"Let every man …"

How does one keep themselves from sin? How can we save ourselves an eternity of punishment? The answer is simple and is recorded in James 1:19-22: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

We must hear the Word! What can stop us from hearing the Word? Ourselves! With the fast pace of society, sometimes the Word is disregarded. One does not hear the Word because they are constantly under the impression that they have all the answers. It is far easier to correct others than to be corrected. How often is judgment passed on others without examining oneself first? Jesus warns us against this: "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (Matthew 7:3-5). We are to be slow to speak. This allows one to take in all information to be received. If someone is preaching or teaching the gospel of Christ, the only way we can hear it is if we stop talking. When subjects are brought up or being discussed, many feel obligated to throw in their two cents. This is not necessary. The opposite is encouraged. Consider all that is being said and allow it to go uninterrupted. If it is something that you do not agree with or something you have some knowledge about, allow the speaker to finish and then add your knowledge.

If two people both are swift to listen and slow to speak, then great learning can take place. Sometimes the source of the information is considered when listening to the gospel. This should not be a factor. In Matthew 7, Jesus commands that we examine self first and then consider the other. All can learn something from everyone they meet. Further in Matthew, Jesus tells the people, "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not" (23:3). This is in reference to the scribes and the Pharisees. After this statement, Jesus pronounced many woes upon this group but the disciples were still commanded to obey these men. Why? Because they were teaching correctly, but they were not doing them.

Being "swift to hear" and "slow to speak" helps also to be "slow to wrath." When the words being spoken are considered and the person is not, then the wisdom of God shines forth. If we take out the messenger and their life and only consider the Word being spoken then only we and God are left. It is pointless to become angry with God. He is the same from the beginning, until today and through eternity. His Word has not changed and will continue to be the same. One must apply the Word in their life. Why? Because our anger with God and our rejection of His Word will only bring on our own demise. The righteousness of God cannot come from improper attitudes such as anger. God wants "spirit and truth" (John 4:24), for us to "obey from the heart" (Romans 6:17) and for us to "love God and keep his commandments" (1 John 5:2). It requires proper attitude and obedience.

That is why one must, "lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." Paul prayed that the Thessalonians would be "sanctified completely" (1 Thessalonians 5:23). This is a complete separation. If it is sinful, filthy, unholy, of the world or anything that would resemble it, we should abstain from it. Separation and abstaining from sin does not include getting as close to it as we can without actually doing it.

When sin is removed from the mind through the Word and our attitude towards it, we repent. Repentance results in a change of our actions. One becomes a "doer(s) of the word, and not hearer(s) only." The two go hand in hand as we can see in vss. 23-26: "For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain."

If one claims to be a true believer or true follower of God, but does not do the things found in God's Word then they are deceiving themselves. True worshippers and disciples of Christ do the things of which He has commanded. There is no separation of the two. The second chapter of the book of James continues this thought and in the next article we will examine it in more detail.

Jeremy Ferguson