The Epistle of James

1
(No Transcript)
2
The Epistle of James
3
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• A Recipe for True Religion James 119-27
• This section is given to us as a synopsis or
  recipe for the Christian life.
• James will address some items in greater detail
  in later chapters
• There is a progression, which we will look at in
  detail, from listening to doing to true religion

4
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• STEP 1 Listen! v19-21
• According to Paul in Romans 1014-15, people
  become believers after they hear of Jesus
• There is a responsibility to preach or speak the
  word of God
• But there is also a responsibility to listen
• Jesus, in the parable of the sower, (Matthew
  1318-23) alludes to this
• Each of the soils (groups of people) heard the
  word

5
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• We should be quick to listen
• We have two ears
• Jesus often said, He who has ears, let him hear
• Matthew 139, and other places
• We should be slow (careful) to speak
• We have one mouth
• We should be slow to become angry
• Anger is not necessarily wrong
• Saul, 1 Samuel 116
• Jesus, Luke 1945-46
• But quick anger often causes trouble
• Proverbs 2224-25

6
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• Then James identifies anger as a symptom of a
  deeper moral problem v21
• It comes from moral filth and evilness
• But what does this mean?
• Many times (if not most) anger arises when we
  don't get what we want
• This is the original sin, of Satan, the desire to
  be in charge
• The advertising world bombards us with messages,
  to get us to want things we don't have, whether
  it be perfect hair or a better looking mate
• More on this later

7
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• STEP 2 Do! v22-26
• James tells us that hearing is necessary, but not
  sufficient
• We must act on what we have heard
• Or we will be like someone who can't remember his
  own face v23-24
• Back to the parable of the Sower
• All the soils (people) heard the word
• But only the good soil, heard, understood, and
  produced a crop

8
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• Law or Grace?
• We begin to see the dichotomy that has made the
  Epistle of James controversial v25
• James The Law is Perfect and gives Freedom
• Paul Those who rely on the Law are cursed
  (Galations 310)
• James was writing to Jewish believers, while Paul
  was writing to Gentiles
• The relationship between Gentile believers and
  the Law was already settled (Acts 1522-29)
• Who authored that statement?
• James!

9
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• But Paul also wrote
• The Law is holy Romans 712
• The Law is spiritual Romans 714
• The Law is good, if used properly 1 Timothy 18
• Paul's point, all through Romans and Galations
  and elsewhere
• You cannot be saved just by the mechanics of
  observing the law, cannot by saved by what you do
• James does not contradict this
• He is not talking about salvation
• He is writing to Jews who are already believers

10
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• James is writing about what you should be like
  after you have been saved, not how to get saved
• More on this in the next chapter

11
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• STEP 3 True Religion v26-27
• Control your tongue v26
• Jesus taught this, too Matthew 1236-37
• James will address this in great detail in
  Chapter 3
• Look after widows and orphans v27a
• Is this obsolete thinking?
• Doesn't the modern welfare state fulfill this
  role?
• Do you know any widows and orphans?
• How about divorced single mothers?

12
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• Keep from being polluted by the world v27b
• What is the world?
• Is it the planet we live on?
• Or is it worldly people?
• There are world views, such as Christianity,
  Humanism, Materialism, or just plain ol' Selfism
• We all adopt some world view, and live
  according to it, for good or evil
• Worse yet, we like to adopt elements of other
  world views, and add them to ours
• This pollutes or adulterates our Christian world
  view

13
James Part 2 Talk Less, Do More

• Not All World Views are Equal!
• According to Paul, some are taught by demons
• 1 Timothy 41
• According to Jesus, our world view matters,
  eternally
• Matthew 713, ...narrow is the road that leads
  to life...
• Also according to Jesus, His world view is the
  only correct one
• John 146, I am the way...