Reading for December 31st

Read James 1.19-27. In verses 19-21: Ears and mouths. James introduces a topic that will receive detailed treatment in 3.5-12. Since holiness and anger cannot both abide in a pure heart, believers must uproot the weeds to make room for the word of God. In verses 22-27: Ears, eyes, hands, mouth. Continuing the body metaphor, James encourages bodily wholeness, a basic Jewish purity concept. In verses 22-23: Wholeness requires ears that hear God's word to connect with hands acting on it. In verse 25: God's law does not constrain us, but is a perfect guide bringing liberty, not slavery to passion. In verses 26-27: James contrasts good and bad religion in terms of holiness. An uncontrolled tongue corrupts the whole person, but hands that care for the needy indicate pure and undefiled faith. True believers, moreover, keep themselves pure, unstained by the world. Comments or Questions..