Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let
every man be swift to hear, slow to speak,
slow to wrath: for the wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God.
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and
superfluity of naughtiness, and receive
with meekness the engrafted word,
which is able to save your souls.
James 1:19-21
I have often watched TV shows with judges (Judge Judy, or Hot Bench, etc) and notice one thing is prevalent among the litigants: They do not know how not to speak and the speak even to attempt to speak over the judge. This shows lack of self-control and lack of respect. This feeling of entitlement as though they have every right to speak and say whatever and whenever is rampart throughout society. This self-centered belief not only has affected society but even is seen within the Church. Where is respect and ethics? They seem far removed from a person' thinking and actions. There is an old saying: "he who speaks first: loses! This is often very true for one is not hearing the other but is thinking how they might proved their thinking to be correct over whatever the other might be proving. James is telling us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit just the opposite: we are to swift to hear (we do have two ears: right) and slow to speak. The Greek word for slow is translated into English and medicine as "brachiocardia" that is slow beating, under 60 bpm/min. Do not be in a hurry to speak until you have heard the other person and maybe, just maybe, you have taken time to examine before you give an answer. Far too often when a person is slow to hear and fast to speak and cannot win the other person over to their thinking they get man, angry and become wrathful. This wrath will lead a person into unrighteousness, God is not leading that person.
A person may become so wrathful that they leave the Church or in their state of unrighteousness they fall prey to sin. We are to lay aside all filthiness, and the Greek word means more than just to be dirty, it means to be fouled, to be be defiled, to become dishonored. An interesting word: "superfluity" which is seldom if ever used in our modern English, means to be "superfluous" that then means that a person thinks more of themselves than should be, to excessive, or unnecessary, to be needless, so that a person becomes excessive in their naughtiness.
So how do we combat such? Receive with meekness and be engrafted with the world of God. This means to take time to read and study God's word, how else can one become engrafted? God will not do it for you, you must do it!. How is the result from your engrafting: your will be saved: "Faith comes by hearing, hearing the word of God" (Romans 10:17).
Yes, you must believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ if you are to be saved: but there is more to being saved than just being saved, you must convert. The Old Testament has two words for conversion, one means to repent with a repentance which is often accompanied with a change of plan and of action. The other signifies to turn about, and especially to return after departure. In the New Testament there are three important words for conversion. A most frequently used word: "metranoeo, or metanoia" denotes primarily a change of mind. Not just and intellectual change, but also a moral change. Another Greek word: epistrophe, means to turn about, or to turn back. This stresses the fact the the active life is made to move in another direction, and indicates the final act of conversion. A third word: metamelomai, occurs only five times and literally means to become a care to one afterwards. This stresses the element of repentance, this does not means that repentance is always true, as in the case with Judas Iscariot. This word carries an element of emotion, and if one truly believes, has faith in Jesus Christ, and converts there is and will be an emotional response, not as some have a euphoric emotional response, but a response that Jesus Christ would even think to save you.
The question that is begging an answer is: Do you believe and have you converted to Jesus Christ? If so, then, your life will demonstrate that fact. Christianity is not easy, it is hard, and at times almost hard to bear as it goes against the grain of this world's culture. But we can for we have the One who lives within us ready to aid us in our conversion. All we have to do is lean on Him. Will you?
O LORD God of Israel, thou art
righteous: for we remain yet
escaped, as it is this day; behold,
we are before thee in our trespasses:
for we cannot stand before thee
because of this.
Ezra 9:15
You are justified before God: live it!
Richard L. Crumb
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