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James:PracticalLessonsinLivingYourFaith James1

James1:1

ThebookofJameswaswrittenbyJames.Thebiggerquestioniswhichone?

James,sonofZebedee James,sonofAlphaeus James,brotherofJesus

Matthew10:2 Matthew10:3 Galatians1:19KilledbyHerod(Acts12:2) DiedasamartyrinEgypt(Trad) ComparewithActs15:13

ThebookofJameswaswrittentothetwelvetribesscatteredabroad.Whowerethesepeople?

Therearetwopossiblemeaningsregardingwhothesepeoplewere.Oneideaisthatthisreferstothe

JewishChristianswhowerescatteredfromJerusalemduetothepersecutionthataroseagainstthe

church.(SeeActs7-8).

TheotherideaisthatthisreferstoallChristians,bothJewandGentile.Eitherway,whethertwoJewish

ChristiansofhisdayortoallChristians,wecangleangreatteachingsandprinciplesfromthistextthatallowsustopracticallyliveoutourfaithtoday.

James1:2-11

Faithinthemidstoftestsandtrials.(vv.2-4)

Faithinprayerforguidance.(vv.5-8)

Faithinonescurrentstatusinsociety.(vv.9-11)

James1:12-18

Faithinthemidstoftemptation.

James1:19-27

Faithineverydaylife.(vv.19-21)

o Quicktolisten.

o Slowtospeak.

o Slowtogetangry.

FaithwhenlivingoutGodsword.(vv.22-24)

Faithinspeechandaction.(vv.26-27)

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James:PracticalLessonsinLivingYourFaith James2

Thetermthatwenormallytranslateasfaithappears16timesintheBookofJames.13of

appearancesareinJames2.LetstakealookathowJames2walksusthroughlivingoutourfaithina

practicalmanner.

Foodforthought:Howoftenhaveyoujudgedsomeonesimplybasedonhowtheylookorare

dressed?

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James2:1-13ChristianFaithDemonstratedThroughEquality

PeoplewhoclaimtobeChristians,butshowpartialitywithinthechurchdenytheconceptofChristianbrotherhood.(v.1)

PartialitydishonourssomemembersoftheChristianbody,whileexaltingothers.(v.6)

Wearecalledtoloveourneighborsasourselves.(v.8)o Whoisyourneighbour?

Godwilljudge.(vv.12-13)

James2:14-26FaithandWorks

AnearlysloganoftheReformationwasSolaFide,meaningbyfaithalone.o WhenreadingJames2:14-26,howdoyouunderstandthisconcept?

AccordingtoJames,faiththatlacksworksisnotenoughtosave.(14)

Abrahamwasjustifiedbyworks.(v.21)

Worksserveasafulfillmentoffaith.(v.23)

Faithwithoutworksisdead.(v.26)

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James:PracticalLessonsinLivingYourFaith James3

James1:26explainsthatifanyonethinksheorsheisreligiousanddoesnotbridletheirtongue,that

individualdeceivestheirheartandhasworthlessreligion.Jamespicksuphisdiscussionofthetongue

andshowsushowtohavebehonestwithourheartsandhavereligionthathasvalue.

FoodforThought:Haveyoueversaidsomethingthatyouimmediatelywishedyouhadnt.

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James3:1-12ThePowerofaSmallThing

Teacherswillbejudgedwithgreaterstrictness.(v.1)o WehavetorecognizethatJamesdoesnotgointoanydetailregardingthisissue,butwe

canconcludethatthisissomethingthepeoplewerealreadyawareof,sincehesaysyou

know.GiventhathewaswritingtoJews,itseemsreasonabletoconsiderthisa

commonteachingamongJews.Holdingtheplaceofateacherwasextremelyimportant.

Falseteaching.

Thetongueisacommoninstrumentofsinandharm.(vv.2-5a)o Proverbs11:9;12:18;15:1;18:21

Thetonguehasthecapacitytodogreatharm.(vv.5b-8)

PeopleblessGodandcursepeople.(vv.9-12)

James1:5callsustoaskGodforwisdomifwelackit.HeexplainsthatGodgivesgenerouslytoall.So,

whyareweaskingGodforwisdom???

James3:13-28ALessoninGodlyWisdom

Godlywisdomisreflectedbyonesgodlyactions.(v.13)

Earthlywisdomisreflectedbyjealousyandselfishambition.(vv.14-16)

Godlywisdomispureandpeaceable.(vv.17-18)

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James:PracticalLessonsinLivingYourFaith James4

James3talkstousaboutlivingoutourfaithandhowgodlywisdom,whichcomesfromtheLord,

bringspeacetosituations.Pickinguponthisinchapter4,Jamesshowsushowalackoffaithfulliving

andalackofwisdomcanimpactourlives.ThequestionwithwhichheleavesusisWhatdecisionwill

wemake?

FoodforThought:Haveyoueverhadafightwithsomeoneandhadtowonderwhatthefightwasreallyabout?

James4:1-12TheBehaviouroftheWorld

Ourownpleasuresleadtoquarrels.(vv.1-3)

o Weshouldnotberuledbyourpassions.

o Motivecanimpacthowyourprayersareanswered.

IntheOldTestament,thepeopleofIsraelwerecollectivelydepictedasanadulteressforclaimingtoserveGod,whilegoingafteridols.(v.4a)

Jamesiscallingthepeoplenottosharethemoralvaluesoftheworld.

FriendshipwiththeworldisenmitywithGod.(vv.4b-6)

Godcallsustobehumbleservants.(vv.7-10)

ToslanderabrotherorsisteristodisobeyGod.(v.11,cf.James2:8)

Godisjudge.(v.12)

James4:12-17DependenceonGod

JamescallsustodependonGodnotourmaterialwealth.(v.13)

Wedontknowwhatwillhappentomorrow.(v.14)

JameshascalledustosubmittoGod(v.7),nowhenotesthatsubmissionisuniversallyapplicable.(vv.15-16)

Whatdecisionwillyoumake?(v.17)