Faith Loves James 1:26-2:13
Notes
Transcript
Faith Loves
Faith Loves
True Religion Requires True Obedience
True Religion Requires True Obedience
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.
Bristle at the word “Religion”
a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
“It’s not about religion, It’s about a relationship
Kinda, “It’s not merely about religion, it is also about a relationship.
James is giving us some practical advice on how we should live out our calling.
In these 2 verses he is setting up the outline for the rest of the book.
Controlling the Tongue
Concern for the Helpless
Avoidance of Worldliness
Real Faith Requires Real Obedience
These are the tests that James puts forth to test our devotion to the God we claim to love.
Tame the Tongue
Tame the Tongue
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.
Why is it important to bridle your tongue?
Our mouth says a lot about our character.
What we say tells others a lot about us.
“Our speech is a reflection of what is inside of us such that if our speech is not controlled, James says our religion is a sham- worthless, vain, and meaningless.”
We cannot see it fit that we limit our speech solely to what comes out of our mouths.
We also have to be careful with what comes out of our fingertips.
Social Media, Text Messages, Emails
Watch what you say, it reveals who you are and more importantly who you belong too.
The “religion” that people who do not control their speech have is no better, James suggests, than idolatry
Sacrifice for Those In Need
Sacrifice for Those In Need
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.
Picking up a Theme from OT
You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
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.
Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom!
Give ear to the teaching of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of goats.
“When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you
this trampling of my courts?
Bring no more vain offerings;
incense is an abomination to me.
New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—
I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
Your new moons and your appointed feasts
my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause.
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
The Calling of the believer is to Imitate God the Father
James is careful with his language.
He calls God Father echoing the care and protection of one who watches over his creation.
The care that we extend to those in need isn’t limited to just widows and orphans, but any of those that have need.
Immigrant
Homeless
Handicap
Impoverished
Sick
Addicts
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.
Unstained from the World
“The World”
3 Time in James
Runs Contrary to the ways of God.
What are the ways of God?
Love
Generosity
Holiness
Mercy
Grace
1:27b
Leads into the next section of Scripture showing us what it means to live contrary to the world and in line with God when it comes to how we see people.
No Partiality/Favoritism
No Partiality/Favoritism
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,”
have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
By nature we are ones who show partiality and favoritism. It is ingrained in us.
Seems to be a big problem for James’ audience
This reminder is particularly appropriate in a situation where Christians are giving too much “glory” to human beings.
We like to identify with those within our tribe who look, act, and think like us.
We also want to be around those who we think can do something for us. Usually of our same socio-economic status or higher.
While we ignore or belittle those below or station.
Downton Abbey
“Shabby” translates a word from the same root as the word James used in 1:21 to characterize the sinful “filth” that Christians must put off. The image James conjures up is of the typical homeless person in our day, dressed in mismatched, stained, and smelly rags
We need to be captivated by Christ’s Glory.
When we are captivated by His glory the menial things of the world such as status will be put into perspective.
What is Christ’s Glory?
The goal of all things
The Unifying Goal of all history
Source and Sum of all full and lasting Joy.
His goodness and Grace that radiate and touch all creation.
We have been crowned with his glory. so when we show favoritism we are saying that God is wrong. That God doesn’t know what he is doing.
The wealthy is obviously more important than “the other”.
We cannot hold on to our faith in the one who makes all equal if we show partiality to others.
Christ reigns supreme over all…even the wealthy, the influential, the “higher class”
We are unfair Judges when it comes to people, b/c we tend to lean into their looks and influence rather than their heart.
When Christians show favoritism toward people in the assembly, they implicitly claim God’s own right to stand in judgment over other people.
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
James is leaning on the teachings from the Sermon on the mount.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus loves the poor and outcast. Jesus loves those who are looked down upon.
He has chosen to call the poor to himself. He wants them to draw near to him
The poor are able to demonstrate their richness in faithful obedience and devotion.
They cling to the Lord.
Jesus “flips the script” on what it means to be rich. Our wealth is not in our possessions it is the King Eternal.
Jesus calls us to have a Kingdom of God perspective not a worldly one.
When we look down on someone b/c of their worldly possessions, or lack thereof, we are devaluing them. We are dehumanizing them. We are dishonoring them.
Remember we are all made in the Image of God.
Rich/Poor
Old/Young
Good Looking/Not so Good looking
Short/Tall
Don’t devalue what God has called valuable.
James gets a little frustrated here b/c the people that are being exalted are the ones causing persecution, yet they are still uplifted.
These are persecuting and blaspheming, yet because they seem to be able to advance some agenda, they are looked at as more important than those who have nothing.
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Royal Law- Law of the King
Here’s the rub, favoritism/partiality violates the law of Love.
The Law of the King and if we want to fulfill God’s Law we must Love.
Jesus is the illustration of the sum total of God’s Law.
We must imitate him.
We must be like him.
And we do this by loving people.
Favoritism inherently demonstrates discrimination. We should not discriminate against that which God values.
Partiality is sinful. Discrimination is sinful. Favoritism is sinful.
Remember sin leads to death.
But we are able to live in the light of truth when we love God and love others.
So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
“be always speaking” “be always acting”
Remember you have been set free from sinfulness and selfishness, live in that freedom to love.
Love, always.
Fulfill the royal law and love well.
Judgement is coming, but you are free from that judgment if you are alive in Christ. From that freedom live under the law of liberty and fulfill the royal law.
He has given us himself. He has given us his word. He has given us new life. Live in the new life he has given you.
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
God’s mercy and grace is greater than our sin. it is greater than our disobedience. It is greater than the grave. It is greater than death.
Live in his mercy. Live out his mercy. Show love to those that are hurting. Show love to those who are looked down upon. Show love because you are loved.