“At Least He Goes to Church” – James 1:19-27

Kim and I were talking awhile back about a mutual acquaintance of ours. Kim knows this man better than I do, and she was telling me some things about him that didn’t really surprise me. She was telling me of things he said and did, and then she said something along the lines of, “And he goes to church, too.” The last part was a contrast to the way the man spoke and acted. Kim concluded with the phrase, “Well, at least he does go [to church].”

That got me to thinking: Is it really better for a person who does not act in a Christ-like manner to at least go to church? Overall, does church attendance help or hinder a person? Kim’s thinking was that if a person goes to church, at least they are hearing the Christ being preached and maybe it will sink in one day and lead them to a genuine relationship with Christ.

My testimony is similar to that. I was brought up in the church from my earliest memories. If the church doors were open, Mom and Dad made sure we were there. But it took me 16 years before God finally opened my ears to hear for the first time that I needed to be saved and what I needed to do to become saved, and it wasn’t that I wasn’t aware I needed to be saved. I had known for over four years that I was genuinely lost and needed to be saved. It’s not that I’d never heard messages like that before; it was only that one particular service that it finally dawned on me that this was the time and these were the things I needed to do. I accepted Christ that morning and made my public profession of faith that evening.

On the other hand, I have known men and women who go to church their entire lives and never show a hint of their relationship with Christ. It’s as if church attendance is akin to being in a service club—it’s good for business and reputation only.

So, the question is, “Is it good for people to at least attend church, even if they aren’t Christians?” Today’s passage helps us to answer the question.

Background

There is a lot in the Bible that speaks of the need to not only hear the message of Christ but to also obey His teachings. From the giving of the law to Moses, God has insisted that His people follow His ways. Jesus asked the question, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). He tells us that the person who hears what He says but doesn’t do it is like a foolish man who builds his house upon the sand. Peter tells us in 1 Peter that we are to live holy lives since God is Himself holy (cf. 1 Peter 1:16). God has an expectation that we are to live according to and consistent with His will.

Earlier this year, we looked at Jesus’ comments to the Pharisees about how they go throughout the world to make a convert only to make them twice as fit for hell. Jesus reminds us at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that there will be people who believe they are saved only to be told that Jesus never knew them, and He will cast them away. The danger of attending church is that it may give the illusion of fellowship with Christ and never bring the person to the awareness that they need to accept Him as Savior and Lord.

James uses a couple of passages in his letter to address the need to be obedient to Christ. In James 2:14-26, he talks about a faith without works is a faith that is dead, that we demonstrate our faith in the way we live it out. He makes a similar assertion in today’s passage. In these verses, James distinguishes between genuine and false faith. In so doing, we can get a glimpse of whether or not being a churchgoer is enough.

Central Truth: Being a churchgoer without being a Christ-follower can lead to false hope.

The churchgoer:

1. Doesn’t humbly accept the word (19-21)

My dear friends, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

America has a fascination with the quiet man of action. Gary Cooper in “High Noon” comes to mind. He was a man of few words, but he took a stand against evil in his community when no one else was willing to help. Many of John Wayne’s roles were the quiet man of action, as was Matt Dillon and other heroes of our Western myths. Even Bugs Bunny, wisecracker that he was, was a quiet bunny that was moved to action because of things done by Elmer Fudd or Yosemite Sam.

James tells us that we should all be people of quiet action, actions that are guided by the Holy Spirit. The distinguishing mark between a disciple and a churchgoer is found in our willingness to listen and guard our words and emotions.

The act of listening is a discipline that requires practice and awareness. Most conversations we have are two people talking at each other. I say something that triggers a memory or idea from you, and your “listening” becomes the act of waiting for me to finish talking so you can speak. Or you say something that reminds me of a similar thing in my life and I can’t wait for you to end your sentence so I can tell you about my experience. That’s not listening.

Listening is hearing what a person is saying, both in what is being said and what is not being said. It is the ability to spend the time and effort to hear what is being communicated and responding to what is being communicated. If a person says, “My toe hurts,” a listener will ask, “How does it hurt? How long has it hurt? Have you tried something to lessen the pain?” The focus will be on the subject at hand.

When we are listening, we are less likely to speak without thinking. We will also be apt to keep our emotions in check. Oftentimes, we get upset or angry with someone for what they said because we mistook the tone of voice or the words being said. If we take the time to listen and become clear in our understanding, then we will become far less likely to become angry. The Bible tells us, “. . . man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (v.20). Often, when we get angry, it is focused on ourselves, not on God’s will. We become offended for ourselves and allow ourselves to become angry.

James tells us the best way to overcome this anger is to listen carefully and to “get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent.” We stop thinking the way the world thinks, and the way we do this is to listen carefully to the Holy Spirit and to what He is teaching us through the Bible, whether it’s a personal study, a class or sermon. When we accept the word of God being presented to us with a humble, learning spirit, then we can more likely be about God’s will for our lives. James says such an attitude can save us.

If going to church is going to help someone, then that person needs to come to Christ to be washed of the moral filth and evil that is so present. That person needs to humbly receive the word from the Spirit and so be saved. Otherwise, they’re wasting their time at church.

2. Deceives himself (22-25)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

There are numerous times in the Gospels that Jesus says He wants us to be not just hearers but doers of His teachings. He wants us to not only hear what He has to say, but to also put it into practice. James uses a very good illustration of what it means to be a hearer only.

First, he lets us know that only hearing the word without acting on it is delusional. Such a person may think that, because they came to church and sat through the sermon without falling asleep, there is much benefit for them. James says such an attitude is self-deceiving. Instead we are to do what the word says.

A person who does not do what the word says is like a person who looks in a mirror, then turns away and forgets what they look like. It’s hard enough to part my hair while looking in the mirror; I can’t imagine how poorly it would look if I combed it without a mirror. When I get dressed, I look in the mirror to make sure my shirt and belt are straight.

The person who only hears the word and never acts on it is like a person going through life only glimpsing in a mirror long enough to recognize himself or herself.

James says a person who does the word is someone who will be blessed. He says such a person who wishes to be blessed in this way will do three things. First, he or she will look intently into the Bible, taking the time to think about it and pray about it, seeing how it speaks to them at that moment. Second, the person meditates on the word—dwelling on what was read and studied throughout the day. Third, the person puts it into practice.

One of the best ways for me to learn is to not only hear the instructions but to also go through the steps as I am being instructed. Think of how we were taught to drive. We were put behind the wheel and given control of the car while an experienced driver sat beside us and guided us through the process of putting the car in gear, of applying the brakes and accelerating and stopping. They guided us through the process of parking the car and adjusting the mirrors and all the other things that go into driving.

So it is with God’s word. We listen to it, we try it on, we take it out for a spin, and we put it into action. Doing these things leads to blessing. Failing to do this is like trying to comb our hair or put on our make up without a mirror. A churchgoer ignores the mirror; the disciples looks intently at the word to learn and grow and do.

3. Is reckless in his words and actions (26-27)

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James began his words on this matter with the need to listen more than to speak. The control of one’s tongue will be repeated by the writer in the first part of Chapter 3. Jesus told us in Matthew 12:36-37: “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” The careless word is the word we speak when we’re not really thinking about things. For instance, I knew a man who used cussing as part of his everyday language. This same man was quick to talk about how involved he was in his church. I knew the man well to know that he knew to curb his language while he was at church. The careless word is what we say when we don’t think someone is listening that will take offense.

James concludes his teachings on the difference between the churchgoer and the disciple by saying one controls the tongue, while the other does not. The person who does not “keep a tight rein on his tongue” needs to question his or her relationship with God. Such a person is fooling themselves. God’s call to be holy extends to the words we speak in our daily conversation.

The mark of genuine religion in James’s inspired mind ultimately is not determined by our words, but by our actions. James points us to how do we treat those who are less fortunate than ourselves—to the ones who have no defenders in the public square, those who are disenfranchised and struggling in getting by day-to-day. James’s examples are the orphans and widows.

There are many groups of people that are in need of compassion and care from God’s people. These are the people who are on the margins of society, the minorities and dispossessed. To say we are caring, compassionate followers of Christ while turning our backs on those in need is inconsistent at best, hypocritical at worse. In James 2:8-10, we are told that favoritism—favoring one group over another—is a sin and breaks God’s laws. He goes on to tell us in James 2:14-17 that faith is demonstrated by our deeds.

In other words, a person can be careful in controlling their tongue while they are in the church. The churchgoer will reveal his or her true nature by the ways that person speaks in private and how they treat those who are in need. The believer will seek to lift all people up, while the churchgoer will seek only what’s in it for him- or herself.

Conclusion

James gives us a good guideline for considering the pros and cons of the churchgoer, but he really doesn’t answer the question: Is it better that a person attend church, in the hopes that the seeds planted will someday produce fruit? Or is the person who comes to church without doing what he or she hears only fooling themselves into a false sense of security?

Ultimately, the answer to the question lies in the heart of each person. That’s true of each of us. Are we doers of the word and not hearers only? Do we have a compassion and take actions to help those less fortunate than ourselves? Are we living out our faith in the things we do and say?

In the end, only God can reveal whether church attendance is good or bad. The determinant will be whether or not we have a relationship with God or not. Does He know us? Do we know His voice and do we follow His direction?