Explore the Bible Lesson Preview July 26, 2009 "How Genuine Are You" Background & Lesson James 1:19-27 Motivation: James continues his teaching on practical Christianity by emphasizing outward behavior to confirm inward transformation. Special mention is given to demonstrating mercy toward those less fortunate. Examination: I. Welcoming God's Word (19-21) A. Self Control - "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be..." (19) 1. "Swift to hear" or "quick to listen" - God gave us two ears and only one mouth. 2. "Slow to Speak" - How many times have you heard someone lament "I spoke without thinking; or I spoke out of turn." Rarely are we sorry for something we did not say in haste. (Prov. 17:28) 3. "Slow to wrath" - "For the wrath of man does not produce the 1 / 9
righteousness of God" (19b - 20) Anger usually occurs when reality falls short of our expectations; the Bible repeatedly warns about acting in anger because it publicly displays a lack of trust in God. (2 Cor. 12:20; Eph. 4:26, 31; Col. 3:8; 1 Tim. 2:8) B. Separation "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness..." (21) The word picture of "lay aside" is that of taking off old or dirty clothing. It is a conscious effort of self-examination, confession and repentance (1 John 1:8-10; Eph. 4:24-32). C. Sanctification "...and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (21b) God's Word will change us if we receive it humbly and are willing to apply it (John 17:17) His Word bears temporal fruit and eternal security. II. Practicing God's Word (22-25) "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only..." (22) America has more & quot;hearers" of the Word of God than ever before! Christians can read, hear, log-on, tune-in, and attend Bible studies every day of the week. Yet, surveys of North American Christians show little evidence of an increased number of "doers." A Barna Research Report showed that tithing among responders who called themselves "born again" actually dropped 58% from a similar survey one year earlier. Other such surveys show that church attendance, which spiked following 9-11-01, has declined in America since that time. 2 / 9
"Born again" respondents to surveys regularly say that they lie, cheat and commit sexual sin; many see truth as subjective, depending on the circumstance, i.e. what might be wrong for one person would be OK for another. God's Word provides a standard for behavior (Heb. 13:8). James' example is of a mirror. It does one no good to look in a mirror if he/she doesn't plan to change anything (vs. 23-25). A special "blessing" is promised for those who are not only "hearers" but also "doers". Our entire church model of Gathering, Growing and Giving is predicated on the principle that hearers will become doers (John 15:14). A. Hearers Only 1. Deceived "deceiving yourselves" (22). It's possible for a person to sit in church for a lifetime without being saved. One cannot be saved without being changed (2 Cor. 5:17). While salvation is entirely by God's grace, life transformation results from (obedience) and results in (application), being a doer of the Word. While a person may feel that he/she is deceiving the preacher or congregation, in the end it is self-deception. 3 / 9
2. Forgetful "forgets what kind of man he was" (24) - God's Word is compared to a mirror. If one looks in a mirror and sees food on his face, the logical response is to clean it off. The mirror cannot fix the mess but it can reveal it. Hearing God's Word alone, whether in church or in Sunday Bible Study class, will not clean up the mess in one's life. A hearer must be a doer by trusting God's Holy Spirit to interpret the Word and empower one's life through transformation. B. Hearers and Doers "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." (25) 1. Student "looks into the perfect law of liberty" - Having just studied Galatian s, we might consider "perfect law" an oxymoron. Didn't Paul call the law "a curse" (Gal. 3:10)? Yet, James calls it "liberty." God's law (as opposed to man-made rules) gives a Christian a framework for growth in which he/she can be free to pursue the passions God has placed in his/her heart. As students of the Word, we need to "look into" it. 2. Blessed "this one will be blessed in what he does." Blessing has been 4 / 9
defined as supernatural capacity. With God's blessing, you will be able to do more than one would humanly expect. Living by the perfect law of liberty creates supernatural capacity for God's work. III. Applying God's Word (26-27) "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." Believer's Study Bible, p. 1759: 1:26-27 "In keeping with the author's emphasis upon genuine faith and its consequent good works, James defines pure religion in terms of one's ability: (1) to control his tongue; (2) to perform ministry to those in need, i.e. to orphans and widow; and (3) to strive after and achieve moral purity. This is not intended to describe the full essence of the Christian faith. Indeed James will go on to address Christina virtues of avoiding partiality, providing for the physical needs of a fellow believer, devoting oneself to God and rejecting worldly enticements, handling financial resources correctly, and cultivating consistency and fervency in prayer. These verses are an affirmation of the nature of Christian ministry and the moral posture which inevitably results from faith." A. Useless Religion "If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless" (26) James has more to say about the tongue in 3:2-12. (Matt. 5:20) The phrase "thi nks he is religious" reminds us of the self deception of verse 22. 5 / 9
Billy Graham has stated again and again that he believes a majority of church attenders in America may, in fact, be unsaved. If that is the case, then massive self-deception is taking place. Many people think they are religious, when they are not. James provides a couple of tests for "useless" religion : 1. Unrestrained speech "Does not bridle his tongue:" The playground rhyme "sticks and stones" concludes "but words will never hurt me." It's a cute rhyme but poor theology. Proverbs contains verse after verse about the destructive powers of unrestrained speech (6:17, 10:19, 10:31, 12:18-19, 15:2, 4, 17:4, 18:21, 21:23, 26:28). Among the fruits of the flesh listed by Paul are discord, jealousy, fits of rage, dissensions and factions (Gal. 5:20). In 2 Corinthians, Paul fears he will find "quarrelling, jealousy, outburst of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder" (12:20 NIV). All of these sins seem to be associated with an unrestrained tongue. 2. Deceptive heart "but deceives his own heart:" A person who thinks he is religious is practicing self-deception which begins in the heart. This becomes an insidious problem for God's church. People join the church, attend regularly, and honestly think they are among the redeemed. However, if they've never experienced life transformation through the power of God's Holy Spirit, they are as lost as the most vile sinner on earth. One preacher described it as being inoculated against a case of the real thing. 6 / 9
B. Undefiled Religion "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (27). On the other hand, James provides a couple of symptoms of true religion: 1. Service with no thought of gain "to look after orphans and widows in their distress" (27a) Widows and orphans were extremely vulnerable and often helpless in ancient societies. They often literally had no means to pay anyone back. Pure religion has a "giving" attitude (John 3:16) with no thought of repayment. 2. Lifestyle with no thought of compromise "unspotted from the world." If we are the sheep of His pasture (John 10:9), then we should not wallow in sin like hogs. I John has much to say about Christians and sin (1:7-10, 2:1, 3:3-9, 5:16-18). James is not teaching sinless perfection; however, he is saying that true religion creates a desire to remain "unspotted." Application: 1. God's Words transforms us if we "hear" and "do." 2. A deceptive heart results in useless religion. 7 / 9
3. True religion results in unmerited service and a desire to remain morally clean. Leader Pack Item 16: Poster: Lesson Outline; Biblical Illustrator: p. 70: "Mirrors" Notes: **You may access David's Lesson Preview in MP3 format at: www.hfbcbiblestudy.org ; Dates: 6/4-8/6 - Metro Bible Study, WC; 7/29 - Another Midsummer Night's Thing; 7/30 - Kin dercamp; 8/7-8 - Rushapaloosa; 8/23 - SBS Promotion and Start New Church Schedule; 8/28-29 - LivingProof Simulcast; 8/30 - Gregg's 5 th Anniversary; 8/26-11/18 - Fall Midlink; 9/6 - Labor Day Weekend - Normal schedule ; 9/8-11/17 - LivingProof Bible Study; 10/2-3 - Men's Retreat; 10/31 - First Fest - CLC; 11/1 - Time Change Sunday; 8 / 9
11/7 - Breakaway Ministries Event; 11/11 - FBA Veteran's Day Service; 11/20 - FBA Grandparents & Friends Day; 11/29 - Thanksgiving Weekend - (No SBS) - normal worship sched.; 12/5 - Christmas Store; 12/11-13 - Christmas Production; 12/17 - FBA Primary & Lower School Christmas Plays; 12/19 - Candycane Lane; 12/27 - Christmas Weekend (No SBS) - normal worship Schedule. 9 / 9