Point # 1 Christian, examine your obedience, and thus your spiritual wholeness: hasty speech and anger do not please God (19-20).

a) Obedient Christians should be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger (19).
b) Our anger does not produce “God’s righteousness” (20).

Point # 2 Obedience to the word is THE mark of genuine Christianity (21-25). Therefore, Christian, . . .

a) get rid of the sinful filth in your life and accept the word planted in you (21).
b) do not deceive yourself: do not merely listen to the word, obey it (22-24).
c) carefully study God’s word, obey it, and be blessed (25).

Point # 3 Three ways Christians obey the word (26-27). (These manifestation of obedience to the word introduce or touch on key ideas that James will return to later in the letter.)

a) controlling the tongue (1:19-20); 3:1-12; 4:11-12).
b) concern for the helpless (2:1-13, 15-16; cf 5:1-6).
c) avoidance of worldliness (4:4-10).