Evening Service, 5th July 2009
What is the secret of the good life?
Is it having ‘x’ amount of dollars in the bank so you can do what you like whenever you like? Is it having not merely job security but a realisation that your work matters, or perhaps better still that it not only brings satisfaction to you as well as benefit to others, but that it actually fills you with enjoyment? Is that the key to the good life? Is it where you live, and that if you have a sea-change then you will finally find yourself living the good life?
Some years ago there was a TV program called ‘The Good life” in which Tom and Barbara turned their backs on the rat race and turned their front and back yards into farmland in the pursuit of self-sufficiency. Is that the secret of the good life – to opt out and to go back to nature, to self-sufficiency, free from all the stresses and strains of modern living?
What is the secret of the good life? Is it having your health or strength, or being surrounded by family and good friends who love you and are supportive?
James tells us, the secret to the good life is to know the influence of the Word of God in our lives.
This is the means God has given us that we might know how to live and to get the most out of life in this present world – whether during times of blessing, but also in times of trial. Indeed it helps us to face those trials so that we might be enabled to resist the temptation and find the way out, and instead actually enter the Lord’s intended benefit of the trial. It is to the Word that we must turn and to its teaching we must commitment ourselves with willing obedience.
Is our prayer to God for wisdom (v.5) or discernment (v.16)? Then here in the Word of God is the very answer of God, for here God’s wisdom comes to us as we apply the Word to our daily situations. The secret to the good life God has for us is to receive the Word of God and act upon it.
This passage from James we are looking at tonight stands within a flow of argument:
Previously we saw that the old nature (v.14-15) and the new nature (v.18) are locked in conflict – one that we have to be aware of if we are to resist the turning of a trial into a temptation. The reality of the new nature is our great encouragement, for it tells us that as we strengthen the new nature the conflict will not be a stalemate, but one of victory.
But how are we to unleash the resources of the new nature? This is what James addresses in v.19-25 as he draws our attention to the appropriation and application of the Word of God.
The Word is implied in v.19 as it builds on v.18 (“the word of truth”), called the implanted word in v.21, the word in v.22,23 and the perfect law, the law of liberty in v.25. The Word of Scripture.
But in fact the line of argument goes back even further to v.2 in fact.
There James speaks of the reality of trials, and calls us to a healthy appreciation of God’s purpose in them for our maturation (“count it all joy”).
James then points out that they may be perverted into temptations, but this tendency of the remaining influence of sin can be overcome by the new nature.
He then proceeds here to say that necessary for that to be realised we must make a right use of the Word of God by hearing, receiving and obeying. And from there he will go on to demonstrate and distinguish the true as distinct from the vain or empty religion that will result.
As the Word was used of God to bring us to life, it is also used by God to help us in life; as it regenerates us to life, it also invigorates and energises that life in us, but it also protects it.
The reading of the Word of God is never seen in Scripture as a theoretical exercise. The call is, as here, given in a context of life. It is meant for life, and necessitated by life.
To live without the Bible is to wander without a guide, to fight enemies without a sword, to labour without food, to bear burdens without comfort.
The focus is upon the necessity and role of the Word of God for our lives in this world. But equally it is on the sufficiency of the Word of God to help us in the midst of our daily life, including whatever trials we may be called upon to face.
Firstly he calls us to understand that this is the way that God works:
1. The Ways of God Discerned
James is laying before us a uniform solution – a master key that will unlock the treasure trove of resources to be able to live godly lives before God and man in this world despite the circumstances we may face in so doing.
James saw this at Pentecost which was not merely the unleashing of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, but also His very ministry of bringing and opening up the Word of God and of enlightening minds to understand that Word, drawing hearts to love it, and compelling wills to conform to it.
What do we see in Spirit-filled Peter’s sermon? It is a taking the people back to the Word, to the Old Testament and opening it up so that the true message of the OT as realised in Jesus was set free. And the Holy Spirit opened hearts and minds to understand and receive it so that they came to repentance and faith in their thousands.
Here lies the essential secret to the Reformation – nearly 500 years ago at the start of the 16th century God unleashed such saving and reforming power with the opening of the Word. It was Printed, Preached and Pondered. With it God’s grace in Christ was discovered, delighted in and declared. People were born again; lives were powerfully and eternally changed. Europe was turned inside out, and over the years that followed so also was so much of this world. Martin Luther: ‘I have done nothing: the Word has done and accomplished everything.’ John Calvin said, ‘Unless God’s Word illumine the way, the whole life of men is wrapped in darkness and mist, so that they cannot but miserably stray.’
Wherever God’s people have been healthy and resilient, there the Word of God has been the staple diet. As Frank Cooke said, ‘The foundation of every reformation of the Holy Spirit is the Word of God made plain to the people.’
And here lies the difference for our lives today – as a church and as individuals. What James had seen in himself and in others, he now wholeheartedly encourages us to apply also. We must get back to the Word of God, to the Bible. It is a hampering of the ministry of the Spirit of God to have ‘Sunday-meeting Bibles’ – ie, only opened then, the rest of the week they remain closed. We will only grow in grace and Christlikeness, be more effective in ministry for Jesus, if we more clearly bring the Word of God to bear in our lives, and in proportion to doing that.
This is reinforced by our next observation from our text:
2. The Outcome Identified
There is a common outcome in these verses. In contrast to the trials and inner conflict, James keeps talking about believers coming through the trial stronger and richer in faith and more vibrant in their relationship with God. Notice the 3 statements of outcome, each saying the same thing from different angles: v.20, “the righteousness of God” (James is clearly saying that unlike wrath which doesn’t work it, hearing the Word does); v.21 “able to save your souls”; v.25 “will be blessed in what he does”
What are these things?
(i) “the righteousness of God” – This is not a reference to God’s provision in Christ to justify us (a perfect obedience to His Law which is given to all who believe in Christ). Rather it is a concentrated term, meaning ‘all that God in His righteousness purposes to be done’ (Motyer) – and what is that? Bringing us to maturity in Christ. The NIV brings this out by translating it “the righteous life that God desires”. It promotes righteousness as the practical reality of our daily lives, the righteousness that God approves and intends.
(ii) “is able to save your souls” – In the Bible salvation is mentioned in 3 tenses. Salvation is a past event for the work of salvation was completed by Jesus when He died for us, and we received that salvation the day we believed (Lk 19:9; Acts 4:12; 2 Cor 6:2; Titus 3:5). Salvation is a future event because our deliverance is not complete until He comes again (Matt 25:31ff; Rom 5:920; 1 Peter 1:5). Salvation is also, as in this case, a present reality, something we seize and work out day by day (Phil 2:12); in the sense that we experience a greater and greater measure in our daily life what Jesus has done for us. The idea here is not of atonement for sin, but dealing with the impact or damage of sin upon us, the making of salvation a positive reality in our daily life. Every day then should provide some evidence that we are saved. This is what the Word does, and without it, it won’t happen. It is the key.
(iii) “blessing” – this has the idea of wholeness, knowing the fullness of God’s love in us, and of enjoying it. Is this not at the heart of Christian experience – the enjoyment of God? And this, says James, is what is received in the living out of God’s Word.
Each of these is a promise of good to us. A reminder that God is intent to bring the fullness of Jesus’ saving work to us. It is a 3-fold repetition of spiritual advancement.
At the same time that it is a repetition tells us that this is something we need to repeatedly hear.
It is easy to be confused by the trial and harassed by the temptation that we lose balance and our sense of hope. But God would not have this. He doesn’t want us walking in a daze; He does not want us dispirited, but to have hope and to know a sense of purpose. So we need the Word. Now think about that for a moment – -the key is not even the church, not even relationships. If the Word is absent, then these things will not help us enjoy stability in trial let alone grow in Christ through them. The Word of God is the key! Wherever the Word of God is faithfully studied and used God’s people find it to exercise a powerful influence over their lives for good.
3. The Outcome Extended
There is a progress of development
(i) in terms of within each of these aspects – in the sense that as we increase in hearing, receiving and obeying then the outcomes will become more obvious in us. As we attend to our response to God’s Word, there will be a proportionate response in the promised outcome.
(ii) But is there not also here an inherent development from one to the other? This is confirmed by the obvious progress in our handling of the Word from hearing, to receiving and then to obeying – each being a development on the other. As the Word is more closely appropriated and applied in our lives then we will move from seeing something of God’s righteous purposes for and in our life unfold, we will find then an increasing outworking of salvation in our life now, and move to a greater enjoyment of God’s blessing – all of which will reach final completion as we move into glory.
From this we see that the Christian life is not meant to be static. This is in line with what James has already said about us being brought to maturity. We are meant to progress in Christian experience, and should never be content with maintaining our spiritual condition. Look back over your life – is their evidence of growth in understanding, Christlikeness, in knowing the blessing of God?
As we see these things are we not all the more encouraged to give attention to the Word of God so that we will enter more fully into the blessedness laid before us? For this is God’s promise to us as we use His appointed means.
Oh that we all would have the same confidence in the Word that James had, and as did every other Christian who took the Word seriously. Until we do we will not know the transforming, strengthening and sustaining power of God in our lives.
It is a tragedy that Christians today are losing sight of God’s appointed means for stability and progress in the Christian life.
May God give us the grace and wisdom to take heed to challenge and encouragement of this passage to unleash the power of the new life we have in Christ by giving ourselves to the Word of God.