Many obey the gospel so long as it tells them about Christ’s part in shedding his blood to save sinners freely. But when the gospel tells them their part, that they must deny themselves, crucify their lusts, and take up the cross, they turn back. Samuel Rutherford
Next, James gives his readers three very practical ways to be a doer who acts on what he has read in God’s Word.
James 1:26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
The first practical way to be a doer is controlling your speech. Keeping in mind the persecution that James’ congregation is experiencing, how do you instinctively respond in trying circumstances?
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
James says, don’t be like a runaway horse who can’t be reined in. Control your tongue. Don’t lash out with curses against your attackers and do not lash out against God, blaming him. Keeping a tight rein is not something that comes naturally to us. Notice that controlling your speech takes great effort requiring a tight rein.
Here again, we find it easy to come up with many excuses for our speech. We proudly and arrogantly say, “I have to be me. I always speak my mind. I’m not going to be intimidated or back down from anyone.”
In contrast, the Word of God, the Word that we are to hear and put into practice says:
Those who guard their mouths and tongues keep themselves from calamity. Proverbs 21:23
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. Proverbs 15:28
Do you guard what you say? Do you carefully weigh your answers when attacked by evil?
The second way to be a doer of the Word is to practice love. James says, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress… During a time of persecution and distress this is a very practical demonstration of love. When brave men lose their lives because they stood firmly for Christ, they leave behind wives and children that the Church must care for. I know your works. You remained true to my name. You did not renounce your faith, even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was put to death. Revelation 2:13
How should believers respond to those who are attacked on every side, Psalm 55:18, and persecuted and struck down? 2 Corinthians 4:9
Paul answers; We who are strong ought to bear the weakness of those without strength. We should not just please ourselves. Romans 15:1 Our religion should be more that just self-seeking. Was Christ concerned about his comfort, his standing in proper society or his material success? No, he was willing to give up, even his place in heaven, to endure the death that granted us life. Likewise our faith must express itself through love. Galatians 5:6 Genuine religion is a life changing force that expresses itself in selfless love of others. Be patient in tribulation… Contribute to the needs of the saints, Romans 12:13, Let our people learn to devote themselves to good, so as to help in cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. Titus 3:14
Third, to be a doer of the Word, James warns; keep oneself from being polluted by the world. The world describes all the systems, beliefs, and pursuits in every sphere of human existence that stand in opposition to God’s pure law; the law that sets us free.
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:16-1
1 – The lust of the flesh: Trying to satisfy legitimate physical needs in an illegitimate way. Eating, drinking, sleeping, and sex are all legitimate desires that God created. However when we seek to satisfy these needs outside of the limits the God created in our nature, hunger becomes gluttony, thirst becomes drunkenness, sleep becomes sloth, sex becomes adultery, fornication, pornography, and LGBTQ experimentations.
2 – Lust of the eyes: God has made everything beautiful in its time, Ecclesiastes 3:11 and we are to appreciate that beauty in its many forms, however, we are not to be tempted by outward appearances. That appreciation can morph into a greed that consumes us as we lust after people; women and men, or covet possessions; cash, cars, jewelry, homes.
3 – The pride of life: God wants us to be realistic, Do not think of your self more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment. Romans 12:3 But we frequently brag about ourselves: inflate ourselves, seeking status, recognition, prestige, and accolades.
We as God’s children, are to live lives of service and compassion just as our Savior did, however when we are quick to let worldly attitudes rival God for our time and attention, we are showing the true condition of our hearts and of our affection. Being honest, every Christian is on the front lines of the battle against all manner of personal temptations. But Christ has set us free so that we may resist the world and these desires, which will pass away.
Woe to the reckless soul who departs from God hoping to find something better in the very things God created. St. Augustine
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Ultimately, pursuing our lusts or acquiescing to our lusts, in whatever form they take, is shortsighted and foolish. This world will pass away. Or as Christ taught there is no middle ground. No one can serve two masters; for either you will hate one and love the other, or you will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24
In today’s therapeutic driven culture we are taught that true freedom is found, not in the virtue of following God’s perfect law, but, rather, in the freedom of people to be true to themselves and live as they please, forgetting that such a lifestyle will have adverse consequences. In a world where people look out only for themselves, in a world where people pursue their many lusts, James says that Christians should be careful with their speech, look out for one another, even at great personal costs, and not fall into the trap of pursuing the hollow things that the unbelieving world chases after; things that lead to death.
Although Tajikistan’s constitution guarantees religious freedom, it is illegal to proselytize. South Korean missionaries planted a church in Khujan. A local man, Bakhrom Kholmatov, who had left Islam and converted to Christianity, was the pastor of the church. The church was raided and because Christian songs were found on his computer and because a Christian book, “Evidence that Demands a Verdict”, was found on his desk, Bakhrom was arrested.
Bakhrom’ s wife, Gulnora, had no idea how she would support herself and their three children. Thankfully the Christian community of several thousand people living across Tajikistan, provided support, food, encouragement, and even transportation for the eight hour drive for visitation at the prison.
Tamara Besarb reached out to Gulnora to encourage her. Besarb’s husband had been killed in front of her in 2004 for refusing to deny Christ. Besarb consoled Gulnora telling her, “My husband is gone, but your husband is alive and he will come back.” After years in prison, on December of 2019 Bakhrom was released from prison. However, recently the government has threatened to revoke the residency permits of Bakhrom’s two older children who are away attending college in another country. Why? Because the two children are “affiliated with extremist Christians”, meaning, their parents, Gulnora and Bakhrom.
Return to The Letter of James.