James: Tongues and Fire

James: Where Faith and Life Meet

Tongues and Fire

April 22, 2012

Introduction

        The largest fire in a church in modern history was the one which destroyed the Church of La Compania in Santiago, Chile, on the night of December 8, 1863. The service was to be the last of a month long celebration; and the walls, ceiling and altar were decorated with thousands of yards of muslin, gauze and tinsel and illuminated by 2,000 long candles and 20,000 oil lamps, the later being strung from pillar to pillar throughout the building.

 A moment before high mass was to begin, a bit of the flimsy material swayed too close to the flame of a candle, became ignited and, within three or four minutes, the whole interior of the church was an inferno. As the terror-stricken people frantically struggled in the aisles, the lamps fell and sprinkled them with blazing oil and those who managed to reach the doors and exits found them blocked with tightly-wedged bodies. Of the nearly 3,000 worshippers in this congregation, some 2,500 perished in the fire or died from their injuries. ^[1]  Entire families were wiped out. The clean-up of the bodies took about ten days, and since most of the bodies were burned beyond recognition, they were placed in a mass grave at the Cementerio General de Santiago.

(Read James 3:1 -12)

Tongues and Fire

As parents we remind our children (and may have been reminded ourselves by experience) that fire can be a very dangerous thing.  Even a tiny spark can be very dangerous if it is not properly contained.  We may say to our children, “Do not get to close to the fire or else you may get burned.”  Since fire has the potential to cause a great deal of pain and damage it is no wonder why James uses fire as an  example to describe the potential painful and destructive powers of the tongue (or more specifically the words we speak).  Words have been responsible for starting wars, abusing people, breaking up marriages, devaluing people and destroying countless lifelong relationships.  The tongue of a human is considered one of the smallest muscles in the body, but it has the potential to cause a world of damage and destruction if left unchecked and unfiltered. 

        The topic of this passage is obviously the power of the tongue or the words we speak.  However before James tackles this subject he first gives a warning to his readers.  He warns them about becoming teachers, or better yet he warns them to not become teachers.  According to Douglas Moo, “Teachers were prominent in the life of the early church from the beginning… the teacher had the task of expounding the truth of the Gospel on the growing Christian tradition… The teacher in the early Jewish Christian church would have considerable prestige.”[2]  In a society where few people could read the teaching of the Gospel was to be taken seriously.

        James then informs them why they should not be eager to become teachers; because those who do teach will be judged more harshly and most notably for the words we speak.  One of the most difficult parts of the body to control is our tongues or speech (don’t believe me?  Try hitting your finger with a hammer and we’ll see if this is true) and what we say can easily lead to sin or cause others to be led astray.  I have heard people say that being a preacher would be an easy job; since all we have to do preach a sermon on Sunday, tell people how to live their lives and guilt members into attending and giving to the church.  On the contrary James says differently.  The job of a Pastor is to be discouraged (unless one is clearly called by God) because he (I) will be judged more strictly for the words I speak.

We now skip down to verse 5 where James cuts to the chase about the power and danger of our tongues.  We must keep in mind James is not only speaking to leaders and teachers now; he is speaking to Christians as a whole.  The tongue is symbolism for the words we speak.  In some ways our words are a sort of works.  In this portion of scripture he is talking specifically about the power of words.  Like a fire if used irresponsibly or without care the end result will cause great destruction.   I think we all know the power of negative or hurtful words as we have at one time been at the receiving end of some hurtful words.  I know throughout my nearly 20 years of ministry some hurtful things have been said to me as a person and as a pastor and they stick with you for a long time.  The words we use can cause great pain and suffering if not used properly.   According to Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”  How true this is, our words have the power to leave everlasting positive or negative impact on someone.  Evangelist and author Leonard Ravenhill says, “Our words reflect what’s in our hearts.  If a man loves sports, he talks about sports.  If he loves money, he talks about money.  If he loves art, he talks art… Our speech shows where our hearts are.”  How often can you tell what kind of person someone is by his or her words?  It doesn’t take too long to find out what a person is like just by engaging in a conversation with him.

I think James does a pretty good job in verses five and six of talking about the potential damage our words can cause to others.  He equates our words to fire, unrighteousness and hell.  He obviously knows and understands our human nature and tendency to take something wonderful and use it for harm and destruction.

Whenever I read this portion of scripture I am often convicted because I sometimes forget the power my words have.  There may be times that I go after my children or may say a harsh word to my wife and not truly realize at first the impact of what I have said.  I have often spoken unkind words and know that I cannot take those words back.  When I do this I know what I am saying is hurtful or wrong yet I go ahead and say them anyway and why is that?

  I think the answer is found in verse seven and eight.  James says wild animals, reptiles and sea creatures can all be tamed by humans, but the tongue cannot be tamed by any human being.  We say what we say because we have no control over that little 20 oz. muscle in our mouths.  Can we use this as an excuse though?  Can we justify the hurtful words and cursing of others simply by saying we have no control over our tongues?  Or by saying, “I have to say what I say (regardless of who I am harming in the process… I refer to this as verbal regurgitation) otherwise I wouldn’t be true to who I am.”  We are responsible for every word that proceeds from our mouths. 

In verses nine through twelve we see just how contrary our tongues/words can be.  Our words have huge potential to be positive, affirming, and glorifying to God.  With it we bless God… We go to church and sing praises we proclaim the wonderful love of God to one another.  We pray for one another and lift each other up for the edification of the body.  Tell someone you love her Etc.  Yet in the same manner we curse our fellow brothers or sisters through gossip, slander, abusive language and harsh tongue lashings.  It is not rare to hear things like “Did you hear what so and so did?  I can’t believe she would do that.  What a _________.”  You fill in the blank.  Or we say, “He did what?!   What a jerk!  I can’t believe he would even call himself a Christian.  I hope God gets him in the end.”  Or the ever so famous “but” statements, “She’s a nice lady, but she annoys the heck out of me.  I just walk away from her when I see her walking my way.”  Then the always helpful, “I’m not trying to gossip BUT did you hear what she did?”  Then some of us have been recipients of some of the harshest words ever spoken, “I hate you!”, “You are worthless!” or “I wish you were dead!”  You catch my drift?  Oh we can say the sweetest of things to one another, but we can also speak venomous and evil words as well.

With our mouths we praise God and with those same mouths we speak evil of those around us.  James says, “This should not be!” And I concur.  It doesn’t make sense naturally.  How can something so wonderful be capable of being so damaging?  He writes, “Can a fresh spring produce fresh and salt water?  Can fig tree bear olives?”  No.  These things are not natural.  A fig tree should produce figs.  A fresh spring should produce fresh water.  James is saying “The words we use should be a reflection of the God we serve.”  If God gave us our tongues then we should use them for his glory and edification to his children.  Or let me put it the way I would have written it had I written a this verse…”If you are a Christian then you should not gossip, slander, curse, abuse or tear people down with your words.  You should speak well of one another, be kind to each other, lift up your brother or sister in Christ with words of encouragement and blessing.”

We come now to the “HOW” part.  As you remember James says the tongue cannot be tamed by a human being.  So if I can’t tame my tongue then who can?  Well, we are in church so the obvious answer is God.  Maybe I should ask it like this instead, “If the tongue is untamable then why even try to tame it?”

Only God can give us the power to use our words positively.  We need to submit our mouths to Him and He will give us the power to be disciplined to use our words positively and for His glory. 

If you recall in Acts 2 as the Holy Spirit fell upon the people and tongues of fire were present over each person speaking in other languages.  These tongues of fire were evidence of the people being filled with the Holy Spirit.  The words they spoke were Spirit driven Words spoken for the glory of God and the edification of the body of Christ.  So to answer the how question, I suggest we pray for the tongues of fire to be present in our speech instead of using the tongue as a fire.  The difference between these two kinds of tongues is the tongue of fire is driven by the spirit and the tongue as a fire is driven by man. 

Conclusion

Here’s the application for the day it is found in Psalm 141:3 when King David prayed, “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.” And he also prayed in Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”   May this be your prayer as well as you consider how you use your words.  The king of Israel (or better yet the man after God’s own heart) knew the power of his words and he also knew the potential of harm his words could cause.  He knew that his tongue could not be tamed so he prayed that God would be the watcher of his words.  That he would help David to speak no evil words that would bring harm or destruction to anyone.  Ultimately he wanted his words to be pleasing to God and acceptable to Him as well.

The challenge for us today… Gossip, negative talk, criticism and back biting are present around us all the time.  I know it exists here in the church… It is present in any church.  However as believers we have the responsibility to stop harmful speech in the body of Christ.  The intent of the church is to glorify God, worship Him and edify one another in Christ. 

The big challenge I have for you and me is to be conduits of change here in this body of Christ.  Let’s begin by putting a stop to the use of harmful words against one another or against others in general.  If gossip, negative talk, criticism and back biting come up then let us put a stop to it.  Let’s be honest, the reason it is present is because we allow it to be present.  God has given us voices, he has given us intellect, and he has given us new hearts so let us use all of these God given gifts for his glory and not the tearing down of the body.

Decide today, will we use our words as bombs of death and destruction or will we allow the Spirit to be present in our speech to be balms of comfort to those around you and for praise to our God?  For the words we speak are in fact works (deeds) that people see in us to give evidence as to whether we are true followers of Christ or not.

         

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^[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

[2] Moo, Douglas p.149

James: Abraham and Rahab

James: Where Faith and Life Meet

Abraham and Rahab

4/15/12

Introduction

        When God makes a promise He always keeps it.  He may not tell us how he will accomplish what he has promised but he will always pull through.  In Genesis 15:6 God makes a promise to Abram (later to be known as Abraham); this promise was God giving Abraham a son through his wife Sara (naturally) and one day he (Abraham) would be known by all as the Father of a great nation (Israel).  His ancestors would be as many as the stars in the sky.  Abraham believed this promise and God counted it to him as righteousness.  However Abraham had no idea how God was going to accomplish his promise because at the time He made the promise Abraham was in his mid eighties and he had no natural son with his wife Sara.  Many years preceding God’s promise, Isaac was born to a Sarah at the tender young age of 90.  When Isaac was a young man God told Abraham to take his son to Mount Moriah and sacrifice him to Lord.  Once again Abraham obeyed.  Thankfully the story does not end tragically with the death of Isaac.  Instead God provided a sacrifice and pronounced another blessing on Abraham.

        Abraham’s response to God’s promises was integral.  This is the point where his faith and works came together.  It would have been easy for Abraham to say to God he believed yet not act on it, but we see that this was not the case with him. 

       

RECAP

        Today’s text may be considered one of the most controversial, if not (to some) the most contradictive passages in all the New Testament.  This is mainly due to James’ ideas that at first glance seem to contradict the teachings of the Apostle Paul.  My goal for today is to look at the text and clarify what James is trying to convey and ultimately show that his message is not contradictory and is in fact on the same page as the Apostle Paul’s. 

        In order for us to get an accurate look must first keep in mind the context of this passage or the point James has been trying to make since verse 14.  He spends a good deal of time talking about the compatibility and necessity of works based faith.  He shows works are importance because they are an evidence of our faith.  James writes, “If you say you have faith and do not show it through good deeds or good works then your proclaimed faith is useless.” 

        Our text for today James 2:21 – 26 the brother of Jesus uses the examples of Abraham (the Father of the Jews) and Rahab (A Gentile prostitute) to make his point regarding works and faith must go hand in hand in order for faith to be genuine.

Verse 21:  “Was not Abraham our father…”  James is writing to dispersed Christian Jews.  Abraham is regarded as the Father of the Jews (Genesis 17:3 – 6:  The Abrahamic Covenant).  The prophets of old, the religious leaders of Jesus’ time (John 8:36) and Jews in general speak of him as their father.  Since the Jews regard him so highly it is only natural that James would use him as an example of the importance of showing a works based faith.    

        “Justified or declared righteous when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?”  The NIV uses the word righteous and the ESV uses justified.  According to Hebrew Biblical philosopher Philo, this act is considered Abraham’s greatest work.  In his obedience Abraham showed that He completely trusted God in all aspects of his life.  We will look more closely at James’ words in a moment but we can gather through this that James shows that Abraham’s work was an example or instrument of his being justified.

        When we hear the word justify we typically think of the New Testament definition Paul uses which means, to render one just, innocent or free.  Paul proclaims that we are justified, or pronounced innocent by God when we trust or put our faith in Jesus Christ.  This is a central teaching from the Apostle Paul and throughout the NT.  However according to Doulas Moo, “We must not assume that James, (writing before Paul) uses the word (justified) in the same way (Paul did).  In fact, the evidence for the use of this verb in the OT, in Judaism and in the teaching of Jesus suggests the contrary.  When this evidence is considered, two meanings for the verb appear more likely for James.”  

1)      It might mean “Vindicate in judgment”. 

2)      A second meaning can be considered.  In a few passages the verb has the sense “To demonstrate to be right,” “vindicate.”

        Moo continues, “More important is the overall thrust of this passage, established by the broader context, in which the issue is what constitutes ‘true religion’ that will survive the judgment of God and by the specific question raised in v. 14: will ‘that kind of faith’ save a person?  (Thus) James is asserting that Abraham was granted a positive verdict in the judgment by God on the basis of his pious acts.”[1]  What he is suggesting is Abraham was vindicated when he offered his son Isaac on the altar which was a form of action or work.

Verse 22:  “His faith was active with works”.  The work of Abraham was in conjunction with his faith.  Abraham was willing to be obedient because he trusted or had faith that “God will provide for himself a sacrifice.”  It wasn’t an intellectual faith but was one that was accompanied by works of obedience.

Verse 23:  Two scripture verses James is referencing.  Abraham believed and it was counted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6)

Abraham was considered a friend of God most likely referring to 2 Chronicles 20:7

Verse 24:  I would have been ok if James never wrote this sentence in verse 24.  It has caused a lot of debate and controversy over the centuries.  “A person is justified by works and not faith alone…”  Many see a contradiction between James and Paul’s writing.  Paul writes in Romans 3:28, “For we hold that one is justified by faith and not works of the law.”  This was Paul’s central message throughout his ministry. This seemingly puts James and Paul at odds with each other.  The obvious difference between these two verses is that James speaks generally of “works” and Paul refers to works of the law.  James is speaking more along the lines of doing good works for God.  Paul most likely refers to relating justification of one through observing the Jewish law found in the Torah.  This would in fact constitute a dead and useless faith.  James has said more than once that an empty faith is a useless faith.

        We often focus on the works end of this passage when in fact the key words we should be looking as is “faith alone”.  James was probably referring to those who have a false faith (one in word only or possibly just observing the law like the religious leaders).  A faith without works has been shown to be empty and here James is saying that one cannot be declared righteous or justified in an empty or dead faith.  He has shown that true faith and true religion comes in the form of a faith that is active and does good deeds.  One who has true faith will do good works because he has a relationship with the Father and is united in Christ and can have nothing but a true genuine faith that works.  I believe if this is what James is trying to convey then Paul would have no qualms with James’ statement.

Verse 25:  James gives further evidence of the point he is making with Rahab the prostitute.  Her story is found in Joshua 2:1 – 22.  It is a fascinating story and it continues along the lines of God’s faithfulness in keeping his promises. 

        Two men were sent to Jericho to spy out the land so the Israelites could take it in battle.  Upon entering the city Rahab the prostitute offered to hide them in her home as the king and city officials were looking for them.  Because she believed the God of Israel was in fact the one and only true God she covered for the men.  In exchange for her and her families safety she hung a red chord from her window so when the Israelites attacked they would not harm her or her family. 

        Why did James choose a prostitute to solidify his point?  He chose the father of the nation as his first example which makes complete sense.  But why use a Gentile prostitute for his second example?  I don’t think there is a clear cut answer but my personal opinion is James is showing that having a faith that works is applicable to all people regardless of who they are.  Whether a well respected or revered man of God or a looked down upon Gentile prostitute our faith must be accompanied by works for Gods glory.

Verse 26: James closes out his topic on faith and works by driving home the central point.  He uses the illustration of a body without a spirit is dead.  There is nothing to it, just an empty shell that is useless and lifeless.  The same applies to a faith that is not accompanied by good works.  It is empty, useless and good for nothing.

Conclusion

        As we conclude chapter two I think it is safe to assume that James sees the value in having a genuine faith that works.  He dedicates 13 verses to the topic.  However I also think it is safe to say that his teaching on faith and works are not in contrast to Paul’s message of justification by faith.  Unfortunately people tend to lean more one way than the other.  They either focus more on the faith issues or they focus more on the works issue.  The author gives a very detailed account of the importance of both.  Nowhere in any of the Epistles of Paul do we ever find Paul preaching what Deidrich Bonhoeffer called “cheap grace” which means all one has to do is call themselves a believer and put no effort into their faith and still expect the blessings of eternal life.  Countless times Paul talks about the importance of walking the walk, caring for one another and living out our faith (an active faith).  James, likewise, teaches the same.

        I find this passage completely frustrating at first to preach as a pastor just because of the wording.  However the more I allow it to sink in I find it is a message we all need to hear and live.  There is work involved in faith.  Walking with Jesus does often require rolling up the sleeves and getting the job done.  It is not always (in fact rarely is it ever) an easy task.  As James alludes and I have said a number of times faith and works go hand in hand.  We, fortunately have the examples of Abraham and Rahab (two complete opposite biblical personalities) to show us that no matter what stage we are in life or even our status in life we are all declared righteous when we allow our genuine faith shine through which is evidenced by the good works we do.     

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[1] Moo p.135

James: Faith & Works

James: Where Faith and Life Meet

Faith and Works

4/1/12

There is a story (I am not sure if it is true or made up) about a chaplain who walked up to a wounded soldier who had been lying on the ground some time without anyone treating his wounds.
The chaplain asked, "Would you like for me to read to you from the Bible?" "No!" came the angry reply. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" the chaplain asked.
"I'm thirsty!" the soldier said. The chaplain gave him a drink from his own canteen.
"Anything else?" he asked. "I'm cold!" came the reply. The chaplain took off his coat and spread it over the soldier.
"Anything else?" he again asked. "My head is uncomfortable!" was his reply. The chaplain took off his cap and arranged it under the soldier's head.
The chaplain asked again, "Anything else?"
The soldier looked up at him and tears came to his eyes as he said, "I think now I'd like for you to read to me from the Bible."

Faith and Works

The paragraph in James we will look at today (James 2:14 – 20) is considered on one hand the most theologically significant statements in this letter and on the other hand it is probably the most controversial topics he brings up in the entire Bible. The example I just read fits perfectly with the theme of this message which deals with faith and works. As you probably noticed in the story; the injured soldier had no desires to hear the words of the God the chaplain served until he saw the God He served was evidenced or present in him through his actions. It reminds me of the words of one of my professors in college, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

The argument James introduces in the passage is that a general carefree or verbal faith with a few good works added in is sufficient to save individuals. Instead he argues that genuine faith of a true believer is clearly evidenced by his good works or deeds. You see one cannot just tack on good works to any old empty or dead faith and think it is sufficient. This kind of faith (as James states) is futile or useless.

This kind of faith reminded me of the Febreeze air freshener commercials on TV. In the commercial people are blindfolded and brought into a condemned house, smelly kitchen or someplace that would not have a pleasant smell. However room has been sprayed down with the air freshener and blindfolded participants respond with how wonderful the room smells only to find when the blindfolds are taken off they are in the disgusting room which should reek of stench. The room may smell nice but it’s still a gross room. The point of the commercial is to show their product can cover up any foul smell. Unfortunately some believe they can do this with their spirituality. They may say, “I am a good person. I believe in God, I go to church occasionally, I try to be honest, and I give some money to the church.” Yet the way they live Monday through Saturday doesn’t always match up to the faith they proclaim. They believe they can cover up their dead faith by doing some good deeds but the reality is a dead faith is a dead faith no matter what you put on it to make it look better.

Verse 14 – James asks two rhetorical questions about faith – 1) what good is it for a person to have a verbal faith but no good works to back it up? 2) Is this verbal faith enough to save someone?

Verse 15 – 16 – Rhetorical question is answered and a negative response is intended … James answers his question by giving an illustration: If one believer sees another believer who is poor, hungry and in need of clothing and their response is a lackadaisical blessing then this faith is not a true faith.

Modern day example: Someone presents an immediate need and you have the means to help them and your response is a flippant, “I’ll pray for you” and do nothing more. It seems as though for many our words “I’ll pray for you or about it” has become our scapegoat for doing nothing.

a. “It is not the form of the statement that is reprehensible, but its functioning as a cover for the failure to act.”[1]

b. It is suggested that the uncaring believer is vaguely wishing well the Christian Brother or sister in need as they go out and find food and clothes.

c. The main point is the believer does nothing to help the other believer in need.

d. Ultimately the rhetorical question is asked… “What good is it to wish one well and do nothing to help?” Answer: No good at all.

Verse 17 – The moral of the illustration… James shows the uselessness of a deedless faith. Faith without action is dead or feeble. James states three times that faith without works is dead in this passage. He speaks of the kind of faith spoken of in the previous verse as not only outwardly ineffective but inwardly dead; thus it is useless. Faith spoken is nothing if there is no evidence to back it up. Empty faith doesn’t work outwardly nor does it work inwardly… it’s a useless faith.

It is important to note that James is not contrasting faith and works as if they were two separate options (i.e. one can have a faith without works and another can have faith with works), instead he contrasts the two kinds of faith. One produces no works which is dead and one that results in action which is genuine. One that is in word only and the other is evidenced by deeds.

Verse 18 – James introduces a hypothetical character in this passage that is referred to by some as the objector (someone) and he argues… You may have the gift of faith and I may have the gift of works. – The objector thinks the two can be separate. However James shows that faith and works are not two separate gifts that a believer may or may not possess. Either one has genuine faith that produces good deeds or he does not have a faith at all. He insists that the objector show him a faith without works (and will reveal a false or futile faith) however the one who is able to show his faith through the good deeds that he produces will reveal a true and genuine faith. The two need each other. Faith and works go hand in hand. If you say you have faith and you have no works it is meaningless. Saying you have faith is not enough.

Verse 19 – James compares the faith of the objector with the faith of the demons. It is an interesting twist but James does not hesitate to make his point. He says, “You acknowledge God is one.” And his response some believe should be read with a touch of sarcasm, “Good for you!” Belief is entry level Christianity. However just having a general belief or acknowledgment that Jesus is Lord or that God is one is not true faith. By doing this you are on the same ground level as the demons. In fact you are probably on a lower level than them because their belief isn’t apathetic like a person who just says he believes. The stunning truth is at least the demons shutter or tremble when they acknowledge God is one or Jesus is Lord. Those who have a futile faith don’t even do that.

Douglas Moo writes, “The demons perfectly illustrate the poverty of verbal profession in and of itself. They are among the most ‘orthodox’ of theologians, James suggests, agreeing wholeheartedly with the Shema (The most basic Jewish belief… God is one)… But James might also want to suggest an ironical contrast between the demons and people who have faith without works: At least the demons display some kind of reaction to their ‘faith’!”[2]

Verse 20 – James refers to this objector as a foolish man. Do you need examples? Well here are two examples of faith from the O.T. about individuals whose faith are evidenced by their actions. This is where things start to get a bit hairy as it would seem at first glance that James contradicts Paul, who states that one is justified by faith and not by works (Romans 3:28). James makes the claim in verse 24 that a person is justified by works and not faith alone.

As I was preparing for the message I decided this is too big of a topic to cover and to put at the end of a sermon; so I decided to push pause on verses 21 – 26 and speak about them next week. It’s fitting since Easter Sunday we will talk about the process of justification as it pertains to the cross of Calvary and his resurrection. We as Christians believe wholeheartedly Jesus died on the cross for the sins of humanity and was raised from the dead three days later for our justification. We’ll look at what this means more closely next week.

Conclusion

A true works based faith is imperative in a believer’s life. One cannot just have faith to be a believer nor can one just do works and be a believer. True Christian faith affects the whole person. When one has genuine faith in Jesus Christ it not only changes the spiritual side of our lives (which it certainly does); it also impacts the outer person as well. Good works will flow a plenty from one who has genuine faith in Jesus Christ. Our faith and our works MUST go hand in hand in order for it to be life changing, genuine and apparent to others.

As I already mentioned our genuine faith affects the whole being thus a person with true faith will endure trials patiently and joyfully, have wisdom in decision making, put no stock in their wealth or status, find their significance in Jesus, overcome temptation and grow closer to God in the process, be quick to listen and slow to anger, practice true religion that does not show partiality to the rich and neglect the poor. Genuine faith in Jesus gushes forth from the believers life and is evidenced by the good deeds we do.

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[1] Johnson, L.T., “The Letter of James” (Garden City: Doubleday, 1995) p. 239

[2] Moo, 131

James: Prejudice & the Poor

James: Where Faith and Life Meet

Prejudice and the Poor

3/25/12

Introduction –

John Piper writes in his most recent book “Bloodlines: Race, Cross and the Christian” about growing up in the South in the 60s talks about his issues with racism and in particular the racism that was prominent in his church.

I was, in those years, manifestly racist. As a child and a teenager my attitudes and actions assumed the superiority of my race in almost every way without knowing or wanting to know anybody who was black, except Lucy. Lucy came to our house on Saturdays to help my mother clean. I liked Lucy, but the whole structure of the relationship was demeaning. Those who defend the noble spirit of Southern slavehold­ers by pointing to how nice they were to their slaves, and how deep the affections were, and how they even attended each other’s personal cel­ebrations, seem to be naïve about what makes a relationship degrading.

No, she was not a slave. But the point still stands. Of course, we were nice. Of course, we loved Lucy. Of course, she was invited to my sister’s wedding. As long as she and her family “knew their place.” Being nice to, and having strong affections for, and including in our lives is what we do for our dogs too. It doesn’t say much about honor and respect and equality before God. My affections for Lucy did not provide the slightest restraint on my racist mouth when I was with my friends.

My demeaning attitude was not mainly my parents’ fault. In fact, in some ways, it was in spite of my parents that I was a racist. My mother, who grew up in Pennsylvania, literally washed my mouth out with soap once for saying, “Shut up!” to my sister. She would have washed my mouth out with gasoline if she knew how foul my mouth was racially when she wasn’t around.

In 1962 my home church voted not to allow blacks into the ser­vices. The rationale, as I remember, was that in the heated context of the civil rights era, the only reason blacks would want to be there would be political, which is not what church is for. As I recall, my mother was the lone voice on that Wednesday night to vote no on this motion. I could be wrong about that. But she did vote no.

In December of that year, my sister was married in the church, and my mother invited Lucy’s whole family to come. And they came. I remember an incredibly tense and awkward moment as they came in the door of the foyer (which must have taken incredible courage). The ushers did not know what to do. One was about to usher them to the balcony (which had barely been used since the church was built). My mother—all five feet, two inches of her—intervened and by her­self took them by the arm and seated them on the main floor of the sanctuary.

She was, under God, the seed of my salvation in more ways than one. As I watched that drama, I knew deep down that my attitudes were an offense to my mother and to her God. Oh, how thankful I am for the conviction and courage of my gutsy, Yankee, fundamentalist mother. [1]

This is a fitting story as our passage in James today deals with issues of prejudice or discrimination and the Christian. Of course the kind of prejudice James was dealing with was not necessarily race related as it was with John Piper’s story but it was/is just as wrong as racism in the church today. The discrimination James’ recipients were guilty of was against the poor and this could be considered the same or similar mindset of the racism and partiality to the prominent or wealthy we still have in this modern era.

James introduces this new topic in chapter 2 and he gives much space in his letter in regards to the topic of prejudice or partiality so we can assume this was a big issue that was being dealt with. The topic or theme he introduces for verses 1 – 13 is discrimination against the poor and showing partiality or favoritism to the rich in this Christian community. We are uncertain if James is addressing a specific issue or if this is just an on going problem among the believers James is writing to. In our time together it is my hope to touch on the key theme of this passage and look at how it applies to us and the church today.

Prejudice and the Poor

Racism, prejudice and partiality have been a problem within the church since its inception in the early first century. You may recall when the Church was first establishing itself there was much discussion (heated at times) about whether a Gentile could become a believer and if so does a Gentile have to convert to a Jew before God would accept them. Peter dealt with this issue with Cornelius who was a Gentile and was called to be a child of God. Paul was always fighting this fight since his whole ministry was dedicated to bringing the Gospel to the non-Jew.

As I stated earlier James is not necessarily tackling so much the subject of racism in this passage (but it certainly applies to racism) as he is the issue of showing partiality or favoritism of the wealthy in the community of believers. The underlying issue at hand is how the community of believers treat others who may not be of the same socio-economic status and/or race.

Verse one begins with who he is addressing, “My brothers…” or some of your versions will say “My brothers and sisters”. The word in a general sense denotes “fellow- Christians” or “Christian brothers”. He writes to the believers and tells them to, “Show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” Partiality is the word used in the ESV translation but others have the word “Favoritism”, “Prejudice” or the literal translation could be “Respect of person” or “Receiving the face” which means to make judgments about people based on their outer appearance. James is making clear that discrimination or judgment based upon outer appearance against people in the congregation (in this case the poor) is inconsistent with following Jesus. We are told throughout the Old and New Testaments at least seven times that God is impartial. You may recall (In 1 Samuel 16:7) when the prophet Samuel was selecting King Saul’s successor (through the inspiration of God) and David’s brother Eliab was brought before him Samuel said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him” but God responded “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” This is an example that we as believers should follow. We are not to judge people on outer appearance alone.

In verses two through four James gives an example of the problem at hand. When the Christian believers assembled together for worship (whether in homes, in the temple courts or the synagogue) and a man in fine clothes and expensive rings walks in and a dirty smelly man in shabby clothes follows behind (think of a homeless unkempt smelly person) they are not to turn their noses up to the poor man and cater the rich man. They are not supposed to make one feel more important than the other. It is suggested that the two ment in the example may have been visitors or possibly new converts since they are ushered in. The rich man was shown favoritism by being given the choicest seat in the assembly and the poor man instructed to sit on the floor. We are not sure if this was an actual event that happened or a hypothetical instance but James makes it clear that if this is being done it is wrong. He states that when we do this not only are we guilty of showing partiality but that we have then become judges with evil thoughts. Douglas Moo writes, “When Christians show favoritism toward people in the assembly, they implicitly claim God’s own right to stand in judgment over other people.”[2]

James now emphasizes the point he is trying to make by showing how showing favoritism is wrong since God chooses to use the poor, socially outcast and lowly (according to the worlds standards) to be rich in faith and in fact heirs to the Kingdom. Jesus states this in the Beattitudes of Matthew 5, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” He speaks of the poor in spirit inheriting the Kingdom of heaven; the “poor in spirit” are individuals who are oppressed people of God. The Kingdom or the reign of God is central to the preaching of Jesus. According to James and Jesus God has a special interest in the poor to inherit the Kingdom. He continues by stating the poor may not have much in worldly possessions but they are rich in the heavenly realm. God has chosen the weak and lowly to reign in his Kingdom.

In verse six he clarifies when we show favoritism to the rich we are not only dishonoring the poor but ultimately God as well. James shows the contradiction that is happening in the church when favoritism is shown. God has chosen specifically the poor to inherit the Kingdom and the Church is contradicting God by openly neglecting the poor or casting them aside for the wealthy. He shows that (in this particular case and maybe even generally) the rich really don’t deserve to be honored in the assembly because they are the ones who are associated with oppression and persecution of the church. So the hypothetical question he asks is, “Why would you want to honor those who aren’t going to honor and respect you or God?” It is like the church who favors the wealthy is like the insecure person looking for approval from someone or a group who will never give them the approval they are looking for.

In verse 7 James brings up another example of the oppression of the rich which turns from economic to spiritual. The pagan rich are also guilty of blaspheming the name of Jesus. He may be referring to the rich Gentiles who may have mocked the God whom believers worship or the rich Jew who refuses to accept Jesus as the Son of God.

Conclusion

The cross of Jesus is the great equalizer of people. In Christ there is no black or white, rich or poor, Jew or Gentile just children of God. As we conclude we should ask ourselves, “How does all this look today in the Body of Christ?” Are we guilty of prejudice in one way or another when we assemble? Do we judge people based upon their outer appearance, economic standing or even social status in the community which is contrary to what Jesus taught? We must look at how we treat people individually when they come through the doors of this church? Or more personally how do you treat people (social outcasts, poor, the lowest of the low) in general? These are good questions to ask ourselves to determine whether we are truly living according the ways of God and in the way Jesus commands us.

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[1] Piper, John: Bloodlines: Race, Cross and the Christian. Wheaton, IL. Crossway Books, 2011, p. 34

[2] Moo, Douglas: The Letter of James. Grand Rapids, MI/Cambridge UK: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000, p. 105

James: Pure & Undefiled Religion

James: Where Faith and Life Meet

Pure and Undefiled Religion

3/18/12

Introduction –

A few months ago the YouTube video poem “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” by Jefferson Bethke went viral. In just four days the video had over 10 million views online. This video sparked a lot of discussion and controversy pertaining to Jesus and religion. For those of you who wish to watch this video you can watch it by clicking here. The point Bethke made with this poem was to show the differences between being a genuine follower of Jesus and being a person who trusts and relies on an empty or false religion.

Since I won’t be showing the video I’d like to read a couple of stanzas so you can get an idea about the premise…

What if I told you Jesus came to abolish religion
What if I told you voting Republican really wasn't His mission?
What if I told you republican doesn't automatically mean Christian
And just because you call some people blind doesn't automatically give you vision

I mean if religion is so great, why has it started so many wars
Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor
Tells single moms God doesn't love them if they've ever had a divorce
But in the Old Testament, God actually calls religious people whores…

Now back to the point, one thing is vital to mention
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrum
See one's the work of God, but one's a man made invention
See one is the cure, but the other's the infection
See because religion says do, Jesus says done
Religion says slave, Jesus says son
Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus makes you see
And that's why religion and Jesus are two different clans.

Many have chimed in with their criticisms and critique of this poem but I think the general attitude behind it resonates well with most Bible believing Christians…. Love Jesus, follow God and don’t rely on man made institutions for your salvation. However the question has been raised, “Can we hate religion and still love Jesus?” “Can we be religious and still love Jesus?” or better yet, “Is there a significant difference between having religion and following Jesus?” I believe the answer lies in making our distinction between what it means to be religious and following Jesus. If we define religion as mans attempt to earn God’s favor by being moralistic, keeping the rules, being self righteous, self serving and forcing people to believe the way we do then the answer is no we cannot be religious and love Jesus. I know if I were to ask anyone (even in this congregation) to use one word to define religion I am certain I would hear words like, institutional, dogma, piety, priests, hypocrisy, dead, Pharisaical and oppressive. The reality is this is what most people associate with religion. But I do not believe that’s what being religious means.

I have found there are at least 20 – 22 major religions in the world and many of them have in one form or another been connected with one or more of the words above. It is believed that the top six religions in the world are as followed…

1) Christianity with 2.1 billion followers (33% of world pop.)

2) Islam with 1.5 billion followers (21% of world pop.)

3) Agnostic/nonreligious/Atheist – 1.1 billion (16% of world pop.)

4) Hinduism – 900 million followers (14% of world pop.)

5) Chinese Traditional or Folk Religion/Confucianism/Taoism – 394 million followers (6% of world pop.)

6) Buddhism – 376 million followers (6% of world pop.)

Among these religions there are scores of other sub religions, cults and others. People by nature are religious as the numbers above promote, whether it is the belief in one specific God, an unknown god(s) or no God at all.

The Tongue and Religion

In today’s passage James talks about being religious and religion in particular (Read James 1:26 – 27). He picks up where he left off in verse 19 when he wrote about the importance of having a controlled tongue (and will continue talking about it again in later chapters) and being a follower of Jesus. He says, “If anyone thinks himself religious, and does not bridle his tongue… his religion is useless.” Here James speaks of the importance of using words that are edifying, controlled and gracious as an evidence of faith.

Now, before we go any further some of you may be thinking, “In all this talk about religion and the negative connotation it suggests the last thing I want to be associated with is a religious person.” The words religious and religion are used seven times in the New Testament (three of those occurrences are in these two verses). In these passages the words religious and religion are very general in meaning.

1 a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b : (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural

(2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4 : a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith^[1]

As noted above there are numerous religions in the world and as Christians we believe Christianity is the one true religion and James speaks to us concerning this line of thinking. If we consider ourselves to be people who worship the one true God in our outward practices then the words we use should line up with the God we worship. James uses the imagery of a bridle or rein on our tongue. The bridle along with the bit is used to control a horse and in the same way we should have a controlled or bridled tongue. As believers if we cannot or refuse to control our tongues and go about destroying people with our hurtful and destructive words he/she not only has an empty faith but also deceives himself/herself. They think they are children of God but in fact are not. As we will see in chapter three the words we use and how we speak to others are very telling about who we are as individuals.

There are a couple of stories I read about John Wesley the first was when someone approached him and said, “My talent is to speak my mind.” Wesley replied, “That is one talent God wouldn’t care a bit if you buried!”[2] Another story was when a woman came up to John Wesley after he preached a sermon and said, “Mr. Wesley, the strings on your bow tie are much too long. It’s an offense to me!” He asked if any of the ladies present had a pair of scissors and one lady handed him some. He gave them to the woman who was offended and told her to clip them to her liking. After she clipped them off near the collar he said, “Are you sure they’re all right now?” “Yes, that’s much better.” “Then let me have those shears a moment, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if I also gave you a bit of correction. I must tell you, madam, that your tongue is an offense to me – it’s too long! Please stick it out… I’d like to take some off.”[3]

Pure and Undefiled Religion

Pure and undefiled/clean/untainted religion (or worship) is evidenced by caring for widows and orphans and keeping oneself unstained from the world. Here James is not defining religion as being only these things he is reminding the recipients of this letter that if they are practicing followers of Jesus they have a responsibility to care for those who are less fortunate AND not walk in the ways of the world. Let me dissect this a little. James solidifies his previous statement that we must not just be hearers of the word but doers of the Word. Simply stated he says our outer being of the appearance of being religious on the outside and not doing what the Word says makes our religion futile and empty.

James mentions orphans and widows specifically here because the people he was writing to may not have been caring for these less fortunate people. In Biblical times widows were often overlooked because they had no source of income. There were no such things as women in the workplace. If a woman was widowed and her husband did not leave her anything to live off of then she had nothing. They depended on others to care for and provide them. The same goes for orphans; they could not support themselves as children since they were abandoned. Unfortunately there were rare cases of success stories about orphans who worked to become something of significance in life. Generally if a child was orphaned he was destined for a life of poverty.

The Old Testament has specific rules for caring for the widows and orphans (Exodus 22:22 & Deut. 14:29) and these rules applied to the Christian Jews James was writing to. He reminds his readers they have an obligation to care for those less fortunate. The same applies for us today. We can no longer turn the blind eye to those who are needy in their times of trouble. As Christians we do have an obligation to social justice in the name of Jesus. We are not called to do everything and fix the problems of those less fortunate we are called to do something (especially within our own congregation or body) when the times are tough for them.

Not only are we to care for and help those in need but we are also reminded that we must keep ourselves from being influenced or spotted by the world. We are to pursue and practice holiness. The world, as you may recall, is often referred to as the world systems, views or beliefs that cause us to not be dependant on God. In short it means that we are to be completely dependant on God and walk in his ways and statutes in all areas of our lives.

Conclusion

These two verses are packed with a lot of practical advice for us as believers. However I think it is very important to understand that James is not saying your outward actions and words make you Christian. Jesus, Paul and James to an extent are specific in talking about complete faith in Jesus, living a life completely submitted to him, and the centrality of the cross as essential to our salvation. Our outward actions are only evidence of the Jesus in you and yet necessary. Apparently the people he was writing had a problem with putting their faith into action. James makes it a point to remind them and us that who we are as followers of Jesus is reflected in what we do and do not do in his name.

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^[1] Merriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc.

[2] Hughes, R. Kent: James: Faith That Works. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1991, p. 83

[3] ibid

James: Hearer & Doer

James: Where Faith and Life Meet

Hearer and Doer

3/4/12

Introduction –

I can’t think of anything more frustrating than trying to talk, or reason with a hotheaded and short tempered person. I know of certain people in my life that I tend to avoid controversial or divisive topics because I know that when we talk about them the conversation is going to end up going south.

What’s even more difficult is when you have been verbally beaten up by someone, and I mean really beaten up by someone who is just angry or bitter and they cannot be reasoned with? (An example of when someone came to me in anger – Jan or Jay). Unfortunately I have had many more encounters like this with both kinds of people in my life and I have found (after many years) my best defense or response is to not respond at all by adding fuel the fire by engaging in yelling back or saying hurtful things. Instead I try (and I emphasize the word try) to listen and respond in an appropriate manner. When I do I try to speak in calm and non-threatening ways. I may not always be successful in responding this way but I have found when I do it I have done so in a way the Bible tells us and I know I have done the right thing. Proverbs 15:1, 2 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.”

As one reads through the book of proverbs the writer speaks often about the wisdom a person has when he listens much and talks little. Those who have to use abusive words with yelling or screaming or even those who always have to get in the last word usually say a lot about themselves (which is not positive). Commentator Douglas Moo writes these words, “Uncontrolled anger leads to uncontrolled speech. How often do we find ourselves regretting the words spoken ‘In the heat of the moment’?”[1]

Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak

In today’s passage James reminds his readers the importance of being men and women with controlled tongues and attentive ears. He begins verse 19 by saying, “Understand this…” or “Before we go any farther it is important for you to take this truth to heart and understand what I am saying.” As humans (most especially believers) it is imperative that we be “quick to hear or listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.” This means we should always be ready and willing to listen first (no matter how a person speaks to you), keep our mouths shut until the right time and be emotionally controlled in our responses. Why does James tell his readers this? Because James reminds us that human anger does not produce the righteousness of God. Often human anger is a response in the flesh and usually causes more trouble. Contrary to what some people think he dismisses the idea that people justify their anger because they think they are doing what God wants them to do. They think they can bring about God’s justice. I know people rationalize their anger by spiritualizing it or by saying they are being angry for God and they like to use Jesus turning over the tables of the money changers as their example. Jesus’ anger was justified and reserved for him alone. He was acting on God’s behalf. His anger was a controlled and it involved him personally. Plain and simply human anger does not lead to behavior that is pleasing to God. As Christians, yes we are told to have a righteous anger toward sin among a community of believers. Never does the Bible encourage us to use anger, harsh words or condemning words towards the sinner.

We are reminded of this when we read stories about people who claim to be speaking or acting on God’s behalf to bring sinners to justice. They act in their own sinful flesh (because they don’t like what is going on) and often bring much damage, destruction and often create more damage than good.

Many have asked, “Does this mean that we should never get angry?” I don’t think this is the point James is trying to make. We are humans and we have emotions. I believe James is making a general statement about anger. I think he warns the believer that in most cases human anger is not something God blesses. Most of our anger stems from the flesh and leads to sin and as we have already talked about God does not bless one to sin. We will talk about the power and danger of our words in a later chapter.

Looking at the historical context of this passage I can only imagine what an early church service held in the home of a believer could have looked like back in the early first century. I am almost certain they had some good arguments as the faith they were talking about was still rather new. There were probably a lot of interruptions happening during the time of scripture and I could imagine some heated discussion, some yelling and probably even some raised tempers flying around. James isn’t saying that there shouldn’t be talk about what is being taught but instead the people should first and foremost quick to listen and let what has been said take time to process and sink in. After you have taken the time to let it sink in respond in an appropriate and controlled manner.

Doers and Hearers

In verse 23 James now moves onto his next topic of being active doers of the word of God and not just merely hearers. The mistake people make in reading this verse is thinking that James says be doers of the Word and not hearers. He speaks about being both. As Christians we are to know the Word of God, we are to read it, memorize it, and consume as much as we can. However we are not to stop there. The Word of God is alive and active thus we as Christians must be alive and active.

Unfortunately in my profession I have met a number of men and women who claim to be intellectuals concerning the Word of God and are usually the most pompous, self righteous and unChrist-like people I have ever met. Anyone who thinks that knowing the Word of God is enough for their Christian walk is only deceiving themselves. If one only intellectually knows the Word of God and thinks this is what makes him righteous before God and does not do the Word of God is essentially useless.

In James verses 23 – 24 he gives us an example of what a hearer only of the Word is like. He says he is like a man who stares intently at his reflection in a mirror and when he walks away forgets what he is like. Now, before we go too much farther we have to take into consideration that the mirrors James speaks of are not the same kind we have today. They were usually polished metal, bronze, gold or silver. They were unable to get a good full glance at themselves in the mirror like we have in the modern world. When people just consume the Word of God without taking into consideration what they should do with it they can get a distorted view of scripture and can think they are more righteous, intellectual and useful to the Kingdom because they have so much understanding of God’s Word. I mean these people can quote scripture to you as fast as a machine gun but when it comes to living the Word they are almost spiritually void. In fact the people I have met who are like this are generally (not always) think they are so spiritually minded that they don’t need anything or anyone. It’s just Jesus and me baby. Interestingly I have also found they can be individuals who are most harmful to others with their words and anger. Their mouths are unfiltered because they believe they are a spokes person for God and they just have to say what they say regardless of the trail of destruction they leave behind.

James warns it is not enough to just know the Word of God we must put into practice the Word of God. Can you imagine what Christianity would look like if we would practice loving God, loving others and making disciples? Our failure to practice what we preach is unfortunately is one of the biggest reasons why Christians are known as hypocrites. If we only preached love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy and not practiced it then we would be one sorry bunch of followers of Jesus. Unfortunately there are so many out in this world that does precisely this. God didn’t speak to Moses and the Prophets to write down His Words so we could have a nice book of rules to read and learn intellectually from. He did not send Jesus so we could reflect on his wisdom and tell people how they should live all the while not living the way the word tells us. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Do you hear those words? The Bible is LIVING and it is ACTIVE. This Bible we read, love and know is intended to be lived out.

I love how The NET Bible translates verse 25 specifically “But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he will be blessed in what he does.” I love how it reads… “The one who peers… and fixes his attention… does not become a forgetful listener BUT one who lives it out.” I believe this is precisely what God desires from his followers. The one who hears the Word of God, applies it to his life and lives his life according to it will be blessed in all he does.

Conclusion

So what is the practical application for today’s message? It is three fold. First, we are to be followers of Jesus who are good listeners and avoid using anger as a means to control, fight and manipulate others. Instead we are to be controlled in our emotions. Secondly, knowing the Word of God is important. God gave us his Word to be consumed. We are to read it, love it and memorize it so it can take root in our hearts. Lastly, we are to not only know God’s Word but we are to practice it and live it out. We are to do what the Word tells us to do for in doing so we will be blessed. So my friends let us be hearers of the Word AND doers of the Word. God has given us his Word for our benefit and His glory so let us live it our for our benefit and His glory.

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[1] Moo, Douglas: The Letter of James. Grand Rapids, MI/Cambridge UK: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000, p. 72, 73