NOTES for Jam 1:16-27

One might say that James calls for self-control. But he notes that every good deed has the Creator as its source. Human strength alone is therefore insufficient; overcoming our own weaknesses rests on the strength He gives.

When reflecting on the words that human anger does not produce God’s righteousness, it is very easy to drift into reasoning like this: “Yes, unrighteous anger does not—but righteous anger is another matter...” Then any violent emotional outburst can readily be presented as an expression of righteous anger, because I am fighting for truth and justice!

But James speaks of all human anger. Even when anger is justified, it is dangerous to let it guide our actions, and not only because in the heat of the moment we can do a great deal of damage. When we give in to anger, we consent to be ruled by unenlightened human passions that have escaped the control of reason. This means that at that moment we are not measuring our actions against the will of God.