James 1:19-27

Be sure of it (cf. mg.), he goes on, and turns to ask what conduct right views of God should produce. Humility and self-control, firstly, then purity, gentleness, and teachableness, with unsparing honesty that turns every creed into a code of action. Quick to hear not only God's warning, but both sides of a human quarrel, slow to speak angry words, the peril of which James expounds in ch. 3, such conduct will be free from that human wrath which can never help forward God's ideal of Right. Filthiness or baseness the word was often used of counterfeit coin (but cf. also Revelation 22:11) is coupled with a rank growth of malice, lit. overflow: there is an allusion to the Lord's reminder that speech is the overflow of the heart. The implanted word (cf. Matthew 13:21) can save the whole self: it is the phrase which in ordinary parlance means to save lives. The teaching on Hearers and Doers comes from the lips of Jesus (Matthew 7:24 ff.): cf. also Romans 2:13. The natural face, the features of birth, contrasted implicitly with the unchanging and eternal Ideal, may be studied (the word of Luke 12:24 it does not imply a mere glance) in the more or less polished metal mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12), but memory refuses to preserve the picture after the man goes away. To print the image of the Ideal on our souls we must look right down into it (Luke 24:12; John 20:5; John 20:11; 1 Peter 1:12) and stay by it, so as to transform the momentary hearing into permanent working. The Law that is Liberty (James 2:12) is called perfect or mature because it works by the complete coincidence of man's will with God'sOur wills are ours, to make them Thine. Romans 8:2 might be an intended comment. The passionate love of the pious Jew for the Law (cf. Psalms 19:7; Psalms 119:97) colours this estimate of its ideal. A final foil is provided by the self-deceived worshipper, punctilious in external religion, but cruel, foul, or frivolous of tongue (cf. James 3:2; James 3:9; Matthew 12:36). Such worship is futile, for it never reaches the Throne. For God is Father, and He only receives the worship of love towards His needy children, and of purity from the world's selfishness (see 1 John 4:20). Visit is a strong word (cf. Luke 16:8, etc.). The depreciation of external religion as an end is very striking from the Ups of one so noted for his love of it as a means of grace.