Being and Doing

I must confess that I feel quite redundant by sharing my personal conclusions drawn from the study of the Epistle of James.  It is so plain and to the point that trying to reexplain it gets very close to saying it the exactly as it is written.  Yet, it puts on the table concepts that, though easy to agree and understand, they require a complete transformation of the human nature in order to successfully be implemented.

The last six verses of the first chapter of James restore the divine motifs of the design and establishment of religion as a system that allows humans to adequate themselves to receive and accept the gift of salvation.  Not much different of what we may be experiencing today, either as individuals or as a church, James warns us of the self-deception in which we can fall by thinking that human responsibility towards God is sufficient by only attending a worship service in order to receive instruction through of the Word (James 1:22).  Apparently, listening to a good sermon is not enough. James expands: "For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face a mirror.  For he observes himself and goes away, and immediately forgets what was" (James 1: 23-24), presenting the idea that the fundamental function of instruction is to evaluate, which should enables us to identify and locate our present reality.  Yes, Hebrews tells us that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword; penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart "(4:12), but it is limited to only teach and evaluate, and if not followed by action, loses its effectiveness, as the experience of the rich young ruler demonstrates (Matthew 19: 16-22).

James does not generate new concepts, he simply follows through the instructions found in the writings of the prophets reaffirmed through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus restructured and restored the divine standards that define the spirit and dynamics of God's government.  Here, religion is rescued from the limitations of the human thinking and action, and raises it as a promoter that defines the spirit of heaven, spirit that made possible our salvation (John 3:16).  And just when we felt we were good (Luke 6: 33-34), Jesus leads us to love our enemies, those who hate us, to those who curse us and those who slander us (Luke 6: 27-28), and it is in this context that is shared the golden rule, which states that "as ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" (Luke 6:31).  It is not a call for passiveness, I won't mess with you and you don't mess with me, but a call to intrude on your life as I would want you do in mine.  And ends by saying: "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful ... Forgive, and you will be forgiven ... with the same measure you use, it will be measured back to" (Luke 6: 36-38).

The law, the Ten Commandments are written in the most basic terms, limited to only prevent damaging each other.  But God's law, like any law, is supported by values that ​​in this case reflect the values of the government of God which are to love God with all your heart, and love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22: 37-39).  Not killing, not stealing or not committing adultery do not meet the objectives of the law of liberty (James 1:25), because it will always be easier not to kill my enemy than to love him as myself.  The law of liberty, that James identifies with the Ten Commandments, is the starting point that leads us first to avoid murder, to then lead to a love that person who we wished would be dead.

Religion, according to God's design, has its strength in the practical impact of benefiting those around us (James 1:27).  Although the intellectual exercise is striking, and the debate is tempting, James rescues and channels the divine goals of religion to a personal reform through practical love and genuine service to others (James 1: 26-27).  As thought found in Steps to Christ where says: "Those who thus devote themselves to unselfish effort for the good of others are surely working out their own salvation." {80.2}