May 17, 2009
Morning Service

James 1:19-27

 

Review:

Intro:

According to the oldest arrangement of the New Testament, the epistle of James stands first in order of all the Apostolical epistles. The most competent critics generally agree in designating as its author James, the president of the church at Jerusalem, and known as the Lord's brother.  AD46.

 

About James:

The later traditions of the Jewish Christians invest him with a priestly sanctity. His austerities and devotions are described in extravagant terms. 

·         He went barefoot, and practiced abstinence from wine, and wore the long hair, the linen ephod, and the unshorn beard of the Nazarites, and even abstained from washing.

·         He was known as “The Just.” The people vied with each other to touch the hem of his garment; and he is reputed to have called down rain in the drought, after the manner of Elijah. His chair was preserved as a relic until the fourth century, and a pillar in the valley of Jehoshaphat marked the spot where he fell.

 

James writes to the Twelve tribes scattered abroad.  The Israelites.  So this, as was the letter to the Hebrews, is written to the Jews.

We will see that James teaches the keeping of some of the O.T. laws for the Jews, but not for the Gentiles.  He showed this in Acts 21.     Acts 15, and 21.

 

In Hebrews the writer showed how much greater the N.T. Grace was than the O.T. laws, here in James we see the importance of FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.

 

Read 1-18;

1. In these verses James has told us that if we lack wisdom, ask God for it.
2. Then he tells us that when we are tempted it is not from God, but from within ourselves.
3. Every good, and perfect gift is from God.
4. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.    

NOW HE STARTS VERSE 9 WITH, WHEREFORE;

Jam 1:19-27  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

           

SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK. 

• One writer said, “How noble was the response of Xenocrates! When he met the reproaches of others with a profound silence, someone asked him why he alone was silent. ‘Because,’ says he, ‘I have sometimes had occasion to regret that I have spoken, never that I was silent.
• Ecc 5:2  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
• Ecc 5:3  For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
• Pro 10:19  In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
• Pro 13:3  He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
• Pro 15:2  The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
• Pro 21:23  Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

 

 

 

SLOW TO WRATH:

(20)  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 

• Pro 14:17  He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
• Pro 14:29  He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
• Pro 15:18  A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
• Ecc 7:9  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
• Mat 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment:
• Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
• Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
• Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

WHEREFORE AGAIN;

(21)  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

• I love that scripture, “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”
• RECEIVE.  Open up your heart, and receive God’s Word, and He will save your soul.

 

ANOTHER WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT;

(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. 

• Jesus said; Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

(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. 

• The perfect law of liberty - Referring to the law of God or his will, however made known, as the correct standard of conduct. It is called the perfect law, as being wholly free from all defects; being just such as a law ought to be.
• Psa 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
• Jesus said; Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
• Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
• The liberty, is being born of the Spirit which hungers, and thirsts after the things of God.  The entanglement is the yoke of the Old Testament laws that was contrary to us.  Paul said; Col 2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

(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. 

• Vain = Empty; foolish; useless.

(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.

• Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

A short quiz for us:

1. Do I talk to much?
2. Do I seek the engrafted word?
3. Am I a doer of the word?
4. Do I visit the fatherless, and widows?
5. Am I unspotted from the world?