Hearing and Doing the Word (James 1:19-27)

Introduction

If you have your Bible, please turn it to James 1:19-27.

Last week, we started working through the letter of James to Jewish believers that had been spread out due to persecution. During that sermon, I pointed out the simple truth that life is very, very hard, but Jesus is still trustworthy, which gives us hope in Him.

James continues in his letter with an exhortation for the people; and remember, these are people who are experiencing great persecution, so much so, that they’ve run from their homes and they’re hiding for their lives; and after giving them this statement concerning suffering, James then gives some profound statements concerning the truth that genuine faith can be seen in what you do. Or in other words, it’s more than just saying that you believe; your belief is seen in your changed behavior—and note that the behavior changes are a result of your belief and not the other way around. Our way of life changes because of our genuine faith—not the other way around. Really, what James is showing us in the next couple chapters is what genuine Christianity looks like.

And in today’s text, he focuses on three particular ideas: (1) the issue of sin (19-21), which focuses particularly on unrighteous anger, (2) the Word of God (22-25), which focuses on hearing and doing God’s Word and (3) true religion (26-27), which shows us an example of what it means to do God’s Word. As we work through the text, I think it’s rather apparent that all three ideas work together—that if you hear and do the Word of God, you will put off sin and put on true religion.

Prayer for Illumination

The Issue of Sin (19-21)

Our text starts with a quick, but potent statement that concerns sin. James writes:

James 1:19–21 ESV

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 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.

In these few verses, we see an exhortation that includes multiple imperatives or commands. Let me state the commands and then I’ll explain them. He tells us that we ought to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. That we ought to put away filthiness and rampant wickedness and that we should receive the implanted word.

Starting with the first, from v. 19, “every person [ought to] be quick to hear, slow to speak, [and] slow to anger.”

James starts with a sin that I think we would all admit that we struggle with (at least a little)—it’s clearly the sin of unrighteous anger.

And I’m arguing that he’s speaking of unrighteous anger because he ties the idea of being slow to anger with being quick to hear and slow to speak.

Or in other words, if every person would just slow down before they speak and make sure that they’ve actually understood what has been said to them, then they would be slower at getting angry.

Note also, that he doesn’t condemn the idea of anger itself—there is such a thing as righteous anger, which we see Jesus exhibit when He turns over the tables and removes the moneychangers in the temple.

Now, you might ask, “why exactly does James focus in on anger here” and the answer is actually rather simple—they’re facing severe persecution.

When people oppose you, how often is your first response irritation and anger?

How often is your response during hardships in life to be slow to hear, quick to speak, and fast to anger?

Of course James is going to start with the idea of unrighteous anger because all of us struggle with anger when we feel oppressed, when we’re hurt by others, or when we feel as if we’ve been wronged.

James says that instead of being quick to anger, we need to slow down, be quiet, and listen up.

And the reason that he gives is simple—v. 20, “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

When we act and react in unrighteous anger, we cannot possibly be righteous in our action—James makes it abundantly clear that man’s anger doesn’t produce righteousness.

Second, from v. 21, we are to “put away . . . filthiness and rampant wickedness.”

Now, we could spend significant amounts of time trying to define filthiness and rampant wickedness, but I think to do so would be to miss the point.

What James is doing here is something that we call synecdoche and all that means is that he isn’t providing these two ideas as ideas to be investigated, but rather ideas that emphasize what he’s saying.

Or in other words, James isn’t saying that you need to only put away things that are dirty and things that seem beyond wicked—what he’s saying is that filthiness and rampant wickedness are some of the harshest words that he can use to describe sin.

And really, what he’s saying is that all sin, those that we consider filthy and wicked, and all the sins under our manmade hierarchy of sin need to be put off or put away.

All sins ought to be put off, put away, removed, disregarded, and rejected.

And third, from v. 21, we are to “receive with meekness the implanted word.”

Meekness is the idea of gentleness or in this context, it’s really the idea of humility. And it’s this idea of recognizing that the way of life that we were headed in as sinners before salvation has been fundamentally changed by our salvation.

But most of us struggle with pride in the fact that we think we know how we ought to live, but James teaches us that in humility, we need to reject our sinful desires and receive the implanted word.

Or in other words God’s Word, which has the ability to save has been implanted or planted in the hearts of all mankind—it’s just a matter of whether you respond to the Word.

The idea ought not surprise us because Rom 2:14-15 “14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law naturally do the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they demonstrate the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,” (LSB)

Augustine wrote that God has made us for Himself and our hearts are restless until our rest is found in Him. Meaning, knowledge of God is implanted within all of us, it’s just a matter of if you respond.

The implanted Word must be received.

What James teaches is that you need to put off wickedness and put on the Word of God.

You need to deal with your sin and receive God’s Word

The Word of God (22-25)

Now, part of receiving God’s Word is accepting it as truth, which results in our salvation. The other part of receiving God’s Word is actually obeying God’s Word. Our text continues in v. 22 with this:

James 1:22–25 ESV

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.

James continues this paragraph with the idea that we are to do God’s Word and not just hear it.

In fact, to hear God’s Word and not do it is a deception in and of itself—or in other words, if you think you can hear God’s Word and not do God’s Word, you’re lying to yourself.

This statement, if we’re all honest with ourselves, is convicting, isn’t it? How many of us know what God’s Word says and we just don’t obey?

For instance, how many of us know that we ought not lie and yet, when it conveniences us, we lie?

Or how many of us know that we ought not gossip and yet, we can’t help but to share gossip with our friends the moment we see them.

Or conversely—how many of us know what Scripture tells us to do and we don’t obey?

Like, be holy for God is holy or go and proclaim the Gospel to every nation teaching them all that Jesus has taught us.

Or to simply love your neighbor as yourself or love God.

To know what Scripture says—to hear the Word and not do it is a deception in and of itself; and James gives us an illustration of what this is like. That someone who hears the Word but doesn’t do it is like a person who looks at himself in a mirror and looks at himself and goes away and completely forgets what he was like.

A person who hears Scripture but doesn’t do anything about what he has heard is like a person who looks in a mirror, sees himself, and instead of fixing what he sees, he walks away.

It’s quite possibly, one of the easiest illustrations that he could’ve used to describe what this is like because we all look intently at ourselves in a mirror most days—and thus, we know exactly what he means to look in a mirror and walk away because the majority of us would never do this.

In fact, some of us in this room spend quite a significant amount of time in front of a mirror each and every day rearranging the way that we look to make ourselves look how we would prefer ourselves to look.

And most of us in this room would say that it would be absolutely absurd if you were to look in a mirror and see something large and distracting on your face and then to ignore it and walk away.

And yet, we do precisely that when we go to God’s Word and that’s what James is confronting.

Physically speaking, when we notice something off about ourselves, we fix it; and yet, when we read and study Scripture or hear good, solid preaching and teaching most of us walk away and don’t bother to fix anything.

We’re like a person who sees their physical face, sees a massive flaw on their face, and doesn’t bother to do anything about it.

Spiritually speaking, most of us read and study Scripture or hear good solid preaching and teaching and we never bother to do anything about it.

And what James is saying is this—if you think you can do that and be perfectly fine, you’re lying to yourself.

Rather, what ought to happen when you look into the mirror of Scripture is found in v. 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.”

James makes a clear and concise statement that the point isn’t just to hear the Words of Scripture and walk away without doing anything about it, but rather to hear the Words of Scripture and then go and do something about it.

The point is to hear what God’s Law says and to hear the Gospel and then act on what God’s Law and the Gospel says.

Or in other words, and you’ve heard me say this before—Christianity is not a spectator sport where you get to watch the “professional” Christians perform in front of you on Sunday morning.

True Christianity requires your participation and in this instance, it involves your participation when it comes to God’s Word—that you read and hear God’s Word and then respond to God’s Word.

What that looks like is this:

We know God’s Word tells us to be hospitable, but just saying that you’re hospitable isn’t being hospitable—go and open your home to those around you, feed them dinner, and genuinely share your life with them—that’s hospitality.

We know God’s Word tells us to give thanks, but just claiming to be thankful isn’t being thankful if your heart is still embittered—go and be thankful for all that God has given you, praise Him for what He has done for you—that’s what it means to be thankful.

We know God’s Word tells us to love one another, but just saying you love someone really isn’t being loving—go and be there for those around you, grieve with those who grieve, weep with those who weep, celebrate with those who are celebrating, and really, ultimately, point them to Jesus—that’s what it means to love one another.

What it looks like is that when God’s Word tells you to do something—you go and do it.

James is abundantly clear, you cannot just listen to God’s Word, you need to do God’s Word.

True Religion (26-27)

In the last two verses, James shows us what this looks like. What does it mean to deal with your sins and receive God’s Word? What does it mean to do God’s Word? He gives us an idea of it in vv. 26-27.

James 1:26–27 ESV

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.

True, genuine religion; actual belief in Jesus—this idea of putting off sin and doing God’s Word results in three things (or at least three things that James is emphasizing). It results in (1) a person who can control his tongue, (2) someone who cares for orphans and widows in their affliction, and (3) the desire to be unstained from the world. Let’s look at those ideas individually:

James says that if someone genuinely believes and they’ve put off their sins and they’re doing God’s Word, you’ll be able to see it because they control their tongue.

This ought not surprise us because Jesus says in Matt 15:18 “18 “The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and [it’s what comes out of the heart that] defile the man.” (LSB)

If someone’s speech is vile, sinful, and wicked, it reveals that their heart hasn’t been changed to the extent that it needs to be changed.

Or in the terminology that James uses, if someone’s speech is vile, sinful, and wicked, it’s because they haven’t put off their sin and they aren’t doing God’s Word.

James then says that if someone genuinely believes and they’ve put off their sins and they’re doing God’s Word, you’ll be able to see it because they care for those that are afflicted.

In the first century, widows and orphans are typically referred to when speaking about the afflicted and the reason why is simple—because the government in the first century didn’t care for widows and orphans through social security and other governmental agencies, they would typically be relegated to begging for food, money, and clothing.

In the first century, if you were a widow or orphan, you couldn’t fend for yourself and there was no one around to help you out, but Jesus says that His people are to love their neighbors as themselves.

And if they’ve put off their sins and they’re doing the Word of God, then it would be seen in their care for those who can’t help themselves.

James closes this passage by saying that if someone genuinely believes and they’ve put off their sins and they’re doing God’s Word, you’ll be able to see it because they will seek to not be like the world—they will want to be like Jesus.

Which ties into the idea of not be conformed to the world but transformed through the renewing of your minds.

The idea really is that of being in the world but not of the world—to live amongst unbelievers but not to act like an unbeliever.

Or in James’ terminology, those who have put off their sins and are doing God’s Word won’t look like the average person who doesn’t believe in Jesus—they will be different.

And they will be different in what they say, how they treat other people, and what they do,

This brings us in our remaining few minutes to some specific application:

Application

James 1:19-27 teaches us that if we truly believe in Jesus, there ought to be a change in us. That change is really focused on the ideas that we are to reject our sinful desires, actually obey God’s Word, and be different because we obey God’s Word. In James 1:19-27, James briefly mentions the sins of unrighteous anger and an uncontrolled tongue, but really, what he has in mind is all sin—so yes, unrighteous anger, an uncontrolled tongue, but also the sins of lying and cheating, pride, partiality, even sins like viewing pornography, lust, and immorality. Again, the idea that James is pushing here is that if you claim to believe in Jesus, you ought to be different than the unbelievers around you—you ought to be different in what you say, how you treat others, and what you do.

Of course, the question then is, how do I know if I’m living and thinking and saying the things that God says I ought to. And the beauty of a passage like James 1:19-27 is that it gives us a prime example while showing us exactly how it works.

James utilizes the example of a mirror to show us how we can use the Word of God to help us in the process of sanctification and the idea is that we ought to look into the Word of God, the perfect Law of God and then do the things that Scripture teaches. Scripture works as a mirror to show us who God is, to compel us to praise and worship Him, and as 2 Timothy teaches, to teach, reprove, correct, and train us. How does Scripture do this?

By showing us what God expects and by showing us where we fall short and convicting us when we do fall short. How does Scripture convict us when we read it?

Let me show you.

James says that every person ought to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

Now, ask yourself, when I’m facing opposition in life, how do I respond?

When people seem to disagree with me or fight against me or oppose me—how do I act and react?

Am I quick to hear their position? Am I quick to listen to what they have to say?

Or am I quicker to make my own position known first?

Am I quicker to speak rather than slow to speak?

When people seem to disagree with me or fight against me or oppose me—how do I act and react?

Am I slow to anger or do I respond quickly with anger?

When people are against me, am I quick to explode with unrighteous anger?

I hope you can see how you ought to use Scripture to check your own heart. This applies in multiple places of Scripture.

For example, 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love is patient and kind, it does not envy nor boast, it is not arrogant or rude and so on.

Now let’s check your heart—we’re told that we are to love one another—so, ask yourself. When it comes to loving your neighbors, are you patient? Are you kind? Or are you arrogant and rude and envious?

Can you see how you ought to use Scripture to see where you fall short into sin?

When Scripture clearly teaches us to do something, we ought to do it.

James teaches us that we ought to do the Word of God.

And that part of the doing of God’s Word is rejecting our sinful desires, receiving God’s Word and then living in a way that reflects your belief in Jesus Christ.

The question is, in your own life—are you actively obeying God’s Word?

Put simply, James 1 teaches us that as believers, we are to reject sin, receive God’s Word, and then do God’s Word.

And if we truly believe, we will do what God’s Word teaches and people will be able to see it.

Pastoral Prayer