A Warning Against Wrath and Impulsive Speech, James 1: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wicked- ness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

Verse 19 – “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” 1. Instead of hastily speaking when we are riled up, we need to be “slow to speak.” 2. Prov. 10:19 – In the multitude of words sin is not lacking. But he who restrains his lips is wise. 3. Prov. 13:3 – He who guards his mouth preserves his life. But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction. 4. Prov. 29:20 – Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

5. Prov. 17:27,28 – He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. 6. Prov. 14:17 – A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of wicked intentions is hated. 7. Prov. 16:32 – He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. 8. We must listen and carefully weight our words before speaking, especially when angry.

Verse 20 – “…for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” 1. When a person surrenders to his wrath (orge, “anger that is not suddenly aroused, but is long lasting) he is being led by his flesh, not by his spirit and cannot, in his life, bear the fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:17-23). 2. Such wrath and hasty speech can only produce what is harmful, and it will never result in right behavior before God.

Verse 21 – “Therefore lay aside all filth- iness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” 1. As Christians, we should be wearing a new suit of clothes. 2. All of our old clothing must be “laid aside,” Col. 3: Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you

yourselves once walked when you lived in them.But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds. 3. We are to “lay aside” (or, take off): a. All filthiness (of mind) b. Overflow of wickedness (malice, or a malevolent disposition) 4. And we are to receive (put on) meekness (a humble and teachable spirit) so we will receive (or, accept) the implanted word.

5. Receiving with meekness the implanted word will result in the saving of our souls, Mark 16:16 – He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. Cognitive Dissonance in Our Lives as Christians 1. “Cognitive” has to do with our thinking process. “Dissonance” is a discord, a lack of harmony or agreement.” A sort of “short circuit.” 3. “Cognitive Dissonance” is a lack of harmony in our thinking process that allows us to justify incon- sistencies between what we claim and our behavior. We “hear the word,” but we do not do what it says.

James 1:22-27 – “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion

before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” ***************** Verse 22 – “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” 1. We deceive ourselves (in our minds) into thinking that only hearing the word makes us accept- able to God, even though we are not living according to what it says. 2. Matt. 7:21 – Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.

3. James 2:10,11 – For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 4. Gal. 6: 7 -- Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Verses 23,24 – “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” 1. It would be foolish for a man to look at himself in a mirror to see what he needs to do to make him- self presentable, and then walk away without doing what needs to be done.

2. It is just as foolish for us to hear and claim to believe the gospel, and yet not live according to its teaching. One of two things may be the problem: a. Thoughtless carelessness b. Serious presumption (as in Jas. 2:11) 3. Matt. 7:26,27 -- But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

Verse 25 – “But he who looks into the per- fect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” 1. Matt. 7:24,25 -- Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 2. The “perfect law of liberty” is the gospel, which sets us free from sin, John 8:32 --

3. “Looking into” the gospel is not enough; we also must “continue in it.” a. 3 Jn. 3 – For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. b. 2 John 9 – Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

4. We are, indeed, living under a law today, called here “the perfect law of liberty,” which is the law of Christ, 1 Cor. 9:21 – …but under law toward Christ…” 5. This is a law we are to obey, Heb. 5:9 – And having been perfected, He (Christ) became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. 6. We obey, not as a slave serve His master, but as a son who loves His father, 1 John 5:3 – For this is the love of God, that we keep His command- ments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Verse 26 – “If anyone among you things he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religious in useless.” 1. This verse is an illustration of the principle described in verses Religion is a system of beliefs, worship and conduct that “ties a person back to God.” 3. One who does not control his tongue renders his religion useless

4. A person who uses profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, and gossips, slanders and lies is only fooling himself when he things he has a relationship with God, James 3:9,10 – With it (the tongue) we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ****************** Verse 27 – “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the the world.”

1. This verse is a further demonstration of the principle described in verses A person who claims to be practicing “pure and undefiled religion” and yet has no compassion for and does not help those in unfortunate circumstances is actually denying his faith, 1 Tim. 5:8 – But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. a. “Visit” is from the same word from which we get our English word “bishop.

b. It eliminates the concept of “proxy” care of those in need. c. Just as the “overseeing” of an elder in a local congregation involves his personal determination of need and the supplying of that need, so “visit” here involves us in the matter of personally determining the need of orphans and widows and personally overseeing their care. d. This is not to say that “proxy” care is wrong; just that more than “proxy” help is demanded of us.

e. Can it be that the Lord wants us to have some personal acquaintance with the experiences and hardships of the poor and needy, and to be sure that our provisions for their care are adequate? 3. Also, a person who does not “keep himself unspotted from the world” while claiming to be re- ligious (to have a relationship with God) is only fooling himself; his religion is as vain as is the religion of the one who does not control his tongue, verse 26.

4. Eph. 5:8-11– For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them John 2:15 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him Pet. 1:15 – But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.

6. 1 John 5:4 -- For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. What Have We Learned From Our Study? 1. We must be doers of the word, as well as hearers (believers). 2. Our being under law to Christ requires our obedience. 3. Our lives must be consistent with who we claim to be.

4. We fool only ourselves when we think that disobedience doesn’t affect our relationship with God. 5. Our religion demands that we exercise control over our tongues. 6. Pure and undefiled religion requires that we take a personal interest in and provide personal care for those in unfortunate circumstances. 7. We also must keep ourselves unspotted from the world if we are to maintain our relationship with God.