Reflections on James 1

 

James 01 (Contemporary English Version)


1. From James, a servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Greetings to the twelve tribes scattered all over the world.
   
2. From James, a servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Greetings to the twelve tribes scattered all over the world.
   
3. My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble.
   
4. My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble.
   
5. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested.
   
6. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested.
   
7. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.
   
8. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.
   
9. If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking.
   
10. If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking.
    
11. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.
    
12. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.
    
13. If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
    
14. If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
    
15. (SEE 1:7)
    
16. (SEE 1:7)
    
17. Any of God's people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them.
    
18. Any of God's people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them.
    
19. But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers
    
20. But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers
    
21. scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. That is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.
    
22. scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. That is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.
    
23. God will bless you, if you don't give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him.
    
24. God will bless you, if you don't give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him.
    
25. Don't blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn't use evil to tempt others.
    
26. Don't blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn't use evil to tempt others.
    
27. We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us.
    
28. We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us.
    
29. Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.
    
30. Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.
    
31. Don't be fooled, my dear friends.
    
32. Don't be fooled, my dear friends.
    
33. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.
    
34. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing.
    
35. He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.
    
36. He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.
    
37. My dear friends, you should be quick to listen and slow to speak or to get angry.
    
38. My dear friends, you should be quick to listen and slow to speak or to get angry.
    
39. If you are angry, you cannot do any of the good things that God wants done.
    
40. If you are angry, you cannot do any of the good things that God wants done.
    
41. You must stop doing anything immoral or evil. Instead be humble and accept the message that is planted in you to save you.
    
42. You must stop doing anything immoral or evil. Instead be humble and accept the message that is planted in you to save you.
    
43. Obey God's message! Don't fool yourselves by just listening to it.
    
44. Obey God's message! Don't fool yourselves by just listening to it.
    
45. If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror
    
46. If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror
    
47. and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.
    
48. and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.
    
49. But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don't just hear and forget.
    
50. But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don't just hear and forget.
    
51. If you think you are being religious, but can't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless.
    
52. If you think you are being religious, but can't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless.
    
53. Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil.
    
54. Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil.
    

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[NOTE: I am taking a brief detour from my reflections in Ecclesiastes into James as I prepare to teach a lesson from James 1:19-27]
James speaks throughout this book of a very practical religion, and this passage (1:19-27) is no exception. There are many ways people fool themselves concerning their religious fervor or spiritual maturity. Two are mentioned in this passage.  One is having scriptural knowledge and the other is doing good towards others. Both can give a false sense of our spiritual maturity.

Concerning the first, having scriptural knowledge, we tend to believe ourselves spiritually mature if we have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of scripture and our beliefs are compatible with scripture. But this is not equivalent with being obedient to the teachings of scripture. I once heard said of a person that they thought saying something was equivalent to doing it. In this case, many seem to think that believing something is equivalent with obedience. But James says such a one deceives himself.

The second way people fool themselves concerning their spiritual condition is in doing good toward others. Though helping people in need is a teaching of scripture, simply doing so is not an indication of obedience to God's Word or of one's spiritual maturity. Many people help others in need, even non-religious people and people who don't believe their is a God. It is our motivation that determines whether helping others is an act of obedience to God's Word and people are easily fooled concerning their motivations.

But James provides us a test of our spiritual condition and whether or not we are truly obedient to God's Word. It is the control of our tongue. This cannot for long be faked. Sooner or later the true person will come out through the use of their tongue. As Abraham Lincoln said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time." Why is it that we cannot fool ourselves and others all of the time? It requires controlling our tongues all of the time and that cannot be done unless that is our true nature - the nature we have allowed God to give us.

How do we allow God to give us this nature? James says in verse 21 it is by providing fertile soil in our hearts for the implanting of God's Word which then allows it to grow and produce fruit in our lives. Galatians chapter 5 tells us what fruit is produced in our lives when we provide fertile soil for the implanting of God's Word.  It is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. When this fruit of God's Spirit is present in our lives the tongue will come under the control of these characteristics which have become a part of our nature.

What should be our motivation for allowing God's Word to be implanted in our lives to produce such fruit? It is the accomplishment of God's righteousness (v. 20). This, really, is another test of our spiritual condition or maturity. Whether or not we are motivated by a desire for God's righteousness to be accomplished in us or in anyone. It is actually the initial motivation which brings the transformation in our lives that makes possible the controlling of our tongues, which is a test of whether or not the transformation has taken place.