Bible Studies
In the Exercise of His Will He Brought Us Forth (James 1:18-22)
Series: A New CreationIntroduction:
1. In our previous study we asked, “After God has raised us up with Christ, is it now left up to us to maintain our new life?” “Has God left us to go from here on our own strength?” and “How does our will and God’s power figure in to our victory over sin?” 2. We looked at three N.T. texts that reason “since we have been raised with Christ by faith in the working of God we cannot go on sinning.” 3. We concluded that our resurrection marks an on-going working of God in us, that the work of God continues after our initial resurrection in baptism, so that we are neither abandoned by God nor are we left to our own power alone to walk in newness of life. We found that this conclusion was consistent with the teaching of Ezek. 36:27 where God said, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” 4. Each of the three passages that we looked at (Rom. 6; Eph. 4:20-32; Col. 3:1-4:6) were all written by Paul. 5. Do other N.T. writers present evidence to this effect?Discussion:
I. James 1:18-22 brings together the activity of God upon us with the responsibility that we have of receiving and doing the word.A. “In the exercise of His will he brought us forth.”
1. The idea of being “brought forth” is consistent with the regenerative language of resurrection and new birth.
2. The emphasis is clearly on “the exercise of His will” in bringing us forth.
B. The text identifies that He brought us forth “by the word of truth.”
1. Thus our being brought forth is not unrelated to the “word of truth.”
2. In other words, God does not act upon us to give us new life apart from the word of truth.
3. Let me say something about our perception of the “word of truth.”
a. Sometimes it seems that we divorce ourselves from the “living and active” nature of the word of God, as though mere logical comprehension gives spiritual life. Practically speaking we know better than this. We have all seen individuals who knew the truth but were not spiritually alive.
b. There is more to the word of God than just words of truth logically understood. This makes the word “dead lifeless words.” Perceives the word as lifeless.
c. But the word of God is living. The seed itself appears the same as in mere logical form, but some seed germinates and some does not. It is not because the seed is dead, but because the heart in which it is sown does not allow it to grow. Cf. the seed beside the road (Matt. 13:19). Thus we must “receive the word” (v. 21).
d. Thus our will is involved, but it is not our will alone—our logically understanding the words—that brings us forth, but the life (power) in the word.
e. Illustrate with wax apple versus a real apple. If we perceive the word of God as like a wax apple why would we come to a Bible study? To feast upon something that has no power to give us strength? Dieticians preach “fruits and vegetables” and the avoidance of junk foods. Scripture compares “sound (healthy) teaching” with “false teaching” (cf. Col. 2:8, 16-23).
C. So James reasons, “Therefore, putting aside filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted which is able to save your souls.”
1. God works to bring us forth by the word of truth. Not through mere logical understanding, but from the power of the living word.
2. This power continues to exert itself in us if we continue in humility to receive it.
3. So, much like drawing sustenance from our food, we draw sustenance from the word of God. It was the agency that “brought us forth” and it is the agency that maintains our newly created condition.
4. It is not apart from our will, nor is it against our will. It is in conjunction with our will. But it is not on our power alone, but by the power of God accessed through His living Word (cf. 1 Pet. 2:23).
5. It is in this context that James speaks of a faith that works (2:14ff). The works demonstrate the life, i.e., they bear evidence of life.
II. 1 Pet. 1:3-5, 22-2:3 refers to our being born again and associates this with the on-going putting aside of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander and admonishes us to long for the pure milk of the word. This passage confirms our conclusions.A. It gives glory to God as the power “who has caused us to be born again” (1:3).
B. It refers to the coming resurrection as “an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled... reserved in heaven for you” (1:4).
C. It says we are “protected by the power of God through faith for the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1:5).
1. Observe: God has caused us to be born again, i.e., we are alive by His power.
2. Also that His power protects us for the salvation yet to be revealed.
3. It even identifies faith is the means of this protection. It is by God’s power tapped into by ourfaith. Our faith and our hope are in God (1:21).
D. There is a sense in which we have purified our souls (1:22) in that we have submitted ourselves to God’s power executed through His word (1:23).
1. Note how Peter makes the point of this word being “living” and not just living, but “enduring.” This word does not die.
2. Neither Peter nor James identifies precisely how the word works within us, but in Ezek. 36:27 God says, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”
a. This new spirit within us involves the removal of a heart of stone.
b. Instead of a heart of stone we will have a heart of flesh.
c. When we humble ourselves to hear and respond to God’s word He exercises His power to give and sustain our life.
E. “Therefore, putting aside all malice, and all deceit and hypocrisy, etc. like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow in respect to salvation.”
1. The word is the milk that sustains us.
2. James identified the word as the seed that saves us, i.e., sustains our life.
3. Note the imperative nature of Peter’s demand.
4. Why study the Bible? Why assemble? Might as well ask, “Why should I eat?” Because the word is your source of life. If you don’t eat you will die. Some are like the skinny cows of Egypt—gaunt and vulnerable to disease and death. Others are like the fat cows, healthy and sleek.
III. 1 Jn. 5:1-4 also associates being born of God with obedience that springs from this new birth.A. The one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.
B. This “born of God” state is the basis for loving God, loving others and observing His commandments.
C. These commandments are not burdensome apparently because we have been born of God.
1. We do not keep commandments in order to be born of God.
2. Instead, having been born of God we keep His commandments.
D. Those born of God overcome the world. The victory that overcomes the world is – our faith. Faith comes from hearing the word (Rom. 10:17). Hear, believe, be baptized (time of new birth), live the new life (keep the commandments).
E. All up to our own power? Hardly! We have been resurrected by the power of God and now continue to live by the power of God nourished on His words of faith. Cut off the nourishment and the result is death. Neglect the nourishment and there is weakness and vulnerability. His word is the umbilical cord that ties us to Him as the source of life.
Conclusion:
1. Now all of this has implications regarding our assurance of salvation and our expected hope of the final resurrection. 2. This will be the topic of the next study.
