Studies from the Book of James

No 9. Consistency for Credibility Ch. 1:21,22.

These Christians are being reminded of God's purpose for their future, which is to live the righteous life. Nothing else matters or is more important.

God, who gave us our first and second births, wants our lives to be like His, holy, loving, just, and full of honesty, because this is what righteous means.

To achieve this, there must be Consistency in living if the Christian is to have credibility.

Practical faith in the word of God should naturally grow into practical obedience to the word. The same word of truth that produces life is able to nourish life where it finds obedience to the truth.

Where there is not total obedience to His revealed word, it is impossible to live a life that is pleasing to God,

He was Britain's first million pound black footballer, who had made a decision to become a Christian. He seemed to have everything the world longs for - looks, talent, fame and money.

Yet, in May 1998, his body was found in a lock-up garage in London's East End. He had, apparently, hanged himself. This goal-scorer's goals in life had let him down.

It is absolutely crucial to have the right goals. Instead of asking what sort of life do I want, we should ask, what sort of life does God desire for me? How does our Creator and Redeemer expect us to live?

James tells us that God desires a righteous life for us (v.20). To achieve this, there must be Consistency in our life and testimony for Jesus Christ. Transgression

The God, who brought us forth from death unto life by His Word, teaches us from His word, how we are to live the new life.

1: 19 wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear,

The Righteous person will be swift, (prompt and ready) to listen to God.

James 1:21 wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (KJV)

1:22 but be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Having cautioned us about our speech and our anger, James now urges that we be "Consistent in our Walk" and highlights three important factors, which we must put into practice, if we are to have creditability as the sons and daughters of God.

Transgression to Remove.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, James 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, (NKJ)

Get rid of all moral filth and the evilness that is so prevalent, and accept the word of God, which has been planted in you.

The Greek word, ( apotithemi ) that translates, "lay apart, lay aside, get rid of, to put of, to strip away. The word can be used for someone taking off a coat.

Thus, it is the responsibility of the believer to strip off all moral filth. Although God has chosen us and called us, there is something for us to do.

We must take off our old coats of sin, (not in order to be saved, since it is only the blood of Jesus that can take away our sin,) but that we might be consistent in our walk, displaying holiness.

James saw the human heart as a garden, which if left to itself, it would produce only the weeds of sin.

"For the heart is deceitful an d above all things desperately wicked"

These things, which are common in the unregenerate man, cannot be reconciled with the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God in the life of the believer. James was a man, who was very sensitive to sin and he reminds us of three facts concerning sin

To the unconverted man sin is but a Trifle, to the carnal Christian sin is often Trouble, but to the sensitive Christian, sin is always a Tragedy.

Purge me from every blot

My Idols all be cast aside

Cleanse me from every sinful thought

From all the filth of self and pride.

These are telling words. When we think of Moral filth, we are apt to think of adultery, rape, homosexuality and all other kinds of degrading practices.

This means superabundance of depravity, of wickedness and that, which will injure. This includes, every form of uncleanness. Whether it is thoughts, words, or deeds, they must be rooted out of the life. For sin is sin, and it is an abomination unto the Lord.

In chapter 3 of the Old Testament book of Zechariah, the High Priest discovers himself to be covered in dirty clothes, and Satan is accusing him. Then an angel speaks; "Take off his filthy clothes and I will clothe him with a change of raiment".

If all your clothes are filthy, you can't be selective and take off some of them, and put on fresh clean clothes. They all need to be removed. How fresh would a new suit smell, if the undergarments had not been removed for months?

Lay aside all moral filth and evil. This is the theme of all Scripture.

2 Corinthians 7:1 dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Friends, no Christian can battle against sin, until they recognize the depravity of the flesh and the depth of sin in their own heart.

And none, O Lord, have perfect rest.

For none are wholly free from sin

And they who vain would serve you best

Are conscious most of wrong within.

The whole point that James is making is, unless we get rid of sin in whatever form it takes, it will damage us, for sin wrecks everything it touches.

The Greek word, (rhuparia), which is translated filthiness or moral filth, is a compound word from which we get the words "ear wax"

James uses this word to drive home the truth, that filth in the life of the Christian will keep him from hearing the word of God.

Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

Friends, even those sins, which we might consider to be small are deep rooted and damaging. We need to get rid of them with a ruthless determination.

Beloved our daily Prayer should be.

Refining fire go through the heart

Illuminate my soul

Scatter Thy life through every part

And Sanctify the whole.

Transgression to Remove.

"The engrafted Word". This is how God’s standard is attained. James places great emphasis on the word of God.

God’s verbal communication has been given to men; a full revelation of which is now contained in the inspired cannon of scripture.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word.

Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

This statement suggests the process of propagation. God engrafts His word into our natural bodies. It is only as the word is implanted, it becomes united with the heart.

Unless the word becomes rooted in us by faith, the fruit of righteousness cannot be brought forth. As the word of God roots itself more deeply in us, the new life develops and the old life dies. How can we grow in knowledge of our Lord and Saviour? How can we be consistent in our talk and in our walk? By receiving the "Engrafted Word"

God engrafts His word into our hearts so that we might display something of the sweetness of His divine nature, and that we might be conformed to the image of His dear Son.

A glory gilds the sacred page,

Majestic like the sun;

It gives a light to every age,

It gives, but borrows none.

We need to learn how to read the Bible, and how to listen as others explain its truth.

For sometimes we can have the wrong attitude toward the word as well as towards those, who teach the Word. James is saying that we are to receive the word in a submissive and open-minded way. We should be eager to learn more, and willing to apply what we learn to every area of our lives.

Psalm 25 The Psalmist says to God.

4 Show me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

There are believers, who instead of receiving the Word meekly, resist it proudly. There is an unwillingness to submit to God’s Word, and to surrender certain sins and certain desires.

If they do not like what they hear, they conclude that the preacher is an extremist and they are his targets. Then there are others who come to the word wearing blinkers, and earmuffs. They only see and hear what they want to hear.

Is there not the danger that we can read into the Bible instead of reading from the Bible? Is there not the danger of switching of and hearing only what we want to hear?

I am reminded of A. W. Tozers words—

James is teaching, that we must receive the word in its totality and we must receive it humbly, opening the inner self to its powerful influence. The word of God, which is received in meekness, will find good ground to be fruitful

Mark 4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

We are to receive the word humbly; it’s the Greek word "Praotes" which was used to describe an animal that had been domesticated –for example, a wild stallion that has been broken, and is now under the control of its master.

The horse’s will has been broken; he is still powerful but he is also now obedient. We are to come under the control of the word and accept it with humility and meekness.

We are to bend before the Lordship of Christ, as He bowed to the will of His Father, saying

We know that the word is able to save souls through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a strange expression in the light that James is speaking to Christians, who are already saved. Is he saying that the saved need to be saved? Yes.

This becomes clear, when we realize that the Bible speaks of Salvation in three different senses and tenses. It speaks of Salvation in three different ways.

The once and for all, the unrepeatable, the unalterable experience of the New Birth which Paul speaks of in

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This is the gradual process of Sanctification in the Christian’s experience, and spiritual development. Paul refers to this in

1 Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (KJV)

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (NKJ)

The Power of God is available to save His people from unclean practices and from every defiling sin. The word of God is not only able to save the soul from eternal damnation; it can save us from the daily damage, from sin.

Regeneration assures the Christian of deliverance from the penalty of sin, but it also assures him of a powerful deliverance from sin’s power in this present life.

This is that great and wonderful day, when we shall be delivered from the very presence of sin.

Rom 5: 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

This will be the experience of every believer beyond the grave—Saved from the Penalty, the Power, and from the Presence of sin.

James is saying in v21 that we are to receive the engrafted word because it is able to save us from the daily pollution of sin. The power of the word overcomes the power of sin.

Yet, multitudes of Christians fall short of maturity, and the blessing that ought to be theirs, all because the word of God is not taking root in their hearts.

The word of God is able to nourish, to strengthen, and to make one spiritually healthy.

Many are spiritual weaklings because they fail to receive the engrafted word into their hearts, and submit to its living power.

1. Transgression to Remove.

3. Teaching to Remember.

It is not enough to hear the word of God we must be doers. It is in the doing of the word that brings the blessing. Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their bibles never mark them or their witness.

If we don’t put the word of God into practice, the only ones that we are deceiving are ourselves. Self-deception and delusion is common among the Lord’s people.

Jesus says, "The wise man is one who hears His sayings and does them. The Foolish man hears them and does them not".

James exhorts us to receive the word, to welcome it, to bury it deep in our hearts and minds, and to live by its almighty power.

Thy Noblest Wonders here we view

In souls renewed and sins forgiven

Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew