God’s perfect diagnostic tool

Every year on Oct. 12 we celebrate Columbus Day. This commemorates Columbus’ famous voyage in 1492. In a strange quirk of history Columbus is famous for failing. He arrived at the wrong destination. The reason for his trip was clear. The Ottoman Turks had seized the land bridge connecting Europe and Asia with China and India. Europeans had developed a taste for all things eastern. They wanted the spices and resources of China and India. Columbus thought he could reach India and China by sailing west for 2,400 miles. He underestimated the circumference of the earth by about 25 percent. He didn’t realize that a large land mass — the Americas — stood between him and China and India!

We celebrate Columbus Day every year. Normally, arriving at the wrong destination is disastrous. Spiritually, the right destination is knowing God (John 17:3). A product of knowing God is eternal life. How can you and I know we are on the proper path spiritually? God gives us a perfect diagnostic tool. A person’s response to Scripture is a perfect spiritual diagnostic. You can determine whether your faith is real and strong by how you respond to the Bible.

James 1:19-27 is a test given by God. Do you want to know if you are bound for heaven? These verses identify three qualities that characterize a true Christian’s response to Scripture. First, a Christian has a teachable heart (verses 19-21). Verse 19 says, “But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.” We must eagerly welcome the Word of God into our lives. God’s children are quick to hear the Word of God. We must be slow to speak in our defense when the Bible runs against our conduct or against our belief. An unsaved person gets angry at the Bible.

The Bible teaches that God is holy. God punishes sin. He is a just Judge. Every sin will be punished by God. God is also loving. The Bible is about the God-Man, Jesus, who lived a perfect life and died for our sins. Salvation is through the Person and work of Christ. Jesus suffered for our sins. We must trust Him for salvation.

Second, a person who knows God has an obedient heart (verses 22-25). Verse 22 says, “But prove yourselves doers of the Word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” James, the half brother of Jesus says, “Do not be deceived.” True saving faith always produces obedience. Faith is translated into action.

A person is not saved by obedience. Salvation is by grace through faith. Salvation is through the finished work of Christ Jesus. Obedience simply shows that our faith is built on the right foundation. No Christian (this side of eternity) is perfect. However, the pattern or direction of our lives is obedience to God’s Word.

Third, every true Christian has a changed heart (verses 26-27). “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless” (verse 26). The average person uses about eighteen thousands words per day. This is a fifty four page book every day! That is 66 volumes per year with each volume averaging 18,000 words. Our words reveal the person we truly are. Jesus death, burial and resurrection change a person’s heart. The gospel produces genuine heart change.

As believers our hearts are slowly changed. We begin to love the things God loves and we hate the things God hates. Verse 27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit widows and orphans in their distress, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Clean religion is to meet the needs of widows and orphans. Why does God single out these two groups? In the ancient world, widows and orphans could not earn a living. God has a special love for the widow and the orphan (Deuteronomy 10:18).

A person who genuinely loves God becomes like God. James is saying, “Do you have a genuine love for those in need that moves you to reach out to them?” Jesus cared for the widows and the orphans. 1 John 3:16 reads, “We know love by this that Christ laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

A true believer is characterized by love for those in need. True Christians also desire personal holiness. James says, “…and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” God is loving and God is holy.

Christopher Columbus followed the wrong route but discovered a new world. We must be focused. The purpose of life is to know God. Are you on the right path? Are you bound for heaven? Salvation produces a teachable heart, an obedient heart and a changed heart!

Ethan Hansen is the pastor of Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.