text:
James 1:15
James 1:13-15 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. – KJV
James 1:13-15 13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. – NIV
James 1:13-15 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. – ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:15 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
eita [1534] if, or, whether ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) epithumia [1939] longing, desire, lust sullambano [4815] catch, seize, take, conceive tikto [5088] produce, bring forth, bear, be born, be delivered hamartia [0266] a sin, an offence ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) de [1161] and, but, now… (conjunction) hamartia [0266] a sin, an offence apotelleo [0658] complete, consummate, finish apokueo [0616] breed, generate, beget, produce thanatos [2288] death
1.15.0 Introduction to James 1:15
Verse 15 draws us to the logical end for realized temptation, namely death. We also get to look at the concept of conception and how birth relates to the start of life and death.
1.15.1 How does desire become sin?
In verse 15 James uses the analogy of conception to explain the progression from desire to the fulfillment of sin. In the natural world conception takes two, namely a father and a mother. To paint the picture more clearly in your mind, think of the human heart as female and advertisements as male.
Anyone can advertise – Satan, the world, or God. Since we know what God offers doesn't lead to sin, let's remove Him from the equation first. Anything Satan offers is a deception and if we buy anything he has to offer we know that it's a sin. We also know Satan is the ruler of the world (Jn 12:31). That just means products advertised by the world are manufactured by Satan, Inc.
The human heart is a fertile place, much like a womb. It seeks fulfillment. Temptation is the kind of advertising that is appealing and plays on the natural desires of the heart. When a person pays attention to Satan's (or the world's) commercial message, the force of the desire mates with the ad and if the person does not resist and there's no contraceptive (bible, Holy Spirit, etc.), the two will conceive. The conception yields action disobedient to the will and the Word of God. This is sin.
There is good news, however. Jesus Christ came to give us contraception for sin and offer us a way to find fulfillment by conceiving good fruit via the Spirit its good and imperishable seed. Every human has a need that can only be filled by the Lord. Our natural desire for God, when unrealized, is an opening for Satan to try and offer us something to fill the void in God's place. This is the common mechanism of human failure. Through Jesus' redeeming act of self sacrifice it is possible to wash out the alien from our heart so the Holy Spirit can fill us, satisfying that God given feeling of need for satisfaction. He is the only one that can truly and eternally satisfy.
1.15.2 Why conception?
Gen 16:1-4 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. In the biblical sense, to have sex with someone is to wed them regardless of ceremony. In God's eyes, sex is the ceremony. The biological purpose of sex is to conceive a child. God designed humanity to perpetuate itself. Our strongest physical urge after our most basic necessities is sexual.
Conception is the point where many people believe life begins. Regardless, birth can only happen after conception, thus conception is a necessary step. Conception happens as a result of a joining. Applying biology to James' sin analogy we see it is necessary for there to be a temptation and a desire that results in acting on the temptation. The act itself is the point of conception. Sin is the child born of the unholy union.
Ex 20:17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's." The tenth commandment addresses desire in the ugly form of coveting. This law was given because people wanted things that belonged to others.
Gen 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Eve wanted be like God, as if she could take equality from Him.
Gen 3:4-5 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Back up. Look at what precipitated her act. Satan came and advertised. Eve had no reason to want anything other than God and to obey God and be in perfect communion with God. Then Satan came along and introduced a new concept. He provided an inducement by advertising to her the idea that God had something better than her, He wasn't sharing it, and she somehow ought to have it. It was an outright lie to claim there would be no penalty, but then lying is what Satan's good at. Had the idea not been put in her head, her desire would not have been aroused and she would not have been put in the position of having to choose whether to accept the offer.
It has been the speculation of scholars for centuries why Eve and her husband chose to accept Satan's offer when God told them up front about the penalty. Regardless, it is good for us that God provided a way to pay that debt on our behalf. We have eternity to thank Jesus if we will accept his atonement on our behalf and choose to buy (ie. put our faith in and believe in) what He alone "advertises" and not what comes from the world or Satan.
1.15.3 What is the Godly opposite of sinful conception?
1 Pe 1:23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; This verse is a key phrase within a broader yet critical message about the glorious redemptive work of Jesus. Seed is often used to describe what Jesus offers us through His word and Spirit. The good news is the advertisement God gives, one free of deceit. It is an offer we need only accept. There's no way we can pay our end of the bargain because what the Lord gives immeasurably exceeds what we can give in exchange. Unlike Satan's offer where you get less than you bargain for, with God you get infinitely more value than you bargain for.
Is 61:10-11 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. This passage is such a rich and beautiful expression of the true wedding analogy. It illustrates the courtship free of the serpent's sleaze.
Rev 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. The hope we have to come together with our Lord is wondrous beyond imagination. We will be restored to absolute purity and will enjoy the rewards of being joined together with God. This is not to say we literally become God, but rather we are welcomed to be with him and not left outside for eternity.
Gen 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Where a man and woman join together physically, God and man join together spiritually.
Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Where temptation begets sin and sin begets death, the Good News is consummated by purification and it begets eternal life. With temptation you give up something in order to be deceived and loose even more. With God you receive salvation in order to receive eternal life and without cost. It seems incomprehensible anyone could refuse such an offer. The happily ever after at the end of this story is better than any fairy tale because its true, and its about you.
1.15.4 How does Satan's wedding differ from Christ's?
Rev 19:20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Prior to the "1000 year reign" the beast and false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire.
Rev 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. The first and last parts of this passage are most important, though the entire passage is included for the sake of contextual clarity. In this final judgment at the end of the 1000 years, those who aren't found in the book of life are thrown into the lake of fire. Marriage to Satan means joining him for a hot bath.
1.15.5 Is birth the start of life?
Jer 20:17 because he did not kill me in the womb; so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb forever great. Many Christians argue that life begins at conception and birth is merely the transition of that life. There are dozens of references in scripture referencing the womb. Some are far better known, such as Jer 1:5, but few are more compelling to me for this argument than Jer 20:17. I say this because it specifies that he could have died in the womb. I present this as evidence and proof of the conventional perspective because something cannot be killed unless it is first alive.
Ps 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies. Ps 71:6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you. I searched for examples of what definitely happens to change in a person's life at the point of birth and instead found continuity from life in the womb to life outside the womb.
Ac 22:28 The tribune answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I am a citizen by birth." Birth is a benchmark used by society to mark your "entrance into the world" and to proclaim certain things such as your name, your family position, birthright, citizenship, and so forth.
It would seem based on these few bits of scripture birth isn't the start of life, rather it is the start of our life in the world's system.
1.15.6 Is birth the start of death?
Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. If birth is the start of life within the world's system, then what is the destiny of world's system?
1 Jn 2:17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. Since the world is passing away, people who live within the world's system are destined for death. Both Paul and John speak very quickly after stating the damning truth of sin's reward that we have hope for eternal life. Death does not need to be the ultimate result of birth.
1.15.7 How does sin become fully grown?
Ro 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. This verse is often quoted as justification for the idea all sin is ultimately equal because all sin has the same ultimate penalty. This seems to me a very narrow conclusion drawn from a single line of scripture.
Jn 19:11 Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin." The idea of sin growing must assume that some sins are greater than others. Jesus himself testified that some sins are greater than others. This verse is just one of many that dispel the popular myth built on a misinterpretation of Ro 6:23.
Lev 6:17 It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my food offerings. It is a thing most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering. The subject of leaven and unleavened bread comes up many times in scripture. In every case God only permits the unleavened to be used for ceremonies and forbids leaven.
1 Cor 5:6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Leaven is yeast. A lot could be gleaned by looking at the properties of yeast, but suffice it to say its most profound property for baking is its ability to make bread rise. As bread rises it becomes less and less like its purest form. Note that it only takes a little to do a lot. It is the same with sin. A little sin causes us to deform from the purity God created us to be. As the sin takes hold of us, we not only puff ourselves up, but the sin takes hold throughout our entire being causing us to finally look nothing like the pure form, totally deformed and full of hot air. The pure (unleavened) bread was suitable for sin or guilt offerings (Lev 6:17) because it was undefiled, just as Christ is our undefiled sacrifice for sin and guilt. It is also worth noting that once leaven is added to bread it cannot be removed by natural means. Likewise, once we are stained by sin we cannot cleanse ourselves by our own power. It requires the supernatural intervention of Jesus to take away our sin.
1.15.8 Why does sin result in death?
Gen 2:7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. God is life.
Deut 32:4 The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. God is also perfect and just, without iniquity. God is sinless.
Gen 2:17 "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Sin is outside of God. Anything outside of God is outside of life, therefore dead. This explains why God warned Adam that he would die the day he ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Death is separation from God. When Adam sinned, it inserted a chasm between man and God. The good news, quite literally, is that Jesus Christ made suitable and adequate restitution for the sin of mankind for all time, restoring fellowship with God and making eternal life possible for humanity.
1.15.9 Summary of James 1:13-15
From questions asked about this passage we learned a great deal about the nature of temptation and God's nature relative to temptation. We learned the process leading to death and the process leading to life. The very nature of life and of death has been discussed at length.
God is perfect and just. God doesn't tempt according to the technical definition of temptation as given by this passage in James. Temptation is an invitation to sin. It is essentially a form of advertising designed to put ideas in your head that lead you away from God, into lawlessness. Temptation takes advantage of the natural human condition which seeks to satisfy an unfulfilled need. The lie making temptation so dangerous is that the need is false. Since the need is false, the solution to the need is false. The supposed solution is outside of God and by definition lawless and sin. Satan's marketing plan is never the less effective.
Desire, the condition of feeling you are unsatisfied, is hard coded into the essence of our being. God put desire in us so we would be magnetized to Him. With the introduction of sin to the world courtesy of Satan's first deception, human desire has caused humanity to seek satisfaction in things other than God. When we act on this feeling by pursuing anything other than God we sin. Sin divides us from God. God is life, therefore being outside of God means being outside of life. The only word we have to describe being outside of life is death.
Temptation isn't sin, but it is an inducement that attracts us to sin. Once we sin, space develops between us and God. Without intervention the space tends to grow. How much it grows ultimately makes little different because once we're divided from God we are dead. There is only one solution. Jesus Christ built a bridge. His sinless sacrificial death makes it possible for God to grant grace and mercy and let us finally come across that bridge. All it takes is enough faith to stand up and walk across that bridge. In other words, put your faith in Jesus and trust him, believe in him for he is the only way to eternal life.
James 1:16
James 1:16-18 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. — KJV
James 1:16-18 16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. — NIV
James 1:16-18 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:16 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
me [3361] not, no, none, never planao [4105] to roam, go astray, wander, err, deceive, seduce adephos [0080] brother, sibling (connected by womb, literal or figurative) mou [3450] I, me, my agapetos [0027] beloved, dear
1.16.0 Introduction to James 1:16
Verse 16 is one of the shortest and seemingly most simple verses in the book of James. Naturally it will yield more questions for our study than most. This verse is generally brought into English as the first sentence of a paragraph consisting of verse 16 to 18. In the broader context it could also be applied as a follow-up to the preceding paragraph and broader still the overall theme of the chapter and book. It is a clear directive intended to grab and hold your attention. It is this directive and its meaning that will yield these next several questions.
1.16.1 What is the mood of this statement?
This question is admittedly subjective. However, there are clues. First, consider who is writing and who is being written to. A Spirit filled church leader, James the half brother of Jesus, is believed to be the author. Fellow believers whom James refers to as beloved brothers are the audience. The warning indicates a concern for the welfare of the audience. Concern demonstrates compassion. If James was willing to go to the trouble of writing a warning, framing it with love, he must have been passionate about the message he was trying to convey. In James 1:1 he refers to himself as a servant. This sense of humility is also seen in Verse 16. This statement is a directive, but you can almost feel James pleading with the reader to take to heart this message. Most other New Testament writers took a similar overall approach with their message, speaking with humility of self while still carrying the authority of Christ (ref 1 Cor 1:4; Heb 1:13-14; 2 Pe 1:2; 1 Jo 1:4; Jude 3). Jesus himself simultaneously exuded both humility and authority as he passionately sought to bring the message as well as the act of redemption.
Although James 1:16 is a brief verse and an incredible amount can be gleaned from this simple statement, taken in the broader context of James' letter this statement stands out as powerful and important by virtue of its passion.
1.16.2 Who is James warning?
James uses the term "brother" 4 times in ch 1, three of those with beloved (or similar language). It was established in the study of the very first verse that James is specifically addressing his letter to fellow believers in Christ. Fellow believers are brothers. We may not always get along with our brothers, but they are still family.
1.16.3 What is deception?
The Greek word here is planao. According to Strong's (KJV) it is used 27 times and the majority of the time it is translated as some form of deceive, but also as err, go astray, seduce and wander. Planao is defined as causing to lead astray as to lead from the right way where physically it means leading away from the correct path or wander about; metaphorically meaning to lead away from truth, to cause err, and lead toward sin.
In English synonyms include deceive, betray, mislead, beguile, delude, dupe, hoodwink, bamboozle, double-cross.
James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Most translations put James 1:16 as the first phrase of a paragraph which also includes James 1:17-18. It is important to see the context to fully understand and appreciate how emphatic James is being and why. The implication here is that obviously there are those out there preaching that not all good gifts are from God, that God isn't perfectly consistent, or that he didn't bring us forth by the word of truth to be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. We know that false doctrines were everywhere in those days – just as they are today. James was fundamentally warning fellow believers not to be suckered by false teaching and gave some specific examples, not just in the next two verses, but throughout his letter.
1.16.4 Who is the source of deception?
Jn 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. In this passage Jesus was speaking to some Pharisees. The Pharisees were mere men, but Jesus charged them with doing Satan's bidding. Men may execute deception, but Satan's will is the true source of deception.
1.16.5 Does God deceive?
Titus 1:2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began* (*or before times eternal) By definition a deception implies intentional misleading or, more bluntly, it is a lie. God does not lie and therefore does not deceive.
1.16.6 If God doesn't deceive, then what about these verses?
There are many seeming contradictions people point to in the bible in an effort to prove it wrong and, by extension, to destroy the faith of those who believe the bible to be true and accurate. What follows are four passages used for that purpose which at first appear to contradict Titus 1:2 and similar verses. With each verse is an attempt to explain logically how these verses are misinterpreted, misunderstood, or taken out of context.
1 Ki 22:20-23 and the Lord said, 'Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said one thing, and another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, 'I will entice him.' And the Lord said to him, 'By what means?' And he said, 'I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And he said, 'You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.' Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you." This passage is an excerpt from a story about a messenger named Micaiah who was – in these verses – telling the king what God had told him. The events that followed showed the prophesy was true. Perhaps this is only a technicality, but it is important to note from this passage that God himself used a willing spirit to go and lie. God didn't personally lie, though he did allow a lie. This should not be viewed as unreasonable or unusual since he allows us to lie all the time. We do not know the nature of the spirit God used.
2 Thess 2:11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, The Greek for delusion in this sentence is Plane, a form of the word translated err or deceived in James 1:16. Since God doesn't lie this is difficult to reconcile. One interpretation might follow 1 Kings 22, particularly since it is stated that God sends the delusion. It doesn't say God delivers or even authors the delusion. Perhaps he only is controlling the routing of a lie and not actually creating it. Another interpretation would suggest that the purpose of the delusion is to prove for the public what God himself already knows about the hearts of the people described in the context.
Rev 17:17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. In this passage no technicality can rescue God. Of course with God no technicality is actually required, but that's beside the point. First of all, notice that God had previously said he would do something and now he must fulfill what he said. This shows God will keep his earlier promise. Next, examine this verse in context. It falls within an angel's explanation of the vision of the great prostitute and the beast. Those who would have it "put into their hearts" to submit to the beast, at least for a certain time, are people who were already being presented with a lie by the beast. In actuality God is merely withdrawing from those men so that they would follow their own natural inclination to follow the beast.
Eze 14:9 And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. This passage is included in the text describing a test of sorts. In the greater context God is telling his prophet that some Israelites were worshiping idols, but was offering a chance for them to come to his prophet and seek God's council via that prophet. The Lord goes on to say he will listen and answer. Eze 14:9 is essentially saying if the prophet gets deceived he's really a false prophet and will die. In following verse God warns that both the false prophet and those who sought council from the false prophet will die.
1.16.7 How important is it to avoid being deceived?
1 Jo 3:7-8 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. There are numerous passages like this, warning us to be on guard against deception. Here are a few such key verses, each to be read in context: 2 Thes 2:3, 2 Tim 3:1-7, Jude 17-18, 2 Jo 7, Heb 13:9, 2 Pe 2:1. The shear frequency of similar statements should indicate relative importance. In the passage from 1 John 3:7-8 we are warned that the purpose of the appearance of the Son of God was to destroy the works of the devil. The very purpose of Jesus was to nullify the very work of Satan from the very beginning, in the garden. Death comes by sin and sin by the devil, but life comes by Jesus Christ.
1.16.8 What kind of people deceive?
3 Jo 9-10 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Diotrephes is an example of a person who deceives by putting himself above authority. Read the verse again and observe this man's character for yourself.
The book of Jude talks addresses false teachers at length and provides colorful character descriptions for those who listen to and do the bidding of the father of lies, Satan. There are many more examples, such as 2 Peter 2, you can also use to find out more about the nature of people who deceive.
1.16.9 Why is deception such a threat?
Mt 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Christ gives a clear warning. Anyone who deceives is against Christ. Anyone who accepts a lie is pulled away from Christ and, according to this verse, stands against Christ.
Rev 3:16-17 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Believers who listen to deceptions become ineffective and lukewarm. The ultimate result is rejection. Those who are deceived are ones who say they've made it, whether physically or spiritually, but who are in fact seriously lacking by God's standard.
1.16.10 How does deception begin?
2 Pe 1:20-21 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. According to Peter, deception begins with the will of man, in his own mind, conceiving his own twisted view of scripture. From within himself comes false prophesy, for genuine prophesy comes only from God through the Holy Spirit.
Jas 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James tells us that words without application leads to deception.
1.16.11 How do you recognize one who deceives?
2 Tim 3:2-5 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. This passage provides a pretty good description of description of what you would automatically recognize as bad, right up to the point where it describes them as having the appearance of godliness but denying its power. This passage could describe many church leaders, orthodox or otherwise. It also describes many false religions, some touting themselves as denominations. Some of the characteristics described here aren't as obvious in clergy because they tend to cloak themselves well and worse, people tend to overlook their flaws even when those flaws are extreme. Is it any wonder they are hard for many to recognize without training?
Mt 15:8-9 "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" Jesus describes deceivers as those who talk a good game, but their heart isn't in it. The way to discern the deception is to look into what is being preached and see if it is the Word of God or the word of man.
1 Thess 5:19-22 Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Those who deceive have no use for real prophesy and the Spirit, because they will do nothing but expose and destroy the deceiver. We are told to test everything and only keep what is good. It doesn't say be sure to keep what is good when you're keeping things, it says to keep the good and abstain from every form of evil.
1 Tim 1:3-4 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. Look for a different doctrine. If it doesn't match the gospel it is false. This passage is a little different from those above because it gives examples of some of the things false teachings would have you get involved with. In this case examples include devotion to myths, obsession with personal history, and promoting speculation rather than the firm facts of the bible. A steward is a manager and any instruction to poor management is a false doctrine.
Gal 6:3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Sometimes you have to look in the mirror to see the source of deception. Satan is the father of lies. Do not allow yourself to be adopted into his family. If Satan believes his own rhetoric then he, too, has deceived even himself.
1.16.12 How can you avoid being deceived?
Jas 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. You have to want to avoid deception. If you aspire to more, if you feel called to more, then you must live up to more. If it isn't real, don't try or you will only be digging your grave deeper and faster.
Jas 3:3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. If we shut up we can listen. If we listen to God he will speak to us. If he speaks to us we need to tell others what he gives us to say. If we don't control our tongues we won't be able to do this. As our tongues go, so goes our whole being.
Mt 10:16 Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. This advice given from the mouth of Jesus is simple and direct. The advice is to be skilled, knowing the word and knowing how to apply it. All the while we are to keep our noses clean in the process. This passage seems to dovetail well with the one that says we are to be in the world yet not of the world.
1.16.13 What specific deception is James warning us about?
James 1:12-15 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. In the verses leading up to James 1:16, James talks about steadfastness and the promised crown of life for those who love God. He warns us not to fall into the temptation of thinking God tempts and reveals to us that temptation plays upon our own desire. He explains how our desire, coupled with temptation, leads to death. Even though verse 16 is generally considered the start of the next paragraph, it could certainly be considered a resounding epilogue for the preceding paragraph.
James 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. I once heard a US Treasury agent explain how to detect a counterfeit bill. He said the best way to determine if a note is fake is to know the real thing so intimately you can immediately detect a flaw. James is essentially saying the same thing. Be convinced of the absolute accuracy of God's Word, that God is 100% consistent, and to be steadfastly certain of His plan for us. Don't be suckered by false teaching.
James 1:17
James 1:16-18 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. — KJV
James 1:16-18 16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. — NIV
James 1:16-18 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:17 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
pas [3956] all, any, every dosis [1394] giving, a gift agathos [0018] good, benefit, well kai [2532] and, also, even, so then, too pas [3956] all, any, every dorema [1434] gift, bestowment telieos [5046] complete, full age, perfect anothen [0509] from above, from the beginning, from the top esti [2076] he/she/it is, them/they are katabaino [2597] descend, come down, fall apo [0575] off, away, separation ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) pater [3962] father, parent ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) phos [5457] luminousness, light, fire para [3844] near hos [3739] who, which, what, that ou [3756] absolute negative (adverb) eni [1762] be in or among (contraction for third person singular) parallage [3883] transmutation, fickleness, variableness e [2228] or, and, but, except, rather, than, that, what (conjunction) trope [5157] turn, turning, revolution aposkiasma [0644] shadow, shading off, obscuration
1.17.0 Introduction to James 1:17
This verse includes two major themes. The first theme involves the greatness of what God has in mind for us. The second is the consistency of God as a source of light and all goodness.
1.17.1 What is the best gift from God?
Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
1.17.2 What does the Lord give us in this life?
Mt 10:34-39 Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Modern "pop-Christianity" tends to foist the idea that if you just pray a little and do a few good deeds life will be easier and you will enjoy bountiful blessings and abundance. Jesus did say he came to bring life in abundance (Jn 10:10), but I think this verse and others like it are often taken out of context and used to present the false impression of a rosy earthly life. If you go through any of the four Gospels and look at each instance where Jesus encountered people and gave them the Good News, he always told them they had to change. The first thing we must accept as a gift from Jesus is change. Change is hard for most people, and its perhaps even harder sometimes for those around the person who is changed. Division and strife often accompany change. Believing in Jesus results in the truest freedom, but freedom isn't free nor is it easy. We are promised a real peace, an inner peace, but not the kind of peace the world desired by the world (Jn 14:27).
Mt 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. If we change from our ways to his ways, we are then able to enjoy true inner peace and joy because the heavy burden of our sins is taken from us. If you have ever been in debt, whether for a house or a car or a student loan or anything else, you know debt is like a weight – intangible yet oppressive. Sin is a debt. When our sin is removed, the weight is removed. I believe this is why the yoke of Jesus is so light.
Lk 11:10-13 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Just because we will have to change and we will be put in difficult and challenging positions, it doesn't mean he's just cleaned us up and sent us on our way. Christ does not simply give us a book and smile. He provides us with an indwelling Spirit. It is called a deposit (2 Tim 1:14) for our eventual hope. This deposit is fully functional and useful, providing us with information, comfort, and much more.
1.17.3 What is a gift?
The Greek word is dorema. It appears only twice in the New Testament and both times it is translated as gift (KJV and ESV). According to Strong's concordance the word literally means gift, bounty, or benefaction.
According to the dictionary a gift (in the sense of the Greek word used here) is something that is bestowed voluntarily and without compensation.
Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. A gift is something unearned. God only gives good gifts and such gifts indeed cannot be earned.
1.17.4 What is God's attitude toward giving?
2 Cor 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. Jesus gave up everything for us, including life in the flesh. What better example is there of giving?
1.17.5 Who is the father of lights?
Gen 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God created light. This verse alone provides sufficient information to answer the question.
Ps 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Light is a term used to describe the source of illumination, whether physical, mental, or spiritual.
Mt 4:16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned. The very nature of illumination is to make a thing visible, which is to say revealing. As in this verse, the appearance of light results in revelation.
Jn 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Jesus proclaimed himself the light of the world and of life. Anyone who understands that God is the father of light would also understand that Jesus' statement made it abundantly clear he was claiming to be God (Jn 10:30).
1.17.6 What is light good for?
Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Light reveals our surroundings. God's word serves as a light to reveal the direction we are to go. Any path other than the one where the light shines is a path into darkness. God's light leads us to God.
Ro 13:12-14 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Light actually protects us in various ways. If we stay in the light we avoid getting into trouble. Darkness, which is by definition the absence of light, is dispelled when light encroaches. This essentially means light drives away darkness, so if we accept the light, we accept armor against the powers of darkness. Light exposes sin for what it is, calls it by name, and makes it possible to be dealt with. Put on Jesus Christ, the light of the world, and sinful desire will become empty and void because sin will not be able to withstand the constant and powerful light.
1.17.7 How consistent is God?
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. I think the answer to the question is: completely.
James 1:17 uses much more poetic language. Shadows only vary or change with motion. "No variation or shadow due to change" not only indicates pure consistency, it indicates our Lord is unmoving and unswerving in character.
1.17.8 Why is God perfectly stable?
1 Jo 3:20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything God knows everything. If God has absolutely accurate and complete knowledge, what could possibly cause him to be unstable?
Jas 3:11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? God's character is pure. There is no reason for God to be anything but consistent. If there is inconsistency, its in our perception.
James 1:18
James 1:16-18 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. — KJV
James 1:16-18 16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. — NIV
James 1:16-18 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:18 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
boulomai [1014] be willing, intend apokueo [0616] breed, generate, beget, produce hemas [2248] us, our, we logos [3056] word, something said, communication, divine expression of Christ aletheia [0225] true, truth, truly, verity eis [1519] to, into… (prep. expressing motion) ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) einai [1511] to exist (am, is, was, be…) hemas [2248] us, our, we aparche [0536] first-fruit, a beginning of sacrifice tis [5100] anyone, anything, someone, something, somewhat ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) autos [0846] her, his, it, them (possessive 3rd person pronoun) ktisma [2938] an original formation (creation: product or creature)
1.18.0 Introduction to James 1:18
This verse expresses the idea Christians are newly created, regenerated beings. It says that our new nature is the result of the action of the "word of truth" for the divine purpose of being a "kind of first-fruit" among all of creation. This statement implies what Paul says clearly in Eph 2:8-10, namely that regeneration is something accomplished by Christ (the word of truth) and not by ourselves and it is done for his purpose, not ours. It seems to me we have a divine purpose in our existence and to do anything other than fulfill that purpose with the gifts he's given us seems like an insult to him.
1.18.1 What does James mean by "brought forth?"
Gen 1:24 And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. God initially brought forth everything in creation in the first chapter of Genesis.
The words of the Greek phrase have nearly identical meaning to the phrase in Gen 1:24. In each case the words used generally refer to birth, but in each of these cases they can and do also mean the act of creation. Birth, after all, is a step in the creative (or procreative) process. Just as God created the world and all the living things in it, He created each of us as individual human souls and recreates (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 5:16) us through the act and process of being born again (Jn 3:3).
1.18.2 What is "born again"?
Jn 3:3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." From the beginning of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus took charge of the conversation. He began with this statement to Nicodemus. Jesus didn't use this language with most others he encountered. Using this language with Nicodemus was appropriate because he was a student of the scriptures. He would have understood the many references to repentance and renewal of heart.
Question 1.15.5 asked if birth was the start of life, but the scriptures dealing with birth had more to do with entering a system of living rather than the actual start of existence. It seems logical, then, that to be born again really means that you start living live under a new system.
Ez 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. God cares about the condition of the heart above all else. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he needed to experience a radical heart change.
Lk 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. The word repent literally means to change. Jesus did not use the phrase "born again" here, but the meaning appears to be very much the same.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. Indeed, to be born again implies an end to a previous life. It is a change of heart, a change of mind, a completely regenerated being. There is no room for the old.
1 Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God of our Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Peter also writes about being born again. The important point in this verse is "…he has caused…". Man cannot cause rebirth, but can only experience it. It is a gift (Ro 3:24), something we cannot earn (Eph 2:8-9). As Peter says, Blessed be God.
1.18.3 How do we go about becoming born again?
In the realm of pop-Christianity the "Roman Road" is frequently used in personal evangelism. The goal of this technique is to illicit a confession of sin, faith, and prayer for forgiveness. While the steps of realizing one's sin, admitting our inability to overcome it on our own and acceptance of Christ's sacrifice in faith are necessary steps, they are only the beginning. A new and changed life is required.
Salvation isn't an equation with a fixed number of steps to be carried out to a logical end. That's why there are so many books in the bible written by so many authors. Each book tells a story and most include examples how salvation is sought and discovered, or missed.
Entering into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ isn't a light decision. The next few questions should perhaps be considered before advancing to a more proper answer of this one. We shall return to this question a bit later in the study…
1.18.4 Why would you want to be born again?
Rev 21:3-4 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." There will no longer be separation between man and God. God will live with man and there will be no more tears, no more death, no more pain. All the crap will be gone. Not only does life continue into eternity, but it will be the life described in this passage. This is prize Paul spoke of (1 Cor 9:24, Phil 3:14), the hope of the Glory of God (Ro 5:2).
1.18.5 Why wouldn't you want to be born again?
Rev 20:13-15 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Anyone who wants to join Satan, the false prophet and the beast in the lake of fire (Rev 19:20), might not want to be born again. Anyone else who doesn't want to be born again simply doesn't understand or refuses to believe the implications of that decision.
1.18.6 Is it God's will for all to be born again?
1 Tim 4:10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Either he's the savior of all people or he isn't. Or, just maybe, this passage doesn't really mean what we tend to think it means by only a casual reading. Let's examine a few more references for clarification.
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him Regardless of what happens to those who don't obey him, we have the promise of eternal salvation to those who do obey him.
Mt 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Jesus will save his people, but what about those who aren't his?
1 Cor 5:1-5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. The man Paul is speaking of is a member of the Corinthian church. This member, supposedly a born again man, is living in heinous sin. Paul is advising the other members to throw him out. Paul goes on to say that Satan will destroy the man's flesh, but Jesus would still save his soul. The grace of our Lord exceeds understanding and exists out of or in spite of linear time. Even so, this is not an argument for Jesus saving all.
Jn 3:5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Jn 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Apparently it is possible to miss out on eternal salvation after all. Clearly not all will be saved (Rev 20:15).
As to reconciling 1 Tim 4:10 with Jn 3:5, I have a theory. In context one has to realize Paul was writing to Timothy, a fellow preacher. More specifically, examine the balance of 1 Tim 4 and in particular verse 6 where Paul makes it clear he's addressing issues within the church. It stands to reason, then, that Paul's use of the word "all" in verse 10 can justifiably be restricted to mean all within the church body.
1.18.7 How do you know if you're born again?
Gal 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. I believe the concept of being born again is profound in both its simplicity and its complexity. Fundamentally it means you are living a new life. That new life necessarily includes spiritual regeneration with a desire and active effort toward obedience to Jesus. The passage from Gal 5:22-24 illustrates such an example.
1.18.8 What are the responsibilities of being born again?
Mt 5:17-20 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. God is holy (Rev 4:8). We are called to be holy (Lev 11:45) because we are to follow Christ (Lk 9:23).
1.18.9 What must we do to become born again?
Isa 55:1-3 "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Just as a mother gives bodily birth to a new child, so the Spirit breathes life into our spirits, bringing them alive for the first time. Birth is only the start of a system of living. Follow Jesus. Listen to his words and hear him well so that you can do as he instructs and you will be living in the new system and thus born again.
I would like to mention a variable collection of passages commonly called the "Roman Road." While I don't have a problem with any of those verses – they are all part of scripture, after all – boiling the Gospel message down to a formula isn't the technique Jesus used. He speaks to individual hearts with individual messages. The heart changes and the behavior with it. If either changes alone then both are empty, assuming either could change without the other. People often think Paul and James say opposing things on this and that's just not true. They merely focus on different sides of the same coin. Jesus spoke to the heart and the positive results were seen in the form of action resulting from the changed heart.
1.18.10 What is the "Word of Truth?"
Jn 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus established himself as Truth.
Gen 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God spoke light into existence.
Jn 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Jesus is the Word John spoke of. If all was created by and through Jesus, then it was Jesus who did the "leg work" of speaking light into existence. Jesus is both the Word and the Truth. Since we have long since established Jesus does not lie, he is therefore the Word of Truth.
1.18.11 What is "Firstfruit?"
Lev 23:10-11 "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. First fruit is literally the first of the harvest. Being first usually symbolizes best and always means specifically chosen.
Ro 8:23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. This passage speaks of spiritual firstfruits. Here it speaks of what we receive, which is the chosen best of God.
The Greek aparche is found six times in the New Testament. According to Strong's concordance it literally means to be of the first productions of the earth offered to God. The first portion of dough used for the consecrated loaves. This term was therefore used to describe persons consecrated to God for all time. Another definition being a person superior to others of the same class.
As used in James, firstfruits appears to indicate that we, either as humans or more specifically as the elect of Christ, are above non-human life and/or unsaved people. Though less obvious, James could also be implying that as those people chosen to live in the infancy of church age these believers were literally among the first to receive the good news and become born again. Traditional interpretation holds that believers are to receive a good and special position in the Kingdom of Heaven. While possibly true, it seems somewhat pompous to me to judge ourselves better than others for our faith. That is the Lord's decision, not ours. As for me, I am a poor excuse for a believer and unworthy to be of any of the Lord's fruit. If I were to be granted any position in His kingdom it would be an act of the purest grace and mercy.
1.18.12 What is the Feast of Firstfruits about?
Lev 23:9-14 (Feast of Firstfruit) And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the Lord. And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the Lord with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin. And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
Lev 23:15-21 (Feast of Weeks) "You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord. You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the Lord. And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one bull from the herd and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest. And you shall make proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. Moses was given this feast as one of the annual feasts for the Jews. In fact, this whole passage covers what are called the Feast of Firstfruits and the Feast of Weeks. Both involve firstfruits and so we shall look at them together. All of the feasts are generally viewed as symbolic of future events, ultimately to be fulfilled by Jesus.
Ac 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Those gathered were doing so in obedience to the Lord. They were among the very first dedicated believers. We don't know for sure, but I suspect the days and hours leading up to this included prayer and fasting. Certainly Jesus' ministry began with prayer and fasting. Either way, this would have been a period of mental, physical and spiritual purification. These believers were the firstfruits of believers. Jesus being first was used in pure form (unleavened). Notice that later, in the Feast of Weeks, a period of 50 days was to pass (seven weeks plus a day). Then came an offering of new grain, but this time baked with leaven. Leaven is symbolic of sin. These new offerings were to include sin. With the sin, however, once again comes the unblemished lamb. It seems the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient to erase the sin of the believer. They are made holy.
1.18.13 Summary James 1:16-18
This passage begins with a firm yet loving warning to wake up, be alert, and not be fooled. We learned that deception is a kind of lie, that God does not lie, but people do. Satan is the original liar and Jesus calls him the father of lies. James reminds us of the unchanging perfection of God and the goodness of all that comes from God. We may not always perceive the good, but that doesn't make it anything less. God is not only perfect, but unchanging. There is no hint of shadow, no room for wavering. We know it is the will of God, not our will, which brings us forward as firstfruits. Truly we are but invited guests in the Kingdom, yet we are welcomed as dear children, family of our holy and merciful Lord.
James 1:19
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. — KJV
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 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. — NIV
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 that God requires. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:19 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
eido [1492] to see, know, be aware, consider, perceive, understand adephos [0080] brother, sibling (connected by womb, literal or figurative) mou [3450] I, me, my agapetos [0027] beloved, dear esto [2077] let them be (imparitive) de [1161] and, but, now… (conjunction) pas [3956] all, any, every anthropos [0444] human, certain person tachus [5036] swift eis [1519] to, into… (prep. expressing motion) ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) akouo [0191] relating to hearing: give in the audience of, harken, be noised bradus [1021] figuratively slow, dull eis [1519] to, into… (prep. expressing motion) ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) [2980] bradus [1021] figuratively slow, dull eis [1519] to, into… (prep. expressing motion) orge [3709] violent passion: desire, ire, anger, wrath, vengeance, indignation
1.19.0 Introduction
As we have seen many times already and will continue to see in James' style, concepts in this verse are presented with stark contrasts. In this case James refers to behaviors of hearing compared with speaking and anger. Hearing we are called to jump to while speaking and being angry are not to be done in haste. James forbids neither, but does counsel due mental process before acting. Verse 20 goes on to further explain the reasoning and verse 21 provides practical instructions how to accomplish the behavior outlined in verse 19.
1.19.1 Is James talking about every person or every believing person?
Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. James originally intended the letter to go to fellow believers. The wisdom of James 1:19 is certainly not limited just to believers, though. Many religions espouse similar ideals for personal behavior. I think has a lot to do with good old fashioned common sense.
1.19.2 Hear what?
Jn 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. The Holy Spirit is a constant indwelling companion, always ready to counsel, advise and direct.
Rev 2: 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Jesus was speaking to John in a prophesy here, but the idea expressed is valid in or out of context. Jesus is the Word (Jn 1:1, 14). He speaks to us through words he spoke and were recorded for us in scripture (Ps 119:105). He speaks via the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:26, quoted above). Just as he spoke through prophets in the Old Testament, he still uses individuals to convey messages to other people (1 Cor 12:7-8, quoted below)
1 Cor 12:7-8 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit God speaks to us through others. Caution: Sometimes he uses unlikely vessels.
1 Thess 5:20-21 Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. In order to hear God, we have to listen to everything and be discerning. To be effective with personal evangelism, I believe you must be able to see and hear the person you are sharing the good news with. You must be able to relate to them at their level. Jn 3 and Jn 4 are two very different examples of Christ sharing the Good News. With Nicodemus he used a completely different technique than with the woman at the well, but in both cases he "listened" to their hearts and determined exactly what he needed to say and do. He knew Nicodemus understood the deeper meanings of the scriptures and was seeking to understand what seemed incomprehensible – his own sinful heart and the need for repentance, humbling, and spiritual regeneration. The woman at the well had sin issues and knew she was in no position to raise herself up. She didn't need theology, she needed compassion and direction. We have to learn from Christ's example even more than from his words.
1.19.3 What does James mean by "hear"?
akouo [0191] relating to hearing: give in the audience of, harken, be noised Based on the definition provided by the concordance for the word translated as "hear" in verse 19, the following verse seems to illustrate the concept nicely…
Pr 13:1 A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke. James means to pay attention, not simply let it go in one ear and out the other.
1.19.4 How do we listen to people?
Pr 23:19 Hear, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way. Use your heart to listen to what the other person has to say. It is such an engrained part of man's sinful nature to deceive that we often use words to camouflage what our heart seeks to express, so listen to more than the words of the person. Use all your senses, and when you've done all that use your heart.
Pr 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. Most of us think we've got it figured out, especially Christians (big or little "c"). The fact is, God created man as a social creature. By indwelling man with his Spirit, he provides a way for us to share social communion with God and men together. What we have now is a mere precursor to the social community of Christ in New Jerusalem (Rev 22:1-5). While we are here, though, we can and indeed must use one another (Pr 27:17).
Pr 24:6 for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Building on Pro 12:15 – a word of caution: listen to good advice.
1.19.5 How do we listen to the world and to nature?
Mt 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? The Lord provides us with endless lessons if only we will open our senses and our hearts to learn them. In this verse Jesus uses creatures to teach a lesson. There are many more examples where nature is used to teach, such as rock and soil, plants, weather, the sun, stars, and moon. We must see the fingerprints of God on all of His creation and be open to hearing his messages written by His divine hand.
Ex 15:26 "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer." There are plenty of examples of what God can do, both blessing and curse, in nature as well as society. Open your eyes and you will be able to see truth.
1.19.6 How do we hear God?
Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. God speaks to us through His written word, the bible.
Jn 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. The Holy Spirit is a gift. One of its attributes is its ability to give us help in the form of knowledge (information) from God.
Pr 22:17 Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge People, particularly spiritually mature people are mouthpieces of God.
Jonah 1:1-2 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me." Sometimes God speaks clearly and directly without middlemen.
1.19.7 How can you tell the voice of God from that of an evil spirit?
1 Thess 5:21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. This instruction is a simple directive and one which should not be ignored. The following scripture references expound on how to go about determining if a voice is speaking good or evil.
1 Cor 12:3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit. The first litmus test is always the use of the name, Jesus Christ. False religions don't make Jesus Christ their master with absolute and singular authority.
2 Pe 2:1-4 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; This chapter from 2 Peter is full of useful advice, but these verse seemed the most appropriate to share here. First, look for the false teaching and false doctrine in your midst. It is often introduced secretly. It denies Jesus. It may be sensual (geared toward self-satisfaction). It says something in opposition to scripture. It exploits people. Avoid such teaching and the people who teach it because they will get what is coming to them.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. To determine if what you hear is truly of God, test it against God's word and listen to the Holy Spirit's education and information from within. God never varies, so his message – by any source – cannot oppose itself.
Ac 28:28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen. Who is the target audience? If only members get to hear, there's something wrong. The good news for those who need to hear it. This goes back to the warning about secrecy from 2 Peter (above).
Jn 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Jesus promised – and as of Pentecost delivered – the Holy Spirit to help us. If the Spirit dwells within you, it will urge you one way or the other when you hear words being spoken. It will always agree with scripture and all prophesy of God will come to pass and not be proven false.
Mt 17:5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." Sometimes an obvious sign accompanies a message. The sign will prove the teaching true or false. Most often the sign is revealed over time rather than in the moment. When this happens, it is the proving of the message you ultimately care about.
1.19.8 Why should we be slow to speak?
Pr 12:14 From the fruit of his mouth a man is satisfied with good, and the work of a man's hand comes back to him. When you speak, people listen. When you do something, it cannot be hidden. Jesus isn't the only one watching you, nor is he the only one judging you. Take time when you speak to be sure you're speaking as prompted by the Holy Spirit and not your own ego.
2 Pe 1:20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. Though ironically this verse is widely misinterpreted, suffice it to say you can't make up your own interpretation of scripture to fit your premise. Your premise must be based on the totality of scripture. Context is critical. Individual verses taken out of context are easily distorted in their explanation. In this study I make every effort to be as diligent as possible to avoid missing context sensitive applications, but I am as flawed as any other man. Only the Word is truly and purely accurate and then only in its entirety. Granted, when witnessing – or even in more casual speech – we can't just read whole passages without thinking about it. The point is, context matters, as does agreement with the whole of the Word.
1.19.9 Should we always be slow to speak?
Pr 18:2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. There are plenty of proverbs that warn us about fools and speaking. The point of this particular selection is to remember our opinions are always close to the surface. It isn't our opinion that counts. It's the Word of God. Prayerfully open your heart to the words of the Spirit, then speak what God would have you say rather than blurting out your own opinions.
Pr 23:9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. Sometimes speaking is a waste of time anyway. That doesn't necessarily mean it is wrong to speak, but sometimes the proverbial soil is just too rocky.
1.19.10 How do we know what to say?
1 Jn 4:6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Pay attention to your audience. Knowing your audience is the first step in determining what to say.
Eph 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints You need to be in regular communication with the Lord. Ask for wisdom (James 1:7).
Mk 13:11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. This verse offers me great hope. It should not be taken as a blank check, however. The mind is prepared in advance by learning and learning comes from study of the Bible. Put it in your head. The Spirit will help you pull out what is needed. To use this passage as a crutch and an excuse for not studying amounts to tempting God.
1 Cor 12:8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, Wisdom and knowledge regarding communication with others is a gift given specifically to some. This doesn't mean the rest of us can't do it for in fact we must, but some receive special blessings in this area.
1 Pe 1:21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Ultimately, the litmus test for our utterances should be whether God is glorified.
1.19.11 What is anger?
The Greek word used by James for anger is "ogre." According to the concordance this word orge [3709] means: violent passion — desire, ire, anger, wrath, vengeance, indignation
By looking at this word in the Greek we see James is talking about more than a casual annoyance or even getting peeved in the common sense. He's talking about the kind of anger that involves primal arousal to action. It might be equally valid to say we should be slow to wrath and slow to vengeance. Basically its about taking an action based on a powerful negative emotion.
It may be worth noting KJV uses the word wrath. This is an occasion where I find myself preferring KJV's word choice. To me, wrath implies response motivated by a negative passion. Anger seems to imply the negative passion itself.
1.19.12 Is it okay to become angry?
Dt 9:20 And the Lord was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time. In this example God [YHWH] was angry. Who are we to say it isn't okay for God to be angry? It is also interesting to note what Moses was doing while God was fuming. Moses was praying, specifically interceding on his brother's behalf.
Mt 21:12-13 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers." This is the most well known case of Jesus displaying his temper. He wasn't just mad at them for sinning, but angry for the Father's sake because something of the Father's had been defiled. In essence Jesus was defending someone else, namely the Father. I believe one of the lessons to learn from this event is that it is certainly okay to be angry when you see someone perpetrating a wrong against someone else. Since we know the kind of anger James speaks of involves wrathful or vengeful retribution, we can certainly see this example involving Christ's temper is very fitting to this discussion. Elsewhere Jesus instructs us to turn the other cheek (Mt 5:39), but that's with regard to our own defense, not the defense of the helpless.
Eph 4:26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger Anger is allowed, but the privilege comes with a warning. The need for the warning should be obvious. When we are angry we often act out of emotion, casting off reasoning and worse yet ignoring the Spirit's direction. When Paul says not to let the sun go down on your anger what this seems to mean is not to let yourself brood. When sour emotion festers it eats away at our reasoning and only makes finding a resolution more difficult. Deal with the problem making you angry, then move on. It is hard to be productive when you're riled up.
1.19.13 How can we gain control over anger?
Lk 11:9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. As with so many other "how can we" questions, one crucial method is always prayer.
Mt 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed [1] in heaven." ([1]Or shall have been bound . . . shall have been loosed) The footnote is included here because other versions translate this passage differently. The point, however, remains the same. When we are walking in true faith, the Name of Jesus is such a powerful tool that with His permission we can use it to bind or loose things. This presumably could include one's own emotional responses such as anger. When we submit ourselves to the will of the Lord, we must include submission of our emotions. This does not mean we cannot become angry or to say anger is wrong. It does mean, however, we have the authority to bind our emotions so that the indwelling Spirit has an opportunity to resolve the source of the anger.
Ps 4:4-5 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. The psalmist gives excellent advice here. Sit down (or lay down) and think about the situation. Use your mind to reflect in silence. Offering a right sacrifice simply means to put yourself into the proper perspective relative to God. Remind yourself of your position: creation. God is God and you are not. Accept it, surrender your will, and accept it is up to God to have control. You have no control over the external except whatever authority God grants (Jn 19:11).
Jonah 4:1-2 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, [1] and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Jonah was downright ticked off at God. In spite of his anger he turned to God for guidance. He plead his case and took out his anger on God. Fortunately God has immense shoulders we can cry on or beat against. Either way He is willing to let us work through it and ultimate find the truth at the end, just as Jonah did. The lesson here is to lean on God rather than yourself and your own emotions for guidance.
James 1:20
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. — KJV
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 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. — NIV
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 that God requires. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:20 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
orge [3709] violent passion: desire, ire, anger, wrath, vengeance, indignation gar [1063] verily, therefore, yet, no doubt, as, because that aner [0435] male individual dakaiosune [1343] equity, righteousness, justification theos [2316] God ou [3756] absolute negative (adverb) ergazomai [2038] toil, labor, work, do
1.20.0 Introduction to James 1:20
Verse 20 expounds on the subject of anger and explains why anger isn't a very helpful emotional response. James does not say anger necessarily produces sin, but he does say anger does not yield the kind of righteousness God wants from us. In later verses James goes on to talk about righteousness and if you try to look for a way to make anger a vehicle for achieving that kind of righteousness you will find it challenging at best. Questions for verse 20 dwell on the subjects of anger and righteousness and how they relate, both to us and to God.
You may notice there's a big discrepancy between the NIV and the ESV in the use of the term require vs desire in this verse. I want to call your attention to the Greek. While I'm no expert on Greek, it seems to me neither of these versions is accurate. The Greek word behind the phrase in each translation is ergazomai. It literally means work. Between the three translations given, for this verse KJV is by far the closest to the Greek.
1.20.1 How does anger of man differ from anger of God?
Rev 4:8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" God is holy and man is not (Ro 3:10).
Mt 5:22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother [1. some manuscripts insert 'without cause'] will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire. One man may become angry with another, but God is always in perfect agreement with himself (James 1:17).
Jonah 4:1-2 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, [1] and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. [Note 1: The literal Hebrew says 'it was exceedingly evil to Jonah'.] Jonah's anger is contrasted against God's anger in this passage. Jonah was so quick to anger that he ran from God's command to show mercy. Jonah in his piousness found God's plan of redemption for the vile and filthy people contemptible. Jonah knew, however, that God was indeed slow to anger and full of love. God isn't generally going to agree with us. Rather we must agree with him if we are to partake in the Lord's victory – even we all our logic and all our force of emotion war against what God says to us.
Jn 7:23-24 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment. As John points out, man's anger is based on the same thing as everything else a man responds to – the visible exterior of people and situations. God has the omniscience to see and know what lies beyond the reach of our perceptions. He is in a position to execute his anger and still remain holy and righteous while we, through our ignorance, can make no such claims.
1.20.2 What makes us angry?
Gen 4:5-6 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?" There are probably many reasons, but pride is one of the biggest, if not the very biggest. There are definitely many reasons for pride. Cain believed in his own pride that his offering was just as good as Able's, but he didn't grasp what God wanted. His pride lead to jealousy when God accepted his brother's offering. God explained the problem to Cain, but he didn't want to hear the truth. Everyone wants love. When his offering was rejected he felt personally rejected. It was a lie, of course, how often do we fall into the same trap today? We feel worthy and when our flaws are made known to us we take it as a personal assault and completely miss the point. God tells us our flaws to help us, chastening us to create purity, not punishing imperfection. Humility accepts the teaching, pride accepts punishment.
Hosea 7:10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him, for all this. Pride is the attitude of self-importance. Any time we feel we are more important than God, we are wrong. Pride is the reason Satan was thrown down from Heaven. Pride is the reason Cain killed his brother and was forced into exile.
Gen 37:11, 28 11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. 28 Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. Most people have at least heard of the story of Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers. The reason, given in Gen 37:11 us jealousy. The act was one of wrath, indignation and retribution. Why else would there be jealousy, however, unless the brothers had more pride in themselves than humility toward God?
Jer 13:16 Give glory to the Lord your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness. The ability to feel a sense of pride, which is to say the underlying capacity for the attitude we call pride, is a gift from God. The problem is when that feeling is directed toward ourselves. The attitude then takes on the title pride. The same basic attitude, when directed outward toward God is called giving glory. The principle is the same – an attitude of superiority. The difference is whether it is directed inward (pride in self and coveting praise, self superiority) or outward (giving glory to and recognizing superiority of God, self humility).
Any number of emotions can be attributed to an attitude if not an act of anger. The words for anger or wrath appear literally hundreds of times through the bible. The subject itself could be one of extensive study. Without drawing this out further than reasonably necessary I submit that in general, the sense of relative worth, whether in the form of pride in one's self or in defense of another who one deems to be of worth, is the most common and most powerful motivator of anger and wrath.
1.20.3 What makes God angry?
Deut 9:13-14 Furthermore, the Lord said to me, 'I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people. Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.' All of Deut 9 from verse 13 to the end provides great examples of God's anger. From this section we learn some things which make God angry, what he might do, and how a man who truly loves God can make a difference in the outcome of God's anger. Deut 9 includes the infamous story of the golden calf. This is a story of idolatry (see also Rev 14:10) and rebellion. Verses 22 to 24 go on to provide a second example and it clearly states God became angry because of rebellion. The calf idol was explained as an example and these later verses state outright it was the rebellion making God so angry. It is one thing to make a mistake, even to argue with God, but wholly another when you take matters into your own hands in direct defiance of God.
1 Ki 11:6-8 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods. This is another example of direct defiance and idolatry against God. Solomon knew right from wrong and deliberately chose to do wrong. Following verses provide gory details of God's wrath against Solomon for his intentional erring. God's retribution might not be sudden, but it is certain.
Ex 22:22-24 You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. If you want to make God mad, another sure method is to abuse the weak and helpless. See also Mk 9:42.
1.20.4 What happens when God gets angry?
Gen 6:6-7 And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them." I find this passage fascinating. God comes as close to admitting error here as can be found in scripture. If you are at all familiar with the first few chapters of Genesis you know the context of this verse is the lead up to the great flood of Noah. Man's rejection of God hurt His feelings. In His anger God wiped out man from the earth except one family.
1 Sam 15:28 And Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you." God doesn't have to wipe you out. Instead he may very well cast you, your family and your nation into deep suffrage. In this case it was King Saul who made God mad and he had to pay a personal price and live with the consequences.
Mal 4:1 "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." This old testament prophesy reminds me of Jesus' parable of the wheat and weeds (aka tares) from Mt 13:24-30 and 36-43. I'm also reminded of how those who follow the beast are thrown into the lake of burning fire in Rev 19:20. Though I admittedly remain unclear as to the mechanics of these prophesies, it is crystal clear opposing God angers Him and the consequences involve both this life and eternity.
1.20.5 What happens when God relents from anger?
Gen 6:6-8 And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. In the previous question we used this passage to see what God does when get is angry. The very next verse is included here to demonstrate God's prevision for the time when his anger would relent. God chose a man to survive the flood. This man Noah would later be greatly blessed and when God's anger subsided he would receive a new covenant from God to preserve mankind and animals on earth for as long as it exists.
Jer 3:11-14 And the Lord said to me, "Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, "'Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. This passage provides another example of God's prevision to relent his anger. God provides an offer with a promise. The promise essentially is to forego anger in exchange for the return to faith. He promises to not be angry forever. He promises ultimately to bring the faithful to Zion.
1.20.6 Is God's anger righteous?
2 Chr 12:6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The Lord is righteous." When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: "They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. God is righteous therefore his anger is righteous. God stays the hand of wrath when the disobedient turn from their sin and obey. If you read this particular passage in context you will see that God disciplines Jerusalem to train them in righteousness.
1.20.7 Can we have righteous anger?
Jn 16:7, 13 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. Before answering the question, first it is important to remember that obedient born again believers of Christ enjoy the continuous presence of the Holy Spirit who helps and guides us. We know God can be angered and remains righteous, so it stands to reason if we abide with the Holy Spirit and become angry we too can remain righteous even in our anger.
Ro 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. God's anger is righteous, therefore if follows that if God – which is to say the Spirit of Christ – is in you, you may have righteous anger when the anger is driven by the Holy Spirit.
Eph 4:26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger Paul specifically instructs us to be angry without sinning. What is righteousness but behavior devoid of sin?
1.20.8 Why wouldn't we produce righteousness from our anger?
Ro 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— Apart from God we cannot be righteous. Righteousness is behavior obedient to God's will. If we separate ourselves from God we are in rebellion and therefore unrighteous in all we do including whatever we produce as a result of our anger. We all suffer a sin nature in our flesh. In our anger we are often at our weakest with regard to clear thinking and our focus on God's will. It is very easy to hastily act based on our own will rather than God's when we are angry.
1.20.9 What is righteousness?
The Greek word dakaiosune appears 92 times in the New Testament and in every case (in KJV) it is translated as righteousness. According to the Strong's Concordance this word is defined as follow:
1. in a broad sense: state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God
a. the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God
b. integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling, and acting
2. in a narrower sense, justice or the virtue which gives each his due
As a part of speech this word is classified as a noun. It isn't tangible per se, but it is a quality with tangible attributes in the form of how one lives and the impact it has. This is why I think of righteousness as a behavior. Because it is by definition acceptable to God, it must be devoid of sin and hence my simplified definition of righteousness: behavior devoid of sin.
1.20.10 Why does God require righteousness?
1 Pe 1:16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." God is holy. He promises to make us holy. One cannot be holy unless one is righteous.
Is 33:15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, Righteousness hates evil and refuses to look upon it.
Ro 8:6-8 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. God is Spirit, but man is flesh. Being "born again" means our Spirit is born into the family of God. The Spirit looks forward to the hope of eternal life in spite of the flaws of the flesh. As Paul writes here, those whose mind is in the flesh cannot please God.
2 Cor 3:9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. In this passage the reference to "the ministry of condemnation" appears to refer to the law of Moses. As glorious as that law was, the "ministry of righteousness" is vastly better.
James 1:21
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. — KJV
19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 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. — NIV
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 that God requires. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:21 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
dio [1352] therefore apotithemi [0659] put away, cast off, put aside pas [3956] all, any, every rhuparia [4507] moral dirtiness, turpitude kai [2532] and, also, even, so then, too perisseia [4050] surplus, abundance, superfluity kakia [2549] badness, depravity, wickedness en [1722] preposition denoting place: such as in, at, of, through… prautes [4240] mildness, humility, meekness dechomai [1209] receive, accept, take ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) emphutos [1721] implanted, engrafted logos [3056] word, something said, communication, divine expression of Christ ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) dunamai [1410] be able, can, could, may, might, possible sozo [4982] save, deliver, protect, heal, preserve, make whole ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) psuche [5590] breath, spirit, heart, life, mind, soul humon [5216] you, your, yourselves
1.21.0 Introduction to James 1:21
The implied tone of James in this verse seems almost out of place. It sounds like the audience is behaving badly and James is calling them out on it. Beyond that, it sounds like James is speaking to non-believers in this verse and warning them to start believing. We know from the beginning of the chapter James wrote this to believers scattered out away from the city of Jerusalem. So is there a disconnect? I don't think so. This verse is tied to verses 19 and 20 based on grammatical implication, but it also seems to be a lead in to the hard hitting directives in the remainder of the chapter. It wouldn't be the first time I saw a translation to English seem to misplace the paragraph breaks. Regardless, James isn't speaking specifically or directly to non-believers. Rather, I believe James is providing guidance as a father would his children (ref. 1 Pe 2:2). The instruction is really preventative.
1.21.1 How do we put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness?
1 Cor 5:17-18 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old [creature] has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation The question assumes you can. James' instruction in verse 21 implies you can. Paul describes the believer as a new creation. Jesus spoke of being born again (Jn 3). The reference verse here indicates that being a new creation requires us to be "in Christ" and that "all of this is from God." Throughout the bible, including the New Testament, we are given clear instructions regarding our behavior. While our spiritual being is regenerated solely through the work of Holy Spirit as the free gift of Jesus by his sacrifice, our behavior is a function of our flesh. Our flesh is controlled by us. We can yield to the direction of the Spirit, as we ought, as James describes when he says "receive with meekness the implanted word," or not. If we choose to continue in our filth and live in rampant wickedness, this is when we grieve the Holy Spirit and we face losing our eternal hope.
2 Cor 9:7-8 Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. Since we have control of our own minds we have control of our attitudes. We need to start by choosing to be joyful and giving. Many people regard this passage as an instruction toward tithing. The fact is, we give much more than tithes to God. We give up our "old man" (2 Cor 5:17) and our burdens (Mt 11:27-30) to Christ. Those need to be given cheerfully as well. When we sacrifice our selfish self-will we give what God wants most and in so doing we necessarily give up our filthiness and wickedness.
Gal 5:24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. The act we need to cheerfully perform is to give ourselves fully to Christ. In so doing the filthiness and wickedness is crucified. We are present and we are participants, but ultimately it is the Lord's will and the Lord's work which makes it possible to put away the filthiness.
1.21.2 What does filthiness and rampant wickedness look like in today's society?
Turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper. It is everywhere. Immorality comes in forms too numerous to name. Sex in the living room, homosexuality in high school hallways, lies from our highest officials, brutal beats, rapes, and murder, and school fundraisers. Okay, the fundraiser thing was a joke. Sort of. The point is, not all filthiness looks filthy. For example, most conservative Christians believe abortion is wrong, but many waffle when it comes to rape or incest. We pretend apprehension toward newsstand Christianity, but how many of us quote Televangelists as if quoting God? Is the "pledge of allegiance" idolatry? What do the Joneses have we don't? They're in the next pew, but they've got a better car? What about the gift God gave that Smith fellow, but didn't give you? Is there any dirt on your halo? We don't need to look far to find filth. At the same time, we can't allow our own shortcomings to keep us from obedience to our Lord. Wake up, shake it off, and get to work. Your soul is on the line (Eze 3:18-19).
1.21.3 What does it mean to receive?
The Greek word dechomai here translated as receive (except in NIV) may be translated as receive, accept, or take. The full definition includes:
1. To take with the hand, take up, take hold of
2. To receive:
a. As in a place receiving one
b. As to grant access to, not refuse intercourse or friendship
c. Hospitality
d. Something spoken
e. Into one's family
3. To receive favorably – as to hear, embrace, approve, not reject
4. To take upon one's self – as to sustain, bare, or endure
5. To get, as in to learn
Gen 30:28 Name your wages, and I will give it. Some things we receive we rightfully expect because we earn them.
1 Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Some things we receive are things given to us as gifts, unmerited, not earned.
See also Question 1.7.2.
1.21.4 What are we to receive?
Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. James said we are to "receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls." The Greek term James uses is the same one used by John to describe Jesus in Jn 1:1.
Jn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. When we receive, accept, lay hold of, learn, give hospitality to, grant access to, and come into the family of Jesus through adoption by willfully believing and putting our trust in him we receive eternal life.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. With eternal life we receive a dwelling place in the presence of God.
1.21.5 What is meekness?
The Greek word prautes is defined by Strong's as: mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, or meekness. Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the Old Testament, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend them against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time.
Mt 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. The Greek word used by Matthew is a different form of the same word used by James. According to Matthew's account of Jesus' words, those who rely on God rather than themselves for self defense and accepting unjust trials in order to be purified will be rewarded with the earth.
1 Pe 3:4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. In this verse the phrase "gentle and quiet spirit" comes from the same word translated meekness in James 1:24. God delights in those who accept whatever befalls them, trusting Him to use it for good whether it was intended for good or not.
Based on this information, the concept of meekness is tied very closely to the concept of receiving. Meekness, however, is a much more specific form of acceptance. It accepts in submission with faith even what it does not like at the time, trusting it all is for the best and expecting deliverance from God in the end.
1.21.6 Why are we to receive the implanted word with meekness?
Jn 3:20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. By definition the meek willingly obey God. If we willingly obey, we walk in light and we are comfortable with our deeds exposed. If we do not, we then hate the light, thus hating our very Savior.
1.21.7 How is the implanted word able to save your soul?
Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. We must accept it is nothing we ourselves can do. God set a standard which Jesus met on our behalf. Since clearing that hurdle he then pours out his Spirit to regenerate and justify us and grant eternal life.
Jn 14:23 Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. The Lord will keep his word (1 Thess 5:24). For our part, we are called to trust and obey. Ultimately this is what defines love. Call it anything you like, so long as you give God the credit. He does what he does by means we cannot fathom and in our arrogance we should not claim to fully understand such mysteries. We are but to accept these mysteries and trust in Him. And while salvation is not something we can earn or accomplish through works, the command to keep his word implies that genuine faith by definition must include baring good fruit.
1.21.8 What is your soul?
The Greek word rendered soul is psuche. From this we get our English word psyche. It is the only Greek word translated soul, though it is also translated as life, mind, and heart. It corresponds directly to the Hebrew nephesh. We know this from various places where Old Testament phrases are quoted in the New Testament. It is used to reference lower life forms, a man as an individual, the life of a person which can be lost, saved, or destroyed, as a part of speech to emphasize a pronoun (such as myself), and as the intense force of one's being. The Hebrew term provides far more references to draw meaning from out of scripture.
Soul can perhaps be summed up as the animation of life in an individual creature/being characterized by breath. This is why when a count is taken on an airline they give the census as the number of souls, referring to the living people aboard.
It is interesting to note that God's name, rendered YHWY, means breathe. This would seem an apt name we would use for God because He breathed life into man when he was but a clay figure. Indeed, God breathed life into every living thing. Even plants breathe, albeit CO2 in and O2 out while we symbiotically do just the opposite.
1.21.9 Summary of James 1:19-21
Essentially a proverb of James, this passage gives sound advice about running one's mouth and ears, about anger, and about the best way to approach the gospel. We need to listen to others and not be quick to jump to conclusions. Don't dismiss someone out of hand. You never know who God will speak to, or who will speak through. Listen for messages from unexpected places. As for jumping to conclusions, that's often how anger flares up. We get irritated and angry over things of little consequence. Its okay to get angry, but be angry about injustice and evil rather than personal dissatisfaction. James then goes on to tell us we need to quit living lifestyles we know are wrong, instead submitting to the will of Christ trusting Him to have the better way. When we live such a life, embracing Christ and rejecting sin, we then make it possible for Christ to save our souls.
James 1:22
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 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: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 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. — KJV
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 a man 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 the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does. — NIV
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. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:22 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
ginomai [1096] to become… de [1161] and, but, now… (conjunction) poietes [4163] a performer, poet logos [3056] word, something said, communication, divine expression of Christ kai [2532] and, also, even, so then, too me [3361] not, no, none, never monon [3440] merely: alone, but, only akroates [0202] a hearer paralogizomai [3884] misreckon, delude, beguile, deceive heautou [1438] my-, our-, your-…self or selves (pronoun)
1.22.0 Introduction to James 1:22
This verse launches the next-to-last paragraph in the first chapter, but one could say it is the launching pad for the balance of the book. The book of James is generally considered the most practical book on Christian living in the New Testament and this verse is often cited as the reason why. It is interesting to note KJV and ESV use nearly identical language (KJV adds a "ye" that isn't in the Greek) and NIV, though it structures the sentence a little differently, conveys a message which appears almost transparently the same. It says to do, not just hear. Hearing is good, but hearing without doing is empty and worse, it is self deception. Questions generated by this verse allow us to examine doers and hearers and finally, to look at why hearers only are deceiving themselves.
1.22.1 What does it mean to be a doer of the word?
Gal 5:18-21 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Like James, Paul also sometimes uses stark contrasts to make a point clear. In this passage Paul leads in to the answer to our question by first describing a doer not of the word. Even before this Paul talks about the law and how those lead by the Spirit are not under the law. Old Testament thinking was you either were obedient to the law or you were not. Paul artfully explains in this passage, however, the real issue isn't obedience to law, but rather it is a matter of whether you are lead by the Spirit of God or your own mortal and sinful flesh and its desires.
Gal 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. This section of the passage, better known to many Christians, provides the positive side of Paul's contrast. It lists for us the spiritual fruit borne by the Spirit in the life of one lead by the Spirit. Anyone born again will not be able to prevent these fruit, nor will anyone living in the flesh be able to produce these fruit in true purity.
1.22.2 What do doers do?
Mt 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. The Great Commission is important and not to be forgotten. It does not, however, exist in a vacuum.
Mt 22:37-40 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." Whereas the reference above is called "The Great Commission," I would call this passage "The Great Compassion." Doers love God and other people. It is important to note this kind of love is an action verb. It means paying attention to and caring for others – in other words: demonstrating compassion. It involves personal humility and kindness, particularly toward children and those who have greater needs in this world.
Ro 2:1-5 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. Doers repent from the heart without regard to others' outward acts and without passing judgment. Doers ensure their own house is in order before they take the position of correcting others.
Mt 12:37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Doers do speak, but they speak as bid by the Spirit rather than their own unbridled tongue.
Jas 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. [Note: alternate translation – the effective prayer of a righteous person has great power] Further on in the study we will examine this passage more carefully. For now the simple point is this: doers pray.
1.22.3 How can we be doers?
Lk 9:23 And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Jesus commands us to lower ourselves and submit to His sovereign authority. The wonderful kingdom (1 Pe 2:9) is yet to come. For now, there is work to be done (Mt 9:37) and it isn't glamorous. To be a doer, just listen to the prompting voice of the Spirit and obey (Jn 14:26).
1.22.4 What kind of people are doers?
Jn 3:21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God. The people in the light are the doers. They cannot hide (Lk 8:16-17). They do many things and can be described in many ways. I know of no better way to identify them collectively.
1.22.5 Are you a doer?
This is a question we all must answer – sooner or later.
1.22.6 How can someone be a hearer only?
Rev 3:1-3 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. "'I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. The word "reputation" is key here. Some people appear to be Godly, doing good deeds, but for the wrong reasons. Such people therefore are dead inside, as Paul explains to Timothy (2 Tim 3:5)
1.22.7 What prevents a hearer from being a doer?
Mt 21:21-22 And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." It all boils down to faith. Do you believe it, or not?
1.22.8 Is there anything wrong with being a hearer?
Mt 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. This is the first of 15 times this phrase (or a variation of this phrase) appears in the New Testament. In fact, it also appears in Eze 3:27. Clearly it is crucial we hear. By no means should one interpret from James it is wrong to listen. Hearing God is one of the most important things we can ever do and one of the greatest privileges of having the Spirit dwell within us. We fall short only when we fail to act obediently on what we hear.
1.22.9 Is it easier to be a hearer than a doer?
If it were easier to be a doer why are there so many instructions in scripture about what to do? That said, you could argue this either way. I believe it is up to the individual. Ultimately, for a non-believer or one who is jaded it becomes easier to hear than do. I've often heard it is easier to do it right the first time. Taking the lazy route just means more work later. For those under conviction it can be much harder to be idle. Ultimately whether it is harder or easier is irrelevant.
1.22.10 Why does a hearer only deceive himself?
Ro 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. Being a hearer only just isn't enough.
Mt 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. One who fails to obey the Lord looses. Adam and Eve couldn't hide from God. Neither can we. To believe otherwise is self-deception and spiritually sickening. The one who does what they hear is the person Jesus blesses in this reference from the beatitudes.
James 1:23
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 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: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 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. — KJV
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 a man 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 the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does. — NIV
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. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:23 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
hoti [3754] that, which… (conjunction) ei [1487] if, whether, that (conditional participle) tis [5100] anyone, anything, someone, something, somewhat akroates [0202] a hearer logos [3056] word, something said, communication, divine expression of Christ esti [2076] he/she/it is, them/they are kai [2532] and, also, even, so then, too ou [3756] absolute negative (adverb) poietes [4163] a performer, poet houtos [3778] he, she, it, they, this, these, which, who eiko [1503] resemble, be like aner [0435] male individual katanoeo [2657] observe fully: behold, discover, consider, perceive ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) prosopon [4383] front view, countenance, appearance, face, person's presence ho [3588] the (article or indefinite pronoun) genesis [1078] nativity, natural, generation autos [0846] her, his, it, them (possessive 3rd person pronoun) en [1722] preposition denoting place: such as in, at, of, through… esoptron [2072] a mirror, glass
1.23.0 Introduction to James 1:23
In verse 23 James sets up a scenario. It is a parable of sorts, or what some might call a "word-picture." The analogy (vv23-24) relates the almost silly idea a person would look in a mirror and moment later forget what they look like to a person who hears the word but doesn't do it (v 22). In verse 25 James goes on to contrast this natural phenomena with someone who learns and acts on the word and is rewarded what James implies is simply common sense. Questions drawn from this verse alone seek to better understand some of its finer details.
1.23.1 Why does James specify "natural face"?
James is painting a word-picture in verses 23 and 24. He provides a simple allegory the reader can relate to for the overall passage. The man looks at his own reflection then goes away and forgets what he looks like. It may sound foolish, but it describes a person who sits through a sermon, but forgets (neglects to absorb and act on) the message as soon as he walks out the church door.
1 Cor 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The hearer James speaks of is a person with perhaps some semblance of godliness, but they live only by what their physical senses perceive as reality. The spiritual word reaching their ears doesn't reach their heart. It is rejected because they aren't open to it.
1 Cor 2:12-13 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. In contrast to the natural face seen by the eyes yet rejected by the mind, Paul explains how those who are open to the Spirit do receive it. The good news is we can be born again, regenerated of spirit, and set upon a course of righteous action leading to salvation – not because of the righteous action itself, but because it wells up from the soul born of spirit and of flesh living out the faith in the Savior, obedient to His Lordship, in love. After all, we do as we believe.
1.23.2 Why look into a mirror?
1 Cor 13:11-12 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. We can only see the flesh of our face in a reflective surface. A mirror is a reflective surface. A person is more than mere appearance. To see what we are truly like as individuals we must seek our reflection in others.
Mk 9:42 Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin [or to stumble], it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. We must look at others to see ourselves because all we do is based on what we believe. What we do impacts others. The impact is either good or evil. There are consequences to all actions. Even the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle agrees. It essentially says anything you interact with, even if only to observe, will by that action effect what you observe. You impact those around you. In answer to the study question – given what we learn from Jesus here – what effect do you want to have?
James 1:24
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 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: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 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. — KJV
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 a man 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 the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does. — NIV
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. — ESV
Greek Transliteration of James 1:24 with [Strong #] and brief definitions:
katanoeo [2657] observe fully: behold, discover, consider, perceive gar [1063] verily, therefore, yet, no doubt, as, because that heautou [1438] my-, our-, your-…self or selves (pronoun) kai [2532] and, also, even, so then, too aperchomai [0565] come, go, depart, pass away kai [2532] and, also, even, so then, too euthetos [2112] well placed, good fit epilanthanomai [1950] lose out of mind, forget, neglect hopoios [3697] what kind, what manner of en [2258] I was/were, have, hold, use
1.24.0 Introduction to James 1:24
In verse 22 James contrasted the hearer with the doer. In verse 23 James paints a mental picture of the hearer. Verse 24 explains the relationship between verse 22 and verse 23. Our questions are designed to help us learn more about the art of examination and the subject of forgetfulness.
1.24.1 How do you examine a physical object?
In science class you learn lots of observation methods. Visual appearance is an obvious method. Beyond that, one can examine an object for its physical dimensions, weight, density, chemical and electrical properties, melting or boiling points, flammability, hardness, color, smell, taste, texture and so forth. The list goes on and on.
Ben Franklin proved lightening was a form of electricity with a kite. Edison used electricity to produce light from a light bulb. It took Nikola Tesla to invent electric motors, radar, and high frequency radio transmission such as we use today in everything from remote control toy cars to cell phones. These people did a lot more than look at something, they utilized their skills and talents, built upon their knowledge, experimented, and accomplished things. Any of us can look at a telephone and see the wires and plastic and tiny circuitry. It takes more than observation to build a telephone. You have to take what you've observed and do something with it.
In context with our study verse, James is talking about the fellow who looks, but doesn't do anything about what he sees. The observation is wasted and soon forgotten. James then goes on Verse 25 to contrast the casual observer with the one who acts on his observation. With the contrast James tells us the doer is the one blessed.
Mt 25:42-46 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Mt 24:45-51 and all of Mt 25 contain a series of examples (servants, virgins, talents, and shepherd) in Jesus' own words contrasting the doers with the non-doers. In each of the examples given by Jesus, information was given yet ignored and they did as they pleased. In each case the non-doers are promised an ill fate (Mt 24:51, 25:12, 25:30, and 25:46). The doers are credited with righteousness and promised eternal blessings.
1.24.2 How do you examine a person?
Leviticus 13 is a chapter devoted to leprosy and physical medical examination. One point of this passage is the observation of the physical. Another point is the observation is carried out by the priest (representing holiness) on another (representing the "unclean") and judgment results. The purpose of the judgment may appear to be condemnation, but actually it isn't at all. The purpose of judging the unclean is to determine the nature of the problem so proper corrective action can be taken. The "clean" are kept from contamination and at the same time the "unclean" is given an opportunity for treatment.
Ezra 10:2 And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: "We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. The 10th chapter of Ezra provides a beautiful example of self-examination. Better still, the people deal honestly with themselves and realize their sins, repenting and making drastic life changes to correct their relationship with God.
In context with James 1:24, we need to examine ourselves, admit our sin, do what we can to correct ourselves, and move forward in obedience. If we fail to do these things we fail to be the doer and are like the person who forgets their own reflection. The judgment will come from the Holy One, so wouldn't it make more sense not only to see the reflection, but to look at the Truth and do what the Truth reveals we ought to do?
1.24.3 What can a face tell you?
Gen 4:5-6 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? A person's expression says a great deal about what is going on in their mind. God alone knows the heart, but a man reveals his heart to other men (just as Cain does here) when his expression reacts from his heart.
Ro 16:18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. We have all heard the saying "appearances can be deceiving." There are dozens of examples of deception in scripture. How could so many be deceived? For one thing, the expression on the face doesn't always tell the truth any more than the words proceeding from the mouth. Secondly, many times the deceived don't look closely enough at the deceptive information or the deceiver. In this particular passage Paul indicates the deceived person is naïve. Throughout scripture and particularly in New Testament letters we are warned about deceivers and given clear instructions about discernment. A face may betray a lie, but you have to be looking closely to have a chance of detecting it.
Ex 34:29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Just as a face can betray deceit, it can also be a beacon to illuminate joy. People with a good heart tend to radiate a spiritual light. Some folks see this in what is described as auras, but even without that degree of sight we can see the fruit of the Spirit and the joy inside the doer of those fruit is nearly always visible on their face.
1.24.4 What should you be looking for in a mirror?
Mt 5:17-20 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. A mirror is a tool for self-examination. James uses it to illustrate a superficial self-examination in Verse 24. In this passage Jesus tells the believers to be doers, following the commandments and laws of God. Teachers use words, but people learn from examples. Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees as bad examples and lousy teachers, but those who obey and do what God instructs will teach others by good example and ultimately will be called great in heaven. In answer to the question, then, one should be reflecting in their heart about their life and setting themselves straight – not just superficially looking at a literal mirror with the vanity ascribed to religious leaders.
1.24.5 What is the impact of forgetfulness?
Eze 23:35 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring. Forgetfulness has consequences.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Forgetfulness is life threatening.
1.24.6 How can you improve your memory (retention)?
Jer 31:33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. As a forgetful person I've learned the necessity for crutches. The advent of the PDA has substantially improved my life. I now have a repository for remembering events, contact information, and lists of all kinds. I'm not a list maker, so learning about lists has been revolutionary for me. I write these things down in the PDA and it remembers them. In the eternal scheme of things, most of what I put in the PDA has no real significance. God is eternal, as is His word. For it to be eternal to me personally it must be written in my mind and heart. To accomplish this I open my heart to Jesus, trusting Him and letting the Spirit enter. I also read my bible with regularity and intensity. I humbly attempt to live a life directed by the Spirit, obeying as best I can with the flesh and using the knowledge provided by His Word. People learn by several methods and it is invariable most effective when multiple methods are used in concert. The simplest way I can explain is that first we must receive the information (hear/read/observe). The next step is to confirm we heard correctly by repeating it back (writing or telling). Finally, apply the tactile technique (do it – practice makes perfect).
1.24.7 Why would someone forget what they look like?
Job 14:1-4 Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not. And do you open your eyes on such a one and bring me into judgment with you? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one. Sometimes you want to forget. Job asks who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean. In answer to his question, no man can cleanse him but Christ. Job said in this passage he realized his impurity by the perfect standard of God. Job's friends sang from Satan's handbook, telling him he was unworthy and sinful, therefore God had retracted from Job. If you look closely, though, you'll see Job isn't blaming God or turning from Him. On the contrary, Job is acknowledging his own position relative to God. How much easier is it in our minds today to be as Job's friends and pick what appears on the surface to make more sense? Sometimes it certainly seems God has forgotten us when, especially when we feel unworthy. When we feel unclean before the Lord we often seek to hide ourselves as Adam tried to hide in the Garden (Gen 3:8). When we know we are sinful we want to forget the sin. If we appear sinful in our own eye, what better reason could there be to want to forget our appearance?
1.24.8 How does being a hearer only relate to forgetting your face?
Gen 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." In this passage Adam hears the instructions not to eat of the tree and the consequences if he does.
Gen 3:6-8 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Adam heard only. He wasn't a "doer" of what he heard. His consequence: Spiritual death and a start to physical decay leading eventually to a physical death.
2 Jn 6-9 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. John confirms the principle in this reminder to heed the commandments. He says be a doer and don't forget the message – the true Word. John reminds us of the consequence of forgetting the message: loss of reward (eternal life, presumably) and not having the Son or the Father.