A Few Thoughts on the Epistle of James—James 1:19-25

C3 The Christian life—listening and actions James 1:19-27

D1 Believers Should Listen Quickly, Hesitate Speaking James 1:19-25

James 1:19-25 WEL So too my beloved brothers, all must be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 Because the anger of man does not bring about the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filthiness and all types of wickedness. Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 Be doers of the word, not just 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 at himself in a mirror. 24 He looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks at the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, is not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work. This one will be blessed for what he does.

7 rules=

• 3 Attitudes and actions
  • Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger

• Good listening requires slow to speak.
• Slow to speak is to listen until the other has finished speaking, except for those who talk continuously.
• Slow to speak has the idea of thinking before talking.
• Slow to speak has the idea of not offering advice until asked.
• Slow to anger is to be angry slowly.
  • The next verse points out that our anger does not achieve (bring about, bring to reality). Arguing to prove doctrine or pressuring one to believe the Gospel, will not bring about God’s righteousness. So this leaves out bullying, verbal abusing, controlling, etc. behavior. These actions will not bring about God’s righteousness. In fact, often it makes things worse.
  • There are 2 wills: God’s will and any other will.
  • God’s way is best. Being angry at God’s thoughts, desires, words, and deeds does no good. Fighting it is wrong. The Pharisees were guilty of this (John 16:2, for example).
  • Our thoughts, desires, words, and deeds do not bring righteousness. Building a church, do it God’s man, not with man’s philosophical or business practices. Encouraging spiritual growth, same. 1 Peter 4:3 NIV For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.
  • JFB: Man’s angry zeal in debating, as if jealous for the honor of God’s righteousness, is far from working that which is really righteousness in God’s sight. True “righteousness is sown in peace,” not in wrath (James 3:18).
  • It is not debating as Stephen did (Acts 7). It is an anger that destroys as Acts 15:2 NIV This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
  • Proverbs 15:1 NKJV A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
• Anger is not necessarily a sin. There is both an anger that is not sinful and a type that is. Consider, Mark 3:4-5 and John 2:13-16.
• Unrighteous anger leads to sin
  • Psalms 37:8 NRSV Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil.
  • Proverbs 15:18 NIV A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
• 4 duties
  • No moral filthiness
    • This is specifically referring to James 1:14-15)
    • It refers to dirt as opposed to clean.
    • Acts 15:20 NIV Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
    • Galatians 5:19-21 MKJV Now the works of the flesh are clearly revealed, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lustfulness,  20  idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, fightings, jealousies, angers, rivalries, divisions, heresies,  21  envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revelings, and things like these; of which I tell you before, as I also said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
  • No wickedness
    • Breaking God’s laws in thoughts, desires, words, and/or deeds
    • See Romans 1:18, Romans 1:29, Romans 6:29.
  • Read and study Scriptures especially the New Testament. Understand it, believe it, and live it.
  • Be doing what the New Testament teaches
    • This is what we believe and why
    • This is how to live and why

Implanted word= the Gospel and God’s law which is written on our hearts by God Himself. (Romans 2:29 and Hebrews 8:10).

Law of liberty= the opposite of Old Testament law which could not bring righteousness and reconciliation with God. The New Testament contains God’s rules for us (Galatians 5:1).

Reading the Bible brings blessings, but the Bible is not just to be read but to be lived. We live what we believe.

Questions

• How can we change our lives?
• If we can’t, who can?
• How do Christians cooperate with God to live more God’s way?
• Which law is greater, Old Testament law or New Testament law? Defend your answer.
• Why do Christians have to live by God’s New Testament rules?

A Few Thoughts About Listening

Importance of listening

Listening

B1 Body language

C1 If standing, stance and posture may show we are open to listening or not. Do not authoritatively but compassionately.

C2 If sitting, then sit upright, leaning slightly forward, and not slouching, leaning away, or folding the arms.

C3 Nodding the head occasionally

C4 Not being distracted by the environment or technology (phones, etc.)

C5 Neutral facial to slightly friendly at times. Be genuine. Don’t frown or grimace as if looking bored.

C6 Examples: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/Body_Language.htm

B2 Face and eyes

C1 Show attentiveness. Look at them most of the time.

C2 Show respect

C3 Again, the link above has some pictures showing the difference.

B3 Re-enforcement

C1 Don’t interrupt except for

D1 Clarification

D2 Acknowledgement (stating, “OK, I see, I understand, wow, I’m sorry this happened,” etc.)

C2 Nodding your head once in a while

B4 Believe them

B5 Listening is not giving advice

B6 Some don’ts

C1 Don’t hurry them along

C2 Don’t be doing something else when they are talking

C3 Don’t be judgmental

C4 Don’t correct

Purpose

B1 Love (2^nd summary of the Law)

C1 Luke 10:27 NLT The man answered, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.

C2 Romans 13:9-10 NLT For the commandments say, "You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet." These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God's law.

C3 Also see Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 19:19, Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Galatians 5:14, and James 2:8.

C4 If we really are going to live according to God’s rules, we must show this kindness—to listen to someone.

B2 Respect for others

C1 Matthew 7:12 NRSV In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.

C2 1 Peter 3:8 GNB To conclude: you must all have the same attitude and the same feelings; love one another, and be kind and humble with one another.

B3 Help and assistance for others

B4 There are those, however, you hog your time, talk incessantly, etc. There is a Scripture for that, too. These people are called “Compulsive Talkers.”

C1 Proverbs 17:27 NLT A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.

C2 Ecclesiastes 5:2 NLT Don't make rash promises, and don't be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

C3 Proverbs 15:1-2 NLT A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing, but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

C4 Politely point out, “Do you mind if I say something?” If they keep talking, we must just excuse yourself and leave.

C5 A couple of articles that might be helpful (secular source)

D1 5 Steps for Dealing With People Who Talk Too Much

D2 5 Tips for Handling an Incessant Talker

How does God listen?

B1 Attentively

B2 Purposefully

B3 His motive is love and respect

B4 He answers prayer in love and wisdom. (If it seems that He does not hear, then It might be the wrong time, the wrong situation, the wrong attitude, sin might be confessed, our spouse is not being treated in a godly manner, there might be selfish, lustful desires in offering the prayer, etc.).

Scriptures

B1 James 1:19 NLT Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

C1 Many take this passage to remind believers to listen quickly to God’s word and do it.

C2 But why “slow to get angry?” To be consistent, one would understand this to mean slow to get angry at God’s word. This cannot be correct. Especially when in context of James 1:20 NLT Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

C3 In addition, James 1:21 NLT So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

C4 One of the ways of getting rid of this filth is with God’s strength and help (grace), listen quickly, speak after listening carefully, and understand the situation and be controlled in anger.

B2 We want God to listen, shouldn’t we listen to our brothers and sisters?

C1 Psalm 66:18-20 NLT If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.

C2 Psalm 86:5-8 NLT O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. Listen closely to my prayer, O LORD; hear my urgent cry. I will call to you whenever I'm in trouble, and you will answer me. No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None can do what you do!

Application

B1 Listen

B2 We need each other

B3 A few testimonies on the importance of listening:

C1 Listening Is Powerful Medicine

C2 Listening: The art and science of hearing

B4 We pray and God listens. He has taught us to listen to each other.

B5 Take time to listen.

B6 God will help us.

James 4:6 NIV But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."