James 1:19-27 (NKJV) So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
V19 “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath…” Great advice for all people. For us, it is part of the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
V20 “…for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” How can we know righteous from unrighteous anger? Anger resulting in wanting to hurt the other person, etc. is wrong. Some vengeance activity is lying, smearing one’s character, seeking to destroy or hurt another. Is our anger to help someone (restorative) or to hurt someone (revenge)? We can be angry, but wish to clarify, guide, instruct, encourage, speak the truth (Bible) in gentleness (Galatians 6:1 and 1 Peter 3:15). God help us. We also need to show self-control (Galatian 5:23 and 2 Peter 1:6).
Some other’s suggestions:
Life Over Coffee (Rick Thomas) [I do not know anything about their ministry, so be cautious]. “There are times when it’s hard to tell if a person’s anger is righteous or not. Of course, there is the added issue of thinking the best of ourselves when it comes to our anger. Thus, the temptation to reclassify our angry moments is alluring. Righteous anger is the term we use to describe someone who is not sinning when angry; it is possible to be angry and sin not, but the question is, how do you know if your anger is righteous or unrighteous? What does righteous anger do that sinful anger cannot?”
V21 “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” We are not to live the old life of the sin nature (Galatians 5:16-26). We are to receive and live the Law of Christ and the fruit of the Spirit. The Greek word for “filthiness” is (G4507) ῥυπαρία rhuparía, which means moral wickedness. It is “dirt” that makes clean and beautiful things unclean and repulsive. Some moral sins are listed in Galatians 5:19-21. God wants us to live a pure and holy life. We and He is preparing us for the Kingdom of Heaven.
V22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Hearing is necessary for knowledge and understanding. It must be applied, thus, we are to be doers. Compare John 8:31 and John 13:17. Thinking that knowledge is sufficient is being deceived (Proverbs 16:25). God weighs the actions as well as the motives. When we have knowledge but do not live God’s way of life, it is self-deception (Proverbs 21:2). Vincent’s Word Studies states: “The deception referred to is, therefore, that into which one betrays himself by false reasoning – reasoning beside the truth.”
V23 “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror…”
V24 “…for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” The reflection is a good resemblance but the self-deceived forgot the reality of our looks and accept what we want to believe we are.
V25 “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” The perfect law of liberty is another name for the Law of Christ. Again, just knowing has no effect on us or any one else. We must believe it enough to live the Christian life. We need to persevere in it. Just to hear truth does not necessarily bring a blessing, but God blesses those who hear and do. We must hear (Hebrews 1:1-4). The demons believe and tremble (James 2:19), but there is no benefit for they do not show a belief by living it. Demons believe their own deceptions and live those deceptions by rebellion. We are to be the contrast with the assisting grace of God.
V26 “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” Thinking that we are religious can be tested. One way is in our speech and replies especially to opposition.
V27 “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” This is one action of many showing true religion. There are those who might do this but ignore most other things. We must be alert to do the complete Law of Christ.
We learn:
- Advice about being angry
- Live a Christian life which is God’s way of life
- Actions are more important than what we say