Receiving the Word

Transcript

GR 1644
06/17/2012
Receiving the Word
James 1:19-21
Gil Rugh

We’re in the book of James together. James, probably the first of the New Testament letters that were written. James is writing to Jewish believers. Those believers from the twelve tribes who are in the Diaspora, scattered outside the land of Israel. He’s got a variety of things he wants to say to them woven together. Sometimes he seems like he goes from one subject to another, but he’s concerned about their behavior as believers. He’s concerned that true believers will manifest a change in the way they live. He started out by talking about trials. Nobody likes trials, nobody likes the unpleasant things that come into their lives. But for a believer, we look at it through a different lens. We see it as part of God’s plan. To mold us, to shape us, to bring us to further maturity in Christ. So we can appreciate the good things that God is doing, even though they’re bringing pain to our lives. We are encouraged to come to God for wisdom, for whatever we need, in whatever situation. Come and seek the wisdom from God, in verse 5 and following. We have to be living by faith. We were saved by faith, now we are to walk by faith. Salvation is not a matter of believing in Christ, and there, that’s the faith we have. Salvation is by faith, but that’s the beginning of a life of the unfolding of our salvation. It is to live the same way we entered into the salvation. By faith. So we would say our salvation, our initial justification, as well as our sanctification, it is by faith. Paul made that point strongly when he wrote to the Galatians. In this, he warned both the poor man, and the rich man to have the right perspective. The poor man shouldn’t see himself as beaten down with nothing. He can glory in the riches he has in Christ. The rich man can’t be proud and arrogant of the material things he has because what he really has of value is what he has in Christ. It’s humbling for the rich man, but it’s exalting for the poor man.
Then we came back to pick up, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial,” in verse 12. Because the end of the trial is not to see if we can be destroyed, but to refine us so that we stand approved and acceptable in the sight of God, and He will give us the Crown of Life. A reminder, when we’re under the pressures of trials, God is never working to lead us into sin. Sin is never part of God’s plan for us as His people. He is never involved in moving. He brings trials into our lives, but not that we might fail and sin. So that we might grow and demonstrate our trust in Him. A reminder in verse 17. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Point is, there is no change with God. Remember in Hebrews, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. So God doesn’t change in that sense. He’s always going to give us good things. Every good act of giving, every perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights who never changes. There’s no variation of shadow caused by change. Greatest example of his gift? Our salvation. In the exercise of His will, He brought us forth. Emphasis on this, this is the action of God. How could we not appreciate the depth of God’s love for us? It was in the exercise of His will. He brought us forth by the word of truth. So that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. That’s true, as Paul would write to these Jewish believers. Saved, perhaps on the day of Pentecost. Their testimony. And James couldn’t know the breadth of what he was writing here. But he knew that up to this point, that these Jews were the first fruits of the assurance of the coming harvest. Little did he know, two thousand years later, people all over the world would be responding to the grace of God and experiencing the salvation of God.
Verse 19 picks up, “This you know, my beloved brethren.” A reminder, I’m not telling you anything new. I realize that. He calls them “my beloved brethren.” He’s going to say some firm things. Things could be taken to be harsh, but they’re said out of a love for them. They are ones that he loves. Verse 16, when he said, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” He’s writing to those that he loves. To those that he sees as fellow members in the family of God, that experience the grace of His salvation that he talked about in verse 18. They are ones that he loves. But he has to say some firm things. So you’ll note, verse 19. “This you know, my beloved brethren.” But he’s concerned about their behavior. Concerned about their action. You get the idea is, James writes to them as these Jewish believers had to have experienced persecution. Remember we talked about, they not only had the persecution of being believers, but they have the persecution of being Jews. They are despised by everyone. They’d be despised by the Gentiles just because they’re Jews. They’re despised by fellow Jews, because they’re believers in Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah. So they have these pressures and trials to go through. He’s concerned about how they behave. He says, “But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” We can’t stop with knowledge. We can take in knowledge, take in knowledge, but God is concerned that it’ll work its way into our lives and be demonstrated in our behavior. It’s not a matter of, could we pass a theological test and do better than someone else.
The matter is, the truth that we’re taking in, shaping us in such a way that we demonstrate the character of God in our lives. He’s going to come back to some of these subjects as the letter moves along. But here he addresses the subject of anger. “Everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Quick to hear, a readiness to hear. In immediate context, he’s been talking about the Word of God. And of course that would be true. But the context here, he’s talking more broadly than that as well. We not only hear and listen to the Word of God, but we are to be a people demonstrating patience, kindness, and thoughtfulness in our conduct in an unbelieving world. We all know something of the embarrassment. I referred to an article earlier in our announcement time. I didn’t read much of the article because the way the pastor spoke, I thought, “That’s not reflective of the way a godly man ought to speak.” So while the position he takes, we might agree with, you don’t want to be associated with him in the taking of the position because he’s not manifesting the kind of attitude and demeanor in the way he handles it.
“Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” You know, James writing to Jews and being very Jewish in his background, remember he was leader in the church in Jerusalem. He seemed to be the lead figure in the Jerusalem council in Acts chapter 15. He draws much from the Old Testament. And some of his things that he’s going to talk about, we’ll go back and look at in the Old Testament in a moment. Slow to speak pictures a person who gives careful consideration to what is going on. He’s listened carefully. You know, some people you talk to, you can’t get a word in edgewise. We’re not to be that way, we need to be careful. In dealing with the world and with unbelievers. Ready to show them what we know and it doesn’t mean I can’t be a good listener with them or hear them out. We’re not talking about listening to dirty jokes or things like that. But in their conversation as they’re expressing themselves, we can hear them, even in their criticism. I can listen to that, hear it, and be respectful of it. Be careful in my speaking. Slow to speak doesn’t mean you drag it out or you’re reluctant. But you’ve given consideration to what they say. We don’t know everything. We’re not right about everything. We know the truth of God. We can see it applying in a situation, but there’s value in me hearing what another person’s position is. Even when I disagree with them.
Slow to anger. There’s two words in Greek for anger, “thumos” and “orge.” The word used here, “orge,” denotes a more settled kind of persistent anger, hostility. We have to be careful, you know, we live in a hostile world. And we have to take a stand for Biblical truth. We have to express our convictions and what the Word of God says. We can’t become wishy-washy. But we don’t translate that over. Part of what I did not read you in that pastor’s statement, “I ain’t never gonna vote for a baby killer or a homosexual lover.” Do you have to express it that way? I summarized it in a nicer way when I referred to the article. Remember Titus says when you’re dealing with unbelievers, remember one time, you were just like them. Don’t get too taken up with how righteous you are. The righteousness we have is by the grace of God. Not because we were better people, less dirty in our sin than they are. So I realize, I can be patient, I can be understanding, even though I don’t agree. No, I have to share with you what God says. So slow to anger. Manifesting the grace of God, the patience of God, the kindness of God.
We can’t be antagonizing the world in the wrong sense. Disappointed, but not surprised. I read articles to you. Does that surprise you where the world is? The scriptures told us that, down through the millennium of time, right? Do we expect the unbeliever to function righteously? No. Are we disappointed to see a more open display of ungodly character and behavior? Yes, but that’s why we’re lights in the midst of darkness, right? God didn’t say we’re lights in the midst of grayness. We’re lights in the midst of darkness. So in that sense, yes, I understand. I’m not here to beat the unbeliever for his sin in that sense. I’m here to tell him about the seriousness of his condition as a rebel against God and the consequences of that. Not because I’m a better person, but because I am a sinner who has experienced the grace of God. And now pass it on to them so that they might have the privilege of hearing and believing.
Now Scripture has much to say and we referred to Proverbs in our earlier study today. Come back to Proverbs. You can see how James is drawing from material that would be very familiar to these Jews. But they’ve become believers, now they need to realize the importance of functioning in light of the truth of God. Perhaps they learned as Jews, even though they did not know the salvation of the God of Israel. It’s important that they be living in light of these truths. Proverbs chapter 10, look at verse 19. “When there are many words, transgression is unavailable. But he who restrains his lips is wise.” Sounds like what James says, doesn’t it? Slow to speak. Shut up! You know, if you talk too much, you’ll get yourself in trouble. So, be slow to speak. “He who restrains his lips is wise.” Look over in chapter 14, verse 29. “He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.” Sounds like what James is saying. Be slow to anger. As an evidence of what? Knowing something of the wisdom of God. I mean, hasn’t God been patient with us? Peter reminded his Jewish readers, the Jewish believers who were reading his letter, that God will not be late. He’s not forgotten His promises. But he’s long-suffering. Patient, not desiring any to perish, but all to come to a knowledge of the truth. We sometimes become impatient with the unbelievers that we have to deal with. We become exasperated with them. Because we told them the Gospel! If you don’t want to believe it, go to Hell. You deserve it! We act like, you had your chance, and now it’s over. Aren’t you glad God was more patient with us? Long-suffering, slow to anger. “He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.” Come over to chapter 29, and obviously there are many verses we can look at in Proverbs on this subject. Proverbs 29, look at verse 11, “A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back.” You know, we have all kinds of excuses for losing our temper. You know, my grandfather had a short temper, my father had a short temper, I had a short temper. Of course! We’re all descendants of Adam. That’s not a surprise. Is that an excuse for me losing my temper? I can’t help it, Lord, the woman you gave me makes me lose my temper. Is that an excuse? My boss at work is impossible! Sometimes I lose my temper, and I can’t lose my temper with him, so when I get home, I lose it with my wife and kids. I feel better then, like I have to get it out. We have all kinds of excuses.
We had a situation that’s in the news recently in our state. In the paper, they’re talking about why would this anger have built in him? Well, it’s building in all unbelievers. It doesn’t come out the same way, thankfully. We make excuses for ourselves like, I shouldn’t have lost my temper, but I was a fool. Because a fool’s the one that always loses his temper, right? Well, I don’t want to say that. I mean, but somebody else at least contributed to me losing my temper. But we as believers never have to. I am relieved to know that no one else can make me sin. I am always accountable for my sin. Now that doesn’t mean that there aren’t times I’m not looking for excuses. But isn’t it nice to know that it’s not someone else who makes us sin? It’s not someone else who makes me lose my temper. I lose it. I shared with you when we were on vacation one time, when Greg was smaller. You know, sometimes men can be impatient. It’s not our fault, men are made this way! And the person in front of me was driving slowly. There’s no excuse for that. So they did it so long, that they drove me to being angry. So I step on the gas, and went out past them. You know, and you do it in such a way that you let them know that they’re an idiot. I get down the road, it gets quiet, and Greg leans up from the back seat and says, “You lost it back there, didn’t you, Dad?” Shut up and sit down! You’re just like your mother! No, I didn’t say that. You know, we think, “Well, I had an excuse. They did it, it was them! They were driving me crazy.”
Believers, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and be slow to anger. Don’t be a fool. While you’re in chapter 29, a verse that’s going to lead into what James has to say next. Jump to verse 22. “An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.” When a person loses their temper, one thing leads to another. Verse 20 would fit in this as well. “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Be slow to speak. You see a man hasty in his words, there is more hope for a fool than him. An angry man stirs up strife, a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression. You’re in Proverbs, come over to Ecclesiastes, just after Proverbs. Ecclesiastes chapter 5, verse 1. “Guard you steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God.” Sometimes people say, we have to have more of a chance for people to express themselves, and I sometimes think of this verse. There’s nothing wrong with listening. We come together to listen to what God has said primarily. We express in our singing, praise, and worship of Him in that way. But the key part of our worship is what? We bow in His presence and listen. It’s not, well, we have this part of our service, that’s our worship part and then we study the Word. We’re here to listen to what God says, right? What’s more important that we do, than hear what God says? “I’d like to tell people what I’m thinking.” Well, we’re here to hear what God says. “For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.” There’s a song that expresses that from this passage. Turn over to Ecclesiastes chapter 7. Look at verse 9. “Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger resides in the bosom of fools.”
Isn’t that amazing how many Christians have excuses for the fact they lose their temper? Because, be honest, we do. It’s easy to lose our temper, and we aren’t even embarrassed to say, “I can’t help it. I lose my temper with my wife. I lose my temper with my husband. I lose my temper with my kids.” And we act like that’s not a sin. You know, if I was saying I committed immorality, or I stole something, that would be bad. But I lose my temper. Everybody loses their temper. I mean, some people just exasperate you. Now wait a minute. I don’t see that God makes that excuse for His people. He’s clear. Fools lose their temper, anger resides in the hearts of fools. I don’t want to say I’m a fool, but here’s what God says. We don’t want to be fools, we want to be wise.
Come over to the New Testament, nothing changes. Ephesians 4, then we’ll make our way back to James. You can leave a marker in Ephesians 4 if you want. We’ll come back to it. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 31. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Summarizes it all doesn’t it? Better to be put away from it. It’s not part of me, I don’t do it anymore. Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander. All these things, gone. Turn over to Colossians chapter 3, verse 8. “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.” No doubt these characterize the world. But they don’t have to characterize us. Doesn’t mean that we’re milquetoast. Jesus, in anger drove money changers from the temple. I’m not saying there’s never a time for the right kind of anger. We know the difference and we need to be careful that we’re functioning consistent with the character of God.
Come back to James chapter 1, verse 20. “For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Our goal is to have the righteousness of God. Not the forensic righteousness, but the righteousness of God that has been credited to us is now to be what? Manifest in us. We who have been declared righteous by God, and been set free from the power and control of sin are to do what? Live righteous lives. Live righteously. “The anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” It doesn’t promote righteousness. We just read Proverbs 29:22 “An angry man stirs up strife. A hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.” Abounds in transgression. How does that fit with righteousness? You’re abounding in offenses against God. Obviously that’s not promoting the righteousness of God that He intends to be manifest in our lives. I’m aware that God manifests anger in the Scripture as Christ did. We go to Revelation and see the wrath of the Lamb. God does display anger through the Old Testament and so on. And our attitude towards sin ought to be an intolerance in that sense. Particularly in our own lives. There’s a time when we stand, and we just have to be careful and not use an excuse for anger, which is sin. That we’re doing this for good motive or good reason.
Verse 21 of James 1. “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness,” He puts anger and the sins of the tongue, not being quick to hear and slow to speak, and when he gets to chapter 3, we’ll get an extensive discussion on the tongue. He puts it all in this category. We’re what? We’re putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness. Anger is part of that. Part of the work of the flesh, not the fruit of the Spirit. It’s gotta go! What would it be if we call our grandkids and say, “Well, what’s it like at home? Does your dad or grandpa lose his temper? Does your mother or grandmother lose their temper? Those kind of things going on in the home?” Well, you know, we don’t usually lose our temper at church. Usually. But we get home? Boom! All of a sudden the lid comes off. This is part of filthiness and what remains of wickedness. You’ll note here, he’s writing to them as believers. There ought not to be any carry over of these things. It doesn’t matter whether my dad had a bad temper or didn’t. It doesn’t matter whether my grandfather had a bad temper or didn’t, these kind of excuses. It doesn’t matter that this happened to me as a child or that happened to me as a child. It’s built anger in me. In Christ, I have been made new, right? Isn’t that the beauty of our salvation? If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, a new creation. So get rid of all that is connected with the old life. All the filthiness, all the overflow of wickedness. And in humility, receive the Word implanted which is able to save your souls. We just have to get rid of some things and respond to others. Filthiness, anything that remains of wickedness is to be set aside. Done away with. So that we can take in the Word.
I told you to keep a marker in Ephesians. If you did that, come back to Ephesians 4. Note the context here that precedes the verse that we read down in verse 31. Picking up with verse 25. And even earlier than that in verse 22, “you lay aside the old self,” “you be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” In verse 24, you “put on the new self,” the new man, “which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” So the right kind of anger, and the right situation. “Do not give the devil an opportunity.” So the transformation, the change that is to come about. We’ve been made new, we are to live as new. Behave as new.
Come over to Colossians chapter 3. Same kind of context. Some of you have studied these books and they’re similar in their content. The letter to the Ephesians and the letter to the Colossians. Colossians chapter 3, he talks about what we once were. The chapter opens up, “You’ve been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Why? You’ve died. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. Verse 5, “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.” That’s the realm in which the unbeliever lives. “And in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.” Same kind of emphasis that Paul gave when he referred to Titus chapter 3. That’s where we once were. Don’t forget it. Otherwise we become selfish and impatient with the unbelieving world around us. You once walked there, you were living in them. “But now you also, put them all aside. Note when he says “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech.” It’s not just verse 5, the immorality or impurity, things we say are more serious sins. They’re all characteristic of life apart from God’s saving grace. So you put them all aside. Anger, wrath, malice, slander, abuse of speech, you don’t lie. Why? You’ve “laid aside the old self with its evil practices.” You’ve “put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.” There’s transformation. Now, I am being conformed to the image of Christ. That’s something totally new, totally different. Something really beautiful.
Come back to James 1 verse 21. “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your soul.” Command here in this verse - everything that’s built around it - is receive. You receive the Word. That will involve “putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness.” That will require humility. There is an imperative command here. It’s a strong, forceful command. Receive the word in humility. The word translated humility here. One Greek commentator puts it this way, “It describes the perfect conquest in control of everything in a man’s nature. Which would be a hindrance to his seeing and learning and obeying the truth.” It’s the person who’s teachable, who’s submitting himself readily and gladly to the truth of God and the work of the Spirit. You do it in humility. Sometimes the word is translated as gentleness or meekness. It was used as the response of the Bereans. Remember in Acts 17? Why don’t you turn back to Acts 17. How they received the Word of God. Acts 17 verse 11, “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word.” They welcomed it, they accepted it, they brought it into their lives. “With great eagerness.” So we must receive the word. Welcome it, accept it. Now it’s been implanted in us. In other words, we just aren’t passive in taking in information. We receive it in the context of responding to it. Because the word has been implanted. Come back to James 1. You are commanded to receive the word implanted. Or literally, the order is the implanted word. The word which has been implanted in our hearts. The time of the new birth. Back up, in verse 18 “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth.” We are born again by the living and abiding Word of God. That’s how salvation occurs.
We hear the truth, often we’ve taken the truth in enough that we can spit it back out, but we’ve never had it implanted in our heart. We’ve never responded in saving faith to it. And so it’s just laying there. James probably takes this from a passage like Jesus’ sermon in Matthew chapter 13 with the soils. Remember the sower went out to seed? Some seed fell on the beaten path, some seed fell on the thorny ground and so on. Some seed was taken into good ground. This is the picture of the word that has been implanted and has brought about salvation in the life of this person. Now, we are to continue receiving it. That’s not something we take and now we’re done with it and go on with our life. This is an ongoing thing, like our faith. The righteous shall live by faith. We enter into life by faith, and we continue to live by faith. It’s the pattern of our life. And we continue to take in the word. But we’re not just those that fill our minds with: yes I was there, yes I go, yes I hear it. That’s good. I’m not changing my life and doing anything. Has it been implanted in my heart? This is the word back in James 1 which is able to save your souls. It’s the Word of God that is active, it is accomplishing His work, it is a saving word. You know, if it doesn’t change a life, than it’s not been implanted in the heart. If it’s been implanted in a heart, we need to be careful that we are living it out in all that we do. It’s effective.
Turn back to 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 18, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Down in the end of verse 21, “God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” This is the power of God for salvation as Paul wrote to the Romans. “I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation.” What happens when it’s implanted in the heart? It takes hold there. It takes root there. Turn over to 2nd Corinthians chapter 3. We see the ongoing work of the Word. 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 verse 18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” And here in the context, he’s talking about the Word of God. Particularly that which is focused on Christ. It is a transforming word. So we’re here, we study the Word. We look into the Word. What is happening is the Spirit of God takes the Word and we respond to it. Our lives are being changed. People say, “My husband, my wife, they’re not the same person. They’ve been changed.” That’s true! And that’s ongoing! You know, we’re being transformed into the same image. What are we beholding in the mirror? Not our own image, but the glory of the Lord. Looking in there, that’s what I’m seeing. I’m being changed to conform to His glory, to His character. That’s the work of the Lord, the Spirit, in the life of the believer. That’s the beauty of the Word of God at work in the life of the child of God.
Come back to James. This is the word that will be effective in keeping us from coming judgement. In Acts chapter 17, we just referred to the end of that chapter. God was commanding all, everywhere to repent, for He’s appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. Turn over to James chapter 2. He talks about coming judgement. Verse 13, “For judgement will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement.” We’ll talk about this verse when we get here, but you see the context of how we conduct ourselves. It indicates where we’re going in relationship to coming judgement. Over in chapter 3 verse 1, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing as such we will incur a stricter judgement.” James never loses sight of the fact of coming judgement. Over in chapter 5, verse 7, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.” Through this, he reminds them to live in light of the fact that you will give an account to the One who is your Judge. Conduct yourself accordingly. Live in light of, in submission to, and obedience to the Word of God. Receive it into your life. This is what saves your souls. It’s ongoing work that’s molding and shaping me. That was part of the purpose of the trials, right? To perfect us in anticipation of what? The time when we will stand in the presence of the One to whose glory we are to be conformed and transformed.
Just before James is the book of Hebrews. Two passages there, and then we will be done. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12. “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” The power of the Word of God and its work in our life. And in the believer’s life in which the word has been implanted, and we take it in, and it’s nurtured and nourished and we respond to it. There’s a continual growing, right? A maturing. We become more and more conformed to the character of Christ. I mean, that’s the process. That’s what James is concerned about. That these things are inconsistent with the character of the God that we now serve. Be dealt with. That’s encouraging to me. There doesn’t have to be any sin in my life. I’m not saying there is no sin, but there doesn’t have to be. There’s no excuse for it to be there. God has made every provision for me to live in obedience to Him. And He provided the Spirit as an enabling power.
Go the other way, just after James to 1st Peter. Stop in chapter 1 of 1st Peter and you see to remind you of where we started in James, Peter writes to the same kind of people. Not necessarily in the same location, but Jews who have become believers who were scattered outside the land of Israel. He’s writing to the elect sojourners of the Diaspora, literally, as you have it here in the opening verse. Come over to the end of chapter 1. He talks about our redemption. Verse 17, “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges,” you see similar emphasis as James has. The one you call Father, that’s what we call God, our Heavenly Father. He’s the one who impartially judges according to each man’s work. Don’t think you are excluded from judgement. Now it won’t be a judgement to determine my eternal destiny, but it will be a real judgement, in light of my faithfulness. “Conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth.” And not a fear of cowering in fright of God. But a fear, a reverence, an awe of Him. I don’t want to do anything to disobey Him. I was afraid of my earthly father. He was a good father. He never abused me, but I was afraid of disobeying him. There were consequences. I desired to please him. My Heavenly Father, how much more? “Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things… but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” Similar kind of emphasis as James. You receive the implanted word which is able to save your souls. You respond, you welcome it, and you live according to it. Peter is encouraging them, the same thing. Conduct yourself properly in light of the fact you will give an account of your life to the God who has redeemed you at great cost.
Down in verse 22, “Since you have in obedience to the truth,” God calls us to be born again. How? By the word of truth. We saw it in James 1:18. Here Peter talks about the same thing, you have in obedience to the truth, you obeyed the truth by believing the Gospel. You “purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.” These are commands. Verse 17, the command to conduct yourself. Verse 22, the command to fervently love. Why? You’ve been born again. So you see this emphasis on living out your salvation. Verse 23, “For you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” Chapter 2 opens up, does it not sound like we just read in James? “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for,” command there. Long for, just like the command to receive the implanted word. “Long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you’ve tasted the kindness of the Lord.” Those of you who have become partakers of God’s kindness, His saving grace, you continue to grow now in His Word.
Something wrong in the Christian world today is our churches, where people have professed to know Christ, have little interest in seriously getting into the Word of God. I mean, this is the characteristic. We’re to be newborn babies, with a passion for God’s Word, like milk to nourish us so that we can grow with respect to our salvation. We are to receive, welcome, and respond, and obey that implanted word. It’s the same thing, with different words, but the same emphasis. That means sin has to go. Sin impedes my ability to take in the word. It’s like a baby who has a problem, who can’t digest his food properly. This is a serious problem. He can’t develop. Sin keeps me from taking in the word and developing as I should. Even as a believer. But Peter says these have got to go. That’s why James says these things have to go.
You think, “Well, my life isn’t perfect. I have sin in my life, but that’s alright, I go to church.” But all of a sudden, we’re not taking in the nourishment. It’s not having the same effect in my life. My spiritual digestion is blocked, if you will. I’m getting weaker. I’m shriveling. And that leads to other problems in my Christian life. Well, I just can’t tolerate sin in my life. It just doesn’t stay static. Well, I’ll just keep that sin. Nobody’s perfect. My sin isn’t as bad as other people. I know people a lot worse than I am. That has nothing to do with it. It’s impeding our development. An ongoing lifestyle that is in conflict with the Word of God reveals that the word has never been implanted. We’ve never become partakers of the word. Both James and Peter are writing to those who have made a claim and they’re accepting that claim. Now we live in light of it.
The great thing to me is that these aren’t negative things, they’re positive. Isn’t it amazing that God wants me to live consistent to His character? You know why He commands me and instructs me to do that? He’s made every provision for it. Me as hopelessly lost and completely defiled as any sinner. I have been so cleansed, so set free, that now God can instruct me as his child. He’s not being unreasonable. My earthly father knew what he instructed me to do. He didn’t instruct me as a 6 year old to do what only an 18 year old or someone that age bracket could do. My Heavenly Father knows me. He knows the provision He’s made for me. He’s giving His spirit to dwell in me. He’s just told me, “Do what I tell you.” Why do I mess it up? Can it get any simpler? “Do what I tell you. And as you submit yourself to Me, commit yourself to follow My word, allow the Spirit to control you, you’ll become more and more conformed to My character.” And the light shines in the darkness. This is the salvation we have. The privilege we have to live for the Lord and to share this life with those who are without and who have been in the darkness around us.
Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord for the richness of our salvation. How blessed we are to be instructed, to be commanded by You to live righteously, holy, and godly in this present world. Thank you, Lord that there are no excuses. That there are no reasons why we have to sin. You have made us new. Your power works in us. The power of Your Spirit, the power of Your Word. What a marvelous grace we have received. May we be honest and open before You. You know us as we are. You know our hearts. You know whether we truly have submitted to Your salvation. Pray for those who haven’t. Lord, for those who are struggling with areas of their lives, may they be encouraged to know You have provided freedom. We have been set free. The glorious liberty of being Your slaves. Bless us in our service for You in the week ahead of us. We pray in Christ’s name, Amen.