Being a Hearer of the Word
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We now enter a new section of James. We are learning about our Faith on the Outside. Previously in vv. 2-18 he was reminding us how we ought to respond to trials - in joy realizing God is perfecting us; asking for wisdom - knowing that is the chief thing we lack in a trial; keep the right perspective - whether rich or poor our eternal reward is what matter; remember God’s goodness - the trial is not a way to tempt us to sin but to remember that He is good.
Now our new section is vv. 19-27 where we see that James will be concerned now with not just our response to trials but our response to the Word of God.
Here he focuses on practical Christianity and our response to the ‘word of truth’ mentioned in v. 18. (ESV notes).
The first way that we respond to the Word of God is to be Hearers of the Word.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
1. Our Speech Must Be Controlled
1. Our Speech Must Be Controlled
v. 19
James will now focus in vv. 21-27 on that word of truth and the obedience that should be seen from believers. Accordingly he is going to deal with our speech and the anger that can be behind it.
Wherefore my beloved brethren - here is a general call to pay attention - a transition to an important topic.
Let every man - these commands are for everyone - young and old!
A. Be Quick to Listen
A. Be Quick to Listen
James is giving us a general lesson on listening more and talking less.
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
We need to pause often to listen. This will help us to control our desires and responses that lead to conflicts and dispute.
1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
But James is not talking about just physically hearing the words as they impact our ears, but listening for what God has to say.
"Quick to hear" describes an eagerness to hear.
You should listen to the Word of God as if your rich uncle’s will is being read.
B. Be Slow to Speak
B. Be Slow to Speak
27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
The other side of the coin of being quick to listen is slow to speak.
The old adage is that we have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen twice as much as we speak.
Larry King, “I never learned anything while I was talking.”
The best way to hear from God and others is to be quiet.
The high priest Eli told Samuel to respond to the Lord with, “Speak Lord for thy servant hears.”
C. Be Slow to Anger
C. Be Slow to Anger
Sometimes what you hear or what you’ve been through or a trial can make you angry. This anger is going to be important in a minute when we look at our next verse.
But how often does uncontrolled anger lead to uncontrolled speech with a lack of listening?
Uncontrolled anger is not very quiet and peaceful is it?
Remember, James is dealing with how we live our faith on the outside.
You must remember, that these believers were suffering and their situation likely gave rise to feelings of anger and resentment.
Anger is a terrible violent and destructive sin.
There were some in this day and time that James wrote that wanted to use physical violence against their oppressors to seek justice, they were called zealots - sound familiar?
2. Recognize Our Anger is not Righteous
2. Recognize Our Anger is not Righteous
v. 20
Here we have an explanation that our anger not only can cause us to say things we should but also cannot fulfill the righteousness of God.
A. Understanding the Righteousness of God
A. Understanding the Righteousness of God
God’s righteousness is a very important teaching in the Bible - it is his moral purity, reliability and faithfulness in carrying out his promises; thus His saving action in this world.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.
In this verse, David wants God’s righteousness to vindicate his good standing.
‘Worketh not’ means to produce. Meaning that what is produce would be required or pleasing to God - it is what is right and just by His standards.
In other words, justice - social harmony in accordance with the will of God. A society and community that pleases God.
The main idea here is that human anger doesn’t produce behavior that is pleasing to God.
B. Understanding the Anger of Man
B. Understanding the Anger of Man
Jesus taught us that anger can be very dangerous.
21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
James would be dealing at the time with messianic Jew who thinks they can bring about God’s saving action by means of anger.
This anger here is wrath. This is violent anger that disrupts communities and leads to physical violence - riots, looting, the attack on the capitol.
With the last incident in mind we must understand that human anger cannot bring about God’s will in society - pictures of storming the capitol, with a noose, a cross, a Jesus Saves sign. It’s utter garbage and it did nothing.
Look at the conflated images here.
Human anger cannot bring about God’s justice and is not pleasing to God.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Righteousness doesn’t come by angry insurrectionists at our capitol or a mob at a federal building or looting a neighborhood - but by them that make peace.
This kind of human anger is unjustified and leads to many sins - starting with sins of the tongue - which James will address later.
3. The Proper Response to Hearing God’s Word
3. The Proper Response to Hearing God’s Word
v. 21
Here we begin with a transitional verse from hearing to doing, but I think it fits better by completing the thought of this section. Proper hearing should result in some sort of evidence that the word that has been received made a difference.
The wherefore here tells us there is a connection. We know better, we know to communicate in love, that justice and righteousness cannot be formed through anger. So here’s what he wants us to do.
A. Reject That Which is Evil
A. Reject That Which is Evil
Lay apart means to ‘take off.’ Like taking off a robe or a garment. This idea is used many times in Scripture.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
First we are to lay aside all filthiness - moral filth. This pictures the detestable nature of sin in God’s eyes.
Superfluity of naughtiness - this just means abundant or surplus evil. This means that sin may come in abundant or various forms and our fight with sin must be understood. You can knock down one sin and another is right around the corner.
B. Receive God’s Word
B. Receive God’s Word
So while we are to reject or put away one thing, God wants us to receive or put on another ‘set of clothes.’
We are to adopt a new code of conduct; one dictated by the influence of God’s Word.
We are to receive the engrafted word - this is the word that was implanted in us at salvation.
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The lesson from Israel is that external obedience to God’s laws doesn’t work - it must be internal - a new heart must be created.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
That saving word is a sanctifying word as well!
And we are to do this with meekness - quite the opposite of the anger in the previous verse.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
These believers are oppressed, abused by the rich, political outcasts - and James says don’t rise up in anger - that won’t fulfill the justice of God - rather respond in meekness.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
God wants us to put off our old sin and evil ways and to follow or receive and accept the word that was planted within us.
Born again believers will show this transformation. Believers accept the Word of God as their authority - they hear it, they receive.
One evidence that someone is truly saved is that they will listen to the Word of God.