Resources

• James Study Guide (PDF)
• James overview (video)
• James 2 Reading Guide
• James 2 Teaching Notes (PDF)
• James 2 Video

James Chapter 2

• In Chapter 1, James compared the absurdity of hearing the Word, then ignoring it, to a man looking at his face in a mirror and then immediately forgetting what he looks like. In chapter 2, James urges readers not to show favoritism or partiality.
• This Chapter includes the controversial view that it is not enough to simply have “belief” in God. James says any religious “faith” which doesn’t result in good works is a dead faith. Some think this is a contradiction to the teachings of Paul who taught that faith alone results in salvation.
  • James clarifies that “faith” that cannot save is nothing more than an intellectual belief – one who claims to have faith in Christ but doesn’t behave like a Christian will not be saved. True faith saves, but it also results in works.
  • Paul emphasizes the “cause,” which is trusting faith while James emphasizes the “effect,” which is good works. James stresses that so-called-“faith”, which is merely mental agreement and does not produce good and loving works and is not a genuine, saving faith.
  • James summarizes this with the explicit comparison to a dead body. A body which exhibits no spirit or breath is not alive. In the same way, a “faith”—in this case, meaning “intellectual belief”—with no resulting works is also dead.
• Paul teaches that we are saved by faith alone, but James clarifies that the faith that saves is never alone—works always accompany it.

Group Discussion:

• Understanding the relationship between faith and works in James 2 and Ephesians 2 can be challenging, but it’s important to see how they complement rather than contradict each other.
  • Ephesians 2:8-9 (CSB) states:
    “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.”
  • James 2:24 (CSB) says:
    “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
• Here’s how these passages work together:
  • Context and Audience:
    • Ephesians 2: Paul is addressing believers who might think they can earn salvation through their own efforts. He emphasizes that salvation is a gift from God, received through faith, not something we can achieve by our works.
    • James 2: James is speaking to those who claim to have faith but show no evidence of it in their actions. He stresses that genuine faith will naturally produce good works.
  • Purpose of Faith and Works:
    • Paul: Focus is on salvation. He clarifies that we are saved by grace through faith alone, not by our works. This ensures that no one can boast about earning their salvation.
    • James: Emphasis is on the evidence of salvation. He argues that true faith will be demonstrated through actions. If someone claims to have faith but has no works, their faith is dead and useless2.
  • Complementary Teachings:
    • Paul and James do not contradict each other, but address different issues.
      • Paul is concerned with how we are saved (by grace through faith)
      • James is concerned with what true faith looks like (it produces good works).

Notes from the Video: James for Men Bible Study Guide

• Based on Vince Miller’s James for Men Bible Study Guide
• The evidence of inconsistency
• Do not play favorites in the church
• We sometimes may favor a rich man over a poor man – favoritism implies rewards
• We want to be rewarded by those we favor
  • This is a form of cronyism
• James is concerned about cronyism and favoritism in the church
  • 2:6-7 – the rich are the ones who oppress you
  • the payoff for favoritism is falsehood and oppression
• Consistent problem of sin
  • We consistently act with sin by playing favorites
  • Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point fails the whole law
  • Sin applies to all – rich and poor. This means everyone is in need of God’s mercy
  • We defeat sin with consistent faith
  • Even demons believe in God and they shudder about it.
  • Abraham had the ultimate faith in God and was willing to sacrifice his son over it.
    • Abraham’s offering of Isaac is an example of a consistent faith
• We are justified by works and not by faith alone.
  • Faith + ACTION enables the world to witness your faith.
  • Sadly, we are INCONSISTENT with whom we bring the Gospel to
  • We eradicate INCONSISTENCIES with a CONSISTENT faith
  • Consistent faith is infused with action
  • Our consistent works evidence consistent faith
• How to build consistency:
  • Recall the law of sin
  • Live out your belief
  • Let your consistency be a witness for God in this world
  • Be a CONSISTENT man of God
• How can you be more consistent?

Notes from the Revival School video on James 2:

• Do not show favoritism – share the gospel with EVERYONE!
  • be careful not to favor the rich or those you know when sharing the gospel
• 4 Reasons why we should not play favorites
  • God has accepted many poor people as His own
  • the rich often persecute Christians (this is still happening today)
  • playing favorites violates Jesus’ law of love
  • God will judge those who violate the law of love
• God wants us to be rich in faith, not in material things
• The rich frequently blaspheme the “noble name” that was pronounced over you as a believer in Christ
• Keep the royal law: love your neighbor as yourself – both the rich and the poor
• If you show favoritism you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors
  • Whoever keeps the entire law yet fails in one area fails the entire law
    • The whole law is an expression of God’s will for His people
    • show love to all – then mercy will triumph
• Speak and act as those who will be judged by God’s law – this is more important than worrying about what the world thinks of you
  • Act like you are God’s children, not in this world
• Martin Luther broke away from the Catholic church and said we are saved through faith alone
  • Martin Luther called the book of James “an epistle full of straw”
  • Martin Luther disagreed with what James wrote about works
• We fully believe we are saved through faith alone – but not to the point of removing James from the Bible
  • James is going after those who claim they don’t need to do good deeds because they already have faith
• If you have faith works naturally flows out of it
  • faith and works are not enemies
    • true faith and righteous works go hand in hand
    • faith motivates good works
    • good works brings people to the faith
• Faith is the cause, Works is the effect
  • This means faith without works is dead by itself
• Even demons believe and shudder at the diety of Christ (see Mark 3)
  • while they believe they obviously aren’t doing good works
• Your faith gives you the desire to do good works (share the gospel)
  • if you aren’t working and walking out your faith how real is it?
  • see Matthew 7:23
• You are living out your faith if you are doing good works
• We’re saved by faith alone – but you gotta do something with that faith