Mirror Mirror
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Summarize James so far:
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Col 1:9
Context: in our walk (trials and temptations of life), please the Lord.
Paul prays for [asks God for]: knowledge of his will; spiritual wisdom; understanding.
Inheritance = Crown of life
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.
“by [through?] testing you may discern [Approve.]” James says this produces steadfastness, and the result that we will be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
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. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
jas 1:
[(quick to hear / slow to speak) & slow to anger]
anger SENSE impulsiveness, “excited mind”
= [What comes out of us / our natural mind does not produce RIGHTEOUSNESS].
THEREFORE (introduces what DOES produce RIGHTEOUSNESS)
(remember context: our response to trials/temptations)
= put away (filthiness/wickedness) & receive w/ meekness IMPLANTED WORD.
LINK between promised Wisdom of God, humility/meekness in “hearing” the WORD… Reading/Studying the WORD.
[Work of Spirit]
Contrast between an excited/emotional/impulsive mind
and a humble/meek/hearing/listening/studious mind.
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
What did Mary do?
What did Martha do?
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
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. 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 isn’t commenting on activity.
John Wooden, famous UCLA basketball coach:
“Don’t mistake Activity for achievement” That’s a deception.
He was paraphrasing Jesus:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Our Christian Work is Not about Activity; It IS about achieving what Jesus here refers to as intimacy & closeness. It is what Paul calls the transformed mind, and what James considers as Fidelity to the:
Word, IMPLANTED in you.
which is the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit of God.
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. 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.
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. 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
This is Self-reflection by the Word, with a growth mindset.
a) We read and study the Word, in the context of our life… our trials and temptations;
b) and by the power of the Spirit in us we see the Wisdom of God, and we either react to it as a “doer” adjusting ourselves to align with the image of Christ. Or we don’t adjust ourselves, and walk away as though we simply forgot what we saw in the mirror; like we forgot that we even ever saw it.
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.
“bridle his tongue” parallels James’ teaching for us to be slow to speak [based on our own fleshly thoughts and desires and emotions.] If we don’t submit in meekness and humility to the sanctifying, purifying work of the Word in us, our religion is without benefit to us. Our trials won’t grow our maturity. We’ll be weak-knee’ed in the face of temptations.
Pure and Holy, undefiled. Orphans and Widows (the least of these, no potential benefit to you, completely selfless); Unstained from the world.
(James more general context; Paul more specific… same sentiment applies)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
1 Cor 6:19
“O, lord prepare me to be a sanctuary’