Answer in TRIALS

• 1^st – Listen to the Word… vs. 19-21
  • 1^st – Slow to SPEAK… vs. 19
    • Since we LACK wisdom from ABOVE…
      • And we are in constant danger of falling into TEMPTATION…
      • So then my beloved brethren…
      • Let [imperative] every man be swift to hear – slow to speak – slow to wrath!
    • We used to say – sticks and stones…
      • It turns out names are far more devastating than stones…
      • If you get hit by a stone – the wound will heal rather quickly – not so much with words…
      • There are things people said to me when I was a child that I STILL remember!
      • They leave scars that NEVER go away – words are POWERFUL!
    • Words are WEAPONS…
      • When we are not happy – we can use cutting words designed to cause maximum damage…
      • You have heard the old saying – if you have nothing good to say – say nothing…
      • Because we will have to answer one day for every idle word – Matthew 12:36
      • Ecclesiastes 3:7 – “There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak…”
    • It has been well said that God wisely designed us with TWO ears and ONE mouth…
      • Because we should be listening at least TWICE as much as we are talking!
      • The problem is that often open our MOUTHS – when we should be opening our EARS!
      • Do not throw out words carelessly – it ends up costing us dearly…
      • Better to think first about what we are going to say – the consequence of our words…
      • It is easy to say something – it is almost impossible to take our words back!
      • Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth…”
  • 2^nd – Slow to WRATH… vs. 20
    • The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God…
      • James gives us a hint on what happens if we ARE NOT slow to speak…
      • There will be WRATH – because words do SO MUCH damage…
      • And those wounds that we inflict on others – when our words PROVOKE anger…
      • Those DO NOT lead to the righteousness of God – just the opposite…
      • They take us down a path of BITTERNESS – which SEPARATES us from God!
    • Wrath – leads to bitterness…
      • Jesus said if we are ANGRY with someone is equivalent to murder – Matthew 5:21-22
      • Therefore if we are ANGRY with someone – deal with it before the sunsets…
      • Talk to the person we are upset with – before our ANGRY turns to BITTERNESS…
      • BITTERNESS which becomes HATRED – HATRED that will begin to control our life!
      • I have unfortunately too often let the SUN GO DOWN on an argument…
      • Now while I can sleep like a baby when that happens – my wife has suffered…
      • Time DOES NOT make it easier to deal with hurts – in contrast it lets them fester!
    • If we try and ignore a problem – we give an opportunity to satan…
      • Satan would love to cause division in our families – in church – bitterness and hate…
      • Do not let satan rob us of the forgiveness and joy Jesus has provided…
      • If we are upset with someone because of something they said – talk about it today!
      • II Corinthians 2:11 – “lest Satan should take advantage of us…”
  • 3^rd – Receive the Word… vs. 21
    • Therefore – lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness…
      • Do not miss INEVITABLE result of WRATH…
      • All filthiness [only here NT] – to make DIRTY…
      • Overflowing wickedness – super abundant evil!
    • [Instead] Receive with meekness the implanted word…
      • Notice that we are given a solution to filthiness / wickedness…
      • SET ASIDE these things – by RECEIVING [imperative]…
      • What MUST we RECEIVE – the engrafted [written on our hearts] Word!
      • Hebrews 12:1 – “Lay aside [same word] every weight – the sin which so easily ensnares us – let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus…”
    • Which is able to save your souls…
      • SOUL [ψυχή] – speaking of our MIND / EMOTIONS…
      • ABLE [δύναμαι] – we can almost speak into English – dynamite / power…
      • The implication is the Word has the POWER to change our MIND / HEART!
      • Change our heart to allow us to let go of ANGER/ BITTERNESS – and FORGIVE!
    • The COMMAND to forgive…
      • How often do we have to forgive others – 70×7 – Matthew 18:22
      • With a little quick math we can figure out that is 490 times…
      • But Jesus was not giving us a number – He was giving us a Bible reference…
      • 70×7 is a very special number only used once in the Bible!
      • Daniel 9:24 – “A period of seventy sets of seven [70×7] has been decreed… to bring an end to sin, to atone for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness….”
      • How often are we to forgive someone when they hurt us – EVERY time!
      • What if they keep committing the same sin – then we keep forgiving…
      • Is there ever any reason when we do not to forgive – not even one!
        
    • The REASON we forgive…
      • With WRATH in our hearts – God does not hear our prayers – Mark 11:25
      • AND if we are not willing to FORGIVE – God will not forgive us – Matthew 6:15
      • When we are hurt by others – and REFUSE to FORGIVE – it plants a seed in our heart…
      • It can quickly grow into BITTERNESS – we become consumed by the hurt they caused…
      • Its roots can grow down deep – poisoning and hardening – SEPARATING us from God…
      • The FRUIT in our life makes us BITTER – and eventually brings spiritual DEATH!
    • The only solution – RECEIVE the WORD…
      • Jesus can CHANGE our hearts – and allow us to let go of filthiness and wickedness…
      • Forgiveness is not just for the one who did us wrong – it is also for us…
      • He sets us free – we do not dwell on the past – we get to move forward in Jesus!
      • John 8:36 – “If the Son makes you free – you shall be free indeed.”

• 2^nd – Obey the Word… vs. 22-25
  • 1^st – Doers of the Word… vs. 22
    • Be [imperative] doers of the word – and not hearers only…
      • DOER – [ποιητής] – used THREE times in the next THREE verses – IMPORTANT!
      • It is not enough to just LISTEN to what the Bible says – we need to OBEY!
      • We can read our Bibles – we might even agree with everything it says…
      • But if we do not OBEY the commands – then what benefit did it have!
      • I took a boat ride in India – SIX hundred people in a boat built for TWO hundred!
      • Before it left – they gave safety instructions – what to do if the boat sank – I paid attention!
      • The gist of the instructions was to get out of the boat – and swim for it…
      • But all that information meant nothing – because most of the people could not swim!
      • The Bible is not a textbook we must learn – it is an instruction manual to follow…
      • We can know all words – but if it does not change our actions – it means nothing!
    • Deceiving yourselves…
      • DECEIVING – [παραλογίζομα] – we can speak the word into English – LOGIC…
      • Too many people try to use JUSTIFY the BITTERNESS in their lives with LOGIC…
      • I am the way I am because of what has happened to me – what people did to me…
      • As a RESULT they are DECEIVED – they miss the POWER of Jesus to set them free!
      • I know a lot of people who know about Jesus – but do not DO what He says…
      • Unfortunately for them – it does them no good – knowledge does not save us…
      • We cannot stand before God one day and say – I knew what Jesus wanted me to do!
    • How to OBEY…
      • Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are His workmanship…”
      • WORKMANSHIP – [ποίημα] – same exact word translated as DOER…
      • It is not that we must DO what the Bible says – that would come from us…
      • We come to Jesus – who changes us HEARTS – and He makes us a DOER of the Word!
  • 2^nd – The mirror… vs. 23-24
    • If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer…
      • He is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror…
      • There are two ways that we can approach the Bible…
      • It can either be an INSTRUCTION manual – or it can be a MIRROR…
      • The person who does not OBEY the INSTRUCTIONS – treats the Bible like a MIRROR!
      • When I get up on the morning – I DO NOT like mirrors…
      • They are TOO honest – they tell me EXACTLY what I look like…
      • But I find the solution to the mirror – is to walk away – then I can forget what I saw!
    • That is exactly what happens to the man who does not OBEY…
      • For he observes himself – goes away – and immediately forgets what kind of man he was…
      • When he LOOKS at the Word – he sees his NATURAL face…
      • NATURAL [γένεσις] – original – we might say REAL…
      • But the moment he puts the Bible down – he always CHOSES [active] to walk away!
      • FORGET come from the root word – [λανθάνω] to HIDE – an intentional act!
      • That way he gets to go on with living his life HIS way!
      • He goes back to the same broken life he had before he read the Bible!
      • He is the same kind of man he was [imperfect] before he heard the Word – NO CHANGE!
      • When we first come to Jesus – we are not going to understand much of the Bible…
      • There is a LOT about the Word of God we will not comprehend…
      • But we should not stay that way – as we get into the Word – we should CHANGE…
      • When a believer whose been saved for TWENTY years – is still living for this world…
      • It is a tragedy – they never became DOERS of the WORD – they never matured in their faith!
  • 3^rd – The law of liberty… vs. 25
    • He who looks into the perfect law of liberty…
      • The person who LOOKS into the perfect Law of Liberty…
      • The word LOOK here – is NOT the same word as OBSERVE in verse 24…
      • The word LOOK here means to do more than glance – it means to bow down an inspect!
      • It carries the idea of being VERY interested in the topic we are examining…
      • Recognizing its importance and giving it the proper RESPECT it deserves!
    • Continues in it – and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work…
      • This one will be blessed in what he does!
      • CONTINUES [παραμένω] – to ABIDE in the Word…
      • So often people do NOT want to OBEY the Bible – because they want to be FREE…
      • They do not want to be told what to do – they want to have the CHOICE…
      • But true FREEDOM is not being left to our own devises – that is BONDAGE!
    • FREEDOM comes from the PERFECT [complete] Law of LIBERTY…
      • The word LIBERTY comes from the root word to be FREE BORN…
      • In Rome there were only TWO kinds of people – SLAVES and CITIZENS…
      • Do not miss the point – those who ignore the Bible are SLAVES to sin – Romans 6:16
      • But those who continue – ABIDE – in the PERFECT law of LIBERTY…
      • Not forgetting what they HEAR – but are DOERS – they BLESSED…
      • Because they become CITIZENS of the kingdom – FREE from sin!
    • A good example to illustrate this – sheep and goats…
      • If you set a sheep right next to a goat – you might not know which is which…
      • Do not look very different – they do not sound very different – eat the same things…
      • They live side by side – experiencing much the same life…
      • But the final destination of the goats is very different from the sheep!
      • The one who can always tell them apart is their shepherd!
      • John 10:27 – “My sheep hear My voice – and I know them – and they follow [OBEY] Me.”
      • Both sheep and goats hear Jesus voice – but only the sheep OBEY!
      • Hearing does not make us a Christian – obeying Jesus makes us a sheep!

We are NOT to fool ourselves – if we are not OBEYING – it is not PURE RELIGION!

3^rd – Fulfill the Word… vs. 26-27

1^st – Useless religion… vs. 26

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!

WHAT does being a HEARER and DOER of the Word looks like…

If anyone THINKS they are RELIGIOUS – by context meaning a HEARER and DOER…

But they do not BRIDLE – literally put a BIT in their MOUTH – to control their TONGUE…

Then they are DECEIVING their own hearts – their RELIGION is USELESS!

What comes out of our mouth is in really a reflection of what in our heart…

We will talk a LOT more about this when we come to – James 3

Luke 6:45 – “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

2^nd – Pure religion… vs. 27

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this…

Pure [true] RELIGION undefiled before God the Father is defined by three ACTIONS…

The suggestion is that RELIGION that is in WORD ONLY is defiled and impure…

Because it lacks the corresponding ACTIONS that show a CHANGED heart!

To visit orphans and widows in their trouble…

VISIT [σκοπός] – literally to ALWAYS [present] keep a watchful EYE on the orphans…

When there are children who have NO ONE to take care of them – VISIT!

And VISIT the widows in their affliction [θλῖψις] – tribulation…

They have lost their husband – and often have NO ONE to care for them!

The common thread between these two ACTIONS – LOVE for others…

The number one MARK of someone who is a DOER of the Word – LOVE!

John 13:35 – “All will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

To keep oneself unspotted from the world…

UNSPOTTED – to have the STAIN of the world…

We are ALWAYS [present] to keep ourselves clean from the FILTH of the world!

I can tell you I am a Christian – but what kind of FRUIT comes from my life…

It is easy to say we have RELIGION – but the proof is in our actions – LOVE…

If we say we are Christians – but still live like the world – where is the CHANGED heart…