James 3:1: Treasure and Love
"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly" (James 3:1).
One Christmas, my grandmother gave me her tea set that she had had as a child. Her Minnesotan soy bean farmer parents didn't have much money to spare, so gifts were treasured. Despite many tea parties by her sister and herself, the tea set survived unscathed, adorned by embroidered flour sack towels and napkins. Years later, she passed on the tea set, in its original box, to me--still unchipped and unmarred. It had been thier treasure, and she entrusted it to me. I was--and still am--thrilled and recognize the tender touch of treasure that has polished the set.
Who do we entrust with treasures? James' tone may sound harsh, but it seeps with vigilant love. Most obviously, perhaps, it is love for the teachers themselves--he knows they will be judged more severely and warns them.
Secondly, James' words portrays his pastoral care. Like Paul, Peter, the apostle John, and Jude, he is aware of the importance of doctrine and truth. He knows that false teaching can lead people into the devil's trap, that there are antichrists preaching a different Jesus and a different gospel (2 Tim. 2:26; 1 John 2:18-22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7; 2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6-9). He knows there are wolves in sheep's clothing seeking to devour the flock (Mat. 7:15). Even in ignorance, false teaching can cause another to stumble. A slight deviation is dangerous. James wants nothing less than the crown of life for his flock and is zealous in his love to protect them from any flaw in the jewel of the Gospel.
Finally, his love for Christ and his truth, the Gospel, radiates. The Gospel is the story of the Glorious One. To mar the gospel is to mar him, to rob him of some of the glory he deserves. To add to the gospel is to preach a different Jesus (2 Cor. 11:4). Our Savior!!! How can we give him any less? How can we mitigate his truth! By no means! Guard the gospel! Few can be teachers in case his precious name is profaned.
I see a pastor's heart, a zealous heart, a heart consumed by love for the Savior and for those he has saved in these words. As my pastor pointed out in a sermon on his epistle, James was willing to die for the sake of Christ, his Gospel, and his Church.
More than that, James' care for the Gospel and the Flock reflects a far greater love--that of Christ himself. The Christ who preached woe against the false pharisees who distorted the truth (Mat. 23), who warned it would be better for a millstone to be tied around his neck and be drowned unless one of the little ones sins (Mat. 18:6) because of his love for his people. The Savior who is the Good Shepherd and guides his Flock in truth. The Lord who "is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy" in the midst of false teaching (Jude 24-25). The Teacher who sends his Spirit to guide us in all truth and teach us (John 14:27; 1 John 2:27). What love in that he not only saves us, but guides us and teaches us and is zealous to guard us! He is faithful (1 Cor. 1:8-9).
Do we possess the same protective love for our Savior, our fellow brothers and sisters for whom Christ died, and for the truth, the only hope?
Do we pray for our teachers? Do we pray that the Word goes forth clearly and faithfully? Do we pray that the Spirit breaks through the blindness of others and through the power of the gospel, opens eyes to the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ?
Do we love the gospel, indeed Christ and others as it is his truth and their only hope for salvation enough to be zealous for the truth? Will we bear in our body those afflictions that are missing for the sake of the lost?
Do we indwell the story of the gospel enough so that we discern errors? Are we willing to stand up in this age of syncretism and fundamentalism, tolerance and pluralism, postmodernism and modernism for the TRUTH?
Do we carefully treasure the truth of the Gospel that will bear eternal consequences for us and others?
One Christmas, my grandmother gave me her tea set that she had had as a child. Her Minnesotan soy bean farmer parents didn't have much money to spare, so gifts were treasured. Despite many tea parties by her sister and herself, the tea set survived unscathed, adorned by embroidered flour sack towels and napkins. Years later, she passed on the tea set, in its original box, to me--still unchipped and unmarred. It had been thier treasure, and she entrusted it to me. I was--and still am--thrilled and recognize the tender touch of treasure that has polished the set.
Who do we entrust with treasures? James' tone may sound harsh, but it seeps with vigilant love. Most obviously, perhaps, it is love for the teachers themselves--he knows they will be judged more severely and warns them.
Secondly, James' words portrays his pastoral care. Like Paul, Peter, the apostle John, and Jude, he is aware of the importance of doctrine and truth. He knows that false teaching can lead people into the devil's trap, that there are antichrists preaching a different Jesus and a different gospel (2 Tim. 2:26; 1 John 2:18-22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7; 2 Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6-9). He knows there are wolves in sheep's clothing seeking to devour the flock (Mat. 7:15). Even in ignorance, false teaching can cause another to stumble. A slight deviation is dangerous. James wants nothing less than the crown of life for his flock and is zealous in his love to protect them from any flaw in the jewel of the Gospel.
Finally, his love for Christ and his truth, the Gospel, radiates. The Gospel is the story of the Glorious One. To mar the gospel is to mar him, to rob him of some of the glory he deserves. To add to the gospel is to preach a different Jesus (2 Cor. 11:4). Our Savior!!! How can we give him any less? How can we mitigate his truth! By no means! Guard the gospel! Few can be teachers in case his precious name is profaned.
I see a pastor's heart, a zealous heart, a heart consumed by love for the Savior and for those he has saved in these words. As my pastor pointed out in a sermon on his epistle, James was willing to die for the sake of Christ, his Gospel, and his Church.
More than that, James' care for the Gospel and the Flock reflects a far greater love--that of Christ himself. The Christ who preached woe against the false pharisees who distorted the truth (Mat. 23), who warned it would be better for a millstone to be tied around his neck and be drowned unless one of the little ones sins (Mat. 18:6) because of his love for his people. The Savior who is the Good Shepherd and guides his Flock in truth. The Lord who "is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy" in the midst of false teaching (Jude 24-25). The Teacher who sends his Spirit to guide us in all truth and teach us (John 14:27; 1 John 2:27). What love in that he not only saves us, but guides us and teaches us and is zealous to guard us! He is faithful (1 Cor. 1:8-9).
Do we possess the same protective love for our Savior, our fellow brothers and sisters for whom Christ died, and for the truth, the only hope?
Do we pray for our teachers? Do we pray that the Word goes forth clearly and faithfully? Do we pray that the Spirit breaks through the blindness of others and through the power of the gospel, opens eyes to the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ?
Do we love the gospel, indeed Christ and others as it is his truth and their only hope for salvation enough to be zealous for the truth? Will we bear in our body those afflictions that are missing for the sake of the lost?
Do we indwell the story of the gospel enough so that we discern errors? Are we willing to stand up in this age of syncretism and fundamentalism, tolerance and pluralism, postmodernism and modernism for the TRUTH?
Do we carefully treasure the truth of the Gospel that will bear eternal consequences for us and others?
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