James for the 4th Sunday after Easter
Christian Living proceeds from Christian faith and vice versa
“The Christian Life Gives Us Christian Living” James 1:17..
The Collect.
O ALMIGHTY God, who alone canst order the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandest, and desire that which thou dost promise; that so, among the sundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
EVERY good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Somehow there is a lot of confusion about the Christian life. Some think that going to church is being a Christian ,and that is all that is needed. ( One of the reformed Confessions says that without membership in the Visible Church you do not go to heaven----hmmm, worth a debate perhaps) That is certainly important to go to church and join with fellow Christians and make up what we call the body of Christ here on earth. We know that our Christian lives were begun by God Himself. “ Having willed He begat us by the word of truth for us to be first fruits of his creatures.” 1:18 This is important for us to ever remember. We did not create our Christian lives. We should be humbled because it is God who did that.
James writes his letter to the scattered believers who were living in a world that was not so friendly to them. They were experiencing “trials” 1:2 (literally surrounded by trials. It is the same word used in the Lord’s Prayer, “ and lead us not into temptation.”)
Somehow there are those of us who have forgotten that our Christian life must have fruit in it. It must show itself in the world , not just the Church. Of course the Church is the body of Christ and here we grow and mature as we learn and read the Word together, and are nurtured by the Sacraments of Christ. ( Unfortunately many so called Churches today are not followers of Christ if they do not believe the Scriptures to be God's inerrant Word)
What is James talking about? “ Be ye doers of the word, and not only hearers.”1:22 The language is “ Make sure that you are doers of the word” The hearers was used of those who were regular in “ listening to lectures, but who never became real disciples.” ‘James’, by Tasker. I suppose we could say we are talking about holiness. I remember the verse in Hebrews that says it pointedly: “ Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” ( Hebrews 12:14)
In our church we are fortunate to have a clear understanding of the teaching of the Scriptures as expressed in the Standards of the Scriptures and the 39 articles ( Look at Article 21, 22 of Justification and Sanctification) which are also helpful. The Scots Catechism also says it as well. It has certainly helped me in my understanding. Q. 35 Shorter Catechism. “ What is Sanctification? A. It is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness.” “ Reformation and sanctification differ, says, Dr. Hodge, as clean clothes differ from a clean heart..” The Shorter Catechism , Alexander Whyte. We have a responsibility to act out of our new hearts to show in our lives the light given to us in Christ. ( note for those of this reading who are questioning why I quote such reformed people, you may want to consider these confessions of faith as they have much in common with the 39 articles of religion in our own Prayer Book)
We do not want to be like the person James talks about who looks in the mirror, sees what he looks like, and forgets. Do not forget James says! Look into the perfect law of liberty and know it is there for our good and well-being. 1:25 James lists things that are important. He mentions to bridle the tongue. If we do not do this our religion is vain, James says. It is enough to profess certain things and then go away and do other things that are not pure.
This is the heart of our faith. “ Religion pure and undefiled before God ….v. 27” We would think that would be doctrine , big churches, happy people, fancy pews, you can add to the list. Instead James says it is not enough to give money and not get personally involved. Pure religion is “ to visit “ as God did in the person of Jesus. He did not do it by proxy. He sent His only Son in the person of the eternal divine Son of God to be born of a virgin and be tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.
Visit who? Our religion is not to be in just words but in deeds of mercy and forgiveness. “ Visit orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” 1:27Again, we are not just about daily holiness in living the Christian life, but that is where our relationship with Christ begins. Donald Maclean, of the Free Church of Scotland said it this way:” We are not ….to wonder at God’s command: ‘ Be ye holy for I am holy’. Heaven is a place of absolute holiness. In God’s presence there is fullness of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore. All those who by grace are privileged to be admitted into that presence must also be perfectly holy.” “ Banner of Truth Magazine” November 1997. Of course we know that in this life this is not possible but we must work at it.
In our places of worship,whether at Morning Prayer or Holy Communion, we have chosen to gather as His visible Church, (the body of Christ). We are His hands and His voice to those who struggle whatever their race, religion or creed. We are gathered to ask God to hear, share and practice daily His wisdom from the Scriptures as His ministers to do His will in this community and its surrounding communities.
What brethren are the needs? I would say we should look first to ourselves and our spiritual holiness, our pure religion. I like what Julian of Norwich prayed for (1343-1413), “ I conceived a great desire to receive three wounds in my life. They were the wounds of a true contrition; the wound of loving compassion ; and the wound of longing with my will for God.” in Devotional Classics by Foster.
Then James wants us to look at our lives. What are we doing? Lastly, what is the church here doing? Who should we talk to about what we think should be done? I would start with our own relationship to Christ and then as we come together and are strengthened by the Church and the Sacraments we practice holiness and love for others . No one is to be excluded and no one I must say is excluded from the commandment to keep His commandments as well. We must be doers of the Word.
“ Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only.”
David D. Mc Millan , Pastor, & Chaplain (Major) US Army, ret.
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