In 2015, Joel Osteen wrote a book called “Your best life now.” Although it was a best-seller, this title was and is still dangerous because it could lead to unbiblical ideas. For example, it could suggest that the Bible defines the best life purely in material terms such as health, wealth, and prosperity. However, the Bible never describes the best life independently of obedience to God and never without pain, suffering, and even death (Rom. 5:3-5; Jam. 1:2-4). In my opinion, it would have been better to call the book something like “Your best life is yet to come” because this is more in line with what the Bible teaches (Rom. 8:18; Rev. 21:4). But, in our fast-paced, “want-it-now” culture, who wants to wait for anything good, especially our best life, right?
Does this imply that living our best life now is only a pipe dream? Not at all. As long we define the term “best” according to biblical standards. The Bible does not undermine the importance of having physical possessions (1 Tim. 6:7-8), but it places them in their proper context. From an eternal perspective, spiritual virtues are ultimately superior to material gain (1 Tim. 6:11-12). Therefore, every Christian should desire to experience a blessed spiritual life right now. As Jesus warned, what will it profit a person if they gain the world, yet lose their soul? (Mk. 8:36). The starting point for experiencing God’s spiritual blessings are found through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Eph. 1:3). Only when a person is “in Christ” can they be truly blessed in God’s eyes.
Yet how can Christians experience and enjoy the fullness of that blessed position in their lives right now? This is the question that I want to answer in this blog. Unlike the previous book I mentioned above, I cannot give you specific steps to follow that will guarantee that God will bless you. The Bible is not a self-help book, but a blueprint for knowing God and learning how He expects us to live. In the process of obeying His word, He will bless us as He sees fit. In James 1:19-25, we find three foundational principles for preparing ourselves to enjoy the blessed life in Christ. Let’s take a brief look at each one together.
Listen to the Word (Jam. 1:19-20)
There’s a Jewish saying that goes like this, “Men have two ears but one tongue, that they should hear more often than they speak. The ears are always open, ever ready to receive instruction; but the tongue is surrounded with a double row of teeth to hedge it in and keep it within proper bounds.” So, it is no coincidence that God gave us two ears and one mouth. He wants us to listen more than we speak. Specifically, James wants us to listen to the word of God. How can we listen to God’s word? Here are two suggestions.
Firstly, we can listen to the public preaching of God’s Word. This of course implies that we must be in church. If we are not faithfully attending church each week, then we will not be able to listen to God’s voice echoed through our leaders. Secondly, we can listen to God’s word privately. As any Christian will know, these disciplines will not come easy. Therefore, we will need to work at them because the evil one will do everything in his power to keep us away from filling your mind with the truths of Scripture.
The next point flows out from the first. We must not only listen to the word publicly and privately, but we must also receive it.
Receive the Word (Jam. 1:21)
Before we receive the word of God, James tells us to remove something. He says that we must remove “all moral filth” and “evil.” These things are a synonym for sin. Why does James go to such length to tell us to put way sin in our lives? In addition to bringing death (Jam. 1:15), sin also prevents us from hearing God’s word. In the original language, the word “filth” was a medical term and literally meant ‘wax in the ear.’ So, James is wanting us to put away sin because it will stop us from receiving God’s word.
Once we have taken this necessary step, we are now ready to receive God’s word. How are we to receive it? We are to welcome it with a submissive attitude and a genuine desire to bring every area of life under its control. Remember that God resists the proud person but gives grace to the humble (Jam. 4:6). As we seek to make the soil of our hearts receptive to the truth, the Spirit will use it to produce godly fruit in our lives.
Finally, it is not enough to merely listen and receive the word, James tells us to also practice it.
Practice the Word (Jam. 1:22-25)
The Christian who does not practice God’s word is “deceived.” This describes the Christian who lives with the mistaken idea that hearing a good sermon or reading the Bible is what secures God’s blessing. However, God has designed that our obedience is made a blessing to us (Ps. 1:1-3). A person is not blessed in proportion to the amount of Biblical knowledge they possess, but whether they do what God has asked them to do. John Blanchard, “Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their Bibles never mark them!” So, let us not merely hear the word, but be doers of it too.
In summary, “How can a Christian live the blessed life now?” By listening, receiving, and practicing God’s word. It is interesting that James does not specifically indicate how God will pour out His blessing on those who obey His word. He may choose to bless some of His children materially, but in such circumstances the purpose is always to be rich in good works as they seek to bless others.