Staying off the Path of Error

James 1:19–27 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. 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. 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.

Introduction

Many of us deviate from the path of truth onto a path of error because we are not willing to hear God and adjust our lives according. We claim Christianity but in essence we are just religious in nature. We think we are fine because we look fine or feel fine but we are not measuring up in our actions to God’s standards. Today we are challenged to: 1. Careful to enagage in self application of the Word of God and 2. Careful to denounce self-deception in religion.

I. Careful to engage in Self-Application of the Word of God. A lot of us hear but we don’t listen because we talk too much and we cannot apply what we don’t know so we continue living how we think we should rather than letting God’s Word/Law shape our lifestyle.

a. When no attention is given to hear and apply God’s Word to our lives, we miss out on God’s blessings in what we do.

b. When no attention is given to hearing and applying God’s Words, we become self-centered and neglect others who need and we get entangled with the world.

I. Careful to denounce Self-deception in Religion. Three times mentioned in vs 16, 22 and 26. James believe that we are prone to self-deception both spiritual and religious deception.

a. If we presume that God is behind the evil schemes in our lives and not the good only, we deceive ourselves. God is the author of GOOD not EVIL.

b. If we presume that we can just listen and accumulate knowledge about God and not put them into action for a changed life, we deceive ourselves. God’s knowledge is important for Moral lifestyle.

c. If we believe that we can be religious and not control our actions then we deceive ourselves. God’s religion is more than spoken word but deeds. We must live out the Word of God. You cannot live what you don’t know. Spend time to hear, read, study, meditate and apply the Word of God to your life.

Applications

1. Because we fail to apply God’s Word to our lives, we become angry in our Spirit and cannot attain the righteousness of God in our souls. The Greek word for anger is orge pronounced or-gay which is wrath, vengeance, indignation which we have to put away to attain God’s righteousness. (Eph. 4:31; Col. 3:8)

2. Only the Word of God can spur us onto Salvation. Rom 10:14 How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?

3. We need to hear more and speak less. We cannot hear when we are talking. We need to release anger and clothe ourselves with the righteousness of God which is necessary for God’s community. We need to apply God’s knowledge that is garnered to our lives so we can be victorious in our living.