4. Conquering Temptation (James 1:13-15)

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Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.

James 1:13-15 (NET)

How can we conquer temptation?

Again, James is writing Jewish Christians who have been scattered throughout the ancient world because of religious persecution. He comforts them by teaching that God is in control of their trials, using them for their spiritual maturity. Therefore, they should rejoice and persevere in them (Jam 1:2-4).

With that said, James realizes that with every trial comes a temptation. In fact, he uses the same Greek word throughout Chapter 1 for both trials and temptations. They always come together. When God placed the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden, it was a test to prove the faith of Adam and Eve. However, with that test came a temptation, as Satan tempted them to eat of the tree. When God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son in Genesis 22, there was also a temptation. The temptation was to not trust God and therefore disobey him. With Job, God allowed Satan to bring various trials into Job’s life—financial, family, and physical health trials. God allowed Satan to do this in order to prove and build Job’s faith, while Satan’s purpose was to hurt Job’s faith—by tempting him to curse God. Trials and temptations always go together. We can either grow through our trials or be crushed by them—wandering further away from God (and others) because of them.

Therefore, James addressed this reality when writing these suffering Jewish Christians. His purpose was to equip them to conquer temptations that came alongside their trials. Likewise, we must realize with our trials, there are various temptations which we must respond to appropriately. James doesn’t say “if” tempted but “when” tempted (v. 13). Temptations continually happen to us all, so we must be prepared for them. In this study, we’ll consider principles for conquering our temptations.

Big Question: What principles about conquering temptation can be taken from James 1:13-15?

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Resist the Urge to Blame Others

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

James 1:13

When James commands these believers to not think of God as tempting them in their trials—inciting them to do evil—it was because he understood human nature. Since Adam’s fall in the garden, humanity has been prone to evade responsibility. When God asked Adam if he ate of the forbidden fruit, he immediately blamed God and the woman. He said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it” (Gen 3:12). Then, the woman blamed the serpent. Now, this is humanity’s natural tendency—to blame others and evade responsibility. Therefore, people are quick to blame parents, friends, bosses, churches, and government. Sometimes, they even blame the sin itself by calling it a disease or an orientation, as if there was no choice involved. Ultimately, people blame God. Proverbs 19:3 says, “A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord.”

These Jewish Christians might have been especially tempted to blame God because of pagan influence from the societies they lived in. Pagans commonly blamed the deities for everything. Since pagan deities originated from human imagination, they had human desires, including their flaws. They were lustful, deceptive, short-tempered, and generally evil. They warred with one another and people. They came down and had sex with women, deceived people, etc. Therefore, some Jewish Christians might have thought God was the same. To combat this, James said God cannot be tempted by evil nor will he tempt anyone. Essentially, James said the God of the Bible is not like pagan deities—he is absolutely holy, perfect, and incorruptible. Scripture teaches that God hates sin so much that people deserve death for only one sin (Rom 6:23). Yet, because God is also loving, he sent his Son to die for the sins of the world, so we might have salvation through faith in him (John 3:16). It was important for these believers to understand God’s character so they wouldn’t blame God, but also, so they would be victorious over temptation. If we become angry at God and turn away from him, especially in trials, we lose the ability to stand against temptation.

Interpretation Question: In what ways are people tempted to blame God for their sin?

Some blame God for allowing certain circumstances. They might say, “Why did God allow that accident or difficulty to happen?” or “Why did God allow me to marry this person?” Because of their circumstances, they rebel against God—doubting his goodness and love for them.
Some blame God by saying (or implying) they were created a certain way. Not all blame God directly; they simply say, “This is just who I am!”, “This is my personality!” or “I was born this way!” Since it seems normal to them, they declare God understands and approves.

James’ point is clear: people will never conquer temptations they encounter if they continually blame God or others, and neither will we.

Application Question: In what ways have you seen or experienced this tendency for people to blame others and avoid responsibility? Why are people so prone to this?

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Our Depraved Nature

But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.

James 1:14

In this text, James is not focusing on outside temptations such as the world and the devil; he will do that later (cf. Jam 3:15, 4:4, 7). He focuses on our primary enemy—our own desires. God is not our problem James says; it’s the evil nature that we are born with. In Matthew 15:19, Christ said it this way: “For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” Likewise, in Galatians 5:19-21, Paul said:

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

John Calvin described James’ purpose as “to teach us that there is in us the root of our own destruction.”¹

Yes, in order to conquer temptation, we cannot blame God, others, the devil, the government, or anyone else. We must look ourselves in the mirror and recognize how bad our nature really is.

Because our nature is so corrupt, God did two things for us:

1. At the cross, the power of our sin nature was broken.

In Romans 6:6, Paul says, “We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” This doesn’t mean that we no longer have a sin nature; it just means that on the cross Christ conquered it. We are still tempted by it, but we are no longer slaves to it—our inability to defeat it has been removed. Paul said this reality is something that believers should “know” and that we must constantly “consider.” In Romans 6:11, he said, “So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” After we build a correct theology of our sin nature, we must accept Christ’s victory over it and battle from that reality. Knowing that we have victory over a certain sin or inclination is very important. It gives us encouragement to fight, even when it seems like we are losing. It helps us fight the lies of the enemy who says we’ll never get free or that we’re not even a Christian.

Our fight against sin is similar to Israel being sent into the promised land to conquer the cities with giants in the book of Joshua. The victory was won because God said it was, but they still needed to go fight the battle in faith. If they doubted God or weren’t obedient to him, they could still lose and even become enslaved. However, the victory was ultimately a sure thing, and that is true for us as well. As the Israelites fought based on God’s promise, we must fight based on what Christ did for us on the cross—he paid the penalty of our sin and broke the power of it. Yes, we are still tempted, but the victory is ultimately ours. The outcome of the war was settled 2000 years ago, but we must faithfully fight our battles until the war is over. Because of Christ’s victory, we don’t have to be slaves to sin, doubt our ability to walk in victory (even after failures), or doubt the ultimate outcome. It was settled on the cross; therefore, we must take courage in our fight and fight in faith.

2. In addition, at salvation, God gave us a new nature, which is empowered by God’s Spirit, to fight against our sinful inclinations.

Paul described this in Galatians 5:16-17:

But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.

This battle inside us has often been described as two fighting dogs, and the dog who wins is the one that we feed. (1) We must live in the Spirit by constantly being in God’s Word and obeying it, fellowshipping with saints, serving, and worshipping. (2) But, not only must we live in the Spirit, we must starve the flesh. We must avoid things that would excite our sinful nature or strengthen it. As we do this, God’s Spirit empowers us to conquer the flesh; therefore, we can start to have sustained victory over our sinful inclinations. (3) When we fall into sin, we should look at those failures as hunger pains. We are not feeding the Spirit as we should. Like Paul said, if we live in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:16).

A great deal of becoming spiritually mature is learning how to live in the Spirit instead of visiting it—consistently reading the Word, praying, attending small group and church, serving, etc. In addition, again, part of spiritual maturity is learning how to starve the flesh. The immature often stir up their flesh through the TV they watch, the music they listen to, and the friendships they cultivate—therefore they continually succumb to it. With the mature, like Paul, they declare that “nothing good lives” in them (Rom 6:18), and therefore, they flee temptation and pursue righteousness with other mature believers. In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul said this to his mentee, Timothy: “But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

In order to conquer temptation, we must recognize the root. When we blame others, we focus on the wrong culprit. It doesn’t mean Satan and others don’t have any responsibility; it just means our victory is based on recognizing our sinful nature and conquering it through the Spirit. Are you living in the Spirit and therefore conquering the flesh? Or are you succumbing to the flesh by not prioritizing your spiritual life?

Application Question: In what ways have you experienced more consistent victory over sin when “living” in the Spirit instead of inconsistently “visiting” it (Gal 5:16)? How is God calling you to grow in “living” in the Spirit and “starving” the flesh? How would you encourage a Christian with Scripture who is continually succumbing to a sinful inclination or action?

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Its Course and Abandon It

But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.

James 1:14-15

Next, James describes temptation’s course and ultimate end. It is clear that temptation is not static—it is always leading one in the direction of death and destruction. James’ clear implication is that the longer we stay on the course, the more prone to sin and its devastating consequences we will be. Likewise, the earlier we abandon the course, the more victory and fewer consequences we will experience.

Observation Question: What is temptation’s course?

Temptation’s steps are often summarized by four words beginning with “D.”

1. Temptation begins with “deception.”

The verbs “lured” and “enticed” are very instructive. “Lured” was used of a hunter setting a trap to catch an animal, and “enticed” was used of a fisherman baiting a hook to lure fish.^² With fishing specifically, the fisherman hides the hook inside the bait, and the fish is drawn to the delicious looking bait which is hiding the deadly hook. In a similar manner, we are enticed and lured by temptations to do evil.

The deceptive bait is that sin is always presented as fun, exciting, fulfilling, and as if we can’t live without it. However, the consequences, which ultimately lead to our destruction, are the hook. Eve would never have eaten from the tree if the temptation was, “Eat this, you will constantly fight your husband. The discord in your marriage will show up in your children’s lives. Your oldest son will kill your youngest son. Eventually, the whole world will be destroyed because of your offspring’s evilness!” No, the deception was, “Eat this and you will be like God!” Temptation starts with the deception. It shows the fun of hanging out with friends or the fulfillment of some desire; it doesn’t show the continually worsening after-effects.

Therefore, in order to stop the process of temptation, we must recognize the deception—the hook which will eventually hurt us and others. We recognize deception by thoroughly knowing the truth, which is God’s Word. David said, “In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you” (Ps 119:11). Like Christ being tempted in the wilderness, we must respond to every wrong thought with God’s Word and then turn away from it—shut the TV off, close the book, change the conversation, leave the situation to stay away from the potential temptation.

2. Deception aims to cultivate evil “desires.”

The word “desires” is neutral—it can refer to both good and bad desires. In the context, it refers to natural desires fulfilled in an evil way. There is nothing wrong with being hungry, but when we continually overeat, it becomes gluttony. There is nothing wrong with leisure—sleeping and watching TV—but when we do it too much, it turns into slothfulness. Sexual desire is good. It was meant for people’s enjoyment inside the marriage union of a male and female and to produce offspring. However, when it happens outside the marriage union, it is sexual immorality. Likewise, Satan constantly tempts us to fulfill our natural desires in perverted ways—dragging us away from God and his perfect will for our lives.

To stop the temptation process at this point, again we must recognize ungodly desires and repent of them. If we fight temptation on the heart level, it will never become an action. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul described spiritual warfare as taking “every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” As we repent of wrong thoughts, ask for God’s grace to overcome them, and fill our mind with God’s Word, we can control our sinful desires. In Psalm 119:37, David prayed, “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

3. Evil desires lead to “disobedience.”

James said when desire conceives, it brings forth sin (1:15). He leaves the hunting and fishing terminology and begins to use pregnancy terminology. Sin does not only refer to a specific act; it refers first of all to an accepted and nurtured ungodly thought. Christ said that to lust after a woman is to commit adultery (Matt 5:28). It’s important to consider that James says desire leads to sin, which means desire or temptation is not necessarily sin. When tempted both from within by our sin nature and also from without by the world and the devil, we are not sinning. In fact, since “tempted” in the original language is in the present tense, that tells us that temptation will be constant and continual. We are bombarded with temptation all the time. Temptation becomes sin when we choose to continually think on it, which cultivates our sinful desires. If we see something provocative, it’s not a sin to see it; it’s a sin to continually look at it and cultivate the evil desires that arise from seeing it. If we have a wrong thought, we haven’t sinned; it’s the acceptance and cultivation of that wrong thought which is sin.

The fact that being tempted is not a sin is very important to consider because some Christians are especially sensitive to sin (which is good), but because of this, they get overly discouraged when constantly tempted with wrong thoughts or inclinations. Satan can essentially depress and immobilize them by constantly attacking. He will even tempt them to think they’re not Christians because of their struggles! Because of this reality, it is crucial to remember that it is not sin to be tempted. This will be our battle while living in bodies affected by sin and living in a sinful world. Growing in spiritual maturity doesn’t mean that we will battle temptation less; it just means that we will become more victorious over temptation and that temptation will have less power over us.

4. Disobedience leads to “death.”

Interpretation Question: What does James mean by “death” (Jam 1:15)?

After sin is birthed and becomes fully grown, it gives birth to an even uglier child called “death” (1:15). To be “full grown” refers to going from cultivating a sinful thought, to practicing a sinful action, probably to making the sinful action a habit, and so on (v. 15). Sin always has drastic consequences, which is especially true for children of God. Hebrews 12:7-8 says,

Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons.

The writer says that every child of God receives discipline, and if we don’t, we are illegitimate. When a child of God is in sin, God rebukes him through the Word, oftentimes by his reading the Bible or through another believer. If he doesn’t repent, God disciplines him through trials which are meant to turn him away from sin and back to God (Heb 12:5-6). If he still continues in sin, it may result in death. There are three possible types of deaths that James may be referring to (1:15).

(1) God may discipline a believer by allowing him to experience an early death. This is what happened with the Christians in 1 Corinthians 11. They were abusing the Lord’s Supper, and in 1 Corinthians 11:30-32, Paul said this to them:

That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead. But if we examined ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world.

Part of God’s discipline for these believers who continually abused the Lord’s Supper (and one another by doing so) was an early death. Therefore, James warned these believers against continually practicing unrepentant sin, and consequently, experiencing an untimely death because of God’s discipline. Ananias and Sapphira experienced early deaths as well (Acts 5:1-10), and John warned the believers in Ephesus of the same thing when he said this in 1 John 5:16-17:

If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that. All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death.

(2) In addition, since James is writing to some who professed Christ but weren’t truly saved (cf. James 2:17-19, faith without works is dead), he also might be saying that continually practicing unrepentant sin might prove that they are not saved—which ultimately results in eternal death. Eternal death is separation of the body and soul from God’s favor eternally (cf. Jam 5:19-20). Since James continually used the Sermon on the Mount as a template for the book, unsurprisingly, Christ taught the same thing as well. In Matthew 7:22-23, Christ said:

On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’

These professing believers who continually practiced unrepentant sin while professing to know the Lord were ultimately separated from God’s favor eternally. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul also warned believers that the continual practice of unrepentant sin might prove false faith:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God.

It is not that believers are saved by their works or kept by them; it’s that a continual life of sin may prove that one had never been saved—that they never truly “knew” the Lord (Matt 7:23). Those who are born again are new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), and there should be changes in their lives, including how they relate to sin. First John 1:6 says, “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”

(3) Finally, James might also have in mind how sinful desires commonly lead to death in the sense of murder—including suicide, homicide, abortion, and war. Cain was jealous of his brother Abel—leading Cain to murder him (Gen 4). David’s lust led him to commit adultery and then murder (2 Sam 11). Judas’ betrayal of Christ led to Christ’s crucifixion, shame for Judas, and ultimately Judas committing suicide (Matt 27:3-5). James later shares how these scattered Jewish believers were warring with and murdering one another because of their unfulfilled, evil desires (4:1-2). We must realize this when dealing with temptation. Satan desires to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10)—his ultimate goal with temptation is to lead people to death and its various forms.

Because of the grave consequences of temptation which those believers were especially prone to because of the trials they were encountering, James strongly warned them: Temptation gives birth to sin and then sin to death—either an early death, eternal death, or murder. Therefore, to not fall to temptation, one must consider the final outcome—death in its various forms—and abandon the course before it’s too late. We must soberly consider James’ warning as well.

Application Question: Why is it so important for believers to recognize that being tempted, such as having a wrong thought or inclination, is not a sin? If God will discipline believers even to the point of allowing an early death, in what ways should this affect how we counsel believers living in unrepentant sin or how the church (as a whole) responds to them?

Applications

Here are a few further applications to consider:

To conquer temptation, we must discern our special areas of vulnerability. Though we all experience common temptations, for some people certain temptations are stronger based on exposure or even genetics. For instance, if I’m put in a room with cocaine, I won’t have any temptation towards it—because I’ve never experienced it. However, for a person that has, he or she might have a major battle in that area. Satan knows our special vulnerabilities and will aim to lead us into those temptations. Therefore, we must study ourselves to help conquer temptation.
After knowing our special areas of vulnerability, we must devise strategies to avoid tempting situations. For a person who struggles with great insecurity, he or she needs to avoid things that feed those insecurities. Sometimes for women, that means avoiding magazines that teach that their bodies need to look a certain way or even avoiding people that continually feed those insecurities. For a person who struggles with lust, that means avoiding anything that might stir it up—movies, television, Internet sites, and even establishing extra boundaries in relationships. For the person struggling with depression, that might mean avoiding activities and thought processes that lead to discouragement and practicing ones that lift him up. For a person who struggles with temptation towards drunkenness, it might mean not drinking at all and not being around people enjoying that freedom. Often, because of our vulnerabilities, we need to take special precautions that others might not need.
In addition, we should memorize specific Scriptures that help with our special vulnerabilities. Christ used specific Scriptures which corresponded to the temptations he experienced in the wilderness (Matt 4). We should do the same.
Finally, we should find accountability partners—people that we trust, who will ask us hard questions and lovingly hold us accountable. In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul told Timothy, “But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” Also, Proverbs 13:20 says, “The one who associates with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Everybody should develop these types of relationships—being around people who are serious about the Lord and serious about our faithfulness to him. We should find them and follow the Lord together—confessing sin to one another, praying for one another (Jam 5:16), and helping each other avoid and conquer temptation. If we lack these people, we miss much of God’s grace given through his body to walk victoriously over temptation.

Application Question: What specific vulnerabilities do you struggle with? How do you protect yourself from stumbling in them? How can one find good accountability partners? Who are your accountability partners and how do you serve one another in those roles?

Conclusion

James writes to these saints experiencing various trials and encourages them on how to conquer temptation.

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Resist the Urge to Blame Others
To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Our Depraved Nature
To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Its Course and Abandon It

Prayer Prompts

Pray for God to reveal more of his character to us and to remove any wrong views or thoughts of him we might have.
Pray for grace to consistently live in the Spirit (spending time in God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, and service).
Confess major temptations/distractions and ask for grace to conquer them.
Pray to be surrounded with godly people to walk with and to be blessed through them.
Pray these requests for others.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-4-source-force-and-course-temptation-james-113-15

^² Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 342–343). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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5. How to Not Be Deceived While in Trials (James 1:16-18)

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Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 1:16-18 (NET)

How can we protect ourselves from being deceived about God when encountering trials? Trials are inevitable, and temptations always come with them. One of those temptations is to question and doubt God’s goodness. James writes to Jewish believers who were being persecuted for their faith. It’s clear that some of these believers were already starting to question God’s character because of their difficult circumstances. Some were even accusing God of tempting them to do evil (1:13). When James said, “Don’t be deceived,” it can be literally translated, “Stop being deceived” (1:16).¹

People are especially vulnerable to this deception when going through trials. This is true both because of temptations from Satan and inclinations from our depraved nature (cf. Jam 1:14). When God allowed Job to encounter trials, God’s purpose was to test Job’s faith—to reveal that it was genuine—and to make his faith stronger. Satan’s purpose through Job’s trials was to tempt him to curse God (Job 1:11). Many of us have seen or experienced this in various ways. When going through a difficult problem at church—a pastor has a moral failure or there is church conflict—people often begin to attribute these failures to God, doubting his goodness, and some even his existence. Even after Adam sinned in the garden, his first inclination, stemming from his newly formed sin nature, was to blame God. He said, “The woman YOU gave me, gave me the food, and I ate!” Our unredeemed nature commonly tries to avoid responsibility for evil—blaming everybody, including God and sin itself (often calling it a disease).

Therefore, James seeks to equip and protect these believers from being deceived into doubting and blaming God and potentially turning away from him when experiencing trials. In James 1:16-18, we learn several principles about protecting ourselves (and others) from this deception.

Big Question: According to James 1:16-18, how can believers protect themselves from the deception of doubting, accusing, or even rejecting God because of trials?

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize the Nature of God’s Gifts

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:16-17

When James describes God’s gifts as “good” and “perfect,” these adjectives might simply be synonymous. In that case, the repetition is meant to emphasize that God is a “superb Giver.”^² But, “good” and “perfect” could also have different emphases. “Good” would then seem to refer to the character of the gift. God only gives things that are righteous and good and never evil. He only gives us good things like life, breath, friendship, opportunities to grow, etc. “Perfect” might then refer to how God gives us exactly what we need.^³ Do we need love? He gives us family, friends, and church. Do we need discipline and patience? He puts us in situations to develop them. God’s gifts are always good in character and match perfectly what we need. Because God knows us individually, he is always giving us the unique gifts that we need for our development.

With that said, since the context of James’ comment is trials and how God uses them to mature us (1:2-4), it is clear that James even sees the trials we experience as God’s good and perfect gifts. This is important to recognize in order to keep us from getting angry at God or falling away from him when encountering difficulties. God is in control of our trials. He will never allow us to be tried beyond what we can bear (1 Cor 10:13), and he only gives what is good and perfect, so we can become more like Christ (Rom 8:28-29).

God being in control of trials and them being gifts is taught in other places in Scripture. When Paul wrote the Philippians, who were suffering persecution for the faith, he said, “For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him” (Phil 1:29). The word “granted” was used of gifts. Both the ability to believe in Christ and suffer for Christ is a gift from God. Likewise, the author of Hebrews said this to suffering saints, “Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?” (cf. Heb 12:7; cf. 12:4, 13:3, 10:32-36). They were to consider all suffering as discipline—something God was using to make them holy (cf. Heb 12:11).

Therefore, if we are going to protect ourselves from deception in the midst of our trials—to think God doesn’t love us or that he’s rejected us—we must have a proper view of our trials. They are gifts from God meant to help us grow. When we view them as such, like Paul considering his thorn in the flesh which God wouldn’t take away, we can rejoice in them because we know God is using them for our good (2 Cor 12:9-10; cf. Jam 1:2). These trials include ones from Satan, from evil people, ones that come from our own mistakes, natural disasters, and even random events. All of these are somehow under God’s sovereign hand and being used for our temporal and eternal good (Rom 8:28-29).

No doubt, the greatest example of this truth—how even trials are God’s good gifts—is demonstrated in the cross. The murder of God’s Son by evil men is the worst thing that ever happened in the world; however, it is also the best thing that ever happened in the world. This trial—though horrible and undeserved—was under God’s control and was ultimately good and perfect, meant to bless the world. It paid the penalty for our sins and resulted in Christ’s exaltation (Phil 2:6-11) and our salvation (John 3:16).

If we are going to be protected from a wrong view of God in our trials, we must recognize the nature of God’s gifts. He will only give us good things—nothing evil. His gifts are perfect—perfect for us and meant to help us mature.

Application Question: How can we remember that our trials are good and perfect gifts from God when they are so difficult? In what ways have certain trials turned out to be God’s special gifts in your life?

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Know God’s Character

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

One of the greatest protections against an accusation directed toward someone is that person having godly character. When someone gossips against a person whose life is above reproach, people are less likely to listen and will commonly give the accused the benefit of the doubt. In their mind, they would assume, most likely, there must be a misunderstanding or that it was a false accusation. Likewise, one of our greatest protections against wrong thoughts and accusations against God is knowing his true character.

In trials, Satan is quick to attack our view of God. When he tempted Eve, he told her that God knew that if she ate of the forbidden tree she would be like God. Essentially, he attacked God’s character—wanting her to believe he was holding back the best from her. Satan does the same with us, and unfortunately, our unredeemed flesh is prone to accept those lies. Therefore, to protect ourselves from being deceived about God, we must know and be convinced of God’s character.

For that reason, James tells these suffering believers several things about God in order to increase their knowledge and trust in him.

Observation Question: In James 1:17, what does James tell these believers about God’s character?

1. God is good. This is done by implication. When James says that God only gives good and perfect gifts, the implication is that God’s character is good. God is good, and therefore, he only gives good and perfect gifts to his people. James had already told these believers that it was impossible for God to tempt or be tempted (1:13). Why? It’s because God is holy and good. He won’t do anything that contradicts his holy character. When tempted to doubt God or become angry with him in trials, we must recognize that God’s character is good, and he only does what is good, including how he gives gifts.

2. God is the Creator. James calls God the “Father of the heavenly lights” (v. 17). In this, he referred back to Genesis 1 when God created the solar system including the sun, moon, and stars through his spoken word. The lights themselves were actually some of God’s good gifts to humanity. They were given to chart times and seasons. The sun in particular provides heat and light—enabling life to grow and prosper on the earth. God created light, and he also created humanity. He is our good Father. The implication is, if God created humanity and gave them good gifts like the sun so they could live, then God’s desire is to bless humanity—not hurt them. Just as he gave us light, he gives us many other good things.

3. God does not change. When James says God “does not change like shifting shadows” (v. 17), he compares God to our experience with the sun, moon, and stars. Though the sun, moon, and stars don’t change, from our earthly viewpoint, it seems like they do. For example, with the sun, we have cloudy days when we don’t see the sun at all. The movement of the clouds affects our ability to receive light. Also, the movement of the earth affects our ability to feel heat. Though the sun appears to change from our earthly perspective, in reality, it’s the same. Likewise, our relationship with God is similar. He doesn’t change. He stays the same at all times. There are times when he feels distant, but that is based on us changing—not him. Unlike the clouds, God doesn’t shift or change.

Understanding God’s unchangeableness or immutability, which is the term scholars use, is very important. This means that he was holy thousands of years ago, and he is holy now. He was merciful thousands of years ago, and he is merciful now. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). People are always changing which makes it difficult to truly get to know them. They like a specific meal, get sick from it one time, and now they don’t eat it anymore. People are always changing, but our God stays the same. We don’t have to worry about his character being changed by some circumstance—for instance, him becoming evil or not keeping his promises. Though there are times in Scripture that says God repented or changed his mind (cf. Gen 6:6), that doesn’t refer to his character changing. It refers to him responding to people’s change in character.

He judges when we are in unrepentant sin and, yet, forgives when we confess. These are a reflection of his immutability—he is always just and at the same time merciful. Essentially, James said to these suffering Christians, “God has not changed! He is still good. Only your circumstances have changed which is affecting your view of him! Trust what Scripture says about God because he is unchanging.”

If we are to protect ourselves from deception about God, we must know his character. We learn more about his character by studying his Word and considering his works such as creation. Jesus told the disciples to look at the lilies of the field to learn about God’s care for creation and, therefore, help them stop worrying (Matt 6:25-34). We also learn about God’s character by walking faithfully with him both in good times and bad times—developing a history with God. Then, we can look back at times of God’s faithfulness to encourage us when tempted to doubt. We can remember times he delivered us from Egypt, split the Red Sea, provided manna in the wilderness, and provided fire by night and clouds by day to guide us. As we faithfully walk with God, we develop a history with him, which can encourage us in the various seasons of life. Even when not walking faithfully with God, we’ll find that he is still faithful to his character. He will faithfully discipline us to turn us back to himself (Heb 12:6-8), and when we return, he will graciously forgive (1 John 1:9).

God is good. He is the Creator, and he is immutable—meaning he always stays the same. Understanding these realities will protect us when tempted to doubt, accuse, or turn away from God when experiencing difficult things. These difficulties are just clouds, which affect our view of God. However, God has not changed; he is still good like he’s always been.

Application Question: Why should God’s immutability (unchangeableness) encourage us, especially when in trials? What other aspects of God’s character encourage you most when going through hard times and why? Are there certain verses or stories about God and his faithfulness which commonly encourage you when going through difficulties? If so, which?

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize God as Our Father

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 1:18

After talking about God’s good and generous character, James provides another example of his goodness in the believers’ new birth. Salvation is the best gift one can receive from God. The implication is if God did everything to save us eternally, won’t he take care of us in the meantime, especially when encountering trials?

Observation Question: How does James describe the new birth?

1. The new birth begins with God’s decision—not people’s.

Though experientially with believers, we all came to a place in our life where we heard the gospel, repented of our sins, and chose to follow God, Scripture tells us this work began with God, even before the foundation of the earth. Ephesians 1:4-5 says,

For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will

Some believe that God doesn’t really choose believers; he simply looks into time and recognizes that we would eventually choose him. So he chooses us before time because he knew we would choose him. However, that really is no choice on God’s part at all, and it is inconsistent with the rest of Scripture.

Scripture teaches that even our ability to believe is a gift of God. Philippians 1:29 says, “For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him.” Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.” We couldn’t choose God unless he first chose us and gave us faith.

If this were not enough, Scripture teaches something called human inability—or others call it human depravity. Romans 8:7 says, “because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.” Also, 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” When sin came into the world, it affected people in such a way that they reject God, cannot understand his Word, and cannot obey him. This is why God had to choose some before time. If he didn’t, nobody would choose him. In God’s justice, he judges those who willingly choose to reject him, but in his mercy, he chooses a remnant and gives them grace to believe. Therefore, no one can boast about their salvation (Eph 2:8-9)—it was all a work of God, a gift of his grace to evil people.

This is a mystery, but Scripture teaches it. Humanity left on their own will always reject God. That’s how sin affected their nature. For example, the lion will always choose meat over salad—it’s his nature. That’s how our sin nature is—it will always reject God, apart from grace. Therefore, to save some, God had to elect them, give them faith at some point in time, and then give them a new nature which could understand God’s Word, obey it, and faithfully follow him.

With that said, again this is a mystery. Though God chose some before time—Scripture says the gospel is open to all, and all are urged to receive it. It teaches people will not be saved if believers don’t pray for them and share the gospel (cf. Ez 22:30, 1 Tim 2:1-4). The means of God saving some is through the faithful work of believers. Romans 10:14 says, “…And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?”

And when unbelievers repent and believe, they later learn the mystery that they were elected before time, and that their ability to repent and believe was a gift of grace. The gospel call and election are often described as one door: In the front, it says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” However, when walking through the door and looking back, it says, “Elect! Chosen before time!” It is truly a mystery! Though this mystery is controversial in the contemporary church—often causing debate and conflict—for the early church, it was their great boast. They called each other elect (cf. 1 Pet 1:2, 2 John 1:1) and worshiped God for his wisdom and mercy in election (Rom 11:33-36; cf. Matt 11:25-30 where Christ worships God for election).

2. The new birth happens through the gospel.

“The word of truth” is used generally to refer to all of the Bible; however, in this text, it refers specifically to the gospel. Ephesians 1:13 uses the phrase in the same way: “And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.” The way God saves someone starts before time with election. Then, there is a moment in time when they hear the gospel—that they were separated from God and under judgment because of their sins, that Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for their sins and rose from the dead, and that they must believe in Christ’s work and follow him. Then, by God’s grace, they believe and are saved. At that moment, they are born again—God gives them a new nature and the Holy Spirit. They find that they have new desires—a desire to worship God, pray, read God’s Word, obey God, go to church, share their faith with others, and the like. They become new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17).

With that said, there are different views on when exactly the new birth begins: Some believe that it precedes faith. (This is probably the most common Reformed view.) In the new birth, God takes somebody who is dead in their trespasses and sins, gives them new life so they can believe and be saved (cf. Eph 2:1-6). Others believe that the new birth succeeds faith—happens after it. The ability to believe is still a gift from God (cf. Eph 2:8-9, Phil 1:29) since people do not have the ability to believe apart from grace. However, the new birth is the imparting of the new nature after belief, instead of it being given so one can believe. There are good arguments on both sides. Crucial to deciding is considering how Jesus talks about the new birth to Nicodemus in John 3:1-8. There, he talks about the need to be born again to enter the kingdom of God. He compares this experience to the wind. We can’t see the act of someone being born again, but we can see the effects, even as we can tell when the wind is moving something. Since Nicodemus asks Christ, “How can these things be?” when trying to understand what being born again meant and then Christ responds with the need for people to believe in Christ to have eternal life (3:9, 15-16), it seems that the actual act of being born again happens after God imparts faith to believe the gospel. Also, John 1:12 says, “But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children.” Again, it seems that becoming children (being born again) comes after receiving Christ. With that said, the choice ultimately resides with God, which happened before time (cf. John 1:13, Jam 1:18, Eph 1:4).

But either way, James’ point is that salvation is a gift from a good God. God chose us before time, ensures that we encounter the gospel and believe, then gives us his own nature so we can serve him (2 Pet 1:4). The whole salvation process is from God. Salvation testifies to how good God really is.

3. The new birth is meant to glorify God through a redeemed remnant.

Finally, James describes God’s purpose in the new birth—that believers would be the firstfruits of all creation.

Interpretation Question: What does James mean by calling believers firstfruits?

According to the Mosaic law, when the harvest came, the firstfruits were given to God (Ex 23:19). They were to be the best and typically were indicators of the future harvest.^⁴ (1) Likewise, believers have been chosen out of the world to be God’s possession and especially devoted to him. Believers are to be holy, continually seek to be righteous like God. Believers are to be salt and light to the world (Matt 5:13-16)—doing good works and teaching God’s Word to help the world know God. (2) In addition, believers are just a foretaste of God’s future work on the earth. Eventually, God is going to break the curse on creation (Rom 8:19-20)—no more earthquakes, typhoons, famines, droughts, or other natural disasters. There will be perfect peace in the eco-system, including among animals. God will renew the heavens and the earth and rid it of all evil (Rev 21-22)—including people who won’t repent of their sins and follow Christ. Believers are just the beginning of the great harvest to come, when God renews creation and makes it perfect.

Therefore, when believers go through trials, they should remember, “This is not it! There is more to come. One day, there will be no more trials, no more tears, and no more pain!” What God is doing in us slowly through sanctification—as he makes us into his image, which will be fully complete at Christ’s coming when he renews our bodies—is just a picture of how he will one day renew all of creation. The curse on creation will be removed and only God’s blessing will remain. This reality would have encouraged the believers who were suffering persecution, and it should encourage us as well. Our trials and temptations are only temporary—a great harvest in the world is coming, of which we are the firstfruits.

With that said, again James’ primary purpose seems to be to remind believers that God is their Father. If God chose us before time, gave us the new birth, and made us his children, won’t he as our Father provide for all our needs? Won’t he take care of us, especially in the midst of trials and difficult times? Likewise, in Romans 8:31-32, Paul said this:

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?

If God gave us his best—his Son—to save us—won’t he give us everything else we need? Why worry about the future? Why doubt God’s goodness and love during trials? He proved his love 2000 years ago. Believe it. God’s gifts are good, even if they come in the form of trials, and the best is yet to come!

Application Question: Share your testimony. How did you come to a saving knowledge of God? In considering being born again, does it precede faith or succeed it? Why should God’s saving us encourage us about his providing future provisions—both on earth and throughout eternity? Do you ever get excited about eternity? If so, why? If not, why not?

Conclusion

How can we protect ourselves from being deceived about God—doubting, accusing, or even rejecting him—when encountering trials?

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize the Nature of God’s Gifts
To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Know God’s Character
To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize God as Our Father

Prayer Prompts

Thank God for all his gifts—life, family, friends, church, opportunities to serve, our salvation, and even our trials.
Pray that God would protect us from temptations to doubt God or fall away from him during our trials.
Pray that God would reveal more of himself to us through his Word, creation, and others.
Pray that others would be saved and experience the new birth.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Accessed 9/29/20 from https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-5-avoiding-deception-trials-james-116-18

^² Motyer, J. A. (1985). The message of James: the tests of faith (p. 55). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

^³ Motyer, J. A. (1985). The message of James: the tests of faith (p. 56). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

^⁴ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 63). Chicago: Moody Press.

Related Topics: Christian Life

6. How to Grow in Spiritual Maturity (James 1:19-21)

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Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:19-21 (NET)

How can we grow spiritually?

In James 1:18, James described the new birth of Christians. He said, “By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” Even before time, God planned to save us. It’s a mystery in Scripture called election (Eph 1:4). However, in time, by God’s sovereign plan, we encountered the gospel, accepted it, and it saved us. We were born into the family of God.

When a person accepts Christ, it is a wonderful thing. Scripture says the angels rejoice in heaven over one person’s conversion (Lk 15:10). However, like natural babies, spiritual babies are prone to various dangers because of a lack of wisdom and maturity. For example, with the Corinthian church, Paul said this to them:

So, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready, for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human?

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

Since the majority of the church was spiritual infants, they could not receive deep doctrine—they could only handle milk. They were in discord with one another, and they were overly exalting teachers in the church, which meant they were prone both to idolatry and spiritual deception.

Likewise, many of our churches today are full of immature believers—spiritual infants. They have a low understanding of doctrine. They are prone to fighting and discord with others (including God, cf. Jam 1:13) and are prone to idolizing people—their pastors, worship leaders, Christian recording artists, etc. Because of this undue worship, many fall away from God when their spiritual leaders sin or make a mistake. The church can never complete what God has called it to unless its members mature and grow up in Christ.

In 1 John 2:13-14, John classified the church as children, young men, and fathers. He said that the children knew God—they had a saving relationship with him. The young men were conquering the devil because the Word of God was strong in them. Finally, he said the fathers, like the children, knew God. However, this knowledge was much deeper based on experience and their knowledge of God’s Word. Also, because they were fathers, they were leading others to Christ and mentoring believers. This is the spiritual pathway God has for all of us—ultimately becoming spiritual mothers and fathers.

After James reminds these believers of their new birth, in James 1:19-21, he writes to them about how they can grow spiritually. They were experiencing trials as scattered Jewish Christian refugees. In their scattering, God was using their trials to perfect and mature them (Jam 1:2-4); however, to mature, they needed to respond well to their trials. In James 1:19-20, he gives them further instructions on how to do so. They needed to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Then in James 1:21, he summarizes these commands by saying, “So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.” By getting rid of evil and welcoming God’s Word, these believers could be saved. Since James is writing to believers and he previously talked about their new birth (1:18), this saving seems to refer to a present and future tense of saving (cf. Phil 2:12-13, Rom 13:11)—becoming sanctified by growing in spiritual maturity and one day being glorified at Christ’s coming, as they persevered in the faith. James was calling for them to grow.

In this study, we will consider principles about growing in spiritual maturity.

Big Question: How can believers grow in spiritual maturity according to James 1:19-21?

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Quick to Listen

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

James 1:19

To be “quick to listen” has the sense of “hurry up and listen!” or “run to listen.” When you find someone who is a good listener, you will find someone who is mature or who will mature quickly, if they keep being a good listener.

Interpretation Question: In what ways should believers be quick to listen?

1. Believers should be quick to listen to God’s Word.

Since the surrounding context talks about being born again by the word of truth (v.18), being saved by the message implanted (v. 21), and being doers of God’s Word and not hearers only (v. 22), the command to be quick to listen must first be applied to our hearing of God’s Word. Unfortunately, this is why many believers are not growing. They don’t hurry up to take part in opportunities to hear the Word! They don’t hurry up to read Scripture daily, be involved in small groups and worship services, or read Christian literature! Today, we have more opportunities than past generations to study God’s Word because of the Internet, TV, radio, and modern transportation, and yet, it’s highly likely that believers are less biblically literate than past generations. To really grow spiritually, we must be zealous in taking advantage of opportunities to hear and study the Word. (1) To do this means that we must get rid of apathy. In 1 Peter 2:2, Peter actually commands believers to “crave” or “yearn” for the spiritual milk of God’s Word like an infant. Peter doesn’t command believers to read it or study it. He commands us to desire it, because when we desire it, we will read it. We’ll hurry up to hear it. This means when we find ourselves apathetic towards God’s Word, bored in the midst of the sermons, we must repent of our hard hearts. (2) Not only must we be careful of apathy, we must be careful of busyness. As in the Mary and Martha story (Lk 10:38-42), it’s very possible to be busy doing good things, including ministry, which keep us from the best thing—sitting at Jesus’ feet, hearing and studying his Word. Are you hurrying up to listen to God’s Word? Or, are you apathetic and too busy to spend time in God’s Word? Being zealous for God’s Word is crucial for spiritual growth.

2. Believers should be quick to listen to others.

(1) Not listening to others probably leads to most of our arguments and fights in society, whether that be in families, churches, work, or government. This was a problem amongst the scattered Jewish Christians, as James says they were warring and fighting with one another (4:1-2)—no doubt prompted by the stress of their persecution. In their situation, listening to others and really hearing them would be very important to have peace. Listening is difficult because we are naturally prideful and selfish. Because of this, we tend to believe that the way we view things is correct and how others view things is wrong—which leads to discord with others who likewise think they are correct. Typically, when people are fighting over something, each person is correct to some extent—they are just focusing on different angles. In the church, sometimes there is an argument over the emphasis of preaching the gospel versus social justice (caring for the poor, etc.). Both are actually important and the Christian duty. Christ preached the gospel, but he also healed the sick and fed the poor. Certainly, a person’s eternal destiny must be more important than his or her temporary needs, but both are important. In politics, sometimes there are fights over things like national security on the border—not allowing criminals or terrorists to enter the country. No one would say this is unimportant. But on the other side, most believe a country should also be hospitable (cf. Lev 19:34, Ps 146:9)—providing a place of refuge for the persecuted, oppressed, or marginalized. Both are important—protecting the country and being hospitable to those in need. In order to avoid needless discord and fighting, which lead to sin, we must learn to listen. It has often been said that God gave us two ears that always stay open and one mouth which we can close, so we could listen twice as much as we talk.

(2) Listening is not only important to avoid discord and fighting, but it’s also important to help others, especially when counseling or serving them. We need to listen to what people are saying. We need to listen to what they are not saying—often people leave out things intentionally for fear of rejection and sometimes even to deceive. We need to consider their body language. Seventy percent of communication is nonverbal, so in listening we need to watch what a person’s body is saying. We also need to prayerfully listen to the Spirit while ministering to people. God has special things he wants to speak and do in people’s lives; therefore, we must be sensitive to his leading while ministering to others. When Nehemiah was talking to the Persian king, he prayed in his heart before responding to him (Neh 2). We should be praying and listening to the Spirit when talking to others as well. Listening is very important for counseling and serving people.

(3) Being a good listener includes practicing “active listening” skills like asking follow-up questions so that we can learn more and also repeating what was said for clarification. As people understand that they are being heard, it builds trust and they are more likely to share more and listen to what we say. It’s often been said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!”

Are we quick to listen? To grow spiritually, we must be quick to listen to God’s Word and also quick to listen to others—both of these will aid in keeping us out of sin and discord and also in serving others.

Application Question: Why is listening so important for spiritual growth? Why is listening so hard to do well? How has God helped you grow as a listener? What are some good tips for listening?

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Speak

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

James 1:19

Proverbs 10:19 says, “When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise.” Also, Proverbs 13:3 says, “The one who guards his words guards his life, but whoever is talkative will come to ruin.” When we talk too much, we won’t be good listeners and therefore will be more prone to sin. For that reason, in order to grow spiritually, we must be slow to speak.

Interpretation Question: In what ways should believers be slow to speak?

1. Believers should be slow to speak when listening to God’s Word.

Again, since the context is dealing with Scripture (1:18, 21, 22), we must first apply the command to our listening to God’s Word. In the ancient context, people owned very few books because they were so expensive, and even less would have owned a Bible. Typically, people went to church or synagogue to hear the Word read and preached. However, the ancient worship context was less formal than modern worship settings. People would commonly interrupt the sermons to ask questions or contest the teaching. This is probably part of the reason Paul told the ladies at Corinth to ask their questions at home to their husbands instead of at church (1 Cor 14:34-35). Some were obviously disrupting the worship. Likewise, in small groups and informal teaching services, we should be slow to speak and instead focus on learning. Unfortunately, in informal Bible study settings, some needlessly dominate the conversations, not allowing others to talk, and also not adding much valuable content. Being slow to speak does not forbid good dialogue and conversation while in Bible study—it just means that our words should be thoughtful, strategic, and edifying to others. We should prayerfully consider our words so that they clarify God’s Word and build others up. Remember, in the multitude of words, sin is not lacking. In addition, when hearing God’s Word, we must be careful to not talk in our mind—having a running dialogue while Scripture is taught. Often in regular conversations, people do very little listening because they are thinking about what they are going to say next or some other business they need to attend to. People do the same when hearing Scripture taught. For that reason, when reading or listening to God’s Word, we must quiet our minds and focus on what God is saying so we can learn. This is crucial for our growth.

2. Believers should be slow to speak when teaching or counseling others according to God’s Word.

As mentioned, being slow to speak doesn’t mean to never speak. God wants us to ask wise questions and strategically share God’s Word with others. In James 3:1, James said that not many should seek to be teachers because they will receive a harsher judgment. Obviously, some were pridefully mishandling God’s Word—causing division and hurting people. The Word of God is powerful—both when taught correctly and when taught inaccurately. Our wrong conclusions on Scripture hurt people, and we’ll be judged for it—both by people and God. Paul said he taught God’s Word with fear and trembling (1 Cor 2:3-4). Many believers don’t have a healthy fear when speaking God’s Word. They speak pridefully, hastily, and sometimes angrily, which hurts people. The Bible is a two-edged sword, which can both hurt and heal (Heb 4:12). When a doctor does surgery, he makes sure that he is not only knowledgeable but clean and sober because performing surgery is a matter of life and death. Believers should likewise aim to be knowledgeable, morally clean, and sober in handling God’s Word. When in sin, which includes spiritual sins like pride, lust, anger, and unforgiveness, we’ll be more prone to misinterpret and abuse Scripture (cf. Jam 1:21, 1 Peter 2:1-2, 1 Tim 4:1-2). Sometimes, it’s wise to not speak or teach God’s Word until we have repented of certain sins. In addition, we should hold back from teaching on topics that we are unsure about from a biblical perspective. It’s wise, even for teachers, to say, “I don’t know. I need to study that more.” Personally, there are some topics I won’t teach publicly on because I’m still wrestling to understand the texts and doctrines. If I do teach them, I share the various views and where I’m at in my current understanding of the text or doctrine.

To grow spiritually, we must be slow to teach God’s Word. We should have a healthy fear and trembling because God’s Word is powerful, our sin affects our ability to properly understand and teach it, and because God will hold us accountable for what we teach (Jam 3:1, Matt 5:19).

3. Believers should be slow to speak in regular conversations.

We are made in God’s image, and God created the earth through his Words. Therefore, there is the power of life and death in our words (Prov 18:21)—to build and destroy. No doubt, because of this, Christ said that we will be judged for every idle word (Matt 12:36). For that reason, we must be slow to speak. We should carefully consider the potential outcomes of what we say. Will this encourage others, build them up, or discourage them? We should refrain from criticizing others. We must keep our tongues from lying and exaggeration. We must keep our tongues from boasting. We must learn to only speak edifying words. Ephesians 4:29-30 says:

You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

When unwholesome talk comes out of our mouths, we grieve the Holy Spirit—meaning we pain the Lord and hinder his ministry in and through us. We can’t grow when speaking ungodly words, and it hinders the growth of others. Therefore, to grow we must be slow to speak.

Application Question: Why is it so important to be slow to speak? In what ways do you commonly fail in your speech? What tips have you found helpful in being slow to speak?

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Anger

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

James 1:19

Anger is another tremendous hindrance to spiritual growth. In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul warned believers to not go to bed angry, lest they give Satan a foothold. Unresolved anger hinders our growth both individually and corporately, as communities and local churches. Many churches are not growing spiritually because of discord and fighting, which opens the door to the enemy.

James warns that human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. Again, this means that it will hinder our spiritual growth and others’. Seeds of anger sown into others typically produce destructive fruit in them. In fact, Christ taught anger was the seed of murder (Matt 5:21-22).

Interpretation Question: In what ways should believers be slow to anger?

1. Believers should be slow to anger when hearing God’s Word.

Throughout the story of the Bible, God’s people often became angry at the prophets for speaking God’s Word to them. They even killed them at times! Likewise, in the New Testament, Paul said this to the Galatians, “So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (5:16). Since the Word is a sword, it cuts us when we read it or hear it preached. When it challenges us about some sin—illegal downloading, cheating on taxes, harboring unforgiveness, not submitting to leadership, sexual immorality, etc.—our natural response often is anger, especially when the Word comes from a preacher, member of the church, or friend. This is not just true when God speaks to us about a sinful act but also when God’s Word confronts us theologically about some wrong view we harbor. Often when topics like God’s role for women in the church or home are taught, people immediately start struggling with anger during the study. When Scripture talks about our need to submit to the governing authorities, especially when they are ungodly or oppressive, people commonly struggle with anger. They would rather criticize or rebel against the leaders. Today, when the sexual ethics of the Bible are taught—how God forbids lust, including same-sex attraction and sex outside of marriage—again, people often struggle with anger. Believers can’t grow spiritually when they are angry at God’s Word. Our job is not to judge the Word! It is to correctly interpret it and then submit to it. Instead of becoming angry at those who tell us the truth, we should honor them and encourage them because it’s a hard job (1 Tim 5:17). As mentioned, others have been killed for preaching truth. And other teachers simply skip hard truths—to protect themselves—rather than loving God and others by preaching God’s Word. Paul warned that in the last days, preachers would simply itch people’s ears—teaching feel-good topics and building up a great following—instead of preaching sound doctrine (2 Tim 4:1-4). The prophet, typically, has never been loved.

2. Believers should be slow to anger in relationships.

Again, Christ taught that anger was the seed of murder, and Paul warned that it opened the door to Satan in our lives. Even when people harm us, Scripture calls us to bless them. Romans 12:19-21 says,

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Instead of being angry, we should serve those who hurt us. Christ said that we should pray for them instead of cursing them (Matt 5:44). God is a just God. He will pursue justice for how we have been harmed—either in this life or the next. In the meantime, we should bless our enemies, and overcome evil with good.

3. Believers should be righteously angry.

In the same way, being slow to speak doesn’t mean to never speak, being slow to become angry also doesn’t mean to never be angry. There is a righteous anger we should have. Certainly, we see this in Christ. When Christ was lied about and mocked while being tried by the Sanhedrin, he said nothing (Mark 14:53-65). He was gentle like a lamb. But, when people were cheating the poor and dishonoring God’s house—the temple—he was ferocious like a lion. He pulled out a whip, flipped tables, and kicked those sinning out of God’s house (John 2). Likewise, there is a righteous anger that we should have. Sometimes, we sin by not being angry (Eph 4:26).

What’s the difference between righteous anger and sinful anger? In general, as demonstrated by Christ, sinful anger is typically selfish—concerned primarily with ourselves and our rights. But righteous anger is typically concerned with God and others. We should be like lambs when personally offended and mistreated and like lions when God or others are mistreated or offended.

Selfish anger doesn’t lead to a righteous life—it typically leads both us and others into sin. But righteous anger—which fights for others and for God’s honor—leads to righteousness. It cares about the poor, the abused, and the neglected and that burning passion stirs people up to do something about injustice. When selfishly angry, we must humble ourselves. When righteously angry, we must wisely discern how to use the anger for the benefit of others and God’s glory.

Application Question: In what ways do you struggle with anger? How is God calling you to respond to your anger and better control it? How can we discern whether our anger is sinful or righteous? How can we protect ourselves from sinning, even when righteously angry (cf. Eph 4:26-27)?

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Joyfully Receive God’s Word

So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:21

Not only must we be quick to listen to God’s Word and not angry when hearing it, but we must also joyfully receive it. When James says to “welcome the message,” the word “welcome” has the sense of to “receive with hospitality” or to “receive favorably.”¹ Therefore, like a good host, we must always receive God’s Word joyfully into our hearts. One can constantly read Scripture, hear it preached, and yet not truly receive it and allow it to change them. Certainly, that was the sin of the Pharisees. They were always reading and studying but not truly receiving what God said. They ultimately rejected Christ—who was God’s Word incarnate (John 1:1). Likewise, we must joyfully receive the truths that God teaches us when studying Scripture for our morning devotions. We must joyfully receive it when it is preached. We must joyfully receive it when we are corrected because of our sinful actions or beliefs. Proverbs 9:8 says, “… reprove a wise person and he will love you.”

Observation Question: How can we joyfully receive God’s Word?

1. We joyfully receive God’s Word by getting rid of all sin.

“Put away” in other places is used of taking off dirty clothes. In the same way, if we are going to receive God’s Word, we must get rid of the old clothes we’ve been hanging onto—ungodly actions, thoughts, entertainment, etc. In addition, “put away” is derived from a Greek word that refers to wax in the ear.^² It may have this sense in the reading. Therefore, James is calling us to get rid of sin which clogs our ears to God’s voice. In 1 Peter 2:1-2, Peter said something similar. He says, “So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation.” Since Peter connects getting rid of sin with yearning or craving God’s Word, it tells us that sin affects our appetite. When born again, it is very natural for a spiritual child to want to eat—just like a baby does. But practicing and enjoying sin negatively affects our spiritual appetite. Enjoying sinful entertainment, conversations, or actions affects our desire to read, study, and obey God’s Word. It’s often been said, “The Bible will make a person get rid of sin, or sin will make a person get rid of the Bible.” Sin makes us stop desiring God’s Word and enjoying it. It makes us start to disobey the Word we hear. Then, it eventually stops us from going places or doing things where we are hearing or learning about the Word. This is a common process many go through. Therefore, James essentially says get rid of sin—by being quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to being angry, and turning away from any other sinful thoughts or actions—so we can joyfully welcome God’s Word.

2. We joyfully receive God’s Word by humbly submitting to it.

The word “humbly” can also be translated “meek.” It was used of a wild horse that originally couldn’t be ridden but was eventually tamed by its owner. After taming, the owner could make the horse run, walk, speed up, slow down, and even stop. Likewise, we must submit to our Master, God, by humbly submitting to his Word. We should be quick to hear what our Master says through the Word. We shouldn’t be thinking about tomorrow’s business while listening to what it says. We shouldn’t argue with what it teaches. We should soberly and discerningly share its truths with others. We shouldn’t be angry when it confronts our sin or wrong ideologies. We should turn from sin when it convicts us. We must study the Word to “master” it, so it can “master” us. We must humbly submit to it. Psalm 25:9 (NIV) says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”

Are you joyfully welcoming God’s Word in your life? This is how God saves us—changes us into his very image. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” We’re transformed as we reject worldliness and sin, hear God’s Word, and humbly submit to it.

Application Question: How have you seen or experienced the statement, “The Bible will make us get rid of sin, or sin will make us get rid of the Bible?” In what ways has not turning away from sin (including sin within your entertainment and relationships) affected your spiritual appetite?

Conclusion

How can we grow in spiritual maturity? God gave us the new birth through his Word; however, it was never his intention for us to stay spiritual children. Children don’t know God’s Word. They are prone to discord, idolatry, false teaching, and even becoming angry at God. Therefore, James teaches these believers how to grow spiritually which was God’s purpose behind the trials they were experiencing (Jam 1:2-4).

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Quick to Listen
To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Speak
To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Anger
To Grow Spiritually, We Must Joyfully Receive God’s Word

Application Question: Which of the four points do you struggle with most and why? How is God calling you to grow in that area?

Prayer Prompts

Pray for grace over our listening (to God’s Word and others).
Pray for grace over our words (for them to glorify God and edify others).
Pray for grace over our anger (that it would build up and not destroy).
Pray for grace to grow in holiness and obedience.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Received from the Net Bible website’s Greek explanation of “welcome” in James 1:21. Accessed 10/18/19 from https://netbible.org/bible/James+1

^² Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters of James and Peter (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, p. 65). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

Related Topics: Christian Life

7. Evidences of True Saving Faith Pt. 1 (James 1:22-25)

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But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:22-25 (NET)

What are evidences of true saving faith?

One of James’ major themes is genuine faith. The Jewish Christians James wrote to were being scattered because of persecution, and trials tend to show what is truly in someone’s heart. Some were accusing God of evil (Jam 1:13) and beginning to follow the world (4:4); others were fighting with one another and some had even murdered (Jam 4:1-2). No doubt because of this, throughout the letter, he shines a light on what true faith looks like. He does that particularly in James 1:22-27, as he twice mentions the possibility of being deceived about one’s faith. In James 1:22, James says, “be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” Then he says something similar in 1:26, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.”

As mentioned previously, James seems to be patterning his message after Christ’s in the Sermon on the Mount. It’s virtually a practical commentary on Christ’s teachings with at least twenty-one parallel passages.^¹ This is also true in considering people being deceived about their faith. In Matthew 7:22-23, Jesus said,

To these professed believers who knew the Lord and served in the church, Christ said that he never knew them. Though serving in the church, they were never truly saved. They were deceived about the reality of their faith.

Because of this reality, other New Testament authors challenge believers in local churches to test their faith. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul said, “Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test!” Likewise, John wrote a whole letter with tests of true faith. In 1 John 5:13, he said, ^“I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Like Christ, and his other apostles, James challenges these scattered Jewish believers to be sure about their faith, and he gives them tests to do so. As we consider James 1:22-25 (and eventually verses 26-27), we will consider evidences of true saving faith. None of us will model these perfectly, but, if we are saved, they should be resident in our lives to some extent. And, we should continually be seeking to grow in them.

Big Question: What evidences of true saving faith can be found in James 1:22-25?

Those with True Faith Diligently Study God’s Word and Persevere in Doing So

James 1:22-25

In describing a person who has true faith and one who is deceived, James gives an illustration of two people listening to God’s Word. Both of them are described as looking into a mirror. The Bible is a mirror because when we study it, it reveals who we are (and the character of the world around us). Hebrews 4:12 says it reveals our thoughts and attitudes. Not only does it reveal when we have wrong or right thoughts but also wrong or right actions.

Both of these individuals look into the mirror of God’s Word but not in the same way. James says the first person “gazes” at himself in the mirror (v. 23, 24). The word “gazes” has the sense of giving “careful scrutiny.”^² This wasn’t a quick glance. Ancient mirrors were made of metal. Glass mirrors weren’t made until the fourteenth-century.^³ Therefore, to see one’s appearance, a person had to consider oneself at the right angle and lighting to get a fair view of oneself. The person had to look with scrutiny.

As mentioned, the second person’s look at the mirror is different than the first. In James 1:25, James said that this person “peers” at the mirror and “fixes his attention there” (v. 25). The Greek word “peers” is a stronger verb than the one used for “gazes.”^⁴ It was used of a person bending over to look at and study something.^⁵ It is used of John and Mary when they bent over to look into Christ’s tomb (John 20:5, 11)—trying to figure out where he was and what happened. They were studying the scene. It is used of how angels try to understand the matters of the gospel (1 Pet 1:12). Since angels have never experienced grace (unmerited favor) and know only of God’s justice in how he judged the fallen angels, they peer in trying to understand something they’ve never experienced. Not only does the second person “peer”—bending over to study God’s Word—but he also “fixes his attention there”—meaning, he continues to study it. Both the deceived believer and the true believer listen to God’s Word—they are both sitting in the crowd on Sunday. But, the true believer listens to it and studies it in a deeper way.

When rabbis, like Christ, taught in ancient times, many people listened. But there were certain people who listened in a deeper manner than the rest of the crowds, and they were disciples. They wanted to not only understand, but also to follow and teach the same words to others. A good illustration of the disciple and ancient listener might be comparing them to a student and an auditor in a college class. A student is responsible for homework, projects, and tests, but the auditor is not. Because of the students’ responsibility, there is often a deeper listening than that of an auditor.

In church every Sunday, there are students who are true disciples and also listeners, who are often deceived. The difference between them is discerned by their commitment to the Word taught. True believers are committed to Scripture; they bend over to study it deeply and they continue in it. Jesus said this to the Judeans who believed in him, if you “abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31 ESV). Christ was very aware that there were many listeners around him, but only those who abided in what he said were true disciples.

Likewise, Paul told Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15 KJV). And in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Paul described himself and his associates as stewards of God’s Word who must be found faithful. He says, “One should think about us this way—as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful.” Similarly, David taught one of the distinguishing factors between the wicked, who won’t be able to stand in the judgment, and the righteous, who God watches over, is how the righteous “delight” in and “meditate” on God’s Word (Ps 1). Unfortunately, many professing believers don’t delight in God’s Word and therefore never really study/meditate on it. As disciples of Christ, we should delight in God’s Word, study it, and share it with others. Like believers before us, God has called us to be faithful stewards of his message (1 Cor 4:1-2).

Application Question: What are some practical ways to study God’s Word?

It has been said that we remember 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we discuss, 80% of what we personally experience, and 95% of what we teach.⁶ Therefore, to truly study God’s Word, we must approach it in various ways to truly hide it in our hearts.

We must read it.
We must listen to it.
We must meditate on it.
We must memorize it.
We must discuss it.
We must teach it.

The more ways we study Scripture, the better it will be hidden in our hearts. We must study it telescopically to learn the big picture of the Bible and how things fit together (continually reading through the whole Bible). We must study the Bible microscopically—seeking to understand various passages, Bible books, and doctrines, as we meditate on and research them. Studying includes using various tools to help us better understand Scripture, including using a study Bible (which briefly introduces books of the Bible, explains passages, provides cross-references, etc.), commentaries (which explain specific passages and books in the Bible), and systematic theologies (which help us learn what the Bible teaches on various topics like Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, salvation, etc.). God has chosen to help us grow through pastors and teachers (cf. Eph 4:10-16), and Bible study aids are written forms of their teachings.

The Necessity of Continuing in Scripture

Not only does James say true believers not only bend over to study, but they also “fix” their eyes there (v. 25)—they persevere in studying God’s Word. This is an important distinction. Certainly, there are many in the church who once diligently studied Scripture (maybe even attending seminary and pastoring) but then began to doubt its validity—its truthfulness, leading them to stop studying God’s Word and eventually even falling away from God altogether. Their problem was not that they didn’t peer into Scripture—bending over to deeply study— it’s that they didn’t fix their attention there. They didn’t persevere in it, which is part of James’ proof of true faith. Some who studied eventually became confused and asked, “Can anyone ever truly understand Scripture, and does it really matter if we understand?” This led them to slowly stop fixing their attention on Scripture—opening the door to false teaching, worldliness, and for some even apostasy. Those with true faith both peer at Scripture to deeply study it and fix their eyes there. To fix our attention means that we will continue to study it for the rest of our lives—that’s what true disciples do. Again, Christ said this in John 8:31 (ESV), “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

Are you still bending over and fixing your eyes on Scripture? Are you still living in God’s Word? This is one of the factors James uses to distinguish the truly born-again believer and the one who is deceived about his faith.

Application Question: How did salvation change your relationship to God’s Word? How would you currently describe your relationship with God’s Word on a scale of 1-10 and why? What methods of studying Scripture have you found most helpful and why? How is God calling you to grow in your study of Scripture? How have you seen or experienced those who once peered into Scripture and seemingly fixed their eyes on it, but eventually fell away from it and God?

Those with True Faith Obey God’s Word

But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves… But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:22, 25

Not only is there a difference in how the deceived person and true believer listen to God’s Word, but the major difference is in what they do with it. In James’ illustration, the one with only a profession of faith looks into the mirror of God’s Word, sees the reflection, and walks away (v. 23-24). He is a forgetful hearer. However, the true believer studies God’s Word and obeys it (v. 22, 25).

James is not the only one to give obedience as a test of salvation. As mentioned, Christ and John did as well. In Matthew 7:21, Christ said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Likewise, in 1 John 2:4-5, John said:

The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him.

Obedience to Scripture is the ultimate proof of salvation. Being a forgetful hearer is a characteristic of the deceived.

Interpretation Question: Why does the person with only a profession forget God’s Word?

1. This person forgets God’s Word because it’s not a priority.

When James calls the person a forgetful hearer, in reality, he probably is not focusing on this person’s mental disposition. It’s probably more of a problem with the person’s priorities. It’s not that this person forgot that God forbids the practice of sexual immorality, lying, stealing, cheating, seeking vengeance, drunkenness, or using ungodly language. This person knows the truth but has other priorities—things that are more important to him. Being accepted by friends is more important, having fun, and being successful, even if that means cheating at times. There are many idols in this person’s life that keep him from obedience. Certainly, he wants God to deliver him from hell and to bless his endeavors, but this person has other things that come before God—other priorities, which make him neglect what God’s Word teaches. Again, if this person doesn’t live a life characterized by obedience to Scripture, then he is deceived.

2. This person possibly forgets God’s Word because of accepting false doctrine.

For some, not obeying God’s Word is not so much a priority problem; it’s a false doctrine problem. Because they don’t want to accept the hard teachings of Scripture, especially on sin, they adopt liberal views. Maybe, they’ll say, “Scripture can be trusted when it comes to salvation, but you can’t trust what it says about marriage, sexual ethics, gender roles, miracles, etc.” Sometimes bad behavior comes from accepting false doctrine, and sometimes false doctrine comes from accepting bad behavior. Therefore, these professing believers adopt views that contradict crucial doctrines in God’s Word. It seems that the Corinthians were trying to adopt sexual immorality, saying the body didn’t matter to God as it was temporary. Sex was like eating food—a natural tendency to be enjoyed without hindrance. In 1 Corinthians 6:13, they said, “Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both.” However, Paul rebuked them by saying, “The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” Many in the church do the same. They twist Scripture so they can practice sin or accept others who are practicing it. This is dangerous. In John 10, Christ taught that his sheep hear his voice, and they will not follow the voice of another. Understanding and following Scripture is a proof of salvation (cf. 1 Cor 2:14, Rom 8:7, John 8:31). Therefore, turning from Scripture by twisting major doctrines—such as the need to repent of sin and practice righteousness—may be proof that one is not truly part of God’s sheepfold. They are forgetful hearers because they reject what Scripture teaches—again potentially proving they are not truly born again.

3. This person probably forgets God’s Word because of lack of study.

The secret to learning (which is necessary for obeying) is study, including repetition. Since this person doesn’t prioritize God’s Word, as mentioned, he doesn’t study it deeply. If people only hear a message on Sunday and don’t revisit its truth, they will forget it and ultimately not obey it. Likewise, if people simply read Scripture and don’t meditate on it, most of what was learned will be forgotten. Unfortunately, many in the church simply listen on Sunday (and potentially read occasionally throughout the week) without any intention to study. Therefore, the message is lost and not obeyed. This goes back to the first point about true faith. There is a difference in the diligence of the true believer and the one who is deceived. This is a reminder to be serious about God’s Word and to study it. Repetition is crucial for learning and therefore obedience. Otherwise, we will simply forget what God taught us.

The one deceived about his faith is a forgetful hearer—probably for many reasons. They don’t prioritize it; they may have accepted some false doctrine, which leads them to disregard Scriptures’ teachings; or again, they just don’t study, and therefore forget.

On the other hand, true believers hear God’s Word and submit to it—they don’t try to change it to fit their preferences or fit the culture, and they don’t dismiss it for other priorities. When Christ spoke to those considering becoming his disciples, he said they must hate their father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and even their own life to be his disciple (Lk 14:25-33). For true believers, God and obedience to him are the priority. This doesn’t mean that idols don’t at times creep into their lives, that they don’t fall into sin, or at times fall into false doctrine. They do. But, like Peter, after their stumble, they eventually come back to God. The righteous fall seven times and get back up (Prov 24:16). Judas, on the other hand, was deceived about his faith. He listened, taught, and served, but he didn’t obey. He lived a lifestyle of unrepentant sin—stealing people’s money and eventually denying Christ altogether. Christ said he was never saved—he was a devil (John 6:70, cf. John 13:10). He listened to God’s Word and knew it better than most, but it never changed him. He was a forgetful hearer and was deceived.

While the one with only a profession of faith forgets, the true believer obeys God’s Word, which James calls the “perfect law of liberty” (v. 25).

Interpretation Question: What does the title “perfect law of liberty” say about God’s Word?

In being “perfect,” Scripture is without error. It is inerrant in what it teaches about history, science, and faith. Therefore, it is trustworthy. In Psalm 19:7-9, David said God’s Word was perfect, reliable, fair, pure, right, and absolutely just. We can trust what it says about how to be saved, ethics, parenting, conflict resolution, work, leadership, sexuality, etc. It is absolutely perfect and trustworthy.
In being God’s “law,” Scripture teaches God’s moral requirements. Yes, it is full of doctrine—teaching. But it also clearly tells us what we should and should not do. Over half of James is imperatives, commands, where God is challenging us on right living.^⁷
Finally, as the law of “liberty,” Scripture gives us freedom. Christ said he who sins is a slave of sin (John 8:34) and also that the truth shall set us free (John 8:32). Though sin feels like freedom, it is really bondage. It keeps us away from right relationships with God, others, and ourselves. It keeps us away from fulfilling God’s call on our lives. However, God’s Word, as we obey it, sets us free from sin. It helps us have right relationships with God and others. It sets us free to be all God has called us to be and to do all God has called us to do. Our ability to complete our God-given callings is connected to God’s Word. His Word truly gives us freedom.

In addition, James says that a person who looks into the perfect law of liberty and obeys it will be “blessed in what he does” (1:25).

Interpretation Question: In what ways does obedience to God’s Word lead to blessing?

Other than receiving “freedom,” there are many other blessings:

1. God blesses the obedient by giving them more understanding of God’s Word.

In Mark 4:24-25, Christ said this to the disciples about their hearing and obeying of God’s Word:

And he said to them, “Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, and more will be added to you. For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

If we hear God’s Word and faithfully obey it, God will give us more. He will unlock further truths for us. However, if we hear and don’t obey, even what we have will be taken away. To be taken away, means we will continually forget what we’ve learned (Heb 5:11-12 NIV) and eventually our hearts will become hardened towards God’s Word as we continue to disobey it. We will start to lose the ability to understand and obey it. That’s how Christ described Israel in Matthew 13:14-15. He said:

‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend. For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Since they continually heard God’s Word, but did not obey, their hearts became “dull,” as prophesied by Isaiah (Matt 13:15). They would continually “listen” but never “understand” or “comprehend” the truth (Matt 13:14). In fact, Christ’s giving the Israelites parables, instead of clear teaching, was part of this taking away. The context of the passage is Christ answering his disciples’ question about why he was speaking in parables (Matt 13:10-13). After Israel and the Pharisees rejected Christ—declaring that he worked miracles by the power of Satan, blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Matt 12:22-45)—he began to give them stories, which at times weren’t even explained, instead of clear teaching. One has to wonder if that is what has happened to the modern-day church. Clear exposition of Scripture is very rare. Most sermons are a text, unexplained, with a bunch of stories linked to it, and some light, moral encouragement. No doubt, the contemporary church is experiencing a taking away and a hardening of the heart, as they continue to reject God’s Word.

For those who hear and disobey God’s Word, it hardens their hearts—making them more vulnerable to false teaching, sin, and fully turning away from God. But for others who obey, God blesses them by giving them even greater understanding of his Word.

2. God blesses the obedient with favor over various areas of their life.

God said this to Joshua when he was called to be the military leader of Israel, “This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful” (Josh 1:8). Joshua’s success as a military general was tied to his faithfulness to God’s Word. This is also true for us. No doubt, there are both failures and successes in the places God has called us to—marriage, parenting, the workplace, school, and ministry—that are often attached to what we are doing with God’s Word. Diligent study and obedience lead to blessing, while lack of study and disobedience lead to failure. During Joshua’s leadership of Israel, when Achan and his family disobeyed God, it affected the whole nation—leading to the nation being defeated by a small army (Josh 7).

If God’s words to Joshua were not enough, David taught the same thing in Psalm 1:2-3. For those who “delight” in and “meditate” on God’s Word, God makes them like trees—referring to how they will be a blessing to others, instead of living selfish lives. They will bear fruit in season—love, patience, mercy, and wisdom, among other graces, when needed. Their leaves will not wither—representing their endurance in the hard seasons of life. Everything they do will prosper. It’s an amazing promise to those who abide in (and obey) God’s Word.

Since the promises are so good and the consequences so bad, we must ask ourselves, “Are we studying and obeying God’s Word or just listening?” Study of and obedience to God’s Word are proofs of true faith, and they are pathways to blessing. Not studying God’s Word and not obeying it, lead to deception and a hardened heart.

Application Question: Of the three reasons listed for becoming forgetful hearers, which one stood out most to you and why? How have you experienced God’s blessing when faithfully studying and obeying God’s Word—including fruits of the Spirit, favor over certain situations, and more understanding? How have you seen or experienced a hardening of the heart for a lack of obedience to God’s Word?

Conclusion

Christ, at the end of his Sermon on the Mount, gave the same challenge as James. After sharing how some would be deceived about their faith in following him (Matt 7:21-23), he described the deceived and the true follower by way of illustration. Instead of two people looking in a mirror, Christ described them as two different types of builders who were listening to his words (Matt 7:24-27). Some would simply listen and not obey—building their house on the sand. Others would hear, diligently consider those words as a roadmap for building, and follow the instructions—building their house on the rock. When the storms of life and ultimately God’s judgment came, only the house built on the rock would stand, while the house on the sand would be destroyed. Those who build their house on God’s Word are truly born again. Those who simply listen are deceived about their faith.

In referring to how we listen to his words, Christ would ask, “What are you building the house of your life on?” Likewise, James would question, “What are you doing with what you see in the mirror?” Our answers tell us something about the authenticity of our faith.

Those with True Faith Diligently Study God’s Word and Persevere in Doing So
Those with True Faith Obey God’s Word

Prayer Prompts

Pray for grace to diligently study God’s Word and for God to reveal wonderful things from his law.
Pray for grace to persevere in studying God’s Word, even when busy or tempted not to.
Pray for grace to grow in obedience to God’s Word and to turn away from sin.
Pray for God to bless his people in all areas of life—work, marriage, relationships, serving, etc.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

^¹ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 2). Chicago: Moody Press.

^² Guzik, D. (2013). James (Jas 1:22–25). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

^³ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 84). Chicago: Moody Press.

^⁴ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 85). Chicago: Moody Press.

^⁵ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 85). Chicago: Moody Press.

⁶ Accessed 11/10/2019 from http://www.uh.edu/~dsocs3/wisdom/wisdom/we_remember.pdf

^⁷ Richardson, K. A. (1997). James (Vol. 36, p. 24). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

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8. Evidences of True Saving Faith Pt. 2 (James 1:26-27)

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If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:26-27 (NET)

What are evidences of true saving faith?

As mentioned previously, one of James’ major themes is genuine faith. The Jewish Christians James wrote to were being scattered because of persecution, and trials tend to show what is truly in someone’s heart. Some were accusing God of evil (Jam 1:13) and beginning to follow the world (4:4); others were fighting with one another and some had even murdered (Jam 4:1-2). No doubt, because of this, throughout the letter, he shines a light on what true faith looks like. He does that particularly in James 1:22-27, as he twice mentions the possibility of being deceived about one’s faith. In James 1:22, James says, “be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” Then, he says something similar in 1:26, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.”

In James 1:22-25, James described the reality of the church by way of illustration. He describes God’s Word as a mirror, which reveals aspects about ourselves. Two people look into the mirror of God’s Word; one studies himself in the mirror and simply walks away (v. 23-24). He is a forgetful hearer. And one studies himself more deeply and makes changes accordingly. This person is blessed by God. In James’ mirror illustration, the two hearers differed both in how they studied Scripture and their responses to it. The one who was truly born again “peers” into Scripture (v. 25), which is a stronger verb than “gazes” in the Greek (v. 23)—meaning to bend over and study something intently. He also “fixes his attention” on the mirror—he not only studied God’s Word but continued to study it. He also “lives it out,” obeying what God’s Word says (Jam 1:25). If we only listen to God’s Word and don’t study and obey it, we are deceived about our faith (v. 22). Unfortunately, there are many in the church that only listen to Scripture, and therefore are deceived.

James is following Christ’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 7:21-23, Christ described how many who called Christ Lord and even served in the church were not truly born again. Christ would declare to them in the last days, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you” (paraphrase). Likewise, in the Parable of the Weeds (Matt 13:36-43), Christ taught that the kingdom was full of weeds—planted by Satan—and wheat—planted by God. In this season of the kingdom, the church is full of true and false believers. Therefore, we must examine whether our faith is truly real (2 Cor 13:5).

Not only are tests given in James 1:22-25, but also in 1:26-27. In this study, we will consider three more evidences of true saving faith shared by James.

Big Question: What evidences of true saving faith can be found in James 1:26-27?

Those with True Faith Restrain Their Tongues

If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

James 1:26

In James 1:26, James challenges people who consider themselves “religious.” The Greek word for “religious” focuses on outward displays of religion ^¹ such as Christian rituals like reading the Bible, praying, going to church, etc. It is possible to be like the Pharisees and have only outward displays of religion and yet not have any inward changes, which prove one’s new birth. James says that though one might attend church and small group, vote for the “right political party,” and use religious jargon like “evangelical” and “pro-life,” his faith might only be outward and not inward.

How can one discern the validity of their faith? The tongue is a tremendous litmus test for true salvation as it always reveals what’s in our hearts. In Matthew 15:18, Christ said: “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart…” Likewise, James said, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile” (1:26).

When James uses the term “bridle” or “tight rein” (NIV), it pictures our tongues as powerful horses. Horses in the ancient world were used primarily for transportation and work. They were very useful and expensive. However, they were only useful if they were trained; otherwise, wild horses were dangerous. Likewise, our tongues can do tremendous evil if not controlled. In fact, our natural nature leads our tongues toward evil. Apart from God’s redeeming grace in salvation, our hearts are prone toward pride—leading our tongues to boast in ourselves, our race, or nation. Our hearts are prone toward anger—leading us to criticize those who don’t hold to the standards we expect or look the way we would like them to look. However, when we are born again and experience a heart change, our tongues, though not perfect, should demonstrate God’s grace over them. Our words should be more prone to give mercy instead of criticism, love instead of anger, edification instead of criticism, worship instead of idolatry. True salvation is demonstrated in this growing ability to control our tongues and use them for good, which is a reflection of a redeemed heart.

Proverbs 17:27 says, “The truly wise person restrains his words....” Being “wise” in the Old Testament does not refer to a person’s intellectual condition but to his spiritual condition. The wise fear and obey God, while the fool dishonors and disobeys God. Psalm 14:1 says, “Fools say to themselves, ‘There is no God.’ They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.” In addition, Christ said the same thing to the Pharisees who were attacking him. Their evil words proved that their hearts were evil and that they were not truly born again. In Matthew 12:23-27, Christ said,

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

In the last days, each of us will be judged by our words. They will prove whether we are good or evil—born again or unregenerate. The regenerate restrain their words and aim to use them in a way to glorify God and build others up; while the unregenerate tend to build themselves up by their words and bring God and others down. James will revisit this topic in Chapter 3 as he argues that fresh water and saltwater can’t come from the same spring (v. 11-12). Words reflect the reality of our hearts and therefore our faith.

What do our words say about our faith? Are our words constantly filled with sexual innuendo, pride, greed, anger, or even racism? Or are they filled with worship, gentleness, love, and mercy?

Since James is describing those who think they are “religious,” he may have some specific types of evil language in mind. The religious often restrain their language to some extent—they are typically not known for cursing and swearing. They are not known for drunkenness, partying, or stealing. They tend to control some of the baser sins but fail at controlling inward sins like pride, anger, and lust. Only being born again can do that. Since the religious often control the baser sins and practice outward religion, they are extremely prone to pride, which comes out in how they use their tongues. They are prone to boasting in themselves and their religious performance. Like the Pharisees, they boast in their tithing, their religious position in the church, and their good works. But also, the religious struggle with judgmentalism (cf. the Pharisee and the tax collector, Lk 18:9-14). They criticize and mock others as a way to lift themselves up. The pharisaical spirit tends to tear down those who fail in the church and often aims its criticism at the leadership; they even tend to think they can lead better! Criticism, gossip, and judgmentalism are common to the outwardly religious—revealing the evil that is really in their hearts. We should beware if this marks our tongues because it reveals a serious heart problem.

What do our words say about our heart?

Application Question: Why are the outwardly religious so prone to boasting about themselves and criticizing and gossiping about others? How have you seen or experienced this? What aspects of speech do you struggle with most? How is God calling you to better control your tongue to edify both yourself and others?

Those with True Faith Serve Others (Especially the Needy)

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

Orphans and widows were the neediest people in the ancient world. There were no welfare or insurance programs, and jobs for them were scarce. Since families took care of one another, to not have a family left a person vulnerable to poverty, abuse, and even trafficking. In a world where strength was admired and weakness despised, these people were shunned and neglected. However, since the Bible teaches that God made every person in his image (Gen 1:27) and that each person has great dignity, Christians were known for ministering to the outcasts of society. In fact, Christ taught when throwing a party, we should invite the poor and despised instead of the rich and popular because the poor cannot pay us back. If we do this, we’ll be rewarded in the coming kingdom (Lk 14:13-14). For these reasons, historically, Christians have shown great interest in the poor—both in ancient and modern times. Today, in many societies where Christianity has flourished, a good number of the hospitals, schools, orphanages, and shelters were founded by Christians and still bear Christian names.

Likewise, James said when Christians cared for the needy, it was actually a proof that they were born again—that God had changed their lives. In Scripture, God is called the father of the orphan and the defender of the widow (Ps 68:5-6), as he provides special care for them; therefore, those who have his nature inside of them will commonly do the same. For James, true faith was not just outward rituals like attending church, reading the Bible, and prayer; it included loving other people. Jesus taught the greatest commandments are loving God and others (Matt 22:37-40). Therefore, when born again, aspects of both of these should be present in our lives. In fact, as we grow in Christ, the more we should love God and others. This becomes demonstrated through service, especially in serving the vulnerable.

When James said to “care” or to “visit” (ESV) orphans and widows (Jam 1:27), this referred to more than just stopping by to say hello. The Greek word comes from the same root as “overseer” or “bishop”—one of the titles for pastors of a church.^² This means, as a form of love, we must care for the hurting in whatever ways are needed—financial, emotional, social, and spiritual. In fact, the word “misfortune” or “distress” used of these needy people literally means “pressure.”^³ There are financial, emotional, relational, and social pressures, among other things, that we must attend to when caring for these people. Because of these factors, this ministry is often hard and discouraging. When caring for people who are hurting, there is a sense in which we are taking on their burdens—bearing some of their pain to provide relief for them (cf. Gal 6:2). This is a Christian duty and a proof of true salvation.

Christ taught the same thing in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matt 25:31-46). In the parable, which describes the end times, Christ calls for the sheep to enter his kingdom because they had visited him in prison, clothed him when he was naked, and fed him when he was hungry. The sheep declared, “Lord, when did we do such things?” Christ replied, “When you did this to the least of these, you did it to me” (paraphrase). Their caring for those under distress and pressure was proof that they were born again. They weren’t saved by doing good works, but their good works proved their faith. Likewise, Christ said to the goats, who also called him “Lord,” to depart from him because they didn’t care for and serve the least among them (Matt 22:44).

In 1 John 3:17, John essentially said the same thing, “But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?” John said caring for those in need proves that we have experienced God’s love—which represents his saving grace.

True faith serves those who are in need. If we are harsh, stingy, and uncaring, especially to those who are hurting, maybe God’s love has never entered us and changed us. Faith that is pure and undefiled, that God accepts, serves others.

Application Question: How should believers practically provide for those in need?

Pastor Bruce Goettsche, from Union Church in Illinois, gives great practical suggestions on how to care for others in his sermon on this passage. Believers can:

give someone a ride to the doctor, court, work, etc.
help someone with repairs they can’t afford or do themselves
provide food for someone in need
take the time to listen to someone who most people ignore
stop to help a stranded motorist
provide a job to someone in need
tutor a child (or adult) who needs help
stand up for someone who’s being gossiped about or bullied
adopt a child who doesn’t have parents.⁴

Paradoxically, Scripture teaches that our God is a servant. Christ washed the feet of his disciples (John 13). He died for those who had no way to save themselves. As orphans, God adopted us into his family (Rom 8:15-16). In the coming kingdom, Luke 12:37 says Christ will put on the dress of a servant and serve those who have faithfully served him. It’s a phenomenal concept. Our God is a servant. Therefore, as believers grow to be more like God, they will naturally serve others, especially the needy. It’s a proof that they are children of God. Who is God calling us to serve in this season?

Application Question: Why is serving those in distress so difficult? Share an experience in doing this type of ministry. How is God calling you to grow in your service of others? Who would be the modern-day widows and orphans—representing the neediest of us all—in our society?

Those with True Faith Practice Holiness

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

James says religion that is pure and undefiled “keeps oneself unstained by the world” (v. 27). The Greek word “keep” is in the present tense and indicates a regular and continuous action.^⁵ This means true believers will be known by fighting sin and aiming to be holy. This doesn’t mean they won’t stumble and fall. They will do this often. However, when they do, they will get back up and fight to be holy again. Proverbs 24:16 says the righteous fall down seven times and get back up.

John said it this way:

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 3:9-10 (ESV)

True faith changes a person’s relationship to sin. They cannot enjoy it as they used to. When they fall, they are convicted by the Holy Spirit and challenged to turn back to God (cf. 2 Cor 7:10). A lifestyle of living in sin and being unrepentant might prove one has never been born again (Eph 5:3-6). This is the problem with the self-deceived who will approach Christ in the last days as described at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Christ will say to them, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you” (Matt 7:23 paraphrase).

If our profession of faith has not changed our relationship with sin, our profession of faith probably has not changed our eternal destiny. The continual practice of those who truly know God is keeping themselves untainted from the world—not adopting the sinful worldviews of the culture, not enjoying the sinful entertainment, not celebrating the culture’s rebellion from God’s Word.

Again, John said, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Our relationship to the world and its sinful culture will prove whether we have truly experienced God’s love or not. James will later say to be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God (James 4:4). There is no in-between. We must ask ourselves, “Are we loving and adopting the world and its antigod culture? Or are we, as a lifestyle, keeping ourselves unstained from the world?”

Certainly, believers will fall and make mistakes. James and John are talking about lifestyles—the patterns of true believers. Before Christ, we thought like the world, talked like the world, and lived like the world. Even our righteousness was filled with wrong motives to be seen by others or even to achieve merit with God. However, when born again, our pattern and pathway changed. We started to live for God. Along this path, we will repeatedly stumble but the pathway and direction are the same. We ultimately want to live for God and aim to do so. As we grow, we never stop stumbling but our stumbling becomes less as we grow in holiness. James is challenging these believers to consider their pathway and patterns. Were they keeping themselves untainted by the world, which is the pattern of true believers? We must ask ourselves the same.

Application Question: Why is a change in our relationship to sin an important evidence of true salvation? How is God calling for you to grow in holiness?

Conclusion

What are evidences of true saving faith as described in James 1:22-27?

Those with True Faith Diligently Study God’s Word
Those with True Faith Obey God’s Word
Those with True Faith Restrain Their Tongues
Those with True Faith Serve Others (Especially the Needy)
Those with True Faith Practice Holiness

Prayer Prompts

Pray for forgiveness for our sins—not using our words to edify God and others, not serving the least of these, and not separating from the ungodly world culture.
Pray for grace to use our words to worship God and edify others.
Pray for the needy among us that God would provide for them and meet their needs and for opportunities to participate in ministering to them.
Pray for God’s church to grow in holiness and to not adopt the patterns, practices, and views of the world.
Pray for any in the church who are not truly saved to be convicted, truly repent, and be born again by God’s grace.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

^¹ Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters of James and Peter (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, p. 70). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

^² MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 89). Chicago: Moody Press.

^³ Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (pp. 82–83). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

⁴ Accessed 10/30/2019, from http://www.unionchurch.com/teaching-resources/sermon-archive/worthwhile-religion/

^⁵ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 91). Chicago: Moody Press.

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9. Why Prejudice Is Incompatible with the Christian Faith Pt 1 (James 2:1-7)

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My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?

James 2:1-7 (NET)

Why should believers not practice prejudice?

James is writing to Jewish believers who are scattered throughout the ancient world because of persecution. It seems that during this persecution these believers were being tempted to live worldly lives (Jam 4:4) and to accuse God of evil (Jam 1:13). In this letter, James challenges them by giving them tests of true faith. Later in Chapter 2, he will say that faith without works is dead (v. 17). Being a follower of Christ should change the way we live in various ways. If our faith is just a profession but does not change our hearts and the way we live, our faith is not genuine.

In James 2:1-7, he challenges these believers about showing partiality to the rich and prejudice to the poor, which for James is incompatible with true faith. He gives an illustration about a rich man and a poor man entering one of their services. In response, the rich man is honored by being offered a preferred seat while the poor man is dishonored. He is told to stand or sit on the floor. James said showing partiality and prejudice is to harbor evil motives (2:4).

Partiality and prejudice were common throughout the ancient world. People were labeled based on their status in society. Women and children, in general, did not have a high status. In the work force, working with one’s hands was looked down upon and left to the poor and slaves. Marriages were often arranged based on status. It would have been dishonorable to marry someone from a low standing.

Though James focuses on prejudice between the rich and poor—his challenge applies to all prejudice including racism, classism, chauvinism, etc. Unfortunately, the early church commonly struggled with forms of racism and classism. In fact, the role of the deacons came about primarily because the Greek speaking Jewish widows were being neglected in favor of the Hebrew speaking widows in Acts 6. A Jew that did not speak Hebrew was looked down upon as lesser—like he or she wasn’t a true Jew. In addition, God judged the Corinthians not only because they mistook the Lord’s Supper but because, in doing so, they were dishonoring the poor—leaving them without food (1 Cor 11:22).

Sadly, prejudice has been continually found in the church since ancient times. Similar to James’ illustration, Gandhi, the famous Indian leader, once considered becoming a Christian. After studying Jesus’ teachings, he felt that Christianity held the answer to fixing India’s caste system. Being convinced of this, he tried to attend a local church. When he entered the church, which was filled with white people, he was told to attend church with his own people. He left and never went back. He said to himself, “If Christians have caste differences also, I might as well remain a Hindu.”¹ No doubt, many have experienced this in the modern church today. It’s commonly been said that the most divided hour in the world is on Sunday when people huddle together in churches of the same ethnic and cultural background—often showing that culture rules over faith.

This is exactly what James is rallying against. True faith should change how believers view and treat people of different backgrounds than their own. God has made the church a body, which includes Jews and Gentiles—people from different backgrounds. Having different backgrounds makes us more prone to discord, but it is also a tremendous opportunity to grow in love. In fact, Christ taught that by demonstrating our love to one another, people will know that we are his disciples (John 13:35). James essentially makes the same argument except by focusing on the negative. True believers should not demonstrate prejudice to others. In this study, we will consider reasons why believers should not practice prejudice.

Big Question: Why should believers not practice prejudice according to James 2:1-7?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Is an Ungodly, Worldly Practice

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

James’ challenge to not practice prejudice should be considered in the context of the previous verse. In James 1:27, he describes religion that God accepts as “pure and undefiled”; it cares for the needy in society and keeps itself “unstained by the world.” When James talks about the world, he is talking about a system of values and practices that are antigod—against a biblical worldview. In James 4:4, he says friendship with the world is enmity with God. Likewise, John teaches that loving and embracing the evil world system is a proof of not having genuine faith. In 1 John 2:15-17, he says,

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.

He says the person who loves the world does not have the love of God in him. He also describes an aspect of worldliness as the “arrogance produced by material possessions” (v. 16). This “arrogance” produced by wealth often leads to classism and prejudice. This evil world system will pass away but the person who does God’s will remains forever (v. 17).

Again, following Christ means to go in a different direction from the world. If a person professes Christ and as a pattern lives just like the world including its racism, classism, sexism, etc., this person may not have true faith. Only those who do God’s will have eternal life.

Therefore, if we dislike people of other races and look down upon them, if we exalt the rich and dishonor the poor, if we mock those with developmental needs or other physical ailments, etc., we must question if our faith is real. Are we living for the world or living for God? When reading in context, James clearly is alluding to religion that God “accepts” (1:27 NIV), which keeps itself unstained from the world and cares for the poor—needy widows and orphans.

Are we keeping the worldly stains of prejudice off our clothing?

Application Question: In what ways is prejudice a normal pattern of the world? In what ways has prejudice slipped into the church, among Christians? How have you struggled with it when considering people different from you? How should believers break patterns of partiality/prejudice?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because Our Glorious Lord Was Likewise Misjudged

My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

James 2:1

In calling Jesus Christ “our glorious Lord,” James declared that Jesus was God. In the Old Testament, God would often appear to Israel in a glory cloud. When leading Israel through the wilderness, he led them by cloud during the day and fire at night. At times, his presence would come down to the tabernacle and later the temple in a glory cloud. However, when Christ came to the earth, his disciples declared that he was the glory of God. John said this, “Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father” (John 1:14). When John said Christ “took up residence,” it literally can be translated, he “tabernacled.” Christ was the tabernacle of God on the earth. He was the place that God’s glory dwelled. The writer of Hebrews, likewise, called Christ the radiance of God’s “glory” and the “representation of his essence” (Heb 1:3). It seems that James is referring to this reality when he calls Christ “our glorious Lord.”

This should have challenged believers who were judging the poor by their outward appearance, since Christ was likewise misjudged because of his humble outward appearance. Those who dishonored Christ did not recognize the glory that resided in him and what was his from an eternal perspective. When most people saw Christ, they saw a man who came from the ghetto of Nazareth, Galilee. People declared, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46), “No, for the Christ does not come from Galilee, does he?” and “No prophet comes from Galilee” (John 7:41, 52). Christ came from the wrong neighborhood. His family was poor. When they offered sacrifices to God, they had to offer two doves which was only allowed for the poor to offer (Lk 2:24). In 2 Corinthians 8:9, Paul said this about Jesus, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.” Our Savior was poor. He didn’t have the educational background that those from Jerusalem would have. He worked with his hands as a carpenter in a society that despised manual labor and those who did it for a living. He didn’t have the handsome looks that many would esteem in society. Isaiah 53:2 says, “he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.”

Everything that society exalted—beauty, education, wealth, and family background—Christ did not have. When they saw his poor appearance, they did not realize it veiled the very glory of God. In the same way, there are poor people in this world who are uncomely in outward appearance but gloriously rich because of their relationship with Christ. They have every spiritual blessing in heavenly places (Eph 1:3) and are co-heirs with Christ—everything Christ has is theirs (Rom 8:17). And there are those who are rich and attractive on this earth but are extremely poor and haggardly as far as eternity is concerned.

In 2 Corinthians 5:16, Paul said, “So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer.” Likewise, as believers, we should not view people from a secular viewpoint; we should see everyone as God sees them—in relation to Christ. We should see people as those who need to experience Christ’s saving love and those who are related to Christ because of his love. Therefore, it is incompatible with our faith in Jesus Christ—"our glorious Lord”—to show prejudice. Our Lord was poor but glorious on the inside and from an eternal perspective. We must view people from an eternal perspective as well.

Application Question: Why is it so easy to judge people based on outward appearance? How should the fact that Christ was not esteemed by worldly standards (beauty, education, wealth, and family background) challenge us about how we view ourselves and others?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Makes Us Unjust, Evil Judges

My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ… If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives?

James 2:1, 4

When James says, “do not show prejudice” or “show no partiality” (ESV), the Greek construction means to stop an act that was already in progress.^² It literally means, “don’t receive the face.”^³ It refers to not receiving somebody based on external appearance only, without considering their true merits—such as character and abilities.^⁴ Leviticus 19:15 says, “You must not deal unjustly in judgment: you must neither show partiality to the poor nor honor the rich. You must judge your fellow citizen fairly.”

When Samuel was searching for the next king of Israel, he went to Jesse’s house to consider his sons. As the first son came out, Samuel thought to himself, “Surely, here before the LORD stands his chosen king!” as he considered the man’s height and appearance (1 Sam 16:6). However, God rebuked him saying, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). No doubt, God often desires to rebuke us as well because of the way we view and rank people based on external things. When we do this, we are acting like unjust, evil judges. If a courtroom judge gave people favor or condemned them based on their appearance or wealth, he would be evil and unjust. We would despise him for doing so. Unfortunately, we often do the same daily when viewing people.

As believers, we must view people the way God does, by considering their character and relationship to God. When Solomon’s mom counseled him about finding a wife, her focus was totally spiritual. In Proverbs 31:34, she said, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.” Similarly, when talking about the beauty of women, Peter described how God doesn’t focus on the external but on the “lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit,” which is precious in his sight (1 Pet 3:3-4).

When considering people, we must be like God who is a just judge. We must focus on a person’s character and relationship to God rather than mere externals. It has been wisely said, “We should not judge a book by its cover.” If we do this with people, we are harboring evil thoughts and have become unjust judges—exactly what everybody hates in society, corrupt leaders. God hates it as well, as it falls short of his glory and plan for his people.

Application Question: Why are we, and society in general, so prone to judge people by external factors such as education, beauty, clothing, and family background? Why is making judgments based off external factors alone wrong and deceptive?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because God Has Elected the Poor

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

James 2:5

When James said, “Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith,” the Greek word for “choose” is the same word we get the English word “elect” from.^⁵ Though controversial, Scripture teaches that God chose people before time for salvation (Eph 1:4). This election is not based on any merit of our own, but simply God’s right to choose from those who deserve wrath. That’s why salvation is by grace—the unmerited favor of God. James had already mentioned this previously when describing how believers are born again. James 1:18 says, “By his sovereign plan he gave us birth.” The NIV translates it, “He chose to give us birth.” In the same way nobody planned their natural birth, nobody planned their spiritual birth. Though we responded to the gospel, Scripture teaches that even our faith is a gift of God, planned even before time (Eph 1:4, 2:7-9, Phil 1:29)).

Now, when James says God chose the poor, he is speaking in generalities. God did not elect all the poor to salvation, but when considered historically, the majority of believers have always been poor. The majority of the early church were slaves and poor people. Paul described this in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29:

Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence.

When describing the “circumstances” of the Corinthians’ “call” to salvation (v. 26), Paul noted how God often did not choose the privileged and powerful. Instead, he chose what the world thinks is foolish and shameful. God chose to bring his Son out of poverty. He chose people often looked down upon by society, such as fishermen and a tax collector, to be his apostles. He chose to save the person who was persecuting and having Christians killed to be his greatest apostle. He chose the poor to hear the gospel. In Luke 4:18, Christ said the Spirit of God had anointed him to preach the gospel to the poor; they were the first recipients of the gospel and the primary ones to accept it. As mentioned, the early church was primarily poor people and slaves. In God’s sovereignty, he chose what was shameful, “weak,” “low,” “despised,” and “regarded as nothing” by the world (1 Cor 1:27-28). In fact, Christ praised God for this reality in election:

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.

Matthew 11:25-26

We may not fully understand God’s purposes behind electing the poor, but like Paul, James, and Jesus, we can clearly see that it is true.

Certainly, on the human side of salvation—meaning our decision to follow God—there are factors that affect this reality. The poor are more prone to accept God and trust in him because they have nothing else. Their outward circumstances of poverty commonly make them poor in spirit (Matt 5:3)—dependent upon God like a child, which is the door to salvation (Matt 18:3). And likewise, the rich are more prone to trust in their riches than God, which makes it hard for them to enter the kingdom (Matt 19:23). Wealth tends to make us proud and independent, while the door to the kingdom is humility and dependence.

Either way, James’ point is that showing partiality to the rich over the poor is incompatible with election. From the divine standpoint, God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith. And on a human standpoint, the poor are more prone to accept God, while the rich reject him. If we dishonor the poor, we dishonor those God has commonly chosen for salvation and to care for in a special way.

It must be remembered, that when God elected Israel to be his people, in his covenant with them, they were called to care for the poor. They were to leave grain in their fields for the poor (Lev 19:9-10). The poor were to never be charged interest on a loan (Lev 25:35-37). The poor were to be released from their debts every seventh year (Dt 15:1-2), and slaves were to be released from slavery on the year of Jubilee, if they wanted (Lev 25:8-13). The Jews were to care for the poor, and if they did, God would bless them, and if they didn’t, God would judge them. Psalm 41:1 says, “How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.” Proverbs 28:27 says, “The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.” Therefore, even when Paul and Barnabas were commissioned to share the gospel with the Gentiles, the apostles encouraged them to “remember the poor” (Gal 2:10).

One of the reasons we should not show prejudice is because it’s incompatible with God’s election of the poor and his special care for them. Like Israel before us, we are called to care for them and honor them.

Application Question: In what ways can we see God’s election of the poor biblically and historically? In what ways can churches better honor the poor by making them feel comfortable in church and reaching out to them in the community?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Honors Those Who Dishonor God and His People

But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?

James 2:6-7

Finally, James says that believers should not honor the rich over the poor because the rich have typically persecuted believers and slandered God’s name. Certainly, this appears to have been commonly happening to these early Jewish believers. In James 5:1-6, he specifically rebukes the rich who were persecuting believers. They were withholding the pay of their workers (5:4); they were condemning and murdering righteous people (5:6). Some believe that James may specifically have in mind the Sadducees who were the wealthy, liberal Jewish teachers who partnered with the Pharisees to kill Jesus. Even as they persecuted Christ, they were probably dragging believers to court—suing them and blaspheming Jesus.^⁶

No doubt, this is still true today. Much of the litigation against Christians in modern day courts are carried out by wealthy, powerful, liberal groups. They attack those who believe that marriage should only be between a man and woman. They persecute those who advocate for the rights of the unborn. They seek to silence the preaching of the Bible—calling it hate speech and divisive. In many countries, believers have been muzzled by the rich in power. James challenges these believers to consider who they were exalting.

Now with that said, James is not saying the poor should be honored and the rich dishonored. He is also not saying that we shouldn’t honor those in authority over us. Scripture consistently calls us to submit to those in authority over us because all authority is from God (cf. Rom 13:1-7). However, James is saying that the rich should not be honored over the poor. Believers should give a poor farmer the same respect given to a wealthy doctor.

The world often honors the wealthy to seek favor from them and dishonors the poor because they can give nothing in return. However, for believers, we are part of another kingdom. In this kingdom, the first will be last and the last will be first (Matt 20:16). There is a great reversal. Therefore, we are not bound by the culture of this world and shouldn’t live by it. As believers, we should not practice prejudice or partiality at all. We should honor and respect all people, as made in the image of God.

Application Question: In what ways are the wealthy persecuting believers throughout the world today? How should Christians respond to this persecution both privately and publicly?

Conclusion

When considering God’s characteristics, we often think of his omnipotence, omnipresence, holiness, mercy, and love; however, we often don’t consider God’s impartiality—that he is not a respecter of persons. In Deuteronomy 10:17-19, Moses said this to the Israelites:

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Because God is impartial, not exalting people based on race, socio-economic status, beauty, or abilities, Israel was supposed to be impartial as well. Like Moses before him, James challenged these Jewish believers who claimed to follow Christ, to not practice prejudice as it was incompatible with their faith. As followers of Christ, we must also never practice it!

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Is an Ungodly, Worldly Practice
Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because Our Glorious Lord Was Likewise Misjudged
Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Makes Us Unjust, Evil Judges
Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because God Has Elected the Poor
Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Honors Those Who Dishonor God and His People

Prayer Prompts

Pray for God to forgive and deliver the church from ethnocentrism, racism, classism, sexism, nationalism, and any other worldly vices.
Pray for believers to see people as God sees them—based on their innate worth as bearers of God’s image and their relationship with Christ.
Pray for believers to love and honor those who are different than us in various ways—including their appearance, abilities, culture, views, and socio-economic status.
Pray for unity in the church and the world even though we are different from one another.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Accessed 12/1/2019 from https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-8-why-partiality-wrong-part-1-james-21-7

^² Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Jesus’ Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude (Vol. Volume 11, p. 30). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.

^³ Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (p. 90). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

^⁴ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 98). Chicago: Moody Press.

^⁵ Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Jesus’ Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude (Vol. Volume 11, p. 32). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.

^⁶ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 110). Chicago: Moody Press.

Related Topics: Christian Life

10. Why Prejudice Is Incompatible with the Christian Faith Pt. 2 (James 2:8-13)

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But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. For the one who obeys 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.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law. Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:8-13 (NET)

Why should believers not practice prejudice?

Throughout James’ letter, he has been giving tests of true faith. James’ letter is immensely practical because he believed that true faith changes people’s lives. It changes the way they speak (1:26); it makes them different from the evil world system and culture (1:27). True salvation inclines our hearts to help those in need (1:27), and in James 2:1-13, James’ point is that true salvation should turn us away from prejudice.

Prejudice and partiality were normal in the ancient world. There was great ethnocentrism and genderism. In fact, Jewish men would commonly wake up in the morning and say, “Thank you, Lord, I am a male and not a female. Thank you I am a Jew and not a Gentile!” They prided themselves both in their ethnicity and their male gender. Also, there was great classism in the ancient world. The poor were shunned, and the wealthy were honored. Marriage often didn’t happen between different classes. However, for James, prejudice, including showing partiality and favoritism to certain groups, was incompatible with faith in Jesus.

In James 2:2-3, James addressed prejudice which had been happening amongst the Jewish Christians by illustration: A rich man with nice clothes entered a congregation, and immediately, the Jewish Christians gave him a special seat. However, when a poor man entered with dirty clothes, they told him to sit on the floor or by their feet. James rebuked them by saying they had harbored evil thoughts and become unjust judges (v. 4)—people who judge based on outward appearances alone.

In James 2:5, he said prejudice does not fit with God’s choice of the poor to be rich in faith. Throughout history, the church has primarily come from the poorer classes, including slaves. Even Christ came from a poor family. He worked with his hands as a carpenter, and when he started his ministry, he was supported by the donations of others, including women (Lk 8:3). James says to dishonor poor people is to mistreat those who generally have had great faith.

In addition, James said that when believers honor the rich, they are siding with those who commonly mistreat believers (2:6-7). In those days, it was the rich who often dragged Christians to court and blasphemed Christ’s name. Likewise, today, it is often wealthy, liberal groups who persecute Christians through litigation for their beliefs about marriage or abortion. By honoring the rich and dishonoring the poor, believers were dishonoring those who commonly had faith in Christ and honoring those who commonly were antagonistic towards God and believers.

In James 2:8-13, James continues to argue that showing prejudice is incompatible with true faith. In this section, we’ll consider several more reasons that Christians should not practice prejudice.

Big Question: In what ways does James 2:8-13 argue that true faith is incompatible with practicing prejudice?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Breaks God’s Law of Loving Our Neighbors

James 2:8-9

When the NET says, “if you fulfill the royal law,” the NIV and ESV say if you “really” fulfill or keep the law. It seems these believers were defending their honoring of the rich by saying, “We are just fulfilling God’s law—to love our neighbor as ourselves!” However, their problem was not so much the fact they loved the rich, it was their showing prejudice to the poor. James says by doing that they were breaking God’s royal law.

Interpretation Question: Why is loving our neighbor as ourselves called the royal law?

First of all, it is royal because it was given by God, the ultimate king, in the Old Testament (Lev 19:18). In addition, Christ, the Son of God, reaffirmed this law for believers. He taught that the two greatest commandments were to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mk 12:30-31). In fact, Christ taught that believers would be known by displaying supernatural love. In John 13:35, he said, “Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”

Interpretation Question: What does it mean to love our neighbor as ourselves?

From a negative standpoint, it means if we don’t want to be treated poorly because of the amount of money we make, the job we have, our color, or nationality, we should not treat others that way. If we don’t like people talking critically about us behind our back, lying about us, abusing us physically or emotionally, then we shouldn’t do that to others. However, the royal law goes much further than that. Positively, it means that if we enjoy when others help us out when we are struggling emotionally, socially, spiritually, or financially, we should do the same to others. This is how God called the Jews to love others, and Christ taught the same thing in the new covenant to believers.

Our Neighbor

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37), Christ explained more about this command by declaring who our neighbor is. In the story, a man was robbed, beaten, and left for dead. Two religious professionals walked by the man on the road and did nothing to help him. Then, a Samaritan stopped, treated his wounds, took him to an inn, paid for him to stay there and also for other bills that would be incurred. Essentially, Christ said to love our neighbor means to help anybody who is in need—the single mom, the refugee, the person struggling with depression or finances, the kid struggling with math. We are called to love them all, as we would ourselves.

Not Commanded to Love Ourselves

With that said, it’s important to understand something about the royal law. It is not two laws, as some would teach—love yourself and love others (or love yourself so you can love others). Scripture never teaches us to love ourselves. Before the fall, the greatest commands were naturally fulfilled by Adam and Eve. They were innately inclined, before developing a sin nature, to love God with all their heart and to love their neighbor as themselves. They were perfectly made in the image of God. However, when sin came into the world, they hid from God and one another. Instead of loving God and others wholeheartedly, each person would love themselves more than God or others. This new propensity to love oneself would cause humanity to break all God’s laws. Scripture teaches that all God’s laws are fulfilled by love. Romans 13:9-10 says:

For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

If we love God, we won’t worship idols or blaspheme his name by our words. If we love others, we won’t steal from them, covet their spouse, gossip about them, or murder them. Therefore, to not love God and others is to sin and break God’s commands.

Contrary to the psychological approach to ministering to people, which often says, “You just need to love yourself more,” Scripture says, we already love ourselves too much! Therefore, we are called to humble ourselves (1 Pet 5:6), deny ourselves and take up our cross daily (Lk 9:23), and even hate our own life (Lk 14:26-27)—in the sense of loving Christ more. The royal command is really to start loving others like we already love ourselves. In describing the end times and how rebellious people would become, Paul said:

But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

In describing the treacherous times of the last days, the first problem with people is that they would be “lovers of themselves.” This seems to be the reason for all the other sins. This caused them to be boastful, arrogant, blaspheme God, disobey parents, slander others, oppose what is good, love pleasure instead of God. It appears to have been given first because it is the root of all the other evils.

Though secular wisdom might say to a person who is depressed and suicidal, “You just need to love yourself more,” the problem really is that they love themselves too much. When people commit suicide, they demonstrate that they care more about themselves than their parents, friends, strangers, the world, or even God. What they really need during those desperate moments is to love God and others more, which would deliver them from being consumed with their world and the problems in it.

This is part of the reason loving our neighbor as ourselves is the royal command! Breaking it, along with not loving God, is the chief reason for all the evil happening in the world, including prejudice. When a believer shows prejudice against someone, it stems from their love for themselves. Self-love makes them proud about their beauty, race, ethnicity, wealth, family background, and nation and causes them to look down upon and judge others. Prejudice, racism, classism, and chauvinism come from loving ourselves. Therefore, when these Jewish Christians dishonored the poor, they were breaking God’s law.

To love our neighbor, we must ask ourselves, “Who around me has a need and how can I meet it? Is there somebody who is depressed, somebody who is being bullied or mistreated, someone who needs financial or manual help?” Those are the ones we should especially love and honor. When we demonstrate prejudice, we break God’s royal command to love our neighbor. Are we loving others as ourselves?

Application Question: Do you agree that self-love is the root of most, if not all, evil? Why or why not? In what ways does God’s commandment to love fulfill all commands? Who do you feel God is calling you to, especially, demonstrate love to in this current season?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Breaks the Whole of God’s Law

But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. For the one who obeys 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.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law.

James 2:9-11

It seems that not only were these Jews excusing their prejudice by claiming it was loving, but also, they were excusing it because, to them, it seemed like a minor sin. To them, prejudice, such as honoring the rich and dishonoring the poor, was nothing in comparison to adultery or murder. In the Mosaic law, the consequence for those sins was death. So they thought to themselves, it’s not a big deal to show a little prejudice and a little favoritism. In fact, Jews tended to view God’s commands as separate units. If they failed a law and practiced another, one could still be considered just before God as long as they were more righteous than sinful. That is why they commonly believed one could go to heaven by practicing the law (cf. Matt 19:16-20, Lk 10:25-28). However, James crushed that view by saying the law is a single unit. If you break one law, you have broken the whole law. He viewed the law like a chain or a mirror. If a chain is broken in one spot, the chain is broken. Likewise, whether a mirror is broken by a tiny pebble (a minor sin) or a boulder (a large sin), the mirror is still broken. It’s the same with God’s law; committing one sin makes us violators of the whole law.

It was in this sense that the Old Testament law was given to prepare the Jews for their Savior. Galatians 3:24 says, “Thus the law had become our guardian [or tutor] until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith.” Because God knew they could not keep the 600 and something OT laws, he provided provisions for when they failed. Once a year on the Day of Atonement, a lamb was sacrificed for the sins of the nations. This was meant to teach them that they could never be righteous enough to be accepted by God and avoid his wrath—they needed a substitute. These yearly lambs were always meant to point them to Christ—the lamb which would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29). They were just symbols of the person who would one day pay the penalty for all sins—past, present, and future.

The common Jewish belief that one could earn merit with God by their works is just like every other works-based religion, including what’s seen in Catholicism. However, the Bible teaches that everybody has broken God’s law and therefore are under God’s judgment. Romans 6:23 says, “For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Apart from faith in Christ’s death and resurrection for our sins, there is no salvation from the penalty of our sins (cf. John 3:16, Eph 2:8-9).

Now certainly, James is not saying that all sins are equal in consequence. Committing the act of adultery is worse than committing adultery in one’s mind and has a greater consequence. However, all sin is equal in that it breaks God’s law and separates us from God.

Application Question: What are some applications we can take from the fact that one sin breaks all of God’s law?

It reminds us that nobody can be saved by works. God’s demand is perfection (Heb 12:14)—perfect obedience to God’s whole law. If we break it, we are violators under judgment, and God’s judgment for one sin is death (Rom 6:23). Nobody can be saved through works (Eph 2:8-9)—including baptism, prayer, helping the poor, or taking the Lord’s Supper.
It reminds us that we are not better than others because we have never committed greater sins like murder or adultery. We all are condemned by the law and, therefore, equal in that we all need a savior.
It reminds us that we cannot pick and choose laws to obey. Prejudice, cursing, illegal downloading, lying, and any other sin we might consider minor is not minor to God. They all deserve death, and Christ was crucified because of them.
It reminds us that we all need God’s mercy, which comes through accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, as he died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead (Rom 10:9-10).

Again, James’ point is that prejudice is not a minor infraction; it breaks all of God’s law. It creates inequity and injustice amongst those whom God created in his image to glorify him.

Like these Jewish Christians, we must ask ourselves if we are minimizing prejudice in our hearts—looking down on the poor, less educated, less attractive, or people from other races and honoring people with wealth, education, beauty, and from certain ethnicities? If we don’t recognize how evil all sin is, including prejudice, we will allow it to linger in our lives and never repent of breaking God’s laws. To break one part of God’s law is to break it all.

Application Question: Are all sins equal? If so, in what way? If not, why not? Why is it so easy for believers to accept and adopt prejudice and partiality in comparison to other sins?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because God Will Judge Us for It

Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:12-13

James says that believers will be judged for their words (2:12), actions (2:12), and attitudes (2:13). In 2:13, when James describes being judged for not showing mercy, mercy is first an attitude before an action. Christ taught the same thing about judgment. He said that we will be judged for every idle word spoken (Matt 12:36) and also that our works will be judged—meriting either reward or loss of reward. In the Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:14-30), three people received talents from their master. The two who made interest were commended by the master and received rewards; the one who did nothing with his talent was rebuked and had his talent taken away. Likewise, though believers will not be judged for their sins because they were paid for on the cross, Scripture teaches that believers will be judged for their works. Second Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil.” Matthew 5:19 says, “So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” And Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.”

James’ words about their speech, behavior, and attitudes being judged would have challenged these Jewish Christians. Saying to the poor man “stand” or “sit on the floor” and to the rich man to “sit here in a good place” (2:3) are seemingly insignificant words and actions which have eternal consequences. This is true for us as well.

Interpretation Question: In what ways will believers be judged for their words, actions, and attitudes?

When James says, “For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment,” there seems to be two aspects to it (2:13).

There is a temporal aspect to this judgment: Believers who are merciful or unmerciful will receive both reciprocally on this earth. It is a basic spiritual principle called “sowing and reaping.” Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows.” If we are merciful in practice by caring for those who have needs, forgiving those who have sinned against us, we will receive mercy back. When we need help, God will meet our needs through various ways. Psalm 41:1 says, “How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.” Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) says “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” However, if we are unmerciful, critical of others, unforgiving, stingy, or prejudiced, then those things will happen to us as well. It’s the principle of sowing and reaping at work.
There is an eternal aspect to this judgment: Since James has been dealing with tests of true faith, he is also saying our demonstrating mercy or not demonstrating it will prove whether we are truly born again, whether we have truly received God’s mercy. Remember, that is the context of the section right before James 2:1-13. In James 1:26-27, he said:

Someone who doesn’t restrain their tongue but is harsh and judgmental in how they treat others, may prove that they are not truly born again. In addition, a person who does not care for those in need and keeps himself from the stains of this world (including prejudice), may prove a lack of true faith.

This is the same thing Christ taught in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matt 25:31-46). In the last days, Christ will separate people into sheep and goats based on whether they showed mercy to the least of these (caring for those in prison, the hungry, or those without clothes). The sheep who were merciful went into the kingdom, and the goats who were unmerciful went into eternal damnation. It is not that people are saved through their works, but works demonstrate true faith, which is the major theme of the book of James.

Are we merciful, especially, when considering people who are different from us—different race, socio-economic status, culture, and educational background? Or are we unmerciful and even prejudiced? God will judge us for how we speak and act and also for our attitude. We will receive reciprocally from our actions both in this life and the life to come.

Application Question: Does God’s judgment (both temporal and eternal) motivate you? Why or why not? How is God challenging you to show more mercy to others?

Conclusion

Why is practicing prejudice incompatible with our faith? In James 2:8-13, he gives us three reasons:

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Breaks God’s Law of Loving Our Neighbors
Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Breaks the Whole of God’s Law
Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because God Will Judge Us for It

Prayer Prompts

Pray for forgiveness for not loving our neighbor as ourselves, including practicing prejudice and not caring for those in need and suffering.
Pray for grace to love those around us—friends, family, church members, co-workers, and those struggling financially, emotionally, and physically.
Pray these for our churches.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

Related Topics: Christian Life

11. True Saving Faith: A Faith that Works (James 2:14-26)

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What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it? So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear. But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

James 2:14-26 (NET)

What is true saving faith? Christ made very clear in his teachings that it is possible to have a false faith. In Matthew 7:21-23, he said that in the last days, many would call him “Lord, Lord” and declare all the righteous works which they had done in his name, but he would tell them, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I never knew you” (paraphrase). He also gave two parables, the Parable of the Weeds and the Parable of the Fish in Matthew 13, which demonstrated that in his kingdom there were weeds (false believers) and wheat (true believers), good fish (true believers) and bad fish (false believers). At the end of the age, the angels will sort them out, and the false will be thrown into the fire. Among Christ’s disciples, there was exhibit one—Judas. He preached from village to village, did miracles along with the other disciples, but eventually denied Christ. Throughout his ministry, Christ taught that one of the disciples was a devil (John 6:70), that all the disciples were “clean,” except one (John 13:10)—referring to being cleansed from sin—and that one of the disciples would deny him. Judas was never saved, though he professed Christ, followed him, and served him.

That is exactly what James is dealing with in this text, and it’s one of the wider themes of the epistle. According to James 1:1, the book of James was written to Jewish Christians who were scattered abroad. Most likely, they were scattered because of persecution. Throughout the letter, James challenges these believers about what genuine faith looks like. They were going through persecution, and because of it, some began to think God was tempting them to do evil (Jam 1:13). Some were mistreating the poor amongst the congregations (Jam 2:1-6). They were fighting amongst one another, and some were murdered because of the conflict (Jam 4:1-3). Therefore, with a shepherd’s heart, James corrects these Jewish believers by challenging them to consider what true faith looks like.

It is clear from James’ argument in this text about how true faith always results in godly works, that some of these Jewish Christians believed that obedience to God’s Word wasn’t necessary. In 2:18, he illustrates an apparent statement by one of them, “But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’” James then interrupts and says, “Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works.” It appears that these Jews had experienced a pendulum swing when they became followers of Christ. Before their conversion, they, no doubt, felt burdened by the legalistic focus of Judaism, especially as the rabbis kept adding laws to God’s law—often called the traditions of the elders (Mk 7:1-3). When they heard about salvation by faith alone, as taught by the gospel, they were attracted. But some of them assumed that this gospel meant that obedience to God’s Word wasn’t needed at all. It led many of them into antinomianism, which means “to live without law.” James strongly condemns this belief in James 2:14-26, teaching that true faith will always produce godly works.

James 2:14-26 is probably the most urgent and challenging text in the epistle and also the most controversial. Because of James’ focus on the relationship between faith and works, Roman Catholic theology has used this text to teach that people are not saved by faith alone and that works, like penance, taking the Lord’s Supper, and participating in baptism, are needed along with faith for one to be saved. In addition, amongst evangelicals (those who believe in salvation by faith alone), some argue that true saving faith means simply believing in the elements of the gospel—that we are all sinners, Christ died for our sin and rose from the dead—but that following Christ and repenting of sins are not necessary aspects of true salvation. As long as one has intellectual belief in the gospel, that is enough for salvation. And since saving faith does not necessarily include following Christ and repentance of sins, salvation does not necessarily need to result in good works, which contradicts James’ teaching in this text. Some would even say you can take Christ as Savior without taking him as Lord. This view is called Free Grace theology. Opponents call it Easy Believism. This text, properly understood, contradicts both Roman Catholic theology and Free Grace theology. Salvation is not by works but always produces works.

The doctrine within James 2:14-26 was important to the first recipients, and it is extremely important to us. It teaches us the difference between a living faith—a faith that saves and changes a person—and a dead faith—which doesn’t affect a person’s life at all. Twice within the text, James mentions the possibility of having dead faith (v. 17, 26).

Other biblical writers warn about the same possibility of having dead faith. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul said, ^“Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test!” Also, John wrote a whole book addressing the topic of assurance of salvation—knowing that we are truly saved. In 1 John 5:13 he said, “I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

In this study, we will consider four aspects of what true saving faith is, contrasting it with false faith. As we consider this text, we must make sure that our faith is alive—that it is producing fruit in accordance with true faith.

Big Question: What aspects of true saving faith are taught in James 2:14-26?

True Saving Faith Includes More Than Simply Professing the Right Words

James 2:14-17

When James says, “What good is it … if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him?” in the Greek, the construction of his rhetorical question requires a negative answer.^¹ He is saying it is possible to have a “kind of faith” which doesn’t save. What type of faith is he referring to? He is talking about a faith that leads only to a profession—someone who simply “claims to have faith” (v. 14) but doesn’t live in accordance with his claim.

He gives an illustration of a brother or sister in the church who is poor—lacking clothes and food. One particularly pious believer, instead of helping him, offers a prayer of blessings, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well” (v. 16). James argues, what good is that?

In context, James has already argued that those with true faith care for the needy. In James 1:26-27, he said,

He taught that religion that doesn’t lend itself to caring for the needy, such as orphans and widows is not genuine. In fact, the Jews in this congregation were not only neglecting the poor but dishonoring them. In James 2:1-11, he described a church that practiced partiality and prejudice. When a wealthy person visited the church, they put him in the place of honor, but when a poor person visited, they dishonored him—telling the poor to stand or sit on the floor. By showing partiality, they were committing evil and would come under God’s judgment. James 1:12-13 says, “Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.” This judgment certainly refers to God’s disciplining believers who neglect the needy, but again in context, it also refers to God’s judging those who simply have a profession of faith, who are not truly saved. James 1:22 (ESV) says, “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” A faith that doesn’t do God’s Word, including caring for the needy, is not genuine.

John taught the same thing about true faith. First John 1:13 says, ^“But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?” Likewise, Christ taught that when he returns, those who called him Lord but didn’t care for the least of these (by clothing and feeding the poor and visiting them in prison) would be cast into eternal darkness (Matt 25:41-46).

Faith that does not lead us to a lifestyle of good works, including caring for the needy, is not genuine. It’s just a profession. It’s just lip-service. That “kind of faith” does not save.

Unfortunately, there are many like this in the church. A great number of them tend to be second or third generation Christians or later. Their parents (or grandparents) experienced genuine conversion that turned them away from living lifestyles that were antagonistic to God and his Word, but the children commonly grow up in the church, learn the vocabulary of the gospel, but never experience the power of the gospel. Titus 1:16 says, “They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.” Consequently, many substitute Christian words for a Christian lifestyle.

Warren Wiersbe said this:

People with dead faith substitute words for deeds. They know the correct vocabulary for prayer and testimony, and can even quote the right verses from the Bible; but their walk does not measure up to their talk. They think that their words are as good as works, and they are wrong.^²

In fact, Christ used this same type of language when describing the Pharisees who were not truly saved. He said they “honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far from him” (Matt 15:8 paraphrase). Also, in Matthew 21:28-32, Christ gave a parable of two sons. With the first, when commanded by the father to work in the vineyard, he initially refused but then later went to work. With the second, the father commanded him as well; except this brother agreed but never went. Christ used this story to describe how tax collectors and sinners who initially rejected God were entering the kingdom when the Pharisees, who simply gave mouth service, would not.

There are many like this in the church. They use Christian terms and phrases like, “Christ is Lord!” “The Bible is God’s Word!” “Prayer is powerful!” “Abortion is wrong!” and “I am an evangelical!” They may even stand in the pulpit and teach, but they lack the kind of faith which changes their lives—producing good works, including caring for those in need.

Does our confession of faith come with more than words? Are we simply talkers or even teachers who don’t live out our faith? James warns us that a faith which is only demonstrated through words is not salvific.

Application Question: In what ways have you seen Christian vocabulary without Christian living amongst those who profess faith in Christ? Why is this so prevalent in the church? What types of needs are around you and your church? In what ways can you and your church better meet the needs of those around you?

True Saving Faith Includes More Than Having Right Theology

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.

James 2:18-19

After using the illustration of a professing believer simply mouthing religious words to another believer in need, James describes a snippet of a hypothetical conversation by a believer who has a liberal view of the relationship between faith and works. He believes one can exist without the other. His words to a professing believer can be paraphrased like this, “You have faith in God, but it shows up in loving theology. You are not gifted in giving, serving, mercy, or evangelism, so you don’t do it and that’s fine. I have faith as well, but my gift is serving others and living out the practical aspects of the faith. It’s OK for us to be different. I serve and you think and talk.” James interrupts this hypothetical conversation and says, “Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works” (v. 18). Essentially, James argues that apart from works, genuine faith cannot be discerned. There is no proof! True faith always results in “boots on the ground”—a life that repents of sin and follows Christ. Paul even commanded those he preached to, to bear fruits worthy of repentance. In Acts 26:20 (NLT), Paul preached “that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.”

James then argues for the insufficiency of orthodox doctrine alone by pointing out that even demons have right theology but are not saved (2:19). John MacArthur’s comments on this are helpful:

As far as factual doctrine is concerned, demons are monotheists, all of whom know and believe there is one true God. They also are very much aware that Scripture is God’s Word, that Jesus Christ is God’s Son, that salvation is by grace through faith, that Jesus died, was buried, and raised to atone for the sins of the world, and that He ascended to heaven and is now seated at His Father’s right hand. They know quite well that there is a literal heaven and a literal hell. They doubtless have a clearer knowledge of the millennium and its related truths than does even the most devoted Bible scholar. But all of that orthodox knowledge, divinely and eternally significant as it is, cannot save them. They know the truth about God, Christ, and the Spirit, but hate it and them.^³

Demons have better theology than most, if not all of us. When demons met Christ in Scripture, they often bowed down and declared that he was the Son of God (Lk 4:41). They even understood their future end; they asked Christ to not torment them before the time and to not send them to the abyss (Matt 8:29, Lk 8:31). However, their theology is void of commitment to practice what God’s Word says. It is possible to be a theological scholar and yet be lost. That’s exactly what most of the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees were. They studied the Bible, copied it, and taught it. But they did not incarnate the Bible’s message; they did not live out what it said and ultimately rejected the messiah who Scripture taught about.

True salvation includes not only orthodoxy (right doctrine) but also orthopraxy (right practice). In 1 Timothy 4:16, Paul said this to Timothy, “Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach. Persevere in this, because by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” Paul warned Timothy about this because it’s so easy to separate theology (what one believes and teaches) and practice (how one lives). Without persevering in both, we may prove that we are not saved and also lead others into darkness. True faith is more than simply having right theology!

Application Question: How is it possible for a person to love the Bible and theology and yet not truly be born again? How have you seen people and churches minimize either the need for right doctrine or serving others? How can we keep ourselves (and the church) from either extreme?

True Saving Faith Includes More Than Having Emotional/Charismatic Experiences

You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.

James 2:19

Not only does James declare that having right theology is not proof of true salvation but also emotional or spiritual experiences. When describing the demons, he declared that they not only have right theology—believing that there is only one God and not multiple gods—they also “tremble with fear” of God, which is more than many believers do. They have an emotional and physical response to God, but it doesn’t save them.

Unfortunately, many in the church when giving proof of their faith point to some emotional or charismatic experience they had—maybe at a church when they gave their life to Christ, they spoke in tongues or prophesied. But these by themselves are not proof of salvation. In Matthew 13:20-21, Jesus described the person who received God’s Word upon shallow ground. He said,

The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.

This person seemingly had a charismatic “salvation experience,” receiving the gospel with joy, but when trials came, he eventually fell away. Often people with charismatic salvation testimonies are immediately put in leadership or in front of crowds, which can at times hurt their infant faith and contribute to their falling away. For this reason, Paul warned against putting new converts into church leadership because they could fall into the condemnation of the devil (1 Tim 3:6).

When considering charismatic experiences as proof of salvation, it should be remembered that Judas cast out demons and healed people but wasn’t truly born again. Also, in the Old Testament, God chose to use a false prophet named Balaam to not only prophesy blessings over Israel but also to give a prophecy about the coming messiah (Num 24:17), and yet Balaam was not saved (Num 22-24). He was a false prophet who helped Moab tempt Israel into sexual immorality and the worship of Baal. Even Caiaphas, the high priest who helped crucify Jesus, prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, though he wasn’t saved (John 11:49-51). In addition, the false professors who approach Christ in the last days saying, “Lord, Lord,” will point to their charismatic experiences (prophecy and mighty works) as proof of their salvation (Matt 7:22-23), but Christ will declare to them that he never knew them.

Maybe, there were some Jewish believers pointing to their emotional or charismatic experiences as proof of their conversion. However, James implies by pointing out that demons also have emotional/physical responses to God, that those experiences alone don’t prove one is saved. In the Gospels, we see demon possessed people falling down before Christ and having seizures (Mk 9:26, Lk 8:28). Sadly, some churches teach that these types of experiences are proof of God’s blessing. Sometimes, they might just be proof of demonic activity. Emotional and charismatic experiences alone are not proof of true salvation.

Application Question: Why is it important to establish that emotional/charismatic experiences are not proof of salvation or God’s working? How are emotional/charismatic experiences, at times, overly exalted and abused within the church?

True Saving Faith Is Proven by a Pattern of Obedience to God’s Word, Including Willingness to Sacrifice for God

But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

James 2:20-26

Finally, James adds two illustrations of saving faith in Abraham and Rahab. Abraham, when asked by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac, obeyed God immediately (Gen 22). Right before killing Isaac, God stopped him and provided a ram for slaughter. Hebrews 11:19 teaches that Abraham was willing to kill Isaac because he believed God would raise him from the dead. Since this would have been the first resurrection, Abraham’s obedience to God’s Word was a big act of faith.

Rahab was a harlot living in the town of Jericho. Because of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and some of their conquests in the wilderness, the people in Jericho heard about how great Israel’s God was and feared him. When Rahab heard about the works of Israel’s God, she not only feared God but believed he was the true God (Josh 2:8-11). In response, she hid the Jewish spies from the authorities in Jericho and asked the spies to deliver her and her family when they conquered the city. She was spared, became part of Israel, and eventually became part of Christ’s lineage. Her actions in protecting the Israelite spies and committing treason to her people was a great act of faith. She was willing to put her life in danger, leave her people, property, and assumedly her life of prostitution to follow the God of Israel. True faith produced great works in the lives of these two Old Testament believers.

Though James is arguing that true faith always results in works and not that one is saved by faith plus works, some have misunderstood his teaching. In fact, in verse 21, when James said, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?” this verse really troubled Martin Luther. The apparent contradiction with Paul’s teaching on justification by faith alone caused Luther to call the book of James a “book of straw” and to wonder if James even wrote it.⁴ How can verses like Romans 4:5, which says, “But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who declares the ungodly righteous, his faith is credited as righteousness” and James 2:21, which says, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works…?” correspond with one another?

Even though Martin Luther misunderstood this text, as does Roman Catholic theology, James is not teaching that works and faith are needed for one to be saved. As mentioned previously, James is teaching what all Scripture teaches, that true salvation will produce good works. That is clearly James argument in verses 20-26 as demonstrated by two things:

1. In Scripture, the word “justify” can have two meanings. One means to acquit or to declare righteous, as in a court case, which is how justification is used when referring to salvation (Rom 4:5). The second means to vindicate or prove that one is righteous. For example, in 1 Timothy 3:16, Paul said this:

And we all agree, our religion contains amazing revelation: He was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

To be “vindicated by the Spirit” refers to Christ being raised from the dead. By resurrecting Christ who was put to death on false charges, God’s Spirit proved to everybody that Jesus was righteous. This is the sense in which James is using the word, justify. Abraham’s and Rahab’s works proved that they were righteous—meaning saved. It was not by doing them that God saved them and declared them righteous.

2. Also, proof that James is not referring to Abraham being saved by works is the fact that he refers to an event that happened at least thirty years after he was saved. James 2:23 says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.” This verse comes from Genesis 15:6 when Abraham looked up at the stars and believed that God was going to multiply his children as the stars. It wasn’t until Genesis 22 that Abraham obeyed God by seeking to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham’s works in Genesis 22 simply proved that Abraham had faith in God and that he had already been declared righteous, many years earlier. In fact, Abraham was probably saved before Genesis 15. In Genesis 12, in obedience to God, Abraham left his home and family and moved to Canaan, which God said he would give him. Abraham was included in Hebrews 11, the heroes of the faith chapter, for that great step of faith (v. 8).

How Were OT Believers Saved?

Abraham being declared righteous because of his faith is also important to understand because some people think believers in the Old Testament were saved by works and that believers in the New Testament are saved by faith, which is wrong. God has always saved people and declared them righteous based on their faith. Even before they fully understood all the details about the coming messiah, God was applying his future death to their account. Revelation 13:8 (NIV) says this: “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.” In what way was Christ slain from the creation of the world? In the sense that his death has been applied to those with faith from the creation of the world. Even the required Old Testament sacrifices always pointed to Christ’s future atoning death.

James was not teaching that salvation came through a combination of works and faith, as Catholic theology teaches, but that true works always prove faith. God gave Abraham righteousness based on his faith over thirty years before he attempted to sacrifice his son. And with Rahab, when she heard about God’s great exploits and believed in him, she also was given righteousness. Her hiding of the Jewish spies and potentially endangering her life only proved that she had genuine faith.

Applications

What are some applications about saving faith that we can take from the lives of Abraham and Rahab?

1. True saving faith is always based on the revelation of God’s Word. James 1:18 says, “By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” God speaks and we believe and obey. In the New Testament, God has given us his gospel—that Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead so that we can be saved. We are called to believe it and follow Christ. In John 1:12-13, Christ said:

But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children—children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.

Have we truly believed in the gospel in such a way that changes both the direction of our lives and our eternal destiny? True faith in the gospel does both.

2. True saving faith is costly. For both Abraham and Rahab, following God meant bearing a tremendous cost. For Abraham, that meant potentially losing his son, Isaac. For Rahab, it meant endangering her life as she obeyed God and disobeyed the government by hiding the spies. Likewise, in Luke 14:26-27, Christ said,

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

True faith always has a cost, even if that only means giving up lordship of our lives to Christ.

This is especially important to consider, as many in the Free Grace Theology camp believe becoming a disciple of Christ is secondary to salvation. Christ’s challenge to take up one’s cross and become a disciple, for them, is a second step after conversion, instead of an aspect of true saving faith. First, one believes (referring to intellectual belief) and is saved; then, hopefully, that person commits and becomes a disciple, which includes taking up one’s cross. However, every believer in Scripture is called a disciple of Christ. And in Matthew 10:33, Christ declares that if we deny him before others (meaning not taking up our cross and being willing to suffer for him), he will deny us before the Father (cf. 10:38-39). Salvation is costly in that it cost Christ his life, but it’s also costly for us, as we in response take up our cross and follow him (Lk 14:26-27).

Practical Examples of Costly Faith

What might this costly faith look like in our lives practically? Bruce Goettsche, Pastor of Union Church in Illinois, said this:

It is seen in the person who continues to praise God in spite of a devastating diagnosis.
It is seen in the person who refuses to give in to the temptations of the world to despair, to live beyond our means, to live with no regard for our commitments.
It is seen in those who make the tough decision to put God first even if it means missing out on some of the things others do.
It is seen in the person who continues to love a person even though they have been repeatedly unkind.
It is seen in those who give what they have to alleviate the needs of others rather than indulge ourselves.
It is seen in the person who refuses to give in to anxiety because of their trust in God’s wisdom and timing.
It is seen in those who do what is right even though everyone else is doing what is wrong.⁵

How is God calling you to carry your cross as an act of true faith?

Application Question: Why are works such an important indicator of true faith (cf. Ez 36:26-27, 2 Pet 1:5-10)? What type of cross is God calling you to carry as you follow him?

Conclusion

James challenges Jewish Christians who had turned away from legalistic law-keeping in Judaism to an antinomian form of Christianity. They thought salvation by faith meant that they didn’t have to obey God’s Word at all. But James teaches that true faith changes believers in such a way that repenting of sin and doing good works will always be progressive staples of their lives. Consider Ezekiel’s prophecy about God’s work in a believer’s salvation in the New Covenant:

I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes and carefully observe my regulations.

Ezekiel 36:26-27

The reason true believers will obey God’s Word and practice good works is because in salvation God radically changes them. He gives them his Spirit, and they become new creations in Christ—the old has passed away and the new has come (2 Cor 5:17). God removes their stony heart—breaking the power of their sin nature—and gives them a new heart—a new nature that wants to obey his Word. By his Spirit, he works in them to obey his statutes. Sanctification is a process; it doesn’t happen all at once. But, nevertheless, it begins at conversion when a person receives the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit begins to make them holy. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident to some extent in a true believer’s life. In fact, in Matthew 7:16-20, Jesus said:

You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.

Our salvation is not an ineffective salvation that doesn’t radically change us. It affects every aspect of our person, and the fruits will be progressively present. What are aspects of true, saving faith?

True Saving Faith Includes More Than Simply Professing the Right Words
True Saving Faith Includes More Than Having Right Theology
True Saving Faith Includes More Than Having Emotional/Charismatic Experiences
True Saving Faith Is Proven by a Pattern of Obedience to God’s Word, Including Willingness to Sacrifice for God

Prayer Prompts

Pray that our faith and that of our brothers and sisters would be more than words, theology, and emotions—that it would be a faith that works by actively loving God and others. Pray that we would excel in serving God and others in this coming season.
Pray that if there are any among us with a dead faith or no faith at all, that God could convict them of sin and Christ’s righteousness and convert them, so that they follow Christ wholeheartedly. Pray this also for friends and relatives who don’t know the Lord.
Thank the Lord for his salvation and that he continually changes us by his Spirit into his image.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

^¹ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 124). Chicago: Moody Press.

^² Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 354). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^³ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 131). Chicago: Moody Press.

⁴ Weaver, Paul. Introducing the New Testament Books: A Thorough but Concise Introduction for Proper Interpretation (Biblical Studies Book 3) (Kindle Locations 1713-1719). Kindle Edition.

⁵ Accessed 2/25/20 from http://www.unionchurch.com/archive/091408.html

Related Topics: Christian Life

12. How to Control the Tongue (James 3:1-12)

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Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly. For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual, able to control the entire body as well. And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies. Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs. So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence—and is set on fire by hell. For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.

James 3:1-12 (NET)

How can we control the tongue?

After describing how true saving faith always leads to good works in James 2:14-26, James focuses his attention on the tongue. He does this because the tongue always reveals who we are, including whether we have true faith. In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus said:

For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from brambles. The good person out of the good treasury of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart.

It’s impossible for people to hide who they are for long—their words will always reveal what’s in their hearts. According to Christ, a good tree cannot produce bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. Whatever fills our hearts will ultimately come out. Therefore, James challenged these Jewish Christians to consider the fruit of their tongues and what it revealed about their faith; but also, he challenged them to sanctify their tongues.

This is not the first time James mentioned the importance of the tongue as a proof of true faith. In James 1:26, he said, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.” True faith always results in a changed language. It does not result in perfect language, but it should be different.

It is clear, since James mentions the tongue in each chapter of his book, that these Jewish Christians were really struggling with their words, especially in speaking evil of one another. In James 1:19, he said, “…Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.” In James 2:12, he said, “Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom.” In James 3, half the text is about the tongue. In James 4:11, he commanded them to “not slander one another” (NIV). In James 5:12, he said to them, “… But let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no, so that you may not fall into judgment”—essentially, he commanded them to stop lying. The mouths of these Jewish believers were causing damage in their churches, and James challenged their faith and encouraged them to live it out through their language.

This is the paradox of true believers. Because we have been born again, we have been changed—we are new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). We have new natures, and therefore, we should be different. However, we must continue to grow in this sanctification—seeking to look more like Christ daily. This is what James challenges these believers about in this text—specifically focusing on their language.

Spiritual Maturity

James 3:2 says, “For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual, able to control the entire body as well.” In this, we see another reason James encouraged these Jewish believers to develop a sanctified tongue. A sanctified tongue is a proof of spiritual maturity. When James says, “If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual,” he is not referring to being perfect in the sense of being sinless. He is referring to becoming mature. This is one of James’ major themes in the letter. In James 1:4, he said, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” The word “mature” in James 1:4 is the same as “perfect” in 3:2. One of God’s goals for believers is for them to become mature in the faith, and he often uses trials to create that in our lives. The weight of trials, as we submit to God in them, creates a mature character in us, including the ability to control our tongues. As James suggests, if we can conquer our tongues—not practicing lying, complaining, crude or ungodly jokes and comments—then, we will be able to control the rest of our bodies. This means that the person with godly speech demonstrates that he also has developed the ability to control his anger, his lust, and his worry, among other things. And the person who has loose lips probably struggles in all the other areas. Our tongues are windows into our spiritual lives, whether we are aware of it or not. Therefore, James gives us even more reason to seek to control our tongues. A controlled tongue is not only proof of true saving faith, but it is also proof of spiritual maturity.

In James 3:1-12, he gives us insights on controlling our tongues. He will do this in part by using eight metaphors of the tongue—a bit in the mouth of a horse, a rudder of a ship, a fire, untamed animals, a restless evil, poison, a tree, and a spring.

Big Question: According to James 3:1-12, how can believers control their tongues?

To Control the Tongue, We Must Recognize that God Will Judge Our Words

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.

James 3:1

When James says, “Not many of you should become teachers,” he was not trying to dissuade those who were truly called to ministry. Because of the great respect given to Jewish teachers, many were seeking to become rabbis for selfish reasons. When considering the Pharisees, Christ said this about them:

They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long. They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’

Matthew 23:5-7

Unfortunately, their ministry became all about seeking the applause and favor of people, instead of the applause and favor of God. They loved being called ‘Rabbi,’ which means “master” or “great one.”¹ Rabbis were given tremendous respect in the Jewish culture. In fact, if one’s parents were captured by an enemy, duty dictated that a person should rescue the rabbi first.^² It is very easy to see how pursuing the ministry really became a power grab, instead of a genuine desire to serve others.

Sadly, this often happens in churches today. People pursue the ministry to be called “doctor,” “pastor,” or even “deacon”—to be honored and served by others, instead of serving people. In Matthew 20:25-28, Jesus confronted this spirit in his disciples when he said:

… You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Ministry should be pursued for more opportunities to serve God and others and not to be served or honored.

With that said, James gave these Jewish believers another reason to not wrongly pursue teaching positions. He said that those who teach will receive a greater judgment (3:1). As mentioned, by teaching and serving in ministry, one has a greater capacity to serve God and others, but one also has a greater capacity to hurt others and dishonor God. Many people have been hurt in the church because of the ungodly words and actions of a person in leadership.

In light of this, here are some practical insights concerning teachers ³:

Teachers must be chosen carefully. In 1 Timothy 5:22, Paul said, “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and so identify with the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.” When the wrong teachers are put into leadership, the results can be disastrous—even leading some members of the church to leave the faith. By selecting wrong teachers, we share in their sins.
Teachers must prepare diligently. In 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV), Paul said, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Part of the reason there is so much weak teaching and false teaching in the church is because there is laziness behind the pulpit. It takes hard work to understand a text, draw out its applications, and teach it well. Therefore, teachers must work hard.
Teachers must live consistently. In 1 Timothy 4:16 (ESV), Paul said, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” When a teacher doesn’t live what he teaches, it will be destructive for his own spiritual life and also for those who listen to him. Teachers must practice what they preach.
Teachers must keep learning and growing. In 1 Timothy 4:15 (ESV), Paul said, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress.” After challenging Timothy to be devoted to the public reading of Scripture, preaching, and teaching, Paul tells him to “immerse” himself in these practices, so everyone would see his progress. In Matthew 10:25, Christ taught that “it is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher.” Our teachers set our spiritual ceiling, and therefore, they must be continually growing.

Though James is specifically speaking about teachers, his words apply to everyone. We all have a tendency to sin with our words and affect those who listen to us. With teachers, their judgment is greater because, presumably, they have greater knowledge of God’s Word and because their words affect more people.

With that said, understanding how God holds us accountable for our words is important for learning how to control them. We each will be judged by our words, and the more responsibility God gives us, the greater the judgment. The parent raising children has a greater accountability than the single person. The supervisor overseeing many employees has a greater accountability than the person overseeing no one. The schoolteacher is accountable for the students in his classroom. We all affect someone with our words and therefore will be held accountable for how we use them.

In Matthew 12:36-37, Christ said, “I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Some versions say we will be judged for “every idle word.” Likewise, Matthew 5:19 says,

So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

God will judge us for our words. When we truly understand this, it should encourage us to be sober and wise with our speech.

Application Question: How have you seen or experienced how pastors/teachers negatively affect the spiritual lives of those they teach? In what ways have specific pastors/teachers been a blessing to your spiritual life? How should the fact that God will judge each one of our words affect how we speak?

To Control the Tongue, We Must Recognize Its Power to Direct Lives

And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies. Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs. So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions.

James 3:3-5a

Next, James uses two metaphors to describe the power of the tongue—the bit in the mouth of a horse and the rudder of a ship. Though a bit is small, it can be used to change the direction of a large horse. Also, ships are controlled by a tiny rudder. By using these two illustrations, James focuses on the tongue’s power to direct life, either for good or bad. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love its use will eat its fruit.”

By having a brief conversation with the woman at the well, Jesus changed that woman’s life and many others who repented after she shared with them (John 4). When Peter preached at Pentecost, 3000 people were saved (Acts 2). Words have the ability to direct people’s lives for tremendous good.

Likewise, when Satan tempted Eve in the garden with his words, “Did God really say?” he sowed seeds of doubt into Eve, which helped lead our world into sin, chaos, and destruction. Similarly, Adolph Hitler and Saddam Hussein spoke words that led to hate, oppression, and genocide. Words are indeed powerful and able to not only direct individuals but even nations for good or bad.

Overcoming Powerful Forces

In considering James’ illustration of the bit in the mouth of a horse and the rudder of a ship, it implies that in order to use our words for good, we must overcome powerful forces. The bit must overcome the power and nature of the horse, and the rudder must overcome the power of the wind and the waves. Likewise, for believers, we must overcome various forces: (1) We must overcome the power of our flesh which is inclined towards anger, impatience, complaining, and slander (cf. Gal 5:19-20). (2) We must overcome circumstances—whether adverse circumstances or good ones. Bad circumstances, like someone being rude to us, can lead us to speak angry and unwise words. Also, good circumstances can sometimes lead us to speak prideful or careless words. (3) Also, as seen in Christ rebuking Satan’s spoken words through Peter in Matthew 16:23, at times, we can even let the devil control our words. This is probably what James meant when he said in 3:6 that the tongue “is set on fire by hell.” Satan wants to control our tongues, and sometimes, he uses negative or positive circumstances to do so. He understands that words have power to control and guide someone’s life, so he aims to use them for evil.

Therefore, instead of being controlled by our outward or inward circumstances or the devil, we must allow God to control our tongues. Like David, in Psalm 141:3, we must pray, “O Lord, place a guard on my mouth! Protect the opening of my lips!” We must also remember how a sarcastic or critical remark can have long-term negative effects on somebody’s life and how an edifying word can have long-term positive effects. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

We must control our tongues because they have the power to direct and guide our lives and others’ as well.

Application Question: In what ways have you experienced how words spoken over you had a tremendous impact on the direction of your life? How have you seen this with others? Has the power of words to direct and guide been taken out of balance both in the church and the world by movements such as Word of Faith and New Age, which focus on “speaking things into existence”? If so, what is the proper balance?

To Control the Tongue, We Must Recognize Its Destructive Nature

So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence—and is set on fire by hell.

James 3:5-6

James also compares the tongue to a fire. As a tiny flame sets a huge forest on fire, so can the tongue cause great destruction. In verse 6, he describes the tongue’s destructive nature by various phrases: (1) He calls it a “world of wrongdoing,” in that it can cause, what seems like, a world of problems. (2) It “pollutes the entire body,” as it affects the mind and therefore various parts of the body. (3) It “sets fire to the course of human existence”—emphasizing how it can destroy a person’s entire life or the direction of a community or nation. (4) “It is set on fire by hell”—again emphasizing how the devil often inspires the tongue for evil purposes.

People naturally think of crimes like pedophilia, murder, or genocide as clearly demonically inspired; however, as mentioned, James says that our tongues can also be inspired by the devil to do tremendous harm. In the Greek, the word for “devil” actually means to slander, accuse, or defame. That’s what Satan does: he slanders us before God, he slanders us to others, he slanders others to us; he slanders us individually to our own minds—causing us to think depressing and ungodly thoughts. The devil is a slanderer, and when we speak evil, we participate in his ungodly works—setting fires that injure and destroy.

Because of the tongue’s destructive nature (and Satan’s tendency to use it for that purpose), we must choose to never speak unedifying words about others or even ourselves. Proverbs 26:20 says, “Where there is no wood, a fire goes out, and where there is no gossip, contention ceases.” When we stop speaking ungodly words, often peace resumes in a friendship, family, and community.

With this stark reality in mind, here are six types of ungodly speech to avoid:

Avoid gossip. Gossip is the spreading of unflattering information about someone behind their back even if it’s true. Proverbs 16:28 says, “… a gossip separates the closest friends.” Author Jerry Bridges’ comment is helpful. He said, “The difference between a gossip and a concerned friend is like the difference between a butcher and a surgeon. Both cut the flesh, but for different reasons.”⁴
Avoid slander. Slander is misrepresenting someone or giving false statements that defame a person’s character.
Avoid criticism. Criticism is negative comments about someone which might be true but are unnecessary and unedifying.
Avoid flattery. Flattery is an attempt to manipulate someone through excessive and insincere praise.
Avoid coarse joking. Coarse joking is making light of sin—like sex, racism, or even crimes like murder. Since there is power in words, even coarse jokes affect us and others negatively—often polluting minds and then actions. Ephesians 5:11-12 says, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention.” Some things we shouldn’t even mention, and certainly not joke about.
Avoid lying. Lying is simply not telling the truth, including half-truths or exaggerations. Often to protect ourselves, we shade the truth to avoid responsibility, or we exaggerate to make ourselves look better. This was obviously happening amongst these Jewish believers because James tells them, “But let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no, so that you may not fall into judgment” (5:12). We should be people who practice honesty, at all costs (cf. Ps 15:1, 4).

By these and other negative words, people ignite destructive fires that wound and kill individuals and communities. The nursery rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is absolutely wrong. Words can cause tremendous destruction, and we must be aware of this to stop it from happening.

Application Question: Why is it so common for believers to fall in the trap of using ungodly speech such as gossip, slander, criticism, flattery, or coarse joking? What are some common triggers that lead you into ungodly speech?

To Control the Tongue, We Must Recognize that It Is Humanly Uncontrollable

For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

James 3:6-7

James uses three more metaphors to compare and contrast with the tongue—untamed animals, restless evil, and poison. James describes how all types of animals have been tamed, but the tongue has never been tamed (3:6). It is uncontrollable apart from God. Then, he calls it a “restless evil” and a “deadly poison.” When calling it a “restless evil,” James is saying that the tongue never sleeps, and therefore, we must always be on guard with it. We must guard it when we wake up in the morning. We must guard it while we are at work. We must guard it in times of ease. We must guard it in times of difficulty. We must guard it in times of success. It’s so easy for our tongues to lead us into sin. Proverbs 21:23 says, “The one who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his life from troubles.” James also says the tongue is “full of deadly poison” (3:7); therefore, it must always be handled gently and with care, as it could potentially hurt or kill somebody.

James goes to great extremes to show how evil and uncontrollable the tongue is. Again, in 3:6, he directly says that “no human can subdue the tongue.” By saying this, James aimed to show the Jewish believers how weak and vulnerable they were to their own tongues, and how they needed to depend on God to control them.

Application Question: In what ways has God given believers power to control the tongue?

(1) In order for believers to conquer sin, including sins of the tongue, God broke the power of our sin nature on the cross. In Romans 6:6, Paul says, “We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” Because of this reality, Paul says we should consider ourselves “dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (6:11). In order to control our tongues and other sinful tendencies, we must remember that God broke the power of sin from over our lives through Christ’s death on the cross. This is especially important as Satan commonly lies to us and seeks to make us feel like we will never be free from some besetting sin, including ungodly language. Regardless of how we feel, what others say, or our circumstances seem to indicate, we were set free from the bondage of sin on the cross, and therefore, we must fight sin from that reality. In John 8:36, Christ said, “So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.” This is a promise that the addict and person struggling with some habitual sin must hold onto. The victory has been won, so we must claim it and fight until it’s our reality.

(2) Also, in order for believers to conquer sin, including sins of the tongue, God gave each believer a new nature, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 says, “But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” Then in Galatians 5:22-23a, Paul describes the fruits of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” By living in the Spirit, which refers to obeying and worshiping God and turning away from the world and sin, we gain power over our tongues. Our tongues will begin to demonstrate the Spirit’s fruits including “love, peace, gentleness, and self-control.” Because of the evil tendency of our tongues, we must daily live in the Spirit so God can use our tongues for good instead of evil.

Are we daily living in the Spirit (by abiding in God’s Word and prayer), or are we simply visitors—going to church on occasion, reading our Bible and praying on occasion? If we are visitors, we will not be able to control our tongues; our tongues will control us and others in a negative manner.

God made what was uncontrollable, controllable by breaking sin’s power over us and giving us his Spirit. We must believe and actualize these truths to control our tongue.

Application Question: What does it mean to “live by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16)? How have you experienced power to control your tongue when living by the Spirit? How have you experienced inability to control your tongue when not living by the Spirit?

To Control the Tongue, We Must Have the Right Goal—Consistency

With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.

James 3:9-12

By comparing our tongues to a spring, a tree, and a vine, James aims to reveal the inconsistency of our tongues and how they should not be this way. In regular life, a fresh spring does not produce bitter water; a fig tree does not produce olives, and a vine does not produce figs. If we are saved, then we should produce fruit in accordance with our new nature; however, that does not always happen. Therefore, James challenges these believers to consistency.

Application Question: How can we develop more consistency with our tongue?

Though we have covered some of these, re-emphasizing them is helpful so our words can be consistently used for good instead of evil.

1. To be consistent with our words, we must first be born again.

The tongue cannot be tamed by the flesh; we need a new nature and God’s Spirit to control it. Again, this is part of what James is doing in this text. In James 2:14-26, he argued that true faith will be demonstrated through godly works, and that includes how we use our tongues (cf. James 1:26). Therefore, if we have been saved, our tongues have changed, and in submission to God, we must continue to change them. Again, Christ said this in referring to the fruit of our tongues as a proof of salvation, “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from brambles” (Lk 6:43-44). To control the tongue, we must confirm that we are truly born again.

2. To be consistent with our words, we must saturate our mind with godly things and reject the ungodly.

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.” To think on what is true and worthy means to reject what is untrue and unworthy. Our minds are like computers; what we put in comes out. If we think on godly things, including God’s Word, it will come out in our speech. But if we put in filthy music, books, TV, and conversations, that will be reflected in our words as well. Many Christians have inconsistent language simply because their input is inconsistent with their profession of faith. To be consistent with our words, we must saturate ourselves with godly things and reject the ungodly.

3. To be consistent with our words, we must learn to be slow to speak.

James 1:19 says, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.” Also, Proverbs 10:19 says, “When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise.” Wise people restrain their words, so they can listen better and, therefore, discern what others are saying to avoid miscommunication. Wise people restrain their words, so they can better discern the motive behind what they want to say. Are our motives selfish and vindictive or God-honoring and selfless? Wise people restrain their words to discern what are the best words to say to produce the desired outcome. When we don’t restrain our words, sin will abound, including miscommunication and discord.

Restraining our words is especially important in vulnerable situations. A good acronym to remember is HALT. Be especially slow to speak when Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. We are particularly prone to sinning with our mouths in those times.

4. To be consistent with our words, we must decide to only speak gracious words.

Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.” “Grace” means “unmerited favor.” Therefore, to be gracious in our words means always speaking loving things to people, even when they don’t deserve it. It means that even though they deserve our wrath, we give them God’s favor. We bless and do not curse. Ephesians 4:29 says, “You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.” With that said, speaking gracious words doesn’t mean we never correct sin. That is often the most gracious thing we can do, as long as it is spoken in a loving and wise manner (cf. Eph 4:15, Prov 5:1).

Who is God calling you to speak gracious words to—encouraging words about their personality, spiritual gifts, hard work, and calling? Our words should be like water that refreshes someone and fruit that strengthens them. We should constantly seek to shower people with encouraging words that edify them. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy.” We should be people that constantly bring joy to others.

To control our tongues, we must aim for consistency. An apple tree doesn’t produce figs. Likewise, our lips should not produce unwholesome fruit.

Application Question: What are some other tips to help our words be more consistent—reflecting God’s righteousness?

Conclusion

It is clear that the Jewish Christians James wrote to were struggling with their language and that the pattern of their language might have demonstrated a deeper spiritual problem in their lives—a lack of true saving faith (cf. Jam 2:14-26). James warned about this earlier in the letter. In James 1:26, he said, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.” Controlling our tongues is a proof of being born again and having a new nature. Therefore, James challenges them, and us, to live in accordance with our professed faith, lest our unbridled tongues destroy our lives and others.

To Control the Tongue, We Must Recognize that God Will Judge Our Words
To Control the Tongue, We Must Recognize Its Power to Direct Lives
To Control the Tongue, We Must Recognize Its Destructive Nature
To Control the Tongue, We Must Recognize that It Is Humanly Uncontrollable
To Control the Tongue, We Must Have the Right Goal—Consistency

Prayer Prompts

Pray for forgiveness for the sins of our lips—complaining, bitterness, criticism, coarse joking, boasting, lying, and any other words that dishonor God and hurt others.
Pray that others might forgive our failures and that we might have full reconciliation with them.
Pray for God to anoint our lips to praise and honor God in all circumstances, to speak with wisdom to help others, and to declare God’s truths, including the gospel, with boldness.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Accessed 3/4/20, from https://www.definitions.net/definition/rabbi

^² Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (p. 126). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

³ Points modified from Bruce Goettsche’s sermon, accessed 3/4/20, from http://www.unionchurch.com/archive/092108.html

⁴ Accessed 3/4/20, from http://www.unionchurch.com/archive/092108.html

Related Topics: Christian Life

13. God’s Wisdom or the World’s Wisdom? A Test of Faith (James 3:13-18)

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Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical. And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.

James 3:13-18 (NET)

In the book of James, the apostle has been putting the faith of believers on trial. His premise is that true faith always produces good works, and faith that doesn’t produce good works isn’t genuine. In fact, in both James 2:17 and 26, he declares that faith without works is dead. In James 1:12, he taught that true faith endures trials. He says, “Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.” Instead of ultimately turning away from God and his church in trials, truth faith remains faithful to the Lord and will be rewarded. In James 1:22, he teaches that true faith obeys God’s Word instead of simply listening to it. He says, “But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” A faith that doesn’t obey God’s Word is deceived. In James 1:26, he teaches that true faith restrains the tongue. He says, ^“If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.” He then re-emphasizes that in James 3:1-12, as he teaches about the power of the tongue to destroy. It’s apparent that these Jewish Christians were tearing each other apart with their words, which is why James mentions the tongue in every chapter of his book. In James 1:27, he teaches that true faith cares for the vulnerable, instead of practicing partiality and prejudice. He says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James re-emphasizes this in James 2:1-13 as he challenged the believers to not honor the rich and dishonor the poor, lest they be judged by God.

Now in James 3:13-18, James argues that true faith lives by God’s wisdom instead of secular, worldly wisdom. He describes how God’s wisdom is from above (3:17) and how worldly wisdom is earthly, natural, and demonic (3:15). The wisdom we live by tells us who we are truly following—God or the world. It is apparent that many amongst these Jewish Christians, instead of living by God’s wisdom, were living by secular wisdom, which was causing great conflict in their communities. Some had even been murdered because of the conflict (4:2).

Worldly wisdom teaches warped views on what beauty, success, marriage, parenting, sexuality, and morality are. If followed, this wisdom always leads to evil and disorder, as James 3:17 teaches. Worldly wisdom and God’s wisdom are virtual opposites and have opposite fruits.

In James 3:13-18, James compares and contrasts the fruits of God’s wisdom and worldly wisdom so the Jewish Christians could test their faith and see what and who they were really following. The wisdom that we live by is a test of the genuineness of our faith. It demonstrates whether we simply listen to God’s Word and are deceived about our faith or whether we actually practice it and consequently have genuine faith (Jam 1:22). Therefore, as we go through James’ list of fruits, we must ask ourselves, “Which fruits are we manifesting?” and “What do they say about the wisdom we are living by and therefore our faith?”

Big Question: What are the fruits of God’s wisdom and worldly wisdom?

The Fruits of God’s Wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings … But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical. And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.

James 3:13, 17-18

When James says, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” (Jam 3:13), he may be referring specifically to those who were claiming to be teachers in James 3:1. In the Greek, “wise” was a technical term used for a rabbi or teacher.^¹ Apparently, they were claiming to have great wisdom and understanding, but their lives did not reflect that. Though James might have been specifically talking to the teachers, the lessons on wisdom certainly applied to all. In fact, many of the fruits of God’s wisdom are reflected in the Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-10) which are characteristics of those in God’s kingdom—those who are truly saved (cf. Matt 5:3 and 10). Since James commonly refers to the Sermon on the Mount throughout the letter (at least twenty-one times ^²), no doubt, he had the Beatitudes in mind throughout this list, as tests of true faith.

Observation Question: What are the fruits of godly wisdom?

1. God’s wisdom leads to good works (v. 13).

James said, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings.” For James, wisdom, like faith, was not simply intellectual. Those with true faith and true wisdom live it out. Therefore, those with godly wisdom demonstrate it in every area of life: their work habits, response to conflict, how they treat their family and friends, and how they live out their faith amongst unbelievers. Consequently, we must ask ourselves, “Is God’s wisdom being displayed in all of our conduct? Or is it compartmentalized to Sunday service and weekly Bible study?”

2. God’s wisdom leads to gentleness (v. 13).

The Greek word is hard to translate into English. It is often translated “humility” or “meekness.” It’s the same word used in the Matthew 5:5 beatitude, “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.” This word does not refer to weakness, but strength under control. It was used of a wild horse that had been tamed. The horse is powerful, but the power is under a master’s control. For believers, their subdued power is demonstrated in how they now submit to Jesus as Lord of their lives, where before they were like wild horses—in rebellion against God and his will.

This power is especially demonstrated in how one responds when mistreated and when others are mistreated. When Christ was falsely accused before going to the cross, he said nothing. He didn’t defend himself; he was like a lamb. However, when others were mistreated, he was like a lion. He flipped over tables and kicked people out of the temple (John 2). He used his power at the right time and for the right purposes. Likewise, God’s wisdom guides us on how and when to use this power. We should be gentle when personally offended but fierce when others are hurt and abused.

Is God’s wisdom guiding us to be gentle when personally offended and fierce when others are abused? Are we submitting to the Lord and allowing him to guide our lives?

3. God’s wisdom leads to being pure (v. 17).

When James says, “wisdom from above is first pure,” this means purity is the priority of the wise. The word “pure” means unmixed and free from defilement. It probably focuses on a person’s inner motives, which affects how he or she lives. This reflects the Matthew 5:8 beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” When somebody is living for God and by his wisdom, it provokes them to not only get rid of outward sins like immorality, lying, and cursing but also inward sins like pride, anger, self-condemnation, judgmentalism, and lust. Second Corinthians 7:1 says, “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God.” Is our priority being holy in our thoughts and actions so that we can please God? If not, then we are not living by God’s wisdom. Those who are truly wise focus on becoming pure (in body and spirit), and because of that they see and experience more of God in their daily lives (Matt 5:8).

4. God’s wisdom leads to being peaceable (v. 17).

This word can also be translated “peace-loving” (NIV). It reflects the Matthew 5:9 beatitude, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” God’s wisdom leads believers to passionately pursue the restoration of people’s relationships with God. For the truly wise, if their friends and family are unbelievers, they prayerfully share the gospel with them. If they are believers who are falling away from God, then they prayerfully offer correction. For the wise, if people in their community are in discord, they prayerfully help with restoration. The wise are peace-loving. They love it when others are walking with the Lord and with one another.

Are we demonstrating God’s wisdom in our lives by being peace-loving? Unfortunately, some infected by worldly wisdom actually enjoy gossip, discord, and fighting. It’s a sign of spiritual unhealth and possibly not being redeemed at all.

5. God’s wisdom leads to being gentle (v. 17).

This is another difficult word to translate in English. It is different from the one translated “gentleness” in verse 13. It can also be translated “considerate, agreeableness, courtesy, reasonableness, kindly, or forbearance.” This means instead of being harsh with others, who actually deserve it, one commonly responds with gentleness, patience, and mercy. The best way to translate this word may be “forbearance.” God is gentle with us when we fail, and the person following God’s wisdom commonly is the same way with people who fail him or her. Are we gently bearing the failings of those around us, including our friends and family? Or are we harsh, unforgiving, and even retaliatory?

6. God’s wisdom leads to being accommodating (v. 17).

This word can also be translated “submissive” or “reasonable.” Instead of being one that always wants to argue and prove that they are right, God’s wisdom leads people to be teachable, willing to listen and change when proved wrong. Proverbs 9:8 (NIV) says, “Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.” Are we stubborn in our friendships, church relationships, or even marriages? Some people can’t be told anything because they think they already know everything. However, the truly wise person realizes that he or she doesn’t know much at all and, therefore, is willing to learn and be corrected. God’s wisdom leads us to be reasonable, not stubborn. If we are stubborn and slow to listen to others, we reflect worldly, selfish wisdom—not God’s.

7. God’s wisdom leads to being full of mercy and good fruit (v. 17).

Since God is merciful, reaching out to save the lost, forgiving their sins, and having a special affection for the poor and vulnerable, those endowed with God’s wisdom will do the same. Instead of holding grudges, God’s wisdom leads them to forgive others as Christ forgave them (Eph 4:32). God’s wisdom also leads to caring for the most vulnerable. Again, James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” This characteristic reflects the Matthew 5:7 beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy.”

Being merciful means three things: (1) We must see the needs of those around us. This is where a lot of us fail; we simply don’t recognize the problems around us because we’re so focused on ourselves. (2) We must feel their pain. Certainly, this is a grace that only God can give. We often experience others’ pain when, instead of being detached, we get involved in their lives. (3) Finally, we must act to relieve their pain. Biblically, mercy is not just seeing and empathizing, it is compassion in action.

Are the good fruits of mercy abounding in our lives? The fruits of mercy prove that we are being guided by God’s wisdom and therefore have true faith (cf. Jam 1:27).

8. God’s wisdom leads to being impartial (v. 17).

This means one treats everybody equally—the poor, rich, young, old, the beautiful, the less attractive, the athletic, the unathletic, and those from different ethnic backgrounds. When the world exalts one and dishonors another, God’s wisdom leads us to believe that all people are made in the image of God to reflect his glory, and therefore each person has great dignity and purpose. Are we partial like the world—honoring the rich, educated, the young, and healthy—or are we impartial like God?

In addition, it should be noted that this word can also be translated “unwavering” as in the NASB. In this case, it might reflect being consistent in our relationship with God—not changing with the winds of opinion or circumstances. We believe God’s Word and are committed to it, instead of being inconsistent—up and down—in our spiritual lives.

9. God’s wisdom leads to not being hypocritical (v. 17).

This word can also be translated “sincere.” The word has the sense of not wearing a mask or playing a part in a play. It means to be “undisguised.”³ Actors perform in a play to receive applause. Unfortunately, many Christians do their Christian works for this purpose. Like the Pharisees, their giving, praying, fasting, prayer requests, and testimonies are broadcasted for others to see and think well of them (cf. Matt 6:1-5), instead of focusing on God’s approval. This is worldly wisdom and not God’s. Those guided by God’s wisdom focus on an audience of one. Their profession is genuine. Their life on Sunday is the same on Monday. They are sincere instead of hypocritical.

10. God’s wisdom leads to patiently laboring like a farmer for righteousness and peace (v. 18).

In James 3:18, James seems to give a summary statement regarding the characteristics of God’s wisdom. ^⁴ It says, “And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.” “Fruit that consists of righteousness” can also be translated “harvest of righteousness.” Though hard to translate and interpret, James’ point can’t be missed: Righteousness and peace don’t happen by accident in a family, church, workplace, or nation. It must be patiently labored for just like a farmer works for a harvest. Worldly wisdom naturally leads to sin and discord in our communities. Sin and discord are actually the default setting, so we shouldn’t be surprised when they arise. To have peace and righteousness in our relationships, believers must faithfully sow patience, impartiality, endurance, mercy, and other good works, even in the midst of seeming chaos.

As God’s peacemakers, we must understand this: Our world’s greatest needs are righteousness and peace, and as those with God’s wisdom, we are the ones who sow them as we bring Christ into every situation. We must remember this verse in our ministry to others, especially when we feel discouraged: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9 NIV).

Are we patiently laboring for righteousness and peace in the spheres God has placed us, especially in seasons of hopelessness, fear, difficulty, and conflict? This is what God’s wisdom leads us to.

Application Question: Which characteristic of God’s wisdom stood out most to you and why? Which one do you feel God wants you to prioritize and cultivate in this current season of life?

The Fruits of the World’s Wisdom

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.

James 3:14-16

James also describes the fruits of secular, worldly wisdom so the Jewish Christians could consider if that was guiding their hearts instead of God’s wisdom.

Observation Question: What are the fruits of worldly wisdom?

1. Worldly wisdom leads to bitter jealousy (v. 14).

“Bitter jealousy” can also be translated “bitter envy.” The word “bitter” means “pointed” or “sharp.” James seems to be referring to the worst type of jealousy and envy—the kind that is harsh, destructive, and doesn’t care for the feelings or welfare of its objects.^⁵

As mentioned, this challenge was probably especially pointed at those proclaiming themselves as teachers. Pastors and ministers have a tendency to be prone to this: They are envious of the size of others’ ministries, churches, or spiritual platforms. Sometimes they are even secretly happy when others fail or go through difficulties (cf. Phil 1:15-17). But this is not just at times true of those in ministry but other believers as well.

Envy and jealousy typically arise when we are comparing ourselves with others—what they have and what we don’t have. In fact, social media has made us more prone to this. People typically only post online about the good things happening in their lives and rarely about the mundane or bad things. When looking at a friend’s feed, people think, “Wow! God is really blessing them! Why isn’t he blessing me?” “That’s not fair!” “He’s not that good!” or “I’m better!” While considering others’ successes, seeds of envy are often sown into our hearts. In fact, studies show that people who spend a lot of time on social media have higher rates of depression.⁶ This is not just a problem in recent times, it was a problem in the early church, even without social media. In 2 Corinthians 10:12b, Paul said this about the self-proclaimed teachers in those congregations, “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

Worldly wisdom commonly leads to comparing, resulting in depression and discouragement for some, and leading others to pride and judgmentalism. This worldly wisdom is not wisdom at all; it is fleshly, foolishness. It leads people to constantly try to outdo each other by the schools they go to, the cars they drive, the places they live, and their accomplishments. It even leads to stepping over and harming others to get what one wants. It’s this harsh and destructive envy, produced by worldly wisdom, which causes fights and wars amongst friends, family, communities, and nations. We must be careful that this demonic wisdom is not in us.

2. Worldly wisdom is characterized by selfishness (v. 14).

The Greek word for “selfishness,” also translated “selfish ambition” (NIV), was associated with those who sought political office or positions of influence and power. It is characterized by people who want personal fulfilment and gratification at any cost, even if it means hurting others in the process.^⁷ No doubt, this began in the Garden of Eden when Eve was tempted to eat of the forbidden fruit to be “like God.” It was manifest when the people building the Tower of Babel disobeyed God by choosing to not “fill” the earth (cf. Gen 9:1) but instead to stay in one place and make their names great (Gen 11:4). This is the ethos in humanity today that often guides every decision: “What’s in it for me?” people selfishly ask. The career they choose, who they associate with, who they marry, the political party they vote for are all often guided by self-centered motives, instead of God-centered and others-centered motives.

In Philippians 2:3-5, Paul challenged the Philippians who were struggling with selfish attitudes and the discord that came from them by saying this:

Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well. You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had

Christ did not come to the earth for his benefit, he came to serve God and others. Mark 10:45 says, ^“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” This selfless attitude, produced by godly wisdom, should guide believers. In a world driven by selfishness, we should be driven to seek the good of others over ourselves, even as our Savior did.

3. Worldly wisdom is characterized by deception (v. 14).

James said, “do not boast and tell lies against the truth.” This can also be translated, “do not boast about it or deny the truth” (NIV).

Interpretation Question: What does “tell lies against the truth” or “deny the truth” refer to?

Some believe lying against the truth or denying the truth simply means that these people had never truly accepted the truth of the gospel and therefore were not saved.^⁸

James 1:18 says that God gave us birth through the “truth,” in referring to the gospel. Also, James 5:19-20 says,

My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

In James 5:19, “truth” seems to refer to the gospel as well, since not wandering from it would save a person’s soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

If James is referring to the gospel in James 3:14, then he is basically saying that those guided by worldly wisdom are deceived about their faith. It’s not real. They are lying against the truth by proclaiming to be a follower of Christ but living for the world. James will explicitly say this in James 4:4, when he says, “friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.” There is no in-between (cf. 1 John 2:15).

However, others believe James is simply saying that those who profess to be wise are deceived about what true wisdom is.

Maybe, they were saying that their selfish, partisan spirit was of God, as they boasted in their doctrine or wealth. They didn’t understand that the fruits of godly wisdom are not envy and selfishness but humility and selflessness. They were denying the truth about what true wisdom is by professing to be wise but living like fools.

Either way, those who live by the world’s wisdom are deceived. They think they are living wisely, when, in fact, they are not. James 3:15 says the source of this wisdom is the earth not heaven; it is natural coming from the flesh not the Spirit, and ultimately it is demonic. Satan is the ruler of this world, and he uses this evil system and its ways to lead people away from God and his purposes for their lives. The world and those who live by its principles are deceived.

4. Worldly wisdom leads to disorder and evil practice (v. 16).

James says the fruit of envy and selfish ambition are “disorder and every evil practice.” He gives broad categories for all types of evil. As detailed by John MacArthur, they at least include: “anger; bitterness; resentment; lawsuits; divorce; racial, ethnic, social, and economic divisions; and a host of other personal and social disorders. They also include the absence of love, intimacy, trust, fellowship, and harmony.”^⁹

James essentially challenges these Jewish brothers and sisters to look around at their lives and their congregations to consider the fruit. Envy, selfish ambition, disorder, and evil are not of God. Paul said the same thing to the Corinthian Christians who were having chaotic worship services: “for God is not characterized by disorder but by peace” (1 Cor 14:33). Likewise, the division and evil amongst these Jewish Christians should have made it clear that they were not being guided by God but by the world and Satan. As mentioned, some in those congregations had even committed murder (Jam 4:2)—every evil practice was surely manifesting amongst them.

Unfortunately, the evil that worldly wisdom produces is often in our churches as well—pushing believers and unbelievers away from them. The fruits of worldly wisdom are unmistakable and destructive.

Application Question: How have you seen or experienced the results of worldly wisdom in the church (envy, selfish ambition, disorder, and every evil practice)? How have the evil results of worldly wisdom affected the witness of the church—both to the world and other believers? Why is it so common for believers and churches to demonstrate much of these negative fruits?

Growing in God’s Wisdom

How do we grow in God’s wisdom so we won’t have the disastrous fruits of worldly wisdom manifesting in our lives, families, and communities?

1. To grow in God’s wisdom, we must first be saved.

At salvation, there is a break in allegiance. One goes from following self and the world to following God. This allegiance is not perfect, but it is progressive. There should be a change in the life of a true believer. That’s why John can say, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Also, when we are born again, God gives us wisdom personified in Christ, who resides in us. First Corinthians 1:24 says, “But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” First Corinthians 1:30 says, “He [God] is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Also, Colossians 2:2b-3 describes Christ this way, “… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Certainly, some amongst these Jewish Christians needed to recognize they weren’t living by God’s wisdom at all. There had never been a break from the world in their lives, and they needed to truly begin to follow Christ (cf. Jam 4:7-10). If we have Christ in us, we have God’s wisdom. If Christ is truly our Lord, as we daily seek him, he will guide us. Are we truly following Christ—the wisdom of God?

2. To grow in God’s wisdom, we must fear God.

Proverbs 9:10 says, “The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord.” What does it mean to fear the Lord? (1) It means to fear his displeasure, not wanting to break God’s heart by practicing sin. (2) It means to fear his discipline, as God promises to discipline his children to help them grow in holiness. Hebrews 12:6 says, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.” Fearing God’s spankings will keep believers on right paths. (3) Fearing the Lord also means to stand in awe and reverent worship of him. When we truly know how awesome God is—how special his pleasure and blessing are—we will want to run away from anything that dims our view of his glory. Are we fearing God as we should? It’s the beginning of living a wise life.

3. To grow in God’s wisdom, we must study God’s Word.

Psalm 119:97-100 says,

O how I love your law! All day long I meditate on it. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for I am always aware of them. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your rules. I am more discerning than those older than I, for I observe your precepts.

Studying God’s Word makes us wise. When we neglect it, we spiritually impoverish ourselves.

4. To grow in God’s wisdom, we must pray.

James 1:5 says, “But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.” “Ask” is in the present tense, which means often we’ll have to ask and keep asking. Many of us have been praying for God’s direction for a specific situation for a while. Don’t give up! We have to keep praying, for God gives wisdom to those who continually ask for it. No doubt, part of James’ intention through this section on true wisdom was to confront the Jewish Christians with their need to faithfully pray.

5. To grow in God’s wisdom, we must be humble enough to seek it from others and with others.

Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Pride leads us to independence—independence from God and others. When we’re prideful, we don’t feel like we need assistance. We can figure things out on our own. But the reality is, God has allowed many before us to experience what we’re currently going through, so they can offer us his wisdom (cf. 2 Cor 1:3-6). God made his church a body—with hands, feet, eyes, and legs (1 Cor 12). If we’re independent from the body, we’ll miss much of God’s wisdom to conquer sin, persevere in trials, and grow in kingdom effectiveness.

To grow in wisdom, we must be humble. Humble people seek the counsel and prayers of others. Are we allowing God to speak to us through his body? Or are we too independent?

Application Question: Which point about growing in God’s wisdom stood out most to you and why? How is God challenging you to grow in wisdom and live it out? What members of the body of Christ do you regularly consult in order to help discern God’s wisdom for your life and others’?

Conclusion

The believers that James wrote to claimed to be living by God’s wisdom, but in reality, many were living by worldly wisdom. They were envious of others and totally focused on their own success. This caused great discord and evil in their personal lives and in their communities. Unfortunately, it appears that the spiritual leaders were the prime culprits of this secular wisdom, even as the Pharisees were before them. This led to it spreading throughout their spiritual communities like cancer. James with pastoral care and precision tries to root out the disease before it destroys the flock. He essentially says, “We can’t live by God’s wisdom and the world’s wisdom. We must choose!” The wisdom guiding us speaks to us about our faith—whether it is genuine or false. It reveals who is Lord of our lives, God or the world. Likewise, as we consider the fruits of these two wisdoms, we must ask ourselves, “What wisdom are we living by—God’s or the world’s?” and “How is God calling us to make changes?”

Prayer Prompts

Pray for God to deliver us and our communities from worldly wisdom and its poisonous fruits—bitter envy, selfish ambition, evil, and disorder.
Pray for God to fill us with supernatural wisdom to lead impactful lives that sow peace and righteousness into family, friends, and communities.
Pray especially for God to give our leaders wisdom to guide his people in peace and righteousness—our pastors, educators, business leaders, and government officials.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

^¹ Guzik, D. (2013). James (Jas 3:13). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

^² MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 2). Chicago: Moody Press.

³ Accessed 3/21/20 from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g505

^⁴ Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (p. 161). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

^⁵ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 171). Chicago: Moody Press.

⁶ Accessed 3/20/20, from https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/

^⁷ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 171). Chicago: Moody Press.

^⁸ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 172). Chicago: Moody Press.

^⁹ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 175). Chicago: Moody Press.

Related Topics: Christian Life

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4. Conquering Temptation (James 1:13-15)

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Resist the Urge to Blame Others

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Our Depraved Nature

1. At the cross, the power of our sin nature was broken.

2. In addition, at salvation, God gave us a new nature, which is empowered by God’s Spirit, to fight against our sinful inclinations.

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Its Course and Abandon It

1. Temptation begins with “deception.”

2. Deception aims to cultivate evil “desires.”

3. Evil desires lead to “disobedience.”

4. Disobedience leads to “death.”

Applications

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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From the series: The Bible Teacher’s Guide, James: Developing A Faith That Works PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

5. How to Not Be Deceived While in Trials (James 1:16-18)

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize the Nature of God’s Gifts

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Know God’s Character

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize God as Our Father

1. The new birth begins with God’s decision—not people’s.

2. The new birth happens through the gospel.

3. The new birth is meant to glorify God through a redeemed remnant.

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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From the series: The Bible Teacher’s Guide, James: Developing A Faith That Works PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

6. How to Grow in Spiritual Maturity (James 1:19-21)

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Quick to Listen

1. Believers should be quick to listen to God’s Word.

2. Believers should be quick to listen to others.

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Speak

1. Believers should be slow to speak when listening to God’s Word.

2. Believers should be slow to speak when teaching or counseling others according to God’s Word.

3. Believers should be slow to speak in regular conversations.

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Anger

1. Believers should be slow to anger when hearing God’s Word.

2. Believers should be slow to anger in relationships.

3. Believers should be righteously angry.

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Joyfully Receive God’s Word

1. We joyfully receive God’s Word by getting rid of all sin.

2. We joyfully receive God’s Word by humbly submitting to it.

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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From the series: The Bible Teacher’s Guide, James: Developing A Faith That Works PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

7. Evidences of True Saving Faith Pt. 1 (James 1:22-25)

Those with True Faith Diligently Study God’s Word and Persevere in Doing So

The Necessity of Continuing in Scripture

Those with True Faith Obey God’s Word

1. This person forgets God’s Word because it’s not a priority.

2. This person possibly forgets God’s Word because of accepting false doctrine.

3. This person probably forgets God’s Word because of lack of study.

1. God blesses the obedient by giving them more understanding of God’s Word.

2. God blesses the obedient with favor over various areas of their life.

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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From the series: The Bible Teacher’s Guide, James: Developing A Faith That Works PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

8. Evidences of True Saving Faith Pt. 2 (James 1:26-27)

Those with True Faith Restrain Their Tongues

Those with True Faith Serve Others (Especially the Needy)

Those with True Faith Practice Holiness

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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From the series: The Bible Teacher’s Guide, James: Developing A Faith That Works PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

9. Why Prejudice Is Incompatible with the Christian Faith Pt 1 (James 2:1-7)

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Is an Ungodly, Worldly Practice

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because Our Glorious Lord Was Likewise Misjudged

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Makes Us Unjust, Evil Judges

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because God Has Elected the Poor

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Honors Those Who Dishonor God and His People

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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From the series: The Bible Teacher’s Guide, James: Developing A Faith That Works PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

10. Why Prejudice Is Incompatible with the Christian Faith Pt. 2 (James 2:8-13)

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Breaks God’s Law of Loving Our Neighbors