Active Faith (Part Six): Taking in the Truth

Transcript

JRNT 6
11/06/2022
Active Faith (Part Six): Taking In the Truth
James 1: 19-21
Jesse Randolph

Well, anyone who’s had their eyes open or half open for the past 25 years would agree that the world has experienced a technological tidal wave. An informational tsunami. A global flood of data. Consider just some of these statistics: The total number of text messages sent every single day now exceeds the total population of the world. 333.2 billion emails are sent every day (doesn’t distinguish between junk email and normal e-mail) There are 5 billion active social media users on the planet. There are 99,000 Google searches every second. People watch 2 billion videos on Twitter every day. Technical knowledge, which has doubled every five years since 1983, is now doubling every 72 hours.

The statistics are staggering. In our day, each and every day, each and every minute and each and every hour, we are literally inundated with information. Now with this influx, the advent, this overflow of technology in our world, of course, there come many upsides. We now have the ability to text and track and toggle. We can search and swipe and scan. We can call and we can click and copy. We can upload and download and reload. But there are many downsides as well. See, our generation, this technological generation, has quickly become “the scroll-ahead-to-the-good-part” generation. The sound bite generation. The clip generation. The viral video generation. The 2-or-3-times speed generation. The tweet-it-in-180-characters-or-less generation. This is the generations that no longer takes in its information through newspapers and books and magazines and periodicals, even rarely the digitized kind. That just takes too much time. This is the generation that no longer takes in information through radio news programs or other long-form programming. And we certainly no longer listen to sporting events through our ears as opposed to our eyes. That takes too much imagination.

Rather, this is the generation that gets its information through fast-moving, fast-scrolling, visually-stimulating graphics. This is the generation of reels, and shorts and clips and memes and GIFs (I don’t mean peanut-butter) which keep getting shorter. Which keep getting flashier. Which keep getting sillier. And in many cases, they’re becoming outright sinful. This entire generation, and the up-and-coming generation, I’m looking at you, and I’m looking at you [looks at groups of teenagers]. This entire up-and-coming generation, they’re experiencing this across-the-board “dumbing down.” This universal lobotomy. Kids can’t sit still. Adults don’t make them sit still. Because adults themselves can’t sit still. Or slow down. Or focus. Or listen actively. Or think deeply or carefully or critically.

Neil Postman wrote about what is happening to our minds and our senses and our attention spans in a book he wrote titled “Amusing Ourselves to Death.” And here’s what he said, “Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other. They do not exchange ideas, they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions; they argue with good looks, celebrities and commercials.” Profound truth, especially when you consider he wrote that in 1985, nearly 40 years ago. The year the Bears won the Super Bowl. The year that Gil was my age. See, the Information Age hadn’t yet bloomed fully. And Postman here was already writing about the collective dumbing down that is happening in our culture, as we, as Postman so artfully put it, are entertaining ourselves to death.

Well, sadly, what Postman was describing about the culture in 1985, and what many have since affirmed, and what history has since proven, has not been a phenomenon that’s been reserved for the world. These trends have infiltrated the church as well. Instead of bringing their bibles to church these days, people bring their phones -- I’ll start right away by stepping on toes -- which not only buzz and ping and light up and distract, but for many they’ve become a crutch. Causing their owner to progressively forget how to find the book of Ezekiel. How to find the book of Galatians. How to take an unbeliever through the “Roman Road.” Because search functions have now made it easier. The search bar tells you where to find Ezekiel, or where to find Galatians, or where to find that one thing that we think Paul said somewhere in Romans. Instead of preaching 50 to 60 minute sermons, which was the standard fare for centuries, pastors now preach 20 to 30 minutes sermonettes. Because the collective wisdom out there from the various research and consultancy groups is that you’ll lose them if you go any longer. Sunday evening services are practically extinct. They’ve gone the way of the dodo. You’d be crazy to continue to go on with your Sunday evening service in our day. “You expect me to listen to a guy, not just for one hour, that guy for not just one hour but two?” “Don’t you know I have a busy week ahead?” “Don’t you know I’ve got reports to work on?” “Don’t you know I have basketball uniforms to wash?” “Don’t you know I have a lawn to mow?” “Don’t you know I’ve got a sock drawer to organize?” “Don’t you know I’ve got a game to watch, or a nap to take, or three hours of videos to mindlessly scroll through?”
Pulpits, which used to anchor and serve as the focal point of what happens each and every Lord’s Day, have been replaced with wimpy, little music stands, behind which wimpy, little men (assuming they are men) are preaching wimpy, little sermons which entertain. Which make the people in the seats feel good about themselves, and warm and fuzzy inside. Which tickle the ears, but which fail to uphold the Word and convict hearts. These are the times in which we live. This is the culture in which we live. And it’s sad to say, this is the state of the modern day church.

And here comes James. By the way, you can turn in your bibles, on your phones even, to James 1. James, the half-brother of Jesus. James, the apostle. James the leader of the Jerusalem Council. James the author of the book that bears his name. We have James now, to that cultural milieu in which we find ourselves today, saying this in James 1:19. And God’s word reads, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.”

Now, we have a few statements in these verses here, that even in our sound bite generation, most of us have some familiarity with. As I read our passage, most of you likely heard some words that you’ve heard before. Maybe these are words you’ve even memorized. Maybe these are words that you have earnestly sought to put to work in your lives, as you seek to honor the Lord and His word. These are also words that I’ve just read that you’ve likely heard in conversations or even used in conversations in your life as you minister to others, as you seek to point them to the truth and help them through the Word. How many times has the command “be quick to hear” been thrown around a men’s book study, as we strive to be better listeners to our wives? How many times has the command “be slow to speak” been imparted to the toddler, who’s being taught how important it is not to talk over other people? How many times has the command “be slow to anger” been placed on a post-it or written on a 3X5 card, or etched on the fog of a mirror by one who’s harboring sinful anger against their boss or their friend or their spouse?

But is that James’ focus here? Is that the original intent, the meaning in its original context of these quite familiar words? Well, to answer that question, we have to remember our context. We have to see where we’ve been in James. And we have to see where he’s taking us in this first chapter. See, if we look at James 1 as a whole, we see that where James is taking us in terms of this comprehensive thought, where James is pointing us in this chapter, where James ultimately wants us to get, is this place of Christian maturity. This place where, as he describes it in verse 4 of chapter 1, we are “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” And it’s going to become progressively clearer to us, as we work our way not only through chapter 1, but through this entire book of James, that the maturity that James is pointing us to, is really developed by two means. One we’ve already gone through in the first 5 sermons of this series. The first means by which we grow and by which we mature, is through the trials that come from without, the temptations that come from within. And our response to both. We are to “consider it all joy”, we saw in verse 2 of chapter 1, when we encounter various trials. We’re to “consider it all joy”, verse 3, knowing that the testing of our faith produces endurance, steadfastness. And that ultimately will lead us to that place of verse 4, where we have that Christian maturity, where that person described here is, being “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” We’re to “consider it all joy”, James 1:5-8, as we seek wisdom from God in our trials. We’re to “consider it all joy”, James 1:9-12, as we recognize that God brings unique forms of trials to the rich and poor of this world. And we’re to “consider it all joy” as we recognize that while God does allow us to go through “various trials” as we saw last week, trials are not the same as temptations. God “does not tempt anyone”, James 1:13. Instead, God is the supplier, James 1:17, of “every good thing given” it says, “and every perfect gift.” So, that’s the first way by which we grow and mature; to get to that place of being “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Through trials, through temptations, and through our response to both.

In the remaining verses of James 1 though, we’re going to see the second means by which we grow and mature, which is through the Word. Through the Word. Specifically, how we respond to the teaching of God’s word. And then how the Word is worked into our lives and as we work it out in our lives. Even a brief survey of James allows us to see this connection between where we’ve been in the book of James and where we’re going in the book of James.

As we saw the last time, and we concluded in verse 18, it says, “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth.” He begot us. He birthed us, you could say. And then it says, “by the word of truth,” which we saw last week is the gospel message. He birthed us through the gospel message. And where is the gospel message found? The message of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection was found in God’s word. It was this event, James 1:18, of having been brought forth as “a kind of first fruits of His creatures.” That’s what made us new creations. It was the Word that did it. It all began with the Word. It was the Word that brought us life. It’s the Word, that we’re going to see today, that we are to humbly receive. And it’s the Word, as we’ll see next time, that we’re to eagerly follow.

So, having just come out of this major section here, James on the Christian and trials, and the Christian and temptations, and looking ahead to what he is about to say about the importance and the centrality of the Word in the life of the believer -- is James (thought exercise here) really going to just insert in our verses for today a few otherwise disconnected instructions about morality? About how to be better listener? And how to be slower speakers? And how to be more peaceful, less angry people? No. That’s not the context here. These aren’t verses, in their original context, that a husband would send to his wife, to encourage her to be less angry at him. These aren’t verses that a wife would send to her husband to encourage him to be a better listener of her. These aren’t verses that a mother would show to her children, to encourage them not to talk over one another. That’s not the original context here.

Now, that’s not to say that what James is saying here, and what he’ll instruct us in, can’t be supported by other scriptures. Because we do, in fact, see similar truths, very similar truths, stated elsewhere in other passages of the bible. You can just jot these ones down. Proverbs 13:3, “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 29:20, “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Or Ecclesiastes 7:9, “anger resides in the bosom of fools.”

But that’s not James’ original context or intent here. Rather, as we’re going to see here today, James’ instructions are given in the context of how a believer, how a Christian, is to receive the word of God. Or to borrow from the title of todays message, to “take in the truth.” Let’s jump back into our text, starting at verse 19, where James says, “This you know, my beloved brethren.” Now, right away, we find ourselves stepping into a matter of some debate between various commentators. Is James here, when he says, “this you know”, is he giving an imperative? An exhortation? A command? Is he trying to say, “know this”? Or instead, is this actually an indicative as the NASB has it here, where he says, “you know this” or “this you know.”? I take it, as we have it here in the NASB, to be an indicative, not an imperative, not a command. But in the end, I actually don’t think it makes all that big of a difference in terms of our overall reading of this particular text. Because, even if this is an indicative, “this you know,” there’s still an implicit command underlying the indicative. Meaning, the sense is “this you know, and because you know this you need to act accordingly.” “This you know, and because you know this, you should act in the way I’m about to lay out for you.” “This you know, and because you know this, you need to get this right”. And what you need to get right, as we’re about to see, is how we’re to receive the Word.

But before we get there, note that, still in James 1:19, he refers to the recipients of his letter as his “beloved brethren.” He did the same thing, you’ll recall last week, back in verse 16, where he called them “my beloved brethren.” Now, in doing so, James here, is pointing out a few things. First, he’s affirming that the recipients of this letter, the book of James, are Christians. Scattered Jewish believers, who had been “dispersed abroad”, as we saw back in James 1:1, the diaspora. Second, James’ use of this “beloved brethren” language, shows his familial love and care to those whom he’s writing. He’s demonstrating here, his deep compassion and concern for them, as recognized members of the same spiritual family. Third, by calling them his “beloved brethren”, he’s preemptively taking the sting out of any of the commands he’s about to give them. You know, when a bible teacher says, “beloved”, they’re about to lay some truth on you. That’s what he’s doing here. Like any wise Christian teacher, he’s not only trying to convince their minds, he’s attempting to reach their hearts. Which will strengthen their desire to obey the words he’s about to give them.

So, in verse 19, he says, “This you know.” You know this. And then he continues on, as we keep reading here, to show them what they need to “know”, and by extension, us, what we need to “know”. And here we see these very familiar words: “But everyone” he says, “must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.”

Now, before we break this apart any further, we need to study up a little bit on the original context here. You know, I’ve already noted that these familiar verses, in their original context, have to do with receiving the Word. And in James’ day, receiving the Word had a very distinct look and feel. See, the book of James was one of the earliest books of the bible written. Perhaps the oldest book written, sometime in the late 40’s AD. Meaning, when James wrote these words, under the direction and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the cannon of scripture wasn’t yet closed. Additional New Testament scriptures were still being written, had yet to be written. Which means that, as James was writing these words here, he wasn’t toting around his leather-bound MacArthur Study Bible. Or his Ryrie Study Bible. Or the NASB ’95. No, what James was often pulling from, as we’ve actually already seen in this study, were the gathered teachings, whether in written or verbal form, of his half-brother, the Lord Jesus Christ. The gathered teachings of others with apostolic credentials. The gathered teachings of Old Testament authors. And what James would have been used to seeing and experiencing in those early gatherings of believers were people who didn’t yet possess their own personal copies of the scriptures, like you and I have. Instead, they were dependent on having some Old Testament scriptures. Some apostolic proclamation of Christ’s teachings read to them in a public service. And then, after the scripture was read out loud for them, after a verbal exhortation from scripture was given to them, the people would hear what was said. They would take it in. They would listen. And then they’d go home. Fed and encouraged and challenged. Exhorted and equipped and rebuked, with the spiritual food that they got. To live for Christ that week until the next time they gathered. That’s the gathering that James has in view here.

And with that type of gathering in view, he says these first few words in verse 19, “But everyone must be quick to listen.” To James’ early Christian audience, who had been brought forth from the Word. verse 18. Who had had “the word implanted” in them, verse 21. Who would be called to later on in verse 22, not only to be hearers of the word, but “doers of the word,” James 1:22. He’s saying here “be quick to hear,” or quick to listen. And quick to hear what? The Word. James here is not passing out generic truisms. He is not telling us to be undistracted when our kids tell us how their school day was. He’s not telling us in this passage how to be good listeners when people come to us and tell us our problems. He’s not telling us in this passage how to be a good listener for our boss at work, or teacher at school. Now again, we can go to other scriptures to support those general principles, in those contexts. But that is not James’ aim here. His aim here is to instruct us in how we’re to receive the word of God. That’s what he's saying to us here, in this context, in this setting. We are to be quick to listen, “quick to hear.” Meaning, we’re to be eager listeners to, and eager hearers of the word of God.

Now, as we consider James’ instruction here, though it may sound somewhat basic, we have to remember something. Which is that over the course of the centuries, instead of humbly listening to and humbly receiving God’s word, people have resisted it. And by the way, that’s not a statement about only unbelievers. It’s not just unbelievers who are guilty of that, ignoring the word of God. God’s people are guilty of that as well. Resistance was the response of God’s people to the Old Testament prophets who heralded His word. Resistance was the response to Jesus when He spoke the words of the Father. Resistance was the response to Paul when he would go out and preach in the synagogue, and later would be stoned and dragged away. And sadly, resistance has been the response of various Christian churchgoers over the decades, as they listen or hear pastors and preachers preaching the Word in season and out of season. Watching their popularity decline, their invitations disappear, and their congregations shrink. But there’s this resistance to the Word.

And to his audience here, James here is saying, “cut it out.” Trials are coming. Temptations are coming. Turbulence is coming. Difficulties are coming. So, if you want to grow in the midst of your trials, if you want to mature in the midst of your trials as a believer, you’ve got to be listening. You have to be a careful listener. You need to be “quick to hear.” And what you’re to be “quick to hear” is the Word. Don’t come to an assembly like this, thinking that you sit over the Word or the man proclaiming the Word. Instead, sit patiently and attentively and expectantly under the Word. Don’t come to this assembly looking for whatever it is that you think you’re going to get. But instead, come ready to receive whatever God is going to give you through His word. Don’t come to this assembly looking for junk food, a handful of spiritual Skittles to hold you over for a bit. Instead, come, be ready to be fed a meal, a meal of the Word, where if you are “quick to hear,” as James is instructing us all to be -- maybe it won’t satisfy your growling stomachs, but it will satisfy your spiritual cravings. Don’t come to this assembly with an ear toward proving the pastor wrong. Or the teacher wrong. Or the bible study leader wrong. Or your husband wrong. Or your wife wrong. Or your parents wrong. Don’t come to this assembly looking to justify your own sin and disobedience. Or with your defenses up. Or with a contentious and grumbling spirit. Or with the prideful presumption that you can change what it actually says in the black and white pages of scripture.

Rather, come to this assembly with a genuine and earnest desire. With a genuine and earnest commitment to hear, “quick to hear” the proclamation of God’s word. Quick to learn from the Word. And then quick to go out from here and do what the Word says. Come here with an earnest desire and earnest commitment to be “quick to hear”, so that you will in turn be spurred on to go and study and read and meditate upon the Word on your own time. Spurred on to study the scriptures to be reminded of who God is. Spurred on to search the scriptures to be reminded of the great salvation you have received through Christ, if you indeed have trusted in Him. Spurred on to search the scriptures to be reminded of the truths of the gospel. Spurred on to search the scriptures to be encouraged with words of thanksgiving and praise. Spurred on to search the scriptures for words of comfort and encouragement and strength. Spurred on to search the scriptures when tempted, to read of what God expects of us in terms of our own purity and righteousness.

Do you hunger for God’s word? Do you thirst for God’s word? Do you personally and devotionally set time aside and study and search out God’s word? Do you hear the various black-and-white truths given in the Christians scriptures as what they are, the actual word of God? “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,” John 14:6. “Wives, be subject to you own husbands, as to the Lord,” Ephesians 5:22. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church,” Ephesians 5:25. “Children, obey you parents in the Lord, for this is right,” Ephesians 6:1. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality,” 1 Thessalonians 4:3. “[N]either fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God,” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. When you hear those statements, do you hear them for what they are, the literal and actual words of God, coming from the divinely inspired word of God? Do you hear them with an awareness that scripture’s ultimate source is God? He is a God who cannot lie. He is a God who always tells the truth and proclaims truth, because He is the ultimate source of, and indeed is truth.

See, a lot of people hear the word of God. But they hear the word of God the way that I listen to the flight attendant before takeoff. She’s just talking. I’ve got my earbuds in, my air pods in. It’s just words, she’s just mouthing something up there. Many people have an extensive knowledge of the word of God but they don’t really believe what it says. They don’t respond to it as His word. Let’s not be those disengaged or doubting people like me with the flight attendant. No, let’s not be those people whose ears are open, but who’s hearts are closed. Let’s instead, make sure that we are being quick to hear. Quick to hear God’s word. Eager to rush to the exposition of scripture. Whether it’s me or a guest preacher. Whether it’s in first hour or second hour or the evening service. Whether it’s in one of your bible studies during the week. Whether it’s around you kitchen table with your family.

Having been brought forth by the word of truth, having been birthed from above, having been reborn and made new, James here, says he wants us to grow through the Word. To not be stagnant. To not be stuck in infancy. Flip over with me, if you would, to 1 Peter 2, where we’re going to see a similar thought. Just one book over to your right, 1 Peter 2. We’re going to see some similar thoughts coming out from Peter here. He says, “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” That’s Peter’s take, which of course, because they were equally divinely inspired, James concurs when he says to be quick to hear. Quick to listen.

Next, in verse 19, James exhorts us here, to be “slow to speak.” And that doesn’t mean slowness in speaking, like a long southern drawl. That’s not what he’s saying here. Rather, he means slow to talk back. He’s referring to an over-arching reluctance to speak, a holy fear. This flows from a righteous desire to always want to uphold and honor the Word. Again, this is not some generic command, when he says, “slow to speak,” about keeping one’s mouth shut. It’s not some generic command about taping our mouths shut or zipping our lips or counting to three before we say anything else. The context is receiving the word of God. We’re to be “slow to speak” when we receive the word of God, as we hear the word of God.

Now again, in these early Christian gatherings that James was accustomed to as he wrote these words, there are some details that we need to sort of fill in. Those assemblies were a lot more free. A lot more unstructured than what we’ve grown accustomed to in our day in Churchland. In fact, there’s evidence that in these early Christian gatherings, there was a lot more participation in the service, between the guy what was delivering the Word and the people that were listening to the delivery of the Word. There was more open sharing in the service (maybe some of you would be in favor of that) which makes sense, considering that in these days as James is writing, the cannon of scripture wasn’t yet closed. Again, we didn’t have all 66 books of the bible stitched together in a nice bound book. And there were still certain spiritual gifts, because the scripture wasn’t fully closed at that point, that were being deployed, being exercised, that did require and involve more participation.

So, it’s in that context, when certain gifts involving people speaking up. It’s in that context that James is addressing those in that kind of gathering, who didn’t necessarily want to listen to whoever was up here teaching. Instead, they wanted to be heard. They wanted to be heard, because they thought they had something to say. Or maybe they wanted to be heard because they had some unique gift. Or maybe they wanted to be heard because they just liked the sound of their own voice. They wanted to talk. And James here is saying, no, you need to listen submissively to the word of God. You need to be silent until it’s your turn. Not only do you need to wait until it’s your turn, but you need to wait until you can rightly represent the truth of the Word.

Now, we’re obviously a lot less participatory in churches in our day. But the principle still holds, because God’s word is timeless. It still holds. The principle is this, when we’re receiving the word of God, as we hear it taught, preached, spoken, we’re to be “slow to speak.” Now, in our day, that might look like not elbowing our wife or our husband when it’s being taught. Not openly sighing. Not loudly yawning. Not vociferously opposing. Not outwardly objecting. Not standing up and shouting. In our day, when we’re receiving the word of God, that means not passing snarky notes or distractedly doodling. Or texting your friend at the opposite side of the auditorium, “Can you believe what this guy is saying?” In our day, when receiving the word of God, we’re not to be telling others how we think the guy got it wrong. Or how we could have said it better. Or how we wish so-and-so was teaching that day instead. In each and every respect, we are to be “slow to speak” when we receive the Word. We are to be eager in hearing the word of God. And then, we are to be cautious and slow and patient, indeed, reluctant to speak in response to the word of God. We need to be careful about concocting all the thoughts we want to express, while someone else is expressing God’s.

Now, I get it. When we hear God’s word, when we hear it taught, no matter what the setting is, there are times where it makes us uncomfortable. There are times where it places demands on us. There are times where it leads us to ask certain questions. Like, why did God slaughter the Canaanites? Why God, how did that happen? Or Uzzah and the ark, why God? Or “Onan? Was his sin really all that bad, God? Or we may be tempted to talk back to God, at least in our hearts. Why is God so concerned about sexuality and gender? Why can’t women be pastors? Is Mother Teresa actually in hell?” James is telling us, fight the urge. Don’t, don’t talk back, either out loud or in your hearts. Instead, verse 19, be “slow to speak.”

Next, James tells his audience to be “slow to anger.” And the word for anger there is “orge.” And it doesn’t refer to some explosive outburst of temper. Instead, it refers to an inner, deep resentment, which seethes and smolders. It’s the kind of anger that stays under the lid. It causes a rolling boil, not an explosion. Now, later in this letter in James 4:1-2, James will get into other forms of anger that we see more broadly manifested in the lives of Christians. But here again, James is speaking into the context of receiving the Word. So, whatever anger that he’s describing here, has something to do with the presentation of truth from God’s word. And someone being angered by that presentation of truth. There was something in the presentation of the word that displeased him. That convicted him of his ungodly lifestyle. That confronted his sin. That rubbed up against his deeply held beliefs and traditions. So, now he’s angry. Now he’s simmering. Now he’s stewing. Now he has this persistent disposition of bitterness and dislike toward whoever it is now that is up there teaching the Word.

Now, this angry person isn’t necessarily turning up tables. He’s not necessarily throwing his shoe at the pastor. He’s not even necessarily writing an angry e-mail or letter to the teacher. But he’s going to sit there with his arms crossed. With his head cocked. With his nose peering down his lenses, looking disapprovingly on the one who upholds the Word. And he is going to stew. And he is going to sulk. And he is going to seethe, and he's going to think in his heart, “How dare he tell me what to do? How dare he articulate or pronounce or proclaim that doctrine? How dare he say such a thing? How dare he . . .” Now, he may never say those words out loud, even on his drive home or even while talking to his wife. But the heart posture is there. And it’s the heart that is the root and the source of all kinds of evil in men.

Of course, this is nothing new. Throughout the history of the church, in fact, throughout the history of fallen mankind, there has always been this resentment toward, and opposition to, God’s word and the messengers who proclaimed it. So, if a man is committed to faithfully upholding and teaching and preaching God’s word, the opposition will come. The sparks will fly. The tension will build. The anger will take root. And from the preacher’s vantage point, that’s a good thing. Because what that means, usually is the Word is doing its work. It’s convicting. It’s dividing between joints and marrow. It’s carving. It's breaking the will of those who still have those clung-to sins, that cling tightly. The Word is doing its work. And it’s doing so, because that man is committed, 2 Timothy 4:2, to “preach the word.” He’s not in the business of tickling ears or drawing a crowd or gaining in popularity. He’s in the business of being faithful and leaving the results to the Lord. For the listener, though, they have their instructions here from James. They are, verse 19, to be “slow to anger.”

Now, building on that idea of being “slow to anger”, James next says in verse 20, “for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Now, James here, is still on the same breath. He’s just told his audience that they are to be “slow to anger.” Specifically, “slow to anger” when God’s word is faithfully communicated, and when they receive communication about what God’s word demands. Now, he receives this explanatory clause, “for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Now, of course, there is a just form of anger. There is such a thing. There is such a thing as a holy form of anger, righteous wrath. Now, that’s possessed perfectly by God and God alone. That’s that holy form of indignation against sin and Satan and anything else that dishonors Him. And we, as God’s image-bearers, can likewise bear some form of holy anger toward those same things. We can be righteously angry about the sin that still remains in our hearts. W can be righteously angry when God’s name is profaned. We can be righteously angry when Christ and His word are dishonored.

Like a couple of weeks ago, I still get California news for some reason, and I saw that Gavin Newsom, our old governor had billboards that went up all over the state. And I think they’re in other states now as well; that says, “Need an Abortion? California is ready to help.” Now, that concerned me. But then, right under that, in the fine print, as you zoom in on that billboard, that says Mark 12:31, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Now, that angered me. Because Newsom and whoever was supporting him in that case, was taking a biblical principle, trampling it, in the name of advancing the ungodly cause of abortion. That’s righteous anger. Paul, in Ephesians 4:26, like James here, recognizes that there may be some instances in which anger is not always sinful. In Ephesians 4:26, he divorces the two concepts in a way when he says, you can be angry but do not sin. Which means there will be instances in which some form of the anger we express, is not necessarily, by definition, sinful.

But that’s not what we see in James 1:20. Rather, what James is addressing here is personal anger, sinful anger. He’s speaking about bitterness and resentment, which can never serve the cause of Christ. “For the anger of man does not [produce or] achieve the righteousness of God.” And that’s an interesting phrase, “achieve the righteousness of God.” There’s been a lot of ink that’s been spilled over the years about what that might mean. And a few options out there have been proposed. One view is, this means that because God is righteous and doesn’t indulge in sinful anger Himself, neither should we. Basically, He’s the model of righteousness, and that’s our example. Others have said, this phrase here in verse 20, means the righteousness that God gives, some form of imparted righteousness, the righteousness He grants us. Which is how we see Paul use the phrase all over, for instance, Romans, Romans 1:17 or 2 Corinthians 5:21. There’s this final group though, that says what this means here in James 1:20, when he says, “achieve the righteousness of God”, is that he means God’s righteous standard.

The best reading, the strongest reading, in this context, in my judgment, is the last one. James is assuming that his readers, as Christians, will be aiming their lives at satisfying God’s righteous standards. And when we harbor anger, specifically toward God’s word, and the proclamation of God’s word, we aren’t satisfying God’s righteous standards. We aren’t meeting His demands. We aren’t living the righteous lives with the Spirit living in us, that He desires. We aren’t doing right in the Lord’s sight.

Those cynical, sarcastic, critical hearers of God’s word. Those self-appointed guardians of pure doctrine. Those armchair theologians. Those Monday-morning quarterbacks who think that their spiritual gift is to filet in anger whoever’s teaching the Word, under the guise of being a Berean, are actually running afoul of what James is saying here, if they are acting in anger, when he says, “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” Rather, we’re all called to come here and to hear God’s word with open ears, closed mouths, and teachable spirits. As we listen to the word, as we receive the word, we’re to be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

Alright, well we worked through these first two verses. We’ve seen that we’re to “be quick to listen, “slow to speak, and slow to anger.” We’ve seen that the “anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” The next question is this, if anger is not the right way to receive the Word, what is the proper reaction? How are we to receive the Word? And in James 1:21, he tells us. He says, “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” There are four truths given to us here, just in this verse, about how to properly receive the Word, which we all need to consider.

The first truth, is that we are to receive it with proper preparation, “putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness.” The second thing is we need to receive it with the right attitude. With “humility” it says. The third thing is we need to recognize the nature of the Word we’ve received. It’s called here the “implanted word.” The fourth thing is we are to be aware of its anticipated result, it is “able to save your souls.” Let’s take these one by one.

First, James says we are to “put [] aside all filthiness.” Now, the word “putting aside” here means to purge, to offload, to get rid of. The word can mean to physically strip off garments when we’re talking about somebody’s physical constitution, we see that in Acts 7:58. Or it can refer figuratively to ungodly behaviors that we need to put away, to be done with, to strip off. If fact, it’s that latter use, as we see in Romans 13:12, where Paul says, “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Now, going back to James, what is it that we are to “put aside?” The first thing he mentions here, is “all filthiness.” The word here, it refers to external grime. Like when I think of filthy, stained, muddy clothes, like my shirt after I mow the lawn at four o’clock in the afternoon in July. But spiritually speaking, it conveys this deeper meaning of moral defilement, the spiritual stain on the soul, which we have to get rid of. In other words, James here is talking about putting off sin. Putting off sin. And it sounds very familiar to how Paul describes the importance of that same thing, putting off sin. Consider Ephesians 4:22-24, Paul says, “in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” Or Paul says in Colossians 3:8-9 – “But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.” In like manner here, James is saying in James 1:21, put aside, lay aside all filthiness.

Now, I found this so interesting in studying for this passage and this sermon this week, the root word here for filthiness is used in a lot of ancient Greek sources to refer to earwax. Bet you didn’t think you’d get an earwax illustration this morning. But that fits here so perfectly. Because earwax is a great picture of the sin, the filthiness, that’s still in our lives, stopping up our ears, clogging our ears, and ultimately getting in the way of the Word of truth reaching our hearts. On the authority of this Word, I’ve gotta say, if there is sin clogging up your ears, it’s time to remove it, to clean it out, to confess that sin to God. To seek forgiveness for that sin from God, based already on the finished work of Christ on the cross. To commit to forsaking that sin before God. Then, and only then, will you be able to faithfully receive the Word, to do the Word, to live in light of the Word.

So, James says we’re to “put [] aside all filthiness.” Next, he says we’re to put aside “all that remains of wickedness.” Other translations and commentaries have this as “excess of wickedness” or “profuse wickedness” or “the whole dirty mass of wickedness.” Or I like this one, the “superfluity of naughtiness.” Whatever you go with, the idea here is that our remaining sin is not only filthy, it abounds. It’s yet present in abundance. Our hearts, though redeemed, and though turned around, if we’ve trusted in Christ, are still desperately sick. Our hearts are still idol factories. So, if we want to truly and faithfully hear and receive God’s word, we need to be committed, through the confession of our sins to God, through prayer, through discipline, to eliminate every vestige of evil which still occupies those dark and dirty corners of our hearts. Which take away our appetite for the Word. And in the end, which confuse our understanding of the Word. We need to, as it says in Hebrews 12:1, to “lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” We’re to do so, not in our own strength or power, but in total dependence and reliance on the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:13 says “if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Only then, with that sort of commitment, with that sort of pattern of putting sin to death. By the power of the Spirit that resides in you, will you be truly able to faithfully and truly receive the Word of God. Only then, can you echo what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, where he says, “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”

Now of course, we’ll never achieve perfection in this life. There will always be some remnant, some trace of sin that clings to these bodies of flesh. But you do have, if you’ve trusted in Christ, a perfect standing before God. And because of that standing, you don’t have to, I don’t have to, sin. So, if you want to faithfully receive and hear the word of God, evict the sin, kick it out. Clean house, purge it. Make no excuse for it. Admit it, call it out for what it is, commit to being done with it. Repent of it. Put off “all”, James’ words here,” that remains of wickedness.”

And then we see, at the end of the verse, the positive way toward receiving the Word. He says, “in humility”, having “put [] aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” We’re to receive the Word “in humility,” meaning, mildness, gentleness, meekness. Which is in direct contrast to what we explored earlier, the idea of receiving the Word in anger. In the context here of receiving the Word with humility, this means having a teachable spirit. A receptive spirit. One that is shapeable and moldable to receive the Word. To have hearts that long to be taught by God. To be willing students of scripture.

Now, there are times when, especially, well-taught and mature Christians, can get to a place where they become so entrenched and established in their theology that they become less than teachable. That’s not admirable. That’s not receiving the Word “in humility.” No matter how far along you are in your faith, you must always go back to the Word of God, to the source, “ad fontes,” [back to the sources]. Not only in your personal study, but when others teach and explain it. “But Ryrie says . . .” “But Spurgeon says . . .” That won’t cut it. Go to the Word. Receive the Word. And do so with a meek and lowly and teachable spirit. With a submissive and gentle spirit. Cleansed of pride. Cleansed of resentment. Cleansed of anger and every other form of filthiness and wickedness.

And it is with this humility James says, that we’re to “receive the implanted word.” And what’s that “implanted word” he’s referring to? Well, right away we can say, this is not him giving a gospel appeal to unbelievers, as he uses those words. Because as we’ve already seen, he’s twice referred to these very people as “beloved brethren.” They are already Christians. They’ve already been “brought . . forth by the word of truth.” So, to “receive the implanted word” here means something different, it means something else. And it means to accept the demands on their lives, having now been brought forth, brought into the family of God. It means being willing to allow the Word to serve as the anchor and the compass for our lives. It means allowing the Word to continue to shape our lives and to keep us from sin as we persevere and endure and walk through this life. And we do so, as we’ve already seen, by being “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.”

And finally, we have these last few words of verse 21, where he says that this word “implanted” is “able to save your souls.” Now, we know from scripture, that there are past and present and future aspects of salvation through Christ. Past: Titus 3:4-5, “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us.” Present: 1 Corinthians 1:18, “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.” Future: 1 Peter 1:5, we are “protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

James here, is, I believe, picking up on the Word’s work in all three aspects of salvation. He’s referring back to our initial salvation, in which it was the Word that carried the truth of the gospel to our then-unsaved hearts, so that we no longer faced the penalty for our sin. He’s referring to the fact that the Word is this constant resource of truth that the Holy Spirit uses as He sanctifies us and protects us from the power of sin. And he’s referring to the fact that following the Word faithfully, through the Spirit, following Christ, we can know with confidence that we are headed to is this state of glorification with our Savior, Jesus Christ, where we will be forever separated from the presence of sin.

Do you long to receive the Word? I hope so. His Word truly should be a cherished and treasured possession. If it’s not, then you have your marching orders here from James. And the marching orders are to get rid of the filth and the wickedness that are drawing your affections away from His Word. To receive His Word humbly. And to be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

Now, I get it. This morning’s sermon coming from me, as I’m not being slow to speak because I preach, might sound a bit self-serving, right? Because, what I’ve been telling you, through what James is telling us, is that these commands about being quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, are in the context of receiving the Word in a setting just like this. So, if you were a skeptic (and I trust that you’re not, because you’ve heard the message this morning, and you’re receiving the Word humbly) you could be thinking to yourself, this guy is just looking to protect himself against critique, this guy is just trying to hedge himself in from any questions or criticism. Not at all. You feel free to keep sending me your bible questions. You feel free to keep asking me questions about my sermons, whether its out there, or over e-mail. But as you do, do so with James’ admonitions in view. To desire not to please yourself. Not a desire to excoriate me or filet me or any of the other bible teachers in this church. But do it with a desire to honor the Lord and His word.

Let’s pray. Our great and mighty God, we say thank You this morning, for the truth and the clarity of Your word. Thank You for James, his way with words. The unique gifts and abilities that You gave him, all those years ago, to communicate with such clarity. With such sharpness. With such conviction. I pray that we would come away from this place with a renewed zeal. To be quick to listen. To be slow to speak, be slow to anger when the Word is upheld and proclaimed anywhere around this church. Encourage our hearts. Help us to be renewed afresh with this zeal to hear from You, through Your word, week over week, as You conform us into the image of Your dear Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. May You be honored and glorified the rest of this day. In Christ’s name. Amen.