"James can teach us the difference between talking about living in victory and actually doing it." - Beth Moore
Coming to a place in my life where I actually began to understand that there was a difference between simply reading the bible and actually doing what it says was a game changer for me. Which is why the lesson today hits so very close to my heart. These verses are where I am living right now. It's a reason that we changed where we attend church services. It's what we want for our children. Living out my faith and not just talking about it is changing my life.
The analogy of looking into a mirror is a perfect example of how benignly we can take our faith. I started thinking about how on a spiritual level we can see our true selves - as sinful creatures- but then walk away from that mirror and forget that we are sinful. Understanding that means that we keep the knowledge of our sin in the forefront of our minds every minute of every day. Not that we wallow in it, but that we acknowledge it so that we can be intentionally hitting it head on. Living out the scriptures. Does that make sense? I don't want to be thinking that I'm sinful so I feel hopeless, but remembering that I'm imperfect so that I am relying on Christ in all I do.
Our purpose is to be fulfilled in Christ, to be His image and to be convicted to be more like Him. So Beth asks us what does this person who wants to be more like Christ do?
That person (me) looks intently to the perfect law (James 1:25).
What is the promise at the end of the verse?
"This person will be blessed in what he does."
I love how it loops back to the first few verses we read. Someone who is already saved should be using the scriptures to make changes in their lives and do what God has asked. Works aren't what saves a person, but following the law does bring a blessing.
(Scriptures for thoughts on this:)
Ephesians 2:8, 9:
For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and that [being saved] not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone
should boast.
Titus 3:5:
Not by works of righteousness which
we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us,
through the washing of regeneration [new birth] and
renewing of the Holy Spirit.
II Timothy 1:9:
[God] who has saved us and
called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace
which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
Romans 4:5:
But to him who does not work
but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith
is accounted for righteousness.
Romans 11:6:
And if [salvation is] by grace,
then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no
longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace;
otherwise work is no longer work.
Works aren't what saves us, but once you have been saved, your life should begin to reflect who Christ is and should begin to change accordingly. Which is why I love that Beth goes on to clarify that Christ came to fulfill the law and not simply abolish it. She explains that James is attempting to clarify that the moral code is prioritized over the ritual code and bring the teaching of Jesus to a group of people to whom the law was precious.
We are saved by grace but are asked to put the Word into practice in order to grow into what God intends for us. God isn't interested in our behavior by itself, but by our motives. (Taken from Beth Moore, pg 81).
Jill: I love on page 78 when Beth says "The Word of God, is meant to do more than penetrate, it's meant to activate. That really hit me. We are to be so moved by the Word that we cant help but to act upon it. That truly moved me.
On page 79 when Beth says "I want to be who I was created to be: A bearer of the very image of God. Sadly, however, he goes out and forgets who he really is." This statement and James statement of forgetting what you look like after you walk away from the mirror was profound to me also. Basically I took this to mean, we read the Word, love it, but when we close our bibles, we forget what we should be doing. Makes me wonder something. Our pastor once told us a story that the Pharisees use to walk around with rolled up bits of the Torah on them. Do you think this statement was to that some how. "You need to walk around with the Torah on you, because if you dont you will forget it's message". I'm probably just stretching here, but just curious.
What did God promise He would do in Jeremiah 31:31-34?
Make a new covenant so that all will know Him
By following the laws.
Jill: I also love how he is going to take out my stoney stubborn heart and replace it with a tender heart. Because I tell you what I can be one stubborn girl. Thank you God for replacing my stubborn heart with a tender heart.
Our latest act of obedience to what God wants for our family comes in moving to another church. It doesn't seem to make sense but every time we walk into the doors of our new place, we feel like it is exactly where God is calling us for this moment. During this time in our lives, I really think He wants us in a place where as matur(ing) Christians we will be challenged to not just hear the Word, but to be actively practicing what the scriptures say.
Jill: I was unable to come up with a acronym for WORDS. I am so not good at that sort of thing. Did either of you make one?
Emily: I did make an acronym for WORDS - It was Wanting Only Righteous Deeds Spiritually...But I thought it was kinda lame so I didn't include it! I love how you went deeper with the scriptures and provided how and where they touched your heart. I think I'll go back again and reread them...after reading your comments I feel like I want to get a little more out of them.
ReplyDeleteJill: I dont think that was Lame at all. I am always envious (but in a good way) of the creativity of people. I just wasnt given that talent. But love watching the creativity in others.
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