The message of the Letter of James is hemmed in between two bookends:
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:19-22
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20
James says: Be quick to humbly listen – even to correction; don’t be angry when corrected; then get to work as a doer of the divine instruction, and not merely a hearer. Jesus also spoke of this. Matthew 7:21-29; Luke 6:46
James then gives five major areas of faith that needed some correcting:
1. Love all brethren, and not just your favourites.
2. Show your faith by your deeds.
3. Be careful how you use your tongue.
4. Don’t be friends of the world.
5. Be patient during trials and thus reap the rewards.
This reminds us of Paul’s next-to-last words to Timothy:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
Biblical correction is part of our “training in righteousness.” The Book of Proverbs abounds in this:
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light;
and reproofs of instruction are the way of life. Proverbs 6:23
He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonour for himself,
And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.
Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser,
Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning. Proverbs 9:7-9
He is on the path of life who heeds instruction,
But he who ignores reproof goes astray. Proverbs 10:17
To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. Proverbs 12:1
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.
There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die. Proverbs 15:9-10
Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Proverbs 27:5
An apostolic example:
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Galatians 2:11-14
James interest is the wisdom of keeping God’s people on the path of righteousness by correcting our seriously unrighteous practices. Pure, gentle, peaceable, reasonable, merciful, loving correction. Are we wise and humble enough to accept it? Are we open to reason?
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom … the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:13,17-18
David Hunter
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