James Part 7

Holman New Testament Commentary: Mark I. Introduction: Hearing and Understanding

A man consulted a doctor and told him that his wife was going deaf. “I ask her what we are having for dinner and she doesn’t answer.”

“Bring her in,” the doctor said. “I’ll examine her.”

So the man brought his wife in. The doctor had her stand fifty feet away. He said to the man, “Go ahead and ask her what’s for dinner.”

“Hey, honey,” he said, “what’s for dinner?”

Next, the doctor had the woman stand forty feet away.

“Hey, honey,” the man said, “I said, what’s for dinner?”

After going through this routine several times, the doctor finally had her stand five feet away.

“Hey, honey,” the man said, “for the sixth time, I said, what’s for dinner?”

When something is not Right we automatically assume that it is someone eases fault.

A man consulted a doctor and told him that his wife was going deaf. “I ask her what we are having for dinner and she doesn’t answer.”

“Bring her in,” the doctor said. “I’ll examine her.”

So the man brought his wife in. The doctor had her stand fifty feet away. He said to the man, “Go ahead and ask her what’s for dinner.”

“Hey, honey,” he said, “what’s for dinner?”

Next, the doctor had the woman stand forty feet away.

“Hey, honey,” the man said, “I said, what’s for dinner?”

After going through this routine several times, the doctor finally had her stand five feet away.

“Hey, honey,” the man said, “for the sixth time, I said, what’s for dinner?” - The wife looked at the doctor and then back at her husband. “And for the sixth time, I said, spaghetti!”

We intrinsically believe that the problem is somewhere else.

Hear the Word.

James 1:19–20 ESV

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.

There is a great danger that you might have the Word but not hear the Word.

Matthew 11:15 ESV

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Holman New Testament Commentary: Mark I. Introduction: Hearing and Understanding

But hearing involves more than the ears. It also involves an act of the will. Real hearing involves taking action.

Hearing involves more than the ears for it is an act of the will. Real hearing involves taking action.

Head the Word.

James 1:22–24 ESV

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.

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παραλογίζομαι - deceive - An intentional miscalculation. This was used often as a mathematical term.

Whe

You have not heard the word until you have heeded the word.

It is like Christianity without Christ.

Knowing the truth is not the

The Characteristics of an unconverted Christian.

An unconverted Christian is spiritually duped.

An unconverted Christian disconnects salvation and sanctification.

James 1:26 ESV

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

A follower of Jesus displays the fruit of saving faith.

James 1:27 ESV

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.