What is True Religion? James 1:19-27
Welcome to Timeless Truth with Pastor Jim Thomas. In this episode, we continue our study with James 1:19-27.
James gives us three clear instructions for how we are to respond to the Word of God:
- Hear the Word
- Receive the Word
- Obey the Word
“True belief always results in a willing submission to God and a joyful obedience to His calling.”
Paul Tripp
“Just as worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience. If worship does not propel us into greater obedience, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change.”
Richard Foster
1. Hear the Word
Personally, I love daily Bible reading. I use a One-Year Bible reading plan, and most days it’s the first thing I do. I keep it near the coffee maker, so it’s in view as the morning fog lifts.
2. Receive the Word
In verse 21, James calls us to receive the Word. This means laying aside every competing love and allowing God’s Word to fill us, shape us, and guide us. God’s Word is our platform for truth, the standard for good thinking, and the authority over our behavior.
God’s Word shows us where we are standing, and it lights our pathway forward.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Psalm 119:105
3. Be Doers of the Word
It’s not enough just to hear the Word.
“It is possible to be unfailingly regular in Bible reading, but to achieve no more than to have moved the bookmark forward… The Word is read but not heard.”
J. A. Motyer
“The greatest single secret of spiritual development lies in personal, humble, believing, obedient response to the Word of God. It is as God speaks to us through His Word that His warnings bring conviction, His promises bring assurance, and His commands lead to a changed life.”
John Stott
“The most powerful form of spiritual warfare is obedience.”
Dallas Willard
“The ‘forgiven life’ and the ‘holy’ life are, in Jesus’ view, two sides of the same coin.”
Sinclair Ferguson
