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Call to worship: Psalm 1

Text: James 1:19-27

Summary:

To live above nature as children of God mainly manifests as being doers of the Word of God. God is after our practical righteousness. It's becoming of God's children to pursue a church-wide righteousness by the patient discipleship that best produces it. Given this, we're to put away all self-deceit. God's children will be doers of the Word. We'll know we're not yet what God's saved us to be, so that we approach the perfect deposit of heavenly truth and liberty with a heart for change, intent on putting truth to action. Hearing the Word does not constitute the Christianity that our Father affirms as His own. It's a means to a practical Christianity weighted for mightiest impact. It calls the tongue to Gospel edification, our time, to Gospel visitation, our lives, to Gospel sanctification.

Sermon Outline:

1. Don't be deceived---God's children will pursue righteousness. (1:19-21)
2. Don't be deceived---by righteousness is meant doing the Word. (1:22-25)
3. Don't be deceived---God isn't. The children will reflect the Father. (1:26-27)

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Read James 1:19-27.
2. In the flow of the letter, what is the critical connection from 1:18 to 1:19 and all that follows? What will living above nature---a living faith---largely and irreplaceably involve? What does James want these churches to know? Used as it is here, what is righteousness? Is there an approach to pursuing righteousness that's most productive of righteousness? If so, what is it, or how does James specify it?
3. Does a gentle discipleship give license to sin? What's at the center of our pursuit of righteousness (1:21)? To what is James referring by 'the implanted Word . . . which is able to save your souls'? What's meant by 'implanted'? What's meant by 'save'?
4. What's yet another way that a Christian and/or church could deceive themselves about their true spiritual condition or the health of their soul (1:22)? What is the healthy way to approach God's Word? What is the hearer-only like? How does the doer of the Word differ from that person? James describes the Word as the perfect law of liberty. Make it make sense (ha). What's the significance of perseverance in doing the Word?
5. Can a person's religion be worthless? Can we think wrongly and/or deceive our hearts about the strength of our walk with Christ? What are James' sure signs of spiritual deception over against a Word-practicing Christianity? What will mark healthy children of God? This is a passage full of spiritual check-ups. How have you tested? How will you move from this Word into this world?