James Chapter 1 review and application

I.               15 When lust begins it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown it brings death.

a.     Sin being allowed to excite desires in us, it will soon ripen those desires into consent, and then it is said to have conceived. The sin truly exists, though it be but in embryo. And, when it has grown it its full size in the mind, it is then brought forth in actual execution

b.     The grotesque child sin, then matures and produces its own offspring, death

c.     Another progression: lust = sin, sin= death

d.     So What?  The fact is that the smallest lust has the potential to develop and grow into this deadly being of sin.  This should be an inspiration to not even give into the small desires that start from within us. 

II.               16-18 Don't be fooled, everything good and perfect is from the only one God, the God who doesnÕt change.  He created us to do good, and that we would be his chosen.

a.     Do not stray into erroneous opinions, and go off from the standard of truth, the things which you have received from the Lord Jesus and by the direction of his Spirit

b.     In stark contrast with the morbid scene of death that descends, from unbridled lust is the bright scene of the new life that emanates from the Word of truth.  The father of darkness - Satan (Acts 26:18) generates the offspring of sin and death.  The father of heavenly lights (the God who created the starry universe) gives salvation and life and is unchanging.

c.     believers, are, as it were, first-fruits, that is, they are the first of God's regenerated creatures

d.     There is no reason why one of God's chosen, first fruits, or regenerated believers, has to yield to temptation.  He must learn to resist its deadly force, or he can never grow into the spiritual maturity God desires of His children of light

e.     So What?  Being that we are God's chosen, the ones that he desires to have, we should desire in turn to be like him.  We do not need or have to have the lust and sin of the world.  These bring death and destruction, He brings life and light. 

III.           19-20 Do not be too quick to respond to something, but process what is being said, and react accordingly.  If you get angry in a sinful way you are not acting like God wants you too. 

a.     thoroughly weighing and considering what is said; and this may regard silence under hearing the word; think before you speak, meditate on the word, and study to be approved to God and men

b.     Two ears are given to us but only one tongue: the ears are open and exposed, whereas the tongue is walled in behind the teeth

c.     So What?  In every aspect of our conversation, regardless of the method, we need to react in a Godly manner, by listening and understanding, not lashing out with our tongue, and if anger is necessary then doing so without sin.

IV.           21 put away all things which are evil and produce nothing good, but implant the word of God in your life.

a.     As Christians we are supposed  to watch against, and lay aside, not only those more gross and fleshly dispositions and affections which denominate a person filthy, but all the disorders of a corrupt heart, which would prejudice it against the word and ways of God

b.     The word becomes so [implanted] when it is received; when it is put into the heart by the Spirit of God, and is mixed with faith by them that hear it; and taking deep root in them, brings forth much fruit

c.     So What? The one thing that should be a part of our lives is the Word of God.  This should be something that works in conjunction with the rest of our body, and helps mold us into the creatures that God intended us to be.

V.             22-25 Do what the Scriptures say; don't just listen to them without action.  If you do then you are like the one who looks at himself in the mirror and then after he leaves forgets what he looks like and does nothing about it.  If we act on what we see, we will be fulfilling the law of liberty.

a.     Hearing is in order to doing; the most attentive and the most frequent hearing of the word of God will not avail us, unless we be also doers of it

b.     It is not enough to remember what we hear, and to be able to repeat it, and to give testimony to it, and commend it, and write it, and preserve what we have written; that which all this is in order to, and which crowns the rest, is that we be doers of the word.

c.     The true disciple learns in order that he may do, not in order that he may merely know or teach

d.     no sooner has he contemplated his image than he is gone his way

e.     The principle of love takes the place of the letter of the law, so that by the Spirit they are free from the yoke of sin, and free to obey by spontaneous instinct

f.      This doer finds blessings in the path of obedience

g.     So What? We need to be actively doing the word of God.  Listening studying and reading His word is important but not good enough.  By being a hearer and not a doer we are like the sloppy man who looks, recognizes what is wrong, and walks away without changing anything.  Obeying God and his perfect law requires action.

VI.           26-27 If you think that you are religious and your words don't match your actions then you are deceiving yourself and your religion is worthless.  True religion takes care of the needy, and keeps itself from the world.

a.     In a vain religion there is much of show, and affecting to seem religious in the eyes of others. When men are more concerned to seem religious than really to be so, it is a sign that their religion is but vain. It is possible for people to make their religion a vain thing

b.     When we hear people ready to speak of the faults of others, or to censure them as holding scandalous errors, this is a sign that they have but a vain religion. The man who has a detracting tongue cannot have a truly humble gracious heart.

c.     The reason many people are depressed is that instead of looking after the needs of others, they are constantly focused upon themselves

d.     Christians may be in the world but must not be of it (John 17:14-16). They are leaven that permeates all around them. They enrich lives and inspire others to obey the gospel and to glorify God (Mt 5:16; 13:33). They must not be tainted by the sinful ways of the world.

e.     So What?  Saying you are religious, even using terms that true Christians might use, is worthless if you do not act as a Christian.  It is better for you to not say you are a Christian than to say you are and act un-appropriately.  True service to God is caring for the needs of others and making sure that they are physically and mentally taken care of.