Practical Christian Living

Recap

This book is written by James (The Just), one of Jesus half brothers, between 44-49 AD and sent to the twelve tribes of Israel scattered abroad.

But it is actually not very much like other letters of the time. Known as proverbs of the new testament, it’s a collection of short sayings and slightly longer discussions of practical topics.

Unique in that it was written as practical wisdom. James became a believer after witnessing the resurrection of Christ. His church was established in Jerusalem.

“Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation...” All men are created equal in the eyes of God.

Hear, Speak, and Anger

Stand firm against unrighteous anger - practical wisdom

James 1:19–20 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (Sounds like to book of proverbs)

A person perspective we’re either “self centered”, or “others centered” in our interactions with others.

Mans anger, or that of our sinful nature, either defends or promotes our own agenda

Matthew 1:18–20 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

1. Slow to anger - Patient, reflective, forging

2. Slow to speak - a speaker of thoughtful chosen words

3. Quick to listen - Careful, thoughtful listener

Put Off Uncleanness-To Receive

James 1:21–24 “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 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. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.”

The superfluity of of naughtiness

To receive the word, we must be willing to give our sin to God and let him enter every room in our house.

“The first thing. then, is receive. That word ‘receive’ is a very instructive gospel word; it is the door through which God’s grace enters to us. We are not saved by working, but by receiving; not by what we give to God, but by what God gives to us., and we receive from him.”

But How do we receive? Through our demonstration - Matthew 7:26–27 “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.””

James 1:22–23 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 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.”

2. Putting down and picking back up sin, is like seeing sin as sin, then forgetting what convicted you in the first place

Favored in Obedience

James 1:25 “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.”

Back in our illustrative scripture with Joseph - we can see the favor of God over every aspect of his life because of his obedience to God.

Religious Practice

James 1:26–27 “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 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.”

Care and concern for the vulnerable community - Deuteronomy 14:28–29 ““At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.”

2. Leviticus 19:2 ““Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”