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James 1:21-27
Getting The Most Out of God's Word
Introduction
The Bible employs striking IMAGES to describe its own power to impact
our lives (PSYCHIC SWORD; FOOD; LIBERATOR; SEED—vs 21b mixes
SEED & LIBERATOR). This is why we need regular exposure (TEACHING;
PRIVATE STUDY; DISCUSSION). Those whose lives are being dynamically impacted
and changed by God are always involved with his Word in this way.
On the other hand, sometimes people have both regular exposure to and
familiarity with God's Word, but remain unchanged. Why? Like the passage
on adversity, the key is our response.
James introduces us to three responsibilities we have every time we expose
ourselves to God's Word. If we understand and practice these, we will
get the most out of God's Word.
BEFORE: Put Aside (vs 21a)
Read vs 21a. James says that before we expose ourselves to God's
Word, we have a responsibility to put something aside.
Is James saying that we must be sinless before we can benefit from God's
Word? Obviously not, or no one could benefit from it. The issue is not
merely committing sins in the course of walking with God. As James says
in 3:2a, “We (not you) all stumble in many ways.” A closer look
at the terms used here shows us that something more is involved.
“Filthiness” (rhuparia) comes from a term which was used
to describe “wax in the ear that plugs up the sound.” The
idea here is that if we fail to clean our ears, we eventually lose our
ability to hear.
“All that remains of wickedness” literally means “excess
undergrowth of wickedness.” The image is allowing superfluous weeds
and underbrush to grow up and sap life from a garden plant (as in Mark 4:19).
If we fail to weed our gardens, our plants won't be fruitful.
The issue is not whether we choose to stumble, but whether we choose
to live in the mud!! The issue is adopting an attitude of willful resistance
to God's correction of specific moral areas of your life (“STIFF-NECKED”).
This creates a barrier which prevents further entry of God's Word into
our hearts. Why?
This is an example of God's loving discipline. Good parents connect
granting new privileges with responsibility to heed previous instruction.
Parents who don't do this “spoil” their children and don't
love them as they should (parent who agrees to teach son to fly even
though he knows his son is doing drugs).
In the same way, God says there are certain moral areas of life that
are so hurtful to us and others that he prioritizes working on them.
Here (in no particular order) are most of these key areas emphasized
by scripture:
- wrongful romantic/sexual involvement (pre-marital sex; extra-marital
affairs; pornography)
- destructive inter-personal attitudes (bitterness; refusal to work
on marriage; slander; lying)
- occultic involvement (channelling; astrology; astral projection)
- substance abuse (drunkenness or dependence on alcohol; recreational
drug use)
- unethical practices at work (theft; stealing [including laziness];
insubordination)
- justifying materialistic values (greed; coveteousness)
- refusing to accept adversity permitted by God (unbelief >> bitterness
toward God)
This is a personal issue between you and God. He is able to let you know
if there are issues like this that are blocking the impact of his Word.
The question is: are you willing to hear his correction?
If this is your problem, James says “put it aside” (STRIPPING
OFF DIRTY CLOTHES & FLINGING THEM AWAY). How do you do this?
- Agree with God that you have been wrong in this area (instead of rationalizing
or minimizing).
- Agree with him also that you have been forgiven in Christ (if you
have received Christ).
- Agree to cooperate with God in securing freedom in this area.
I know from experience that it's amazing how quickly God's Word
comes alive to you after you do this!!
DURING: Receive (vs 21b)
Next, James describes the attitude we should adopt during the
time that we expose ourselves to God's Word (read vs 21b). There
is nothing magical about simply opening the Bible or attending a Bible
study. It's impact will be fruitful if we receive it. Note two key words
which describe this attitude.
“Receive”: This is a hospitality word meaning to “welcome”—to
personally welcome God's message into your own heart as you would welcome
a good friend into your own home (read 1 Peter 2:2 >>
ABBY DRINKING FOR HER LIFE).
But sometimes we regard God's Word more as a threatening stranger that
we're reluctant to let in. Like in Star Trek when they encounter a foreign
ship, we divert full power to the shields. We can do this in very subtle
ways.
“RICOCHET” GAME - “I hope Greg is listening to this.”
“George should read this.” (QUALIFY: This may be appropriate,
if you also welcome it.)
“WHO ARE YOU TO TELL ME?“ - “Who are you to tell me
what God says when you have problems too?“ (QUALIFY: We should
carefully evaluate the content, but sometimes this is just defensiveness.)
This kind of defensiveness may indicate something that something needs
to be “put aside.“ Or it may indicate that you don't know, or
have forgotten about God's grace - that he loves you, and accepts you
apart from your works through Christ, and that he wants to do you good.
When we remember God's grace, it makes it easier to welcome his truth
because we know that everything he says to us is motivated by this love.
“In humility”: This means to recognize my constant need for
instruction and correction, and therefore to receive God's Word with a
teachable heart (Psalm 19:7-11 >> DAVID AFTER MANY YEARS?).
But it is easy, especially after you've learned your way around the
Bible and become familiar with most biblical doctrines to lose this
attitude. “Familiarity breeds contempt” applies even to the
God's Word! This expresses itself in different ways.
“I ALREADY KNOW THAT”—“Not Galatians again!!”
“When are we going to hear something new?” But we need to
be reminded (2 Peter 1:12-13) because we forget, and we are
to grow in our appreciation of the same truths. Pray for illumination
each time.
THE “SISKEL & EBERT” GAME—Preferring certain teachers
is OK; giving feed-back so they can improve is helpful (I get it every
week & give it to others). But critiquing the teacher's performance
rather than humbly looking for and receiving God's message through it
is a bad habit that leads to spiritual ill-health.
How do you cultivate and maintain a heart that humbly receives
God's Word? One way is to pray that God will continue to show you your
own need for correction and growth - whatever it takes. Another way is
by following James next point . . .
AFTER: Do (vs 22-27)
Read vs 22. James says that after we have heard God's Word, we have
a responsibility to do - to put it into practice in our lives!
QUALIFY: Notice that he does not say” . . . doers,
and not hearers . . .” He says,” . . . doers,
and not merely hearers . . . ”
Some Christians scorn the whole idea of serious study and discussion
of the meaning of God's Word. This is more akin to Buddhism than Christianity.
Mental understanding of God's Word is an important part of the Christian
life.
But James' point is that understanding God's truth is never to be an
end in itself. The proper goal of understanding truth is applying it to
your life. “Theological understanding without personal application
is a miscarriage of the truth.” Read vs 23-24.
MIRROR ILLUSTRATION: Here's a guy who gets up in the morning and looks
at himself in his full-length mirror, sees a serious case of bed-head,
stubble on his face, wrinkled pajama's - and then goes off to work!!
His boss says, “Haven't you got a mirror?” “Oh yes, a
full-length one.” “Didn't you look at your self in it this
morning?” “Sure I did. I studied it carefully . . . ”
“Well, you'd better do something about what you see, or you won't
be working here very long!”
What good does it do to study myself in the mirror if I don't do anything
about what I learn? What good does it do to study God's word if I don't
apply to my own life what I learn? >> Read vs 25.
Read vs 26-27. James supplies us with specific examples of three
general lines of life application.
“bridle his own tongue” >> “Does God want to correct
something in my behavior?” (ENCOURAGEMENT & GRATITUDE vs. CUTTING
& COMPLAINING)
“visit orphans and widows” >> “Is God teaching
me how to become more effective in loving others?” (VOLUNTARY SERVICE;
COMPASSION)
“keep oneself unstained by the world” >> “Is God
challenging or correcting my value system?” (LOVING PEOPLE/ACCUMULATING
THINGS; CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT/AVOIDING PAIN)
It's not that God will necessarily speak to you in each of these areas
every time you get into his Word, but we should look for application
in these areas each time.
To these, I'll add another: “Have I personally received Christ?”
It is important that you be sure you understand what the Christian message
is. It is valid that you become familiar with evidence for the truthfulness
of Christianity. It is necessary that you realize that God wants you to
make a free, voluntary decision to come to Christ for forgiveness and
spiritual life. Take your time in these areas; God respects you. But remember
that the time to put this into practice by receiving Christ is going to
come, and your decision at that time is the most important decision you
will ever make . . .
Copyright 1993 Gary DeLashmutt
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