With regard to speaking, we have (1) Proverbs 10:19, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” (2) Proverbs 13:3, “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.” (3) Proverbs 17:27-28, “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: … Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” (4) Proverbs 21:23, “Whoso keepeth his mouth and tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”

We do well to remember that when we are in God’s house, where the Scriptures are being read and taught, we should learn to listen. Believers should learn to be quietly submissive to the words of God, to be a pupil rather than a teacher. Such wisdom is expressed in Ecclesiastes 5:1-2, “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.” That is why “Silence is golden.” When we are talking, we are not listening. We cannot talk and listen at the same time, and when we do not listen, we do not learn. Talkativeness hinders education.

Not being quick with our mouth, will also prevent many a strife in church. More often than not, splits that happen in church are due to (1) talkers who talk too much, i.e. gossipers, rumour-mongers, and tale-bearers, and (2) hearers who only hear one side of the story and not both sides. Such unloving speech and ungodly hearing would invariably stir up anger and strife and bring a whole lot of damage to an otherwise healthy church. That is why James 3:5-6 warns us, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”

Even when we hear something that we do not like, we must be “slow to wrath.” Proverbs 14:29 says, “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.” Ecclesiastes 7:9 states, “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” That is why we should not be quick to reply to emails which have caused us to be angry. Go slow, calm down, think objectively, check the facts, examine ourselves, and then reply if and when necessary. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

Let us think and feel as God would, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (v20). An angry man speaks on the basis of how he feels. He does not think before he speaks, nor does he listen to what others have to say. His anger is without reason and his conduct becomes unreasonable. But the wise will speak and act differently. Ecclesiastes 9:17 says, “The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.”

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (v21). In order to think and feel as God would, we need to “lay apart all filthiness.” The word “lay apart” is used elsewhere with reference to taking off one’s dirty clothes (Acts 7:58). In other words, let us take off our morally filthy thoughts and feelings and put on what is morally pure and clean, namely, the Word of God.

Instead of being angry, a man ought to be gentle. Instead of being arrogant, he must be humble. James was addressing professing Christians who displayed no or very little spirituality in their lives. When confronted with their sins, they were likely to become angry. James says the correct response should be humility. The Word of God has laid down certain rules. The laws of God are meant to protect us. It is for own good to obey them. The “engrafted word” is powerful unto salvation. The Word of God has already been sown or implanted in our hearts. And if the seed has fallen on good soil, it would bring forth fruit in our lives, “some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt 13:23). James was perhaps also hinting that those who do not manifest any Christian grace may not be in possession of the engrafted Word. It is important to note that James considers salvation to come by means of receiving the Word of God and not by doing the works of the flesh.

Do God’s Word (1:22-27)

Not only must we hear God’s Word, we must also do God’s Word. “But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (v22). If we only hear and do not do, we are deceiving ourselves. The word “deceive” is used only twice in the New Testament. It is used in Colossians 2:4 of a deception that comes from the outside; “And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.” These are false teachers—“grievous wolves enter in … not sparing the flock” (Acts 10:29). Here, it is referring to a deception that comes from the inside; we are beguiling ourselves. We become our own false teachers when we think that it is enough to hear God’s Word without the need to obey it.

“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was” (vv23-24). The word “behold” implies more than a mere seeing. It means “to consider closely,” or “to understand completely.” It is more than a cursory look. This person who goes to the mirror, goes there to inspect his face. He knows exactly the condition of his face. It is dirty and he knows it. But he goes away doing nothing about it, thinking that he is OK when he is not. This is self- delusion at the highest level.

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (v25). The word “looketh” in the original literally means “to bend over.” It has the idea of bending down in order to take a closer look (John 20:11). The hearer and doer of the Word is the one who takes the time and trouble to study the Bible carefully, and having studied it, sticks closely to it. He seeks to observe every minute detail of the law of God. And the law of God is not a law of bondage, but a law of freedom. It is a law which sets one free from the bondage of sin when it is humbly received and obediently kept. Blessed is the man who is a doer of the law. The same beatitude is expressed in Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

What is the meaning of true religion? “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (v26). James here is speaking of the man who appears “religious” because he observes all the ceremonial duties of his religion. This form-based religion is only a show, and may not be real. Such outward religious show is deceptive, and empty.

Jesus said this  of  the  scribes  and Pharisees, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matt 23:27-28).

What counts is a faith-based religion which is manifested by a person’s ability to control his tongue, his anger, and his actions from sinning against God (i.e. “slow to speak, slow to wrath,” v19). Spirituality is not measured by the length of one’s prayer. It is not the performing of rituals but the controlling of the tongue that determines spiritual maturity. Pharisaical religion is false religion. James was reiterating the words of Jesus when he said, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (v27). Jesus, denouncing the false religious leaders of Israel, said, “Woe, unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation” (Matt 23:14). These have “a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Tim 3:5). True religion is seen in a faith that works, not a form with words (Jas 2:15-16). True faith is not hypocritical; it is not just talk and no walk.

True faith will lead to a transformation of one’s thoughts, words, and deeds. Let us therefore show that we have true faith by hearing God’s Word and doing it, for “faith without works is dead” (Jas 2:20).