Reflections of His Love – James 1:19-25
Jack Jackson – Bondservant of Yeshua
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear (shema),
slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not righteousness of
God. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness
and abundance of nautiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which
is able to save your souls. And be ye
doers (shamar asah) of the word, and not hearers (shema) only, deceiving
your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word (shema), and not a doer
(shamer asah), he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass
(mirror): For he beholdeth himself, and goes his way (not God’s way), and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whosoever looketh into the perfect Law of
Liberty
(Torah’s freedom from bondage to sin), and continueth therein (conforms his
lifestyle to Torah in love), he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the
work (keeping the commandments and instructions), this man shall be blessed in
his deed.
Have you considered that our Heavenly Father does not want
us guessing if we are walking properly with Him? These verses from James and others we will
look at in this article should help us to know that we are a reflection of His
love. Not just His love towards us; but
our reflection of the love we are to have towards Him. James is saying “look into the mirror” to
honestly see who you are. I believe
these verses were speaking loud and clear to the ones that were trying to keep
the instructions (Torah) of God in James day, and should also still speak to us
today. James is saying it is not enough
to say “I heard what Father said”, that is to “shema” (Hebrew word for hear);
but that we are to be doers of the word.
Remember that believers entering into faith do not “make void” the
Torah, but rather establish it. In entering
into true faith (like a marriage commitment) we vow to obey Him, thus establishing
the Torah (His truth) as “the way” that we are to walk out that faith. We are to be conformed to, the “life” of our
bride groom Yeshua; as we walk that faith out (shamar asah – which in Hebrew is
to hear to do).
Do we then make void the law (instructions - torah) through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish it. Romans
3:31
Faith must come first!
But afterwards one’s evidence of faith can be measured by one’s love
towards God. We become a reflection of
the presence or absence of that love.
If you love me (Yeshua), keep my commandments. John 14:15
He also defines in
John 15:14 who His friends really are:
Ye be my friends, if you do all
that I command you. John 15:14
He also tests them in this in Luke when He asks:
Why call ye me Lord, Lord and do not the things I say? Luke 6:46
It is clear that Yeshua measures us by our reflective
love. The degree that we really love Him
can be measured by Him, and us, in the zeal of love we have in keeping His
instruction found in His Torah. Just as
a reminder, the first 5 books of the Bible are collectively known as the Torah
of God, His instructions in righteousness.
Now before you continue reading please consider praying
about “why you obey the instruction that you know about and are keeping”, as
well consider praying about “why you are not obeying instructions you are aware
of but for some reason have yet to apply in your walk”.
Your answers should help you understand the verses in James
above. We are to continue to judge
ourselves, so He will not have too. Paul
teaches with a question when he asks:
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own
selves. Know ye not your own selves, how
that Yeshua Hamishiach is in you, except you be reprobate? 2 Cor. 13:5
Faith is being defined in these passages and is to manifest
itself in a loving response from us towards Him reflected in our pouring out of
loving obedience towards His ways and instructions for His bride (Torah).
Have you prayed about why you are obeying the instructions
you do? Did you find that it was about
reflecting love or did you just “not have problems with the ones you
keep”? Likewise could it be that you are
not obeying other instructions because you feel you don’t yet “feel convicted”;
or are not sure if you “have too keep them”; or maybe you actually just don’t like
the instruction(s). May I suggest “true obedience” needs no explanations, that a heart
truly yielded to “doing all that He commands us” is at the ready to obey, and
doesn’t need to consider whether to obey or not? Agreeing to obey a commandment may not be
obedience; it may just be finding “common ground”. In contrast, true love responds in obedience
even before it necessarily agrees with the instruction. Therefore
a more accurate reflection of your love (agape – that is unconditional love)
towards Him should not be measured in the instructions that you are following,
but rather in the ones you are not yet following.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but
they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to
be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to
the law (instructions in torah), neither can it be. So then they that are of the flesh cannot
please God. But ye are not in the flesh,
but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Yeshua,
he is none of his. Romans 8:5-9
If you’re minding the spirit, according to the word, your
life will begin to change and become more and more conformed to Yeshua’s
image. As you begin in discipleship
in His word, your heart will not be at enmity with His instructions you read in
His Torah. Your desire to be
“obedient” should be there right from the start of a true conversion; that is
entering into proper faith. Unwillingness
to obey all His commandments we find in His word should cause us to be
concerned about our heart to God. We may
need to pray further and ask Him to place the love of His Torah on our hearts
so we have the proper desire to keep it.
Just as in the “parable of the soils” you choose which soil you shall
be. If you are the good soil, the word
takes root and grows and brings forth much fruit. In other cases, we might be hindered in that
growth by the cares of this world; by fading away during heat of trials because
of roots that did not go deep; or maybe we have even allowed others to be like thorns
hindering our growth. Maybe we find we were
being taught the lies of our fathers as truth (Jer. 16:19), and therefore rejected
the old paths (Jer 6:16-19) in our ignorance.
Yeshua knew some would be hindered by family that didn’t understand or
that would not submit themselves total to God.
You might be in a family that is asking you to decide whether to “honor
God” or honor them (“honor our mothers and fathers”).
Remember Yeshua’s words when his own mother and brother
wanted Him to “come out” to them “Who are
my mother and who is my brother but he that does the will of my Father in
heaven”. Likewise Yeshua told another “He who chooses to love father and mother
more than me is not worthy of Me.” He
never said coming to the knowledge of the truth would be easy or bring unity,
but the opposite. Yeshua tells what his
teaching will result in: Suppose ye that
Would Yeshua even today be called divisive because He preached
repentance from sin? Was He a “legalist”
because He told us to be Holy as He was Holy?
Yeshua fulfill the prophesy in Isaiah 42:21 (but consider reading
all of Isaiah 42 as a warning)
Yehovah is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify
the Torah and make it honorable. Isaiah
42:21
We know Yeshua taught that looking with lust was already
adultery in the heart, and that hating a brother without cause was murder; thus
magnifying Torah to include our thoughts as well as actions as evil. But
how and why did he make it honorable?
They had dishonored the Torah by adding to it, blurring lines between
that “which is written” and “that which was said” making it a heavy yolk, harder
to obey by adding many “oral laws” that were not in Scripture. The lawyers had twisted the law so much that
like a key it could no longer do what a key was to do, unlock the captives and
set them free. But the most obvious way
he made it honorable was to clarify the proper motive we should have in keeping
it, love. Just as Yeshua said He kept them
because He loved the Father, we are to do likewise. Imagine that, it is the 1st of the
10 Commandments.
Remember from Romans 8 verses above that Paul tells us how
to judge ourselves rightly, so God will not have to. Paul teaches us truth in love when he tells
us that if we have a problem with God’s instructions, it should warn us that it
reflects, or is a symptom of, an actual problem we have with God. He tells us that is a “life threatening
problem”. I do not believe he is
referring to the life of our flesh, but the eternal destination of our
soul. Paul makes it clear that this
response “cannot please God”. Note that
outward appearance of obedience by the “will of the flesh” or just being in
agreement in “common ground” would likewise not likely please God.
If you find yourself currently in a situation where you are
struggling in your loving obedience towards one or more of His instructions
that you have been shown in His word, seek after Him in prayer and ask Him to
place His torah on your heart, so you can be freed from the bondage to sin.
But God be thanked, that ye were a servant of sin, but ye have obeyed
from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered. Being then made free from sin, ye became the
servants of righteous. Romans 6:17-18
When we get delivered from sin (the enmity towards His
instructions and Him) we are able to see His instructions in a different light.
Remember that God’s “good doctrine” is
to not forsake the Torah (Proverbs 4:2)
Object Lesson:
Imagine if a few of us traveled to work every day by
crossing a deep gorge over a rope bridge:
It does the job, but it has no railings on it. One morning we arrive to walk over and we
find someone added rope railings. Now
consider what you might think if I said “How dare someone add these restrictive
pieces of rope on our bridge!” Maybe you
would say “Well Jack, you could see these pieces of rope as harsh and rigid
restrictions, constricting your space; or perhaps you could consider that
someone lovingly added these as railings to help guard us from falling to our
death”. Both of us saw the same pieces
of rope, though one chose to see themselves “under the restrictions of the
rope”, and one saw them as “loving barriers they were happy to have restricting
them from falling to their death”.
We all have “free will” and how we view the instructions of
God (all His Torah) reflects whether we feel we are “under the law” that is
under the weight of Torah, feeling we “have too” keep them, or “under the
shadow of His wings” looking now at the Torah as protection and loving
instructions of a Father to His children, so He could pour out blessings upon
us for obedience.
Before our conversion, the law judges us as transgressors
(sinners) of the law, and is designed to cause us to identify what sin is (sin
is the transgression of Torah 1 John 3:4).
The Torah can be viewed as “restrictions” to those at enmity to them
(and to Him). However, once we are truly
converted, we become able to see them as the loving covering and protection
from our Father. If we don’t see His
Torah that way, it should cause us to realize we have enmity still with God (Romans
8) and seek Him for deliverance and to save us.
Once converted, we should begin to see that our willingness to lovingly
obey all the instructions in Torah is an actual reflection of the completion of
the converting of our soul.
The Torah of Yehovah is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of Yehovah is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of Yehovah is right, rejoicing
the heart, the commandments of Yehovah are pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of Yehovah is clean, enduring
forever, the judgments of Yehovah are true and righteous altogether. More to be
desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey
and the honeycomb. Moreover by them are
my servants warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous
sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall
be innocent from the great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable
in thy sight. Yehovah, my strength and my redeemer. Psalm 19:7-14
Amazing!
Haleluyah! Did you notice the
issue in that passage is “presumptuous sin”?
How many have heard the presumption that Jesus did away with the law, nailing
it to the cross? That is presumption,
based on doctrines of men; when scripture does not ever suggest that anything
other than “man’s way” (dogmas in Greek) was ever nailed to the cross. The doctrine’s of men which twisted His ways,
and made them appear too much of a burden to carry is what He took out of the
way.
David, in contrast, a man after God’s own heart loved the
Torah. He prayed that Yehovah would “Open
mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy torah (law). Psalm 119:18. Is Yeshua not the word made
flesh? Isn’t He the Torah made
flesh? Is he not worthy to be
praised? Is He not to be loved with all
our heart, soul, and strength? Are we to look for loophole and find excuses to
exclude obedience to all His word? Are
we to have Him be configured to our ways?
Is it OK with Him for us to loosen even the least of these
commandments? Are there no consequences
to giving the devil even a foothold by loosening even the least of these
commandments? Who among you seek to be
teachers? Do you not know who will have
the greater condemnation?
We all find ourselves teaching someone. Mothers teach children. Fathers teach wives and children. We may also be teachers to some level within
a holy convocation; so does Yeshua have anything to say to us regarding the
teachers that we should follow?
This people drawth nigh unto me with their mouths, and honoreth me with
their lips; but their hearts is far from me.
And in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments
of men. Matthew 15:8-9
Here yea children the instructions of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not
my law (Torah). Proverbs 4:1-2
Give me understanding, and I shall keep the torah (law); yea I
shall observe it with my whole heart.
Psalm 119:14
Behold I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as Yehovah my God
commanded me, that ye should do so in the land wither ye go to possess it. Keep (shamar) therefore and do (asah) them; for
this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations,
which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation
is a wise and understanding people.
For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as
Yehovah our God is in all these things that we call upon for? And what nation is there so great, that hath
statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law (torah), which I set
before you this day? Only take heed to
thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which
thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the
days of thy life: but teach them thy sons and thy sons’ sons Deut. 4:4-9
Wow! The Torah is our
wisdom and understanding! Shouldn’t
we desire to have that dwelling richly in us so others could literally see such
a difference they could see the wisdom and the understanding which comes with
obeying all His Torah? That is who we
should look like from the outside (nations) looking in, and what we see in the
mirror. So we find ourselves right back
in James 1:22-25, looking
at what James was speaking of in the passages of scripture we began with. It
seems James had Deut. 4 in mind when he wrote that passage.
Does it matter how we
define words?
Whosever continues to commit sin transgresses also the law (torah): for
sin is the transgression of the torah. 1
John 3:4
Is this your definition of sin: transgression of the
Torah? Is that the definition of sin of
those you assemble with? Have you asked
them? Does it matter?
If we are to seek out and save that which is lost, as Yeshua
commands us, and then disciple them, it matters greatly!
From that time Yeshua began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand” Matthew 4:17
What did He mean by “repent”? Did He not come for the lost sheep of Israel? Was He therefore not calling them to repent
from transgression of His Torah? You do
know that Yeshua, the word of God, was the One that gave the Torah to
Moses. I certainly believe that is what
He meant.
So if He was calling them to stop “transgressing the Torah”;
what do you think He wanted them to “turn to”?
Is it too much of a stretch to believe He was calling them back to Torah
observance in love? Did He not assure
them (us) that He did not come to destroy either the Torah or the prophets?
Think not that I am come to destroy the law (torah), or the prophets: I
am come not to destroy, but to “preach fully” (lift up, fill full). For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and
earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from the torah, till all be
fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-18
He went on to warn us about what we are to teach and not
teach: if, we are concerned with being declared “least in the kingdom” verses
“great in the kingdom”. These verses
should help us know which teacher Yeshua wants us to be taught by and which
type we should not be taught by (which types we should join ourselves with or
withdraw ourselves from).
Least in the Kingdom
Whosoever therefore shall break (loosen) one of these least
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the
kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:19a
Teachers of God are not to teach anyone that breaking (or
even loosening) even the least (smallest) of the commandments in Torah is fine
with God. They should not make anyone
feel “safe” in their sin. They should
recognize and teach sin as breaking any of His commandments. These teachers should be striving to keep all
His commands he is able to keep.
Great in the Kingdom
But whosoever shall do and teach them (even the least), the same shall
be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 5:19b
These teachers both keep all His commandments they can, and
teach others to do likewise. This
reminds me of Paul who said “Follow me as I follow Messiah”. Paul only wanted us to follow Him, if he was
walking like Yeshua.
Did Yeshua break any commandments? No, because if He had we would be looking for
another Messiah. If He broke any of
Torah, He could not be the prophet like unto Moses (Deut 18:15).
When I was in various “Christian” churches from 2001 – 2006 I was always
told that Jesus did away with the law. A
proper understanding of Deut. 18:15 proves that this wrong thinking, for if it
was true that He took away the law it would invalidates Jesus (Yeshua) as the
prophet like unto Moses, or the Messiah.
Were the scribes and
Pharisee’s keeping torah in righteousness?
Or following doctrines of men?
For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven. Matt 5:20
Were these really “keeping torah in love” or going through
the motions, dead on the inside? Yeshua
calls them white washed tombs with dead men’s bone inside. On the surface they appear to be doers of the
word, but not so in Yeshua’s eyes because He saw through their lack of love towards
Him. If they had love for Him, they
would have known him, and followed Him.
Conclusion: Danger
on the left and right! Beware to stay on
the narrow path!
Satan does not care if you stop short of keeping YHVH’s
instructions in the Torah, or whether you keep them for the wrong reason. The torah is lawful, if it is used lawfully.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteous……Romans 1:18 professing
themselves wise, they became fools…1:22 without understanding,
covenant breakers….1:31
When Torah is not your wisdom and understanding before the
Nations, you find yourself breaking the covenant in which you agreed to love
and obey your Bride groom Yeshua. You
may even fall prey to teachings that will seem right regarding even loosening
of the least of the commandments. God
forbid we find ourselves teaching that the Torah is void since we have grace
and are now people of faith. If we find that
is our thought or discover ourselves in teaching ministries that have that
thought, know it is devoid of His wisdom and understanding.
Are you still teaching, or being taught, that the problems
lies in the instructions of Yehovah (His Torah)? Are excuses offered up that try and excuse us
from obedience or loopholes; rather than trying to find ways to keep the
Torah? Hopefully we realize that the
real problem is always in the evil heart of man?
Remember his word does not lie:
If you love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we continue in keeping his
commandments. He that saith, I know him,
and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. And whosoever keepeth his word, in him verily
is the love of God perfected; hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought also so
to walk (walk out in faith as a doer) even as he walked. 1 John 2:3-6
Be honest with yourself and use “His word the Torah” as a
mirror. We are all at different stages
of coming to the understanding that His Torah was not made void; is for all men;
and that a truly converted faith begins with that journey into being conformed
by all His instructions found in Scripture.
Beware your journey does not get hindered and you stop growing, or even
die a spiritual death.
Do you have to first be keeping all His law before you get
converted and can come into fellowship?
No! That was the false premise of
Acts 15. Peter and John knew the Holy
Spirit would enter a person who recognized themselves a sinner and who called
out to be saved from the sin. The four prerequisites
listed in Acts 15 therefore, are the minimum 4 categories one must be willing
to immediately turn from to show forth a conversion was in progress. That new faith was measured in the love one
had to establish Torah as a way of life to learn and conform to
(discipleship). Discipleship void of the
instructions in Torah is not true Biblical discipleship as Paul teaches in
addition to warning about those who leave it out:
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived. But continue thou in the
things that thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou
hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures
which are able to make the wise unto salvation through faith which is in
Yeshua Hamashiach. All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instructions in righteousness: That the man of God
may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim 3:13-17
At the time of Timothy’s youth, there was only the “Old
Testament” (Torah and Prophets and some writings). Even at the time of the Apostles their epistle
(letters) were not yet considered “Scripture” on par with the Torah or Prophets. Do you see in this writing how I am emphasizing
as underlined all the references to words like wise, wisdom, heart, and understanding;
and how they all are related to having a heart towards Yehovah’s instructions
in His Torah? Don’t be deceived! Test all things! Please verify all that I have written in this
paper by Scripture and help me see if I have made errors in this article. David was not a legalist; he was a man after
Yehovah’s own heart. The opening
scriptures in this article from James 1 ends with, this man shall be blessed in his
deed.
I will therefore close this paper as I began, in Scripture. May Yehovah bless you and keep you as you
love Him and obey His instructions in Torah.
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the Torah of Yehovah;
and in his Torah doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the
rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also
shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like chaff
which the wind driveth away. Therefore
the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of
the righteous. For Yehovah knoweth the
way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1
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