a kind of harness that goes around the head of a horse that helps to restrain or guide the animal. Understanding those definitions, what do you think James means when he tells us that we must bridle our tongues?
This goes back to his initial calling in this passage, to be slow to speak. James is encouraging us to control the way that we talk.
Paul gives instruction on bridling our tongues in Ephesians 4:25-32: 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
What are some of the examples you see here where Paul cautions us about the way that we speak?
It is important for each of us to embrace the need to “bridle” our tongues, because James tells us that failing to do so makes our religion “worthless.” Why do you think he would describe this so harshly?
In v. 27, James tells us that pure and undefiled religion is one where we “visit orphans and widows in their affliction.” This is a person who is living out the Christian faith.
Jesus puts it this way in Matthew 25:35-36 when He said, “35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”
Both James and Jesus are giving examples of how a Christian can demonstrate their religion. How he or she can be a doer of his or her faith.
Can you think of some examples in your own life where you can be a doer by helping others, like orphans and widows?
Why do you think James adds that we should visit widows and orphans “in their affliction?”
The Greek word for affliction used here is θλίψις (thlipsis), which means afflicted, anguish, burden, persecuted, tribulation, or trouble. Does that help you to understand what James may mean?
This is really a call to not only help orphans and widows. He is not speaking about just this group of people as proof that one is being a doer of God’s Word. He is giving this as an example. So, are there are those out there who are afflicted that you could help?
The last thing that James says in the section is to “keep oneself unstained from the world.” Let’s read through James 1:1-27 once again. What are examples you see that James provides of being sustained by the world?
How does James encourage us in this first chapter to stay “unstained?”
In 2 Peter 3:14, the disciple encourages us by writing, “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”
Philippians 2:15 reads, “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”
How do these passages tell us to present ourselves to God?
How can you keep yourself unstained in your own life?
What are challenges that you are facing right now in your ability to stay “unstained?”
What is something you will take from this first chapter of James to assist you in being a “doer” and not just a “hearer” of God’s Word?
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