<p>1:20<i> For the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God</i>-The implication is that the word making us &quot;slow to anger&quot;<i> does </i>work the righteousness of God- i.e. the word works or develops the righteous attributes of God within us, e.g. being &quot;slow to anger&quot;. This is a specific characteristic of God's Name (Ps. 103:8; 145:8); thus the word gives us God's Name. In a similar way, the spiritual trial of our faith &quot;<i>worketh</i> patience&quot; (1:3)- another aspect of &quot;the righteousness of God&quot;. In this case, we see that the word has the same effect upon us as trials. Our present tribulation &quot;<i>works</i> for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory&quot; (2 Cor. 4:17). 1 Jn. 2:29 is also relevant- &quot;every one that does righteousness is born of God&quot;, which James and John say is by the Spirit. Thus the word and Spirit of God acting on a man &quot;works... the righteousness of God&quot;. There are so many allusions in James to the Sermon on the mount that the mention of the righteousness of God probably links with the only time Jesus mentioned this, in Mt. 6:31-33: &quot;Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat... but seek &nbsp;first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness&quot;. Thus seeking God's righteousness is contrasted with over-concern about food. In the wilderness Jesus made the contrast between not living by bread alone, but by every word of God. Thus living by the word of God is associated with seeking the righteousness of God. It is also stressed that we only receive ('work') the righteousness of God by faith (Rom. 3:22; 10:3-6; Phil. 3:9)- which comes from the word (Rom. 10:17- which is in the context of a whole chapter showing that righteousness comes by faith).</p>