James 1:19 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, ..."

James, in the way he addresses his fellow believers, reveals his love for the people of God. He wants the best for those who are "beloved brethren," and this is attained by the development of a tuned ear to the Word of God. Hearing with swift comprehension and swift obedience are marks of spiritual maturity. Being tuned into His voice and hearing His Word will cause us to walk with Him in true devotion to Him. We will do what He says and fulfill His intentions. His voice will become so loved and revered by us that we will "hold fast" to Him in loving union and total dependance (Deuteronomy 11:22; 13:4; 30:20 ).

Our souls are purified in obeying the truth, through the help of the Holy Spirit. There is a thinking that is the mind of Christ, that cleanses from human thought contrary to His voice (1 Peter 1:22 ), keeping us from hypocritical love towards God's family. Tuned in to His voice there will be ever increasing, transparent love to our fellow members of the family of God. The ongoing secret of this is practicing to be swift to hear His voice.

James 1:19 "... slow to speak, ..."

Swiftness in hearing the Word will check rash speaking (Proverbs 13:3 ). Rather there will be care taken to speak words of life received in listening to the Lord's voice.

1 Peter 4:11 "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; ..."

Peter's challenge to those who have been gifted with speaking, is a sobering one indeed. To speak as the very words God has spoken in Scripture. "Slow to speak" in this context will mean prayerful preparation - and listening to His voice in the Word, as by His Holy Spirit ( 1 Corinthians 2:13 ). It will also mean being careful in delivery to be faithful to what the Scripture is saying on the subject of our speaking. This speech ethic of weighing carefully what we say may not be popular with those who insist on the freedom to express their feelings. But for those who would walk in close fellowship with the Lord it is not only acceptable but essential (Matthew 12:36-37; Romans 14:12 ).

James 1:19 "... slow to wrath:"

We are commanded to refrain from anger and from working ourselves up into a state (Psalm 37:8 ) for no good will come from it, only evil that will disadvantage us. Our tendency to quick anger can be overcome by saturating our minds with the Word that we recall from our spirits in the moment of need. Feeding on His promises stops fretting on provocation (Ecclesiastes 7:9; Proverbs 16:32 ). It is His Word that imparts wisdom and patience, so that overlooking offences becomes a commendable characteristic of our habitual life-style (Proverbs 19:11 ). James's own reason for taming our anger by absorption of the Word of God is based on the knowledge that human anger fails to produce what is pleasing to God.

James 1:20 "For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. "

Driven by anger one is out of control instead of producing the fruit of the Spirit which is self-control. (Galatians 5:23). In anger one is operating outside the kingdom of God realities which are righteousness, peace and joy (Romans 14:17 ). Uncontrollable anger takes one into the forbidden areas warned against in the teaching of Jesus - those of not loving one's enemy and hating one's brother (Matthew 5:21-26, 38-48 ). Anger acts contrary to and never can produce the Lord's ways, nor His loving actions:

Psalm 145:17 "The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."

Instead of acting in anger to those who fall, the Lord becomes their support (Psalm 145:14 ); their helper and supplier (Psalm 145:15 ). His way is to satisfy the needy (Psalm 145:16 ). Because He is not driven by anger He always does what is right as the holy one (Psalm 145:17 ). Those who call on Him can count on this (Psalm 145:18 ), and that He will fulfill the desires that are birthed out of reverence for Him (Psalm 145:19 ). The Lord never fails those who love Him, proving Himself faithful as their protector and preserver (Psalm 145:20 ).

Our mouths should indeed be filled with praise for His righteous ways, but also we should produce the righteousness of God through the grace of our Lord Jesus, and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit. It is only by yielded obedience to His Word and the working of His might that one can please God by meeting His expected standard of righteousness.

James 1:21 "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, ..."

Hearing the Word of God shows one that sinful conduct is unacceptable because such is incompatible with God (Habakkuk 1:13; Psalm 5:4 ), and inconsistent with one's walk with Him. God cannot look lightly on or in any way look favourably on impurity, moral filth and wickedness. Such is abhorrent to Him. He will in no way accept one's justifying of it, even one's overflowing sinful anger must be recognised for what it is, and decisively rejected.

Rejection of sin is the necessary negative action in response to the word's exposure of it. This is to be followed by the positive action of reception of the Word.

James 1:21 "... and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

This sense of receiving the Word is the nourishing or cultivating that which has been implanted, so that like properly prepared soil, it brings forth fruit (Matthew 13:3-30 ).

"With meekness" describes the tender gentleness that is essential to one being teachable, and so able to derive the greatest benefit because humbly submitted to God's Word. It is a receiving with the new nature, of "the fruit of the Spirit ...gentleness" (Galatians 5:22 KJV). Such receiving is evidence of receiving the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:5 ), and the working out in daily living the teaching of Jesus. This spiritual receptivity saves the soul, first, in the action of the confession of saving faith (Romans 10:9 ), and then a safe life, one of self-control and upright living (Titus 2:12 ).

---

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

Whose voice should you be quick to hear? How can you check rash speaking? How would you be disadvantaged by speaking in anger? (James 1:19 ).