seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
James 1:19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
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.
Here's the link to the commentary I used.If anyone among you thinks he is religious: James just explained that real religion is not shown by hearing the word, but by doing it. One way to do God’s word is to bridle the tongue.
This one’s religion is useless: Your walk with God is useless if it does not translate into the way you live and the way you treat others. Many are deceived in their own heart regarding the reality of their walk with God.
Pure and undefiled religion before God: There is a great deal of pure and undefiled religion in the sight of man that is not pure and undefiled religion before God.
To visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world: A real walk with God shows itself in simple, practical ways. It helps the needy and keeps itself unstained by the world’s corruption.
Unspotted from the world: The idea is not that a Christian retreats away from the world; instead they interact with orphans and widows in their trouble and others such in their need. The Christian ideal is not to retreat from the world; they are in the world, they are not of it; and remain unspotted from the world.
A Christian should be capable of putting the Mission above our own desires.Christians are not mere humans, I guess. We are called to see the result of loss, and not be angered by it. We are called to see what governments are doing to people, but we aren't to be angered by it. We are called to see, and endure, troubles here on earth... but we're are not supposed to go kick the poop out of anyone... we are called to avoid fighting the ignorant... they interfere with the Mission.
We are here to treat others as we would want them to treat us. Since none of us would enjoy having the poop kicked out of us... We're supposed to avoid kicking the poop out of them.
I'm pretty sure Jesus would have loved to have smacked the fire out of Peter.... knowing Peter was going to deny Him... but He didn't. He brought Peter back into the fold and said.... "Don't do that anymore, dummy. Now lend a hand here." [paraphrased]
Was James, the brother of Jesus, confessing that he considered Jesus to be deranged, but now sees the error of his ways. Was James one of the brothers who wanted to throw Jesus off a cliff, because they considered Jesus to be "touched in the head, not touched by God". No way could their brother, a kid who grew up in Nazareth, truly be the Son of God. Was James one of those ready to send Jesus "that poor ignorant soul" to His death at the "crazy cliff".
Some who would have thrown Jesus off a cliff, found the error of their ways, and became Christians. Some who would have no pity for the widowed and orphaned, had a change of heart, and now want to take them in, and shelter them from any further horrid misfortune.
I guess I would title this....
We're only here for a little while.... Pitch in and help.
