Bible Studies
James 1:17-27 – Lessons on Reality
Key Verses: (The Message)
- 17”Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven.” – God is the source of all things good.
- 18”He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.” – We are created as the crowning glory of all creation. He crafted us in His own image, the image of the Christ.
- 19”Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. 20”God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger.” – We are to learn to listen more and talk less. Learning to contain our self-righteousness can lead us to be more sensitive to those around us and to the Holy Spirit.
- 22”Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!” – Listening to the Word of God is not sufficient, we must absorb, act, and be changed by what we hear.
- 23”Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, 24walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.” – We are not called to be shallow. Our depth of understanding and our spiritual growth are meant to go deep and wide.
- 25”But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God--the free life!-even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.” – As we move out into ministry we will be affirmed and reaffirmed.
- 27”Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.” – The actions we are to take as children of God are clear and concise.
- Are you a child of God?
Promises of the Gospel:
James is calling us to become “doers” of the Word, not mere listeners. When we are active listeners, when we set aside our self-righteousness and focus on the righteousness of God, instead, our relationship with Him, the “Father of lights”, becomes a vivid reflection of His truth. If we call our selves Christians, attend church, read scripture, and listen to sermons, but are unchanged by what we hear, then we are “worthless” soiled rags to be discarded. James is asking us to look in the mirror that God provides, see the person that He sees, and then walk into ministry, remembering that image so that others can experience the reality that Christ offers to the world.
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