This week we are looking at a
next section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible
called the book of James. Yesterday,
we discovered that it is in this next section of this letter to early followers
of Jesus that was written by the half brother of Jesus that we see James reveal
for us a timeless and true principle when it comes to the faith that works and
the issue that Christians and the church is full of hypocrites.
And that timeless and true principle is this: The faith
that works produces a life of integrity. We discovered that the word integrity
does not mean perfection. Instead, the word integrity literally means to be
whole and undivided. Integrity is a consistency between attitudes and actions.
Integrity is a consistency between character and conduct. Integrity is a
consistency between what we say and what we do. Integrity is a consistency
between our public life and our private life. Integrity is a consistency in
what we strive for and what we call others to strive for. Integrity is walking
the walk and not just talking the talk.
Now a natural question that arises here is “Well Dave
that sounds great, but how does the faith that works produce a life of integrity?
And how can I grow when it comes to living a life of integrity? In a section of
this letter, we will see James reveal for us four different ways that the faith
that works produces a life of integrity. James reveals for us the first way in
James 1:19-20. Let’s discover that way together:
This you know, my
beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of
man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
James begins this section of his letter by stating this
you know, my beloved brethren. Now this statement, if communicated in the
language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this:
“My beloved followers of Jesus, make sure you pay attention and put into
practice in your day to day lives what I am about to say”.
James then provides three commands to followers of Jesus
throughout history: Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. In
other words, James is commanding followers of Jesus to respond to others in a
way that is swift to listen to others and slow to express ourselves to others.
As followers of Jesus, we are to be swift to listen to others and slow to
express our displeasure to others.
James then
provides the reason why we are to be swift to listen to others and slow to
express our displeasure towards others by stating the anger of man does not
achieve the righteousness of God. But what does that mean? James point here is
that when we respond to others by expressing our displeasure to others, we will
not bring about or accomplish what is right in God’s sight. When we respond to
others in a way that does not reveal and reflect Jesus to others, we do not
advance God’s kingdom mission.
And it is here that we see James reveal for us the
reality that the faith that works produces a life of integrity that responds to
others the right way. As followers of Jesus we live lives of integrity that
reveal and reflect Jesus to others when we are swift to actively engage others
by actively listening to others. We live lives of integrity that reveal and
reflect Jesus to others when we are slow to express our opinions to others and
instead take the time to listen to their opinions. We live lives of integrity
that reveal and reflect Jesus to others when we are slow to express our
displeasure and disapproval of others.
So here is a question to consider when it comes to the
issue of integrity: Do you respond to others the right way? Do you respond to
others in a way that reveals and reflects Jesus by being swift to listen and
slow to speak and anger? Those are challenging questions, aren’t they? I know
they are for me. But the faith that works produces a life of integrity that
responds to others the right way. James then reveals for us a second way that
the faith that works produces a life of integrity in verse 21:
Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in
humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
Now when James uses the phrase putting aside, here, this
phrase literally means to lay aside or rid oneself of. What James commands
followers of Jesus to rid themselves of is all filthiness and all that remains
of wickedness. In other words James is commanding followers of Jesus to rid
themselves of any moral corruption or wickedness that is prevailing in our
lives.
Now an immediate question that arises here is, “well Dave
how do I do that?” James provides the answer by explaining that we are to in
humility receive the word implanted. Now when James uses the phrase receive the
word implanted, this phrase literally means to accept something that is already
present and established so as to indicate your approval. The word here refers
to the message and teachings of Jesus that had already been established in
their lives.
James then explains that it is the message and teachings
of Jesus that reveal for us how we can be rescued from our selfishness and
rebellion that separates us from God so that we can experience forgiveness and
the relationship with God that we were created for. And it is here that James
reveals for us the reality that the faith that works produces a life of
integrity that accepts the message and teachings of Jesus. As followers of
Jesus we live lives of integrity that reveal and reflect Jesus to others when
we accept the message and teachings of Jesus by not being full of ourselves,
but by humbly placing ourselves under the authority of the message and
teachings of Jesus.
We live lives of integrity that reveal and reflect Jesus
to others when we accept the message and teachings of Jesus so as to rid
ourselves of the moral corruption and wickedness that can cause us to stumble
in our relationship with Jesus. And we live lives of integrity that reveal and
reflect Jesus to others when we accept the message and teachings of Jesus in a
way that results in our lives reflecting God’s transformational activity in our
lives as we become more like Jesus.
So here is a question to consider when it comes to the
issue of integrity: Are you accepting the message and teachings of Jesus in
your life? Are you humbly submitting your thinking to the message and teachings
of Jesus? Or are you arrogantly submitting the message and teachings of Jesus
to your thinking? Because the faith that works produces a life of integrity
that accepts the message and teachings of Jesus.
Tomorrow, we will see James reveal for us two additional ways
that the faith that works produces a life of integrity...
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