Rated "M" for Mature - 5/18/25

James 1:19-27 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

The Pastor James produces some of the most practical teaching in scripture. He fights for maturity in the church through his teaching on topics such as enduring suffering, application of scripture, practical working out of faith, and rejection of worldliness. James believed that the words of God had the power to save as well as a call to obedience, and the two were inseparable. Obedience was a byproduct of the grace of salvation. Faith was to be worked out through good deeds that showed an obedience to the same word that saved in the beginning, and this was a sign of maturity. James uses a progression of listening quickly, speaking slowly and putting away sin to initially illustrate the application of God’s word. Then he focuses on the danger of having the word readily available yet not applying it in obedience. James encourages the one who is saved that the result of obedience is blessing. When he wraps up this section, he reminds the reader that if they believe they are religious and cannot live obedient lives, then by logical reasoning the religion is worthless. Real religion produces obedience and it has a definitive look to it.  

Quick, Slow, Put Away, and Receive

James 1:19–21 “19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

Quick hearing and slow speaking are a sign of mature application of scripture. 

Proverbs 10:19 “19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” 

Proverbs 17:27–28 “27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. 28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.”

"Better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." Abraham Lincoln (Sixteenth President of the United States) 

Disobedience will not produce righteousness.

James 1:20 “20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

James makes the point that what you do is either righteous or wicked, obedience or disobedience. Put away all sin and receive the word. 

Receive the implanted word.

James 1:21 “21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

The Law was designed to reveal sin from outside of the hearer. Now it is implanted by the Holy Spirit in us to produce righteousness from the inside out. 

Matthew 13:18–23 “18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”” 

Doers, not only Hearers 

James 1:22–25 “22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” 

James links maturity of faith with the direct application and obedience to the word of God. 

“If the gospel, by nature, contains both saving power and summons to obedience, those who relate to only one have not truly embraced the gospel.” Douglas Moo Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 

This connects directly with James’ teaching in chapter 2 when he writes, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?”

James makes the analogy of looking into a mirror and immediately forgetting what you look like. The description is not a simple glance but an intentional look, like someone bending over to inspect something closely. Intent, close study of scripture is not the end goal. Righteousness is produced when that intent look results in obedience.

There is an argument here that a faith which does not result in obedience is not a saving faith.  Paul taught that if we have been set free from sin, we then have become slaves to righteousness. That is being obedient to God’s word which produces righteous behavior which then leads to sanctification. 

Romans 6:18–19 “18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”

Blessing is in obedience.

James does not claim obedience brings an easy life, but he insists that it will be the best life you can live while here on earth.

James 1:25 “25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Matthew 5:3–7 “3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” 

Judge yourself this way.

James 1:26–27 “26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” 

James makes the point that some people’s knowledge will cause them to believe they are spiritual. This spirituality is based on how intently they have looked, not how intently they have applied. He returns to the proof. If you cannot control your speech, you are not as spiritual as you think you are. 

Obedience is what true religion looks like. 

Take care of those in lesser positions than you, and do not entertain sin. A mature church recognizes that it is not simply Sunday morning attendance or being a part of a team or connect group that means you are mature but simply our level of obedience. A mature church will consistently and passionately model and encourage its members to reject sin and apply God’s word to their lives. There will be evidence that this is happening. Sanctification will be taking place and it will be noticeable. God’s blessing will also be evident even in the most difficult of times.