HUMAN BE-ING

I am a human being first, not a human doing. That is one thought I have from a study of the last several months. Our Pathfinders Class has been studying “Images of Christ.” In June we had five sessions from the Bible book of Hebrews. Topics included Christ as ... God’s Son, Intercessor, Redeemer, Leader, and Eternal.

For July we looked at images of Christ in the Gospels as Teacher, Healer, Servant, and Messiah. Now in August we are looking at images of Christ in us as seen in the Bible book of James.

People familiar with the book of James often think of it first in regard to a discussion whether works and good deeds are more important than simply having faith. But as we started our study in James last week, I reminded our group how the starting place for all decisions about the Christian lifestyle is one’s relationship with God.

To have a relationship with someone I have to know their nature and character. James wrote much about the nature of God.

God is constant and without change (James 1:17).
God has nothing to do with evil (1:13).
God has given birth to humans as first fruits (1:18).
God created people in His own likeness (3:9).
God puts His word in me (1:21)
God has made His Spirit to dwell in me (4:5).
God directs human affairs (4:15)
God gives gifts like wisdom (1:5) and grace (4:6).
God is compassionate and merciful (5:11).
God hears the cries of the oppressed (5:4).
And here is one of my favorites: God enters into friendship with humans (2:23).

When I know the personality and character of God, it is easier to understand what God wants for me as a human be-ing. Once I understand who I am, it naturally follows what I do.

From the first book of the Bible I learn that a basic quality of God’s nature placed within me is the power of a free will. As I choose to let God work in me, He is free to develop and release His character in me to do certain things.
As a member of God’s family, I have a “family code of conduct” to follow. In the opening words of James he deals with the basics of how to use my body. He talks about ears, mouth, eyes, tongue, and heart. Here are his words:

Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. 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. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.