June 10, 2018

James
James 1:19-27

“Cultural Christianity is religion that superficially identifies itself as ‘Christianity’ but does not truly adhere to the faith. A ‘cultural Christian’ is a nominal believer—he wears the label ‘Christian,’ but the label has more to do with his family background and upbringing than any personal conviction that Jesus is Lord. Cultural Christianity is more social than spiritual. A cultural Christian identifies with certain aspects of Christianity, such as the good works of Jesus, but rejects the spiritual aspects required to be a biblically defined Christian."
- gotquestions.org about Cultural Christianity

Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak

James 1:19-20
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

First - This is a pretty great idea for everyone.

Second - This is not just a blanked statement. We know that he is speaking to people in the church who were treating poor people badly, being envious of others, and being prideful.

Do What the Bible Says

James 1:21-25
21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

This is pretty straight forward…
The validity of everything in a document is based on the writer.  We know the Bible is FROM GOD.  We know He is all powerful.  We know He has our best at heart.  WE NEED TO DO WHAT HE SAYS!  Just knowing the Bible doesn’t bring the blessing on your life, doing it brings blessing.

First - God actively blesses people who follow his word.

Proverbs 16:20
Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

Second - We get blessed simply by following what the Bible says, because of the amount of wisdom in the Bible.

Guard Your Tongue

James 1:26-17
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

This verse is mostly talking about making everything you do worth while.  Watch what comes out and invest in worthwhile things.

Matthew 12:36
But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

So that does true religion really look like when it’s not just saying that you are a Christian?  To look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Communication Card
- I will work on being quick to listen and slow to speak.
- I will strive to live out what I read in the Bible.
- I will start paying a lot more attention to what I say.