Category: Faith

Posted on
by

Resources

James Chapter 3

  • Words and wisdom are the focus of Chapter 3.
  • The tongue is unbelievably powerful, and it cannot be fully controlled.
    • A person who could perfectly control his or her speech 100 percent of the time would have already arrived at full control of every aspect of the entire body, and their entire life.
    • The tongue is small nut has a lot of control – much like a bit in a horse’s mouth, the rudder on a ship, or a spark that ignites a forest fire.
    • James calls the tongue a fire that sets the whole course of our lives on fire and is itself set on fire by hell. James says the tongue is a restless, unstable evil, full of fatal poison.
    • Speaking both blessings and curses with the same tongue is normal behavior for sinful humans.
  • James also discusses wisdom.
    • Wisdom is as wisdom does.
      • In chapter 2 James explained that what a person does is a strong indication of what they actually believe.
      • In this chapter, James says wise people lead lives full of good works done in the humility of wisdom.
      • Wisdom always requires humility (see Proverbs 11:2).
      • Worldly wisdom is a mindset that tells us to look at what other people have, decide what we want (bitter envy) and then make a plan to get it for yourself (selfish ambition). Success, according to the world, is getting what you want in life.
      • Believing in such a worldview leads to disorder, chaos, and evil.
      • Because we trust God to provide what we need, we can let go of envy and selfish ambition. We can lead lives of peace, gentleness, reasonableness, kindness, and more. We can help plant peace and help bring in the harvest of righteousness.

Group Discussion:

  • The group was a bit distracted by current events before we watched the video. We spent some time discussing economic issues and Trump/Harris’ plans to improve the economy.
  • “What comes out of you is what’s in you” – this is a very sobering thought if I consider the number of times I’ve used bad language due to road rage or some other issue.

Notes from the Revival School video on James 3:

  • James 1 is on patience and perseverance, James 2 is on practicing the truth, James 3 is on controlling your speech.
  • Verse 1 discusses how not many should be teachers because teachers will be judged more harshly if they cannot live out what they are teaching (see Hebrews 5:12).
  • Verse 2 admits we all stumble in many ways.
    • James says if we do not stumble we are considered a mature man able to control our entire body. This is, unfortunately, impossible. There was only one perfect man: Jesus Christ.
  • Verses 3-5 use analogies to explain the impact something small like the tongue can direct or destroy our lives:
    • a bit in a horse’s mouth
    • a rudder on a boat
    • a spark in a forest fire
    • Example: On October 8, 1871: a small barn fire grew large enough to destroy most of the city of Chicago.
  • In Verse 6 James writes that the tongue is a fire which pollutes the whole body, set on fire by hell.
    • It can spread destruction rapidly, much like a fire, ruining everything.
  • James writes that no man can tame the tongue – it is a restless evil filled with deadly poison. We can only control this through God.
  • In Verse 9 James writes that the tongue also has the power to delight (speak life)
  • Verse 10 is a favorite of mine: praising and cursing comes out of the same mouth – surely this isn’t right!
  • Verse 11 provides an analogy: a springs does not pour out both sweet and bitter water from the same opening.
    • If we are believers in Jesus we should sound like it. We should not be cursing.
    • This ties into what James was writing about in Chapter 2: if we truly love Jesus we should demonstrate it through our actions.
  • We ask for wisdom to help us get through the trials and tribulations of life.
  • As James wrote, if we are believers in Jesus we should sound like it. Speak life to others.


Posted on
by

Resources

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

Posted on
by

Resources

About James

  • The book of James is about specifically understanding what saving faith looks like. How does faith in Christ reveal itself in a believer’s life? What choices does real trust in God lead us to make? Those are the questions James answers.
  • It’s important to note that James is writing to people who already believe in Christ as their Savior. This ensures we are reading the Book of James in the proper context.
  • Most scholars believe the writer was Jesus’ half-brother, a son born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus’ birth.
  • James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem.
  • This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50. James addresses his letter to Jewish Christians scattered around the known world.

James Chapter 1

  • The first chapter in the book of James sets the course for the rest of his letter to Christians worldwide.
  • God wants us to trust Him more, and more deeply, as we learn more of Him.
  • This is so important to God that He calls on us to find joy, even in hard times, because hardship helps us trust God more. Those who really trust God will ask Him for wisdom, will be excited about their status in eternity, will recognize Him as the source of all good in their lives, and will work to act on what they find in His Word.

Video: James for Men Bible Study Guide

Reflection:

  • What’s a trial you’ve had to endure lately?
  • How are you handling this?
  • What could you do to improve how you are handing
    this?
  • What is God teaching you through it?