"SPECIAL BLESSING" REAL FAITH - OBEYS

Real Faith Obeys
James 1:19-21
August 7, 2011 AM

Real Faith is what we have been talking about the last few weeks! And we have learned that we can expect our faith to be tested by trials…but when we learn to trust God through the trials, our faith becomes stronger.

We also know that our faith will be tempted...but if it is real and if it is strong, Real Faith learns to resist the temptations, believing that God will give something better.

As we move forward in our study...we will also see that Real Faith requires obedience to the Word of God…which is by the way, a clear evidence of Real Faith…Obedience!

It is not only about knowing what God says…but also doing what He says. And how do we know what He says? The Word of God!

I want you to notice the references to the Word of God in this passage:

Verse 21 – Receive with meekness the engrafted Word
Verse 22 – Be doers of the Word
Verse 23 – Be hearers of the Word
Verse 25 – Look into the Perfect Law of Liberty – the Word of God

All of these are references to the importance of hearing, and doing the Word of God.
But as we will see today there are things that can hinder our hearing it, and things that will certainly hinder our doing it!

And today’s passage proves the practicality that we can expect form James. Let’s take a look at some things we must have if we are to express Real Faith through obedience to God’s Word:

Stand and read James 1:19-21…

We Must Have A Careful Ear – “Swift to hear” (v. 19a)

Many times in the Bible you will find this phrase, “He who hath an ear, let him hear”…
It is possible to have good ears and still be hard of hearing.

A story is told about a time when President Roosevelt had grown tired of all the superficiality that occurred at White House receptions. So he decided to see if people were really listening to him or if they were just going through the motions. On this night, as people filed by to shake his hand, he smiled real big and said, “I murdered my grandmother this morning.” No one even noticed, they just gave the usual response, “Oh, how lovely,” or “Keep up the good work!”
Finally there was one diplomat who actually heard what he was saying, and his response was, “Well sir, I am sure that she deserved it.”

I have told you the story before about the man who was concerned about his wife’s hearing…

We all should learn how to listen more carefully…However, James is not referring to listening in general, but more importantly, listening to the right person. In verse 18 we see the reference to “the Word of Truth. The Word of God is the primary source of wisdom for our lives. Therefore, we need to be quick to hear what it says.

The Bible tells us that people who listen, and obey are very wise and even blessed.
Proverbs 1:5 – “A wise man will hear and will increase in learning…”
Proverbs 12:15 – “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he that hearkens unto council is wise.”
James 1:25 – “He being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

But, what kind of council should I seek? What kind of persons should I listen to?

Friends, we should never underestimate the Word of God… When it comes to the Word of God, we should always be quick to hear it! And quicker to obey it!

We should seek advice from people whose advice is based upon the Word of God…but be careful about those who are not applying God’s Word to their lives.

In reference to the preceding verses, what do I do when I am in one of these trials or when I am tempted? I listen to the Word of Truth, so that I will have the proper perspective on the things that are happening and the power to do the right thing.

So we must have a careful ear where the Word of God is concerned…but we also must…

We Must Have A Controlled Tongue – “Slow to speak” (v. 19b)

Slow to speak doesn’t mean that you’re supposed to talk like you’re from Middleburg… It refers to restraint in speech or thoughtfulness before you speak.

I was always told as a child that God gave me two ears and one mouth, so I should listen twice as much as I speak.

Now be honest, how many of you know someone who is guilty of talking more than they listen? Are any of those people in the congregation today?

James encourages us to learn to listen carefully and also learn to consider what we say.

Sometimes we don’t hear what others are saying because we are too busy thinking about what we want to say…And sometimes we don’t hear what the Lord is saying to us because we are too busy doing all the talking!

Proverbs 10:19 – “In a multitude of words (endless chatter) there is no lack of sin, but he that refrains his lips is wise.”
Ecclesiastes 5:3 – “A fool’s voice is known by a multitude of words.”

Remember that what you say will tell others a lot about who you really are!
And don’t forget the old cliché, “It is better to let people think that you are stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

So we must have a careful ear, a controlled tongue, but also…

We Must Have a Calm Temper – “Slow to wrath” (vv. 19c-20)

How many of you would say that sometimes you lose control of your temper?
Is it a sin to be angry? Did Jesus ever get angry?

Ephesians 4:26-27 – “Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun, go down on your wrath. Neither give, place to the devil.”
Proverbs 14:17 – “He that is soon angry deals foolishly…”
Proverbs 14:29 – “He that is slow to anger is of great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit exalts folly.”

There is definitely a righteous anger, which I believe, only God can have (Romans 1:18). But there are also times when we have a right to be angry…but it should come slow…it should have no evil intent…and then it should leave in a hurry.

Remember this, a righteous anger is never sinful (God), but human anger, even when it is right, can quickly turn to sin.

The word James uses for anger is wrath. And wrath is a deep anger that has judgment or revenge in mind. It is an anger that continues to boil steam or brew. It is a root of bitterness that grows deeper and deeper until it is unleashed or repented of.

James says that we should be slow to wrath, because our wrath does not produce the righteousness of God. When I get mad and stay that way, it hinders my testimony before others, and it also hinders me from hearing and obeying the Word of God.

So a careful ear, a controlled tongue, a calm temper, and…

We Must Also Have a Clean Heart (v. 21)

James says that we should lay aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness.

Now, filthiness refers to a type of morality. It is anything that deviates from God’s righteous standard. Friends, ever one of us were or still are filthy in the eyes of Holy God!

Interestingly, the word filthiness from the Greek is a compound word that means earwax.

Maybe that’s why James encourages careful ears. It is as if he is saying, “Get the wax out of your ears and listen to God!”

Think about all the filthiness that enters our ears; that enters our lives! It hinders us from hearing God! It ultimately hinders our desire to hear God. (Kind of like a person who is hard of hearing and gets frustrated because he can’t make any sense out of what people are saying.)

We must constantly be on guard…and constantly cleansing ourselves…how? Through the Word of God!

Why? Because there is an overflowing amount of wickedness (superfluity of naughtiness) rushing into our lives from all directions.

James says, “Lay it apart” – strip it off, discard it, get rid of it…like a snake that is shedding his skin and leaving it behind.

The things we are reading hear must not only be heard, but also heeded! Because Real Faith is hindered by ears that are not careful…by tongues that are not controlled, by tempers that are not calm…and especially by hearts that are not clean!

Is there sin in your life; filthiness in your ears; wickedness in your heart; is there a lack of restraint in your temperament? If so, these things must be dealt with before you can “receive with meekness the implanted Word of God.”

Rip it out of your life and replace it with the implanted Word of God, which is able to save your souls.

Closing: If we do not have careful ears; if we do not have controlled tongues, if we do not have calm tempers and if we do not have clean hearts then how shall show to others a Real faith? For a genuine faith is obedient to and changed by the Word of God.

When James speaks of meekness in verse 21, he means humility, teachability. Are you teachable? If you are not, then you are not ready to receive anything from the Lord.

However, if you receive the Word it will give you all that you need in this life and the next.

Senior Pastor John Sweat, Sr
Crossroads Baptist Church
1595 Baxley Road
Middleburg, Florida