James Chapter 1 — Commentary on Verse 16

    Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.

    The apostle has argued with them about God being the author of sin; now he warns them against this blasphemy. There is no difficulty in this verse.

    Don’tbedeceived. Do not wander. This metaphor is taken from straying sheep. Sometimes it indicates deviating from the Word as the yardstick of truth, which we most often express by the term “error.”

    Mydearbrothers. Speaking to them about an error, he is very meek with them, and therefore his request is loving and sweet.

    Notes on Verse 16

    Note1. It is not good to brand things as errors until we have proved them to be so. After he had argued the matter with them, he said, Don’tbedeceived. (1) Loose slings do no good. Only fools are afraid of hot words. Facts do far better than invective. Our Saviour never denounced anyone without giving a reason for it. (2) This is an easy way to soil the holy truths of God. How often the Papists call us heretics. “These men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand” (Jude 10). If disputes were settled by argument rather than prejudice, there would be fewer differences.

    Application. So we should be less passionate and more thoughtful. We should condemn things through reason rather than through abusive language. General invectives only make superficial impressions. Identify and name the error.

    Note2. We should be as careful to avoid errors as to avoid vices. A blind eye is worse than a lame foot. Indeed, a blind eye may cause lameness; without light, you are apt to stumble. Some opinions seem remote and theoretical, and yet they influence us; they make the heart foolish, and then life will not be right. There is a link between truth and truth, just as there is between grace and grace. So speculative errors do influence us. Some false teaching seems to encourage discipline; but when it is correctly evaluated, it greatly discourages discipline. So then, beware of false teachings in case your spirit is engulfed by them. People think nothing is to be avoided that is not an evil action and clearly wrong. But remember, there is contamination of the spirit as well as contamination of the body (2 Corinthians 7:1); a vain mind is as repugnant to God as an evil life. Error and idolatry are as dangerous as drunkenness and prostitution; therefore, you should carefully avoid everything that entices you into error, as well as those things that draw you into sin. Because error is the more plausible of the two, it is more deceptive. I am sure that many people toy with ideas because they do not know their danger. All false principles have a secret but pestilent influence on life.

    Note3. Don’tbedeceived. That is, do not be mistaken in this matter. It is a hard thing to see how God condones the act and not the evil motivation behind the act; however difficult this is to understand, Don’tbedeceived. Where truths are not plain to see, people tend to deviate from them. Many truths suffer a great deal because of their intricacy. False teachings may be so similar that it is hard to distinguish them. Human nature is prone to error; and, therefore, when truth is hard to discover, we content ourselves with our own prejudices. All truths are surrounded with such difficulties, so that those who want to doubt easily stumble: “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” (that is, understand it) (John 6:60); and then (verse 66), “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” When there is something to justify our prejudices, we think we are safe enough. God leaves such difficulties as a stumbling-block for those who want to be offended.

    Truth is presented in such a way that though it is clear enough for those who want to know, it is obscure enough to harden other people in their own unbelief. People want to be spared the trouble of prayer, study, and discussion. They are loath to “cry aloud for understanding” (Proverbs 2:3); they love an easy, short route to truth, and therefore run with those mistakes that come to hand, vainly imagining that God does not require belief about those things that are difficult to understand. They do not look for what is sound and solid but what is plausible and at first sight coincides with their thoughts and understanding.

    Application1. You see, then, how necessary it is to pray for gifts of interpretation for your ministers and an understanding heart for yourselves, that you may not be discouraged by the difficulties that surround the path of truth. Pray that God will give ministers a clear spirit and a plain expression and yourselves a right understanding. This is better than to grumble at the dispensation of God, that he should leave the world in such doubt and suspense. Chrysostom observes that saints do not pray, “Lord, make a plainer law,” but, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law,” as David does (see Psalm 119:18). It is an unreasonable demand for blind people to desire God to make a sun so they can see. It is better to desire gifts of the Spirit for the minister, that the Scriptures might be opened; and the grace of the Spirit for ourselves, that our understanding might be opened, so that we may come to discern the mind of God.

    Application2. This shows how much people who make the things of God obscure are to blame. Many people have the ability to raise a cloud of dust with their own feet, and so darken the brightness and glory of the Scriptures.

    Note4. Note the importance of the matter. The mistake is so dangerous that James is all the more earnest. Don’tbedeceived. Note that errors about the nature of God are very dangerous. There is nothing more natural to us than to have wrong thoughts about God, and nothing is more dangerous. All behavior depends on keeping the glory of God unstained in your understanding. You see in Romans 1:23-24 that they “exchanged the glory of … God” and then “God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts.” Idolatry is often expressed by prostitution; bodily and spiritual uncleanness usually go together. Wrong thoughts about God harm the spirit and make people lose their sense and their desire for piety. Do not let the glory of God be tarnished in your thoughts; abhor whatever comes into your mind or may be suggested by other people if it tends to eclipse the divine glory in your thinking.

    Note5. Mydearbrothers. A gentle approach best shows people their errors. It is said that we must speak to kings with silk words. Certainly we need to be very tender toward people who differ from us, speaking to them with silk words. Where the matter is likely to cause displeasure, the manner should not be harsh; pills should be sugared, so that they may be easily swallowed. Many people have been lost through harshness because you make them go over to the other party. Tertullian, when he had spoken favorably of the Montanists, was forced to join their fellowship through the harshness of the priests of Rome. Meekness may win over those who are not committed. Men from another party will think everything is spoken out of rage and anger against them. Don’tbedeceived,mydearbrothers. I would to God we could learn this wisdom today: “Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25).