James 1:15 "Then when lust [ epithumia {ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah} = a personalized self-longing (espec. desire for what is forbidden), desire, lust after ] hath conceived, [ sullabousa {sool-lam-ban'-o} = to clasp, seize (arrest, capture), to conceive, to aid, catch ] it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. [ thanaton {than'-at-os} = of spiritual death, to which everyone is subject unless he has been called to the life of grace; the misery of soul arising from sin, which begins on earth but lasts and increases after the death of the body ]

     In this verse James tells us what the result is of giving in to temptation, by giving us an analogy of a woman "giving birth to a child". Once we give in to our selfish desires, it conceives sin. James is saying that when a person actually begins to look at and think about that which is forbidden; desire and lust are conceived in his mind. Thinking about that forbidden desire is sin. Jesus taught this same principle in Matthew:

Matthew 5:28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart"

     A person may never actually do the act that they are thinking about, but they have still committed a sin because of their desire to do it.

     In the second part of this verse, James tells us that after sin is conceived, it gives birth to death. Death can be both physical or spiritual. When Adam and Eve sinned, they died in their spirits and began to die progressively in their bodies (Gen.2:17). The apostle Paul teaches the same thing in Romans:

Romans 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."

     So we all will experience a physical death because of our sin nature (unless the Lord returns first for His own). The result of sin on unbelievers is they will experience a spiritual death along with God's judgment:

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Revelation 20:11-15 "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

     Now the good news is that our sins can be forgiven, and we don't have to experience spiritual death (i.e., separation from God's presence for eternity in the lake of fire, not annihilation of the soul), if we simply follow the Scripture:

Romans 10:9-13 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

     Christians who continue to sin can also expect to be held accountable for their sins (but not the loss of salvation, John 10:25-30). Sin in the Christian's life can lead to a premature death:

1 John 5:16 "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it."

I Corinthians 11:28-30 "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."

Acts 5:1-11 "But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it, at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things."

     In addition the Christian will stand before the Lord and give an account of their actions while living upon this earth (again, this is not for a loss of salvation, but the giving of rewards or the loss of rewards).

Romans 14:10 "But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

II Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

James 1:16 "Do not err, [ planasthe {plan-ah'-o} = to roam from safety, go astray, deceive, seduce, wander, to be led into error, to go astray ] my beloved brethren."

     In verse 16, James commands us to pay attention and stop being deceived. "Do not err" is in the imperative mood with a present tense, which literally means, "Stop erring now!" We are not to miss the point of all this discussion; "trials are for helping us to grow spiritually, and that God is not the source of our problems and sins" (as James will demonstrate in the next few verses).

     So it seems that the Christians in James' day "misunderstand" this principle. This is a good lesson for all Christians to learn. Over the years I have seen so many Christians who believe or hold to something that has no biblical foundation whatsoever! And when confronted with the truth of the Scripture, they still deny the truth. We err when we do this, and roam from the safety of God's Word. "What are the Christian's options?" There is only one, "Stop erring now!"

James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, [ parallage {par-al-lag-ay'} = to interchange, a shifting, mutation, change, fickleness, variableness ] neither shadow [ aposkiasma {ap-os-kee'-as-mah} = a shading off, obscure, to throw a shadow, a shade, the slightest trace ] of turning. [ tropes {trop-ay'}; a turning round, a turning back, change, mutation, revolution, variation ]

     In verses 17 and 18 (below), James gives us assurances to help us to overcome our temptations. In verse 17, we are given an illustration of God's reliability. God's gifts are "good" (agathos; beneficial, useful, practical) and "perfect" (teleios; perfect, nothing lacking in them; i.e., it is perfectly matched to the person or the situation) and His liberty is wholly consistent.

     This verse speaks of God the Father's "immutability". God never alters his purposes or changes His nature. Scripture tells us that God never changes His being (or essence), or in his character and nature (also see Exod.3:14; Psa.102:26-28; Mal.3:6).

     James' point in this verse is that God only gives good gifts, and the way He gives is good; "God gives constantly, and He does not change". Since God is so consistent in all His ways, and He cannot sin or tempt others to sin, we should not err in our thinking about this (v.16). Also, since God gives us every good and necessary gift, we do not need to give in to Satan when he tempts us. "It is only when we begin to doubt God's goodness in giving us what we need that we will be attracted to Satan's enticements."

James 1:18 "Of his own will begat he us [ apekuesen {ap-ok-oo-eh'o} = to generate by spiritual birth, beget, bring forth ] with the word [ logo {log'-os} = the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ), account, cause, communication, doctrine, preaching, speech, talk, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work, instruction ] of truth, [ aletheias {al-ay'-thi-a} = divine truth revealed to man, true, verity ] that we should be a kind of firstfruits [ aparchen {ap-ar-khay'} = the first act of a sacrifice, first portion, first-fruits ] of his creatures."

     Verse 18 outlines the part played in the new birth by the Word of God as it applies to us by the Holy Spirit. God deliberately chose the method in which He would save us. Kenneth Wuest brings this out in his translation of verse 18:

     "In accordance with His deliberate purpose He brought us into being by means of the word of truth, resulting in our being a kind of first fruits of His creatures."

     Matthew Henry states:

     "The original of this good work is here declared: it is of God's own will; not by our skill or power; nor from any good foreseen in us, or done by us, but purely from the good-will and grace of God"

     It's good to know that God never changes and in eternity past He deliberately set forth a plan to save those who would accept His Son, Jesus as their Savior. "There are not many ways to God, but one; His way! His Gospel!"

     James also said that we should be the "first fruits of His creatures." The feast of first fruits is found in Leviticus 23:10. God commanded the Jews to observe this feast, it was to be a feast of celebration that also carried the idea of the resurrection of the land. It was to always be observed on the first Sunday after the Passover (the same day that the Lord Jesus arose from the grave to become The First Fruit).

     God wanted a special feast during which the Israelites would acknowledge the fertility of the fine land He gave them. They were to bring the early crops to their spring planting (first fruits) to the priest at the Temple to be waved before the Lord on their behalf.

     Likewise, James says Christians are each individually like the "first fruits" (i.e., crops) that come up in the spring (that God gave birth to), so we too need to be dedicated to the Lord and not succumb to the temptations that come our way.

     As a side note to this verse, many have claimed that the epistle of James conflicts with the writings of the apostle Paul. But Paul expresses a similar thought as James in Ephesians:

Ephesians 1:11-14 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory"

James 1:19 "Wherefore, my beloved [ agapetoi {ag-ap-ay-tos'} = loved, dear, worthy of love, indicating a close relationship ] brethren, [ adelphoi {ad-el-fos'} = from the same womb, a brother, one of the same nature, one of equal rank and dignity ] let every man be swift to hear, slow [ bradus {brad-ooce'} = slow, not hasty ] to speak, slow to wrath." [ orgen {or-gay'}; violent passion, anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath ]

     In this next section of Scripture, James tells us that in light of the trials and temptations that we face, and since we are God's "first fruits" though the gospel, how we are to receive God's Word.

     First, we must be "swift to hear" it! James says that we should be ready to hear the word of God. This should apply to all godly counsel and admonition also. "Listening" is probably one of the hardest things for us to do. The kind of "hearing" that James is talking about here is "listening," and not just "hearing." In fact the Greek word "akouo" means "to understand or listen." So we need to be ready to listen to God's Word so we can understand it.

     The second thing that we are to do is to be "slow to speak." If we are busy talking, then we are not listening or learning. In Proverbs we are told:

Proverbs 29:20 "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him."

     It seems that the Christians that James was writing had a problem with their mouths (James 3:1-17; 4:6-12; 5:9). We must be constantly willing to listen to God's Word, and not to be so quick to give our own opinions. Tommy Higle says:

     "When eagerness to hear the Word of God is replaced by speaking one's own ideas the result will often be heated and bitter arguments."

     This is why James says we are to be "slow of wrath". We shouldn't be losing our temper over "discussing" God's Word. J. Vernon McGee puts it this way:

     "It is good to be a fundamentalist, but don't start fighting about every little jot and tittle of theology with everybody in sight who disagrees with you. After all, you don't have all the truth"

     And I think this is what James is trying to tell us. If we are to grow and mature as Christians, then we need to stop telling everyone how much we know and start listening to God Word.

James 1:20 "for the wrath [ orge {or-gay'} = violent passion, anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath ] of man worketh not the righteousness [ dikaiosunen {dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay} = fair and equitable dealing, justice, righteousness ] of God."

     James tells us that our "wrath" or "anger" does not produce the type of righteousness that God wants in our lives. God wants to help us grow spiritually, and cannot accomplish His work in us "if we are busy arguing and fighting."

      I like what J. Vernon McGee says about this:

     "You may feel that you are angry because you are a defender of the faith, but, my friend, the wrath of man simply does not work the righteousness of God. Don't kid yourself that you are angry for His sake, because He's not angry - He's in the saving business."

     We need to stop kidding ourselves, close our mouths, and open our ears so that God can complete the work which He started in us.

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them"

James 1:21 "Wherefore lay apart [ apothemenoi {ap-ot-eeth'-ay-mee} = lay down or aside as garments, renounce ] all filthiness and superfluity [ perisseian {per-is-si'-ah} = superabundance, superfluity ] of naughtiness, [ kakias {kak-ee'-ah} = malignity, malice, ill-will, desire to injure ] and receive with meekness the engrafted [ emphuton {em'-foo-tos} = implanted, engrafted, infixed ] word, which is able to save your souls." [ psuchas {psoo-khay'} = spirit, the rational and immortal soul, life (which is implied here) ]

     If we are going to grow and mature in our walk with Christ, then not only do we need to hear God's Word, but we need to obey it. James tells us that to grow spiritually, we must first "lay apart all filthiness." We need to get the sin (moral filthiness) out of our hearts and mind, our actions and attitudes. And we need to set aside our superabundance of ill-will toward others.

     Once we get the pride out of our lives, then we are able to receive God's Word and allow it to work on us. When we are humble, we can accept God's Word without arguing about it, twisting it or trying to make it conform to our thinking. The expression, "able to save your souls," is deep in Judaism (your soul is the essence of you). James isn't talking about losing your salvation, but the destruction of your soul in life experiences. "When Christians fight and argue, and fail to grow, they can lose heart, or back slide." These worldly experiences take their toll on a babe in Christ.

James 1:22 "But be ye doers [ poietai {poy-ay-tace'}; a performer, doer, one who obeys or fulfils the law, practicers ] of the word, and not hearers [ akroatai {ak-ro-at-ace'} = a mere hearer ] only, deceiving your own selves."

     James gives us our marching orders here in verse 22. "Be ye doers," Literally, "Be continually practicers or performers of God's Word." This is not an "option" for the believer, but a command. Not to obey makes a person a hearer only, who is deceiving themselves (they betray themselves). Notice that they do it to themselves. Many Christians drop out of church each year and blame their spiritual condition on someone else. James says that this type of person has no one to blame but themselves for their spiritual condition.

James 1:23 "For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural [ geneseos {ghen'-es-is} = birth, nativity, natural ] face [ prosopon {pros'-o-pon} = the face, the countenance, outward appearance ] in a glass [ esoptro {es'-op-tron} = a mirror (for looking into), glass, speculum ]

James 1:24 "For he beholdeth [ katenoesen {kat-an-o-eh'-o} = to perceive, understand, apprehend, to simply look at ] himself [ eauton {heh-ow-too'} = himself, herself, itself ], and goeth his way, and straightway [ eutheos {yoo-theh'-oce} = at once, as soon as, forthwith, immediately, instantly ] forgetteth what manner of man he was."

James 1:25 "But whoso looketh into the perfect [ teleion {tel'-i-os} = completeness, of full age, perfect, consummate, mature ] law [ nomon {nom'-os} = a rule of life and conduct, a principle, law] of liberty and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, [ akroates {ak-ro-at-ace'} = a mere hearer ] but a doer of the work, [ ergou {er'-gon} = an act, deed, thing done, toil, labor, work: the idea of working is emphasized in opposition to that which is less than work ] this man shall be blessed [ makarios {mak-ar'-ee-os} = supremely blest, happy, blessed ] in his deed."

     In verses 23 through 25, James says that the person who doesn't obey God's Word is like a man who looks in a mirror, sees his natural face and doesn't like what he sees, so he turns away forgetting what he saw. They don't see themselves as they really are, and are fooling themselves. But the doer of the Word is the one who stoops down to look intently into the mirror and sees what needs to be corrected in light of God's Word. They are the ones who put into practice what they have heard. "They see themselves as God sees them and they don't forget. The believer that obeys God's Word finds liberty and will be blessed in what he does."

James 1:26 "If any man among you seem to be religious, [ threskos {thrace'-kos} = occupied with religious observances (to adhere to), devout, pious, religious, God fearing or worshiping ] and bridleth [ chalinagogon {khal-in-ag-ogue-eh'-o} = to guide with a bridle, bridle, control, sway ] not his tongue, but deceiveth [ apaton {ap-at-ah'-o} = to deceive, seduce into error, to cheat, delude ] his own heart, [ kardian {kar-dee'-ah} = of the faculty of thought, understanding, organ of natural and spiritual enlightenment ] , this man's religion is vain." [ mataios {mat'-ah-yos} = useless, fruitless, unprofitable, ineffective, vain ]

James 1:27 "Pure [ kathara {kath-ar-os'} = clean, pure, unsoiled, genuine ] religion [ threskeia {thrace-ki'-ah} = religion, religious worship, piety ] and undefiled [ amiantos {am-ee'-an-tos} = pure, sincere, undefiled ] before God and Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [ thlpsei {thlip'-sis} = affliction, distressing circumstances, trial, anguish, trouble ] and to keep himself unspotted [ aspilon {as'-pee-los} = unblemished, spotless, pure] from the world." [ kosmou {kos'-mos} = world, culture]

     James closes this chapter in verses 26 and 27 by talking about true religion. "True religion is the outward expression of belief through worship and service, and not some kind of religious ceremonies or rituals."

     A religious person whose behavior is inconsistent (in word or deed) with the Christian faith is "worthless and self-deceiving". James tells us that real faith is consistent in both word and deed (in this case they controlled their mouths, and ministered to orphans and widows).

     Most Christians think that it's the Pastor's job to visit people, but this verse says it's "everyone's job" whose faith is genuine. William MacDonald tells us that we need to ask the following questions to put our faith on trial to see if it's real or not:

• Do I read the Bible with a humble desire to have God rebuke me, teach me, and change me?

• Am I anxious to have my tongue bridled?

• Do I justify my temper or do I want victory over it?

• How do I react when someone starts to tell an off-color joke?

• Does my faith manifest itself in deeds of kindness to those who cannot repay me?

     Truely ask yourself these questions before moving on to the 2nd chapter of James!

     If you have not already done so, please consider trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. For more information on Salvation Click Here to view "How can I get to Heaven?"

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