Digging Deeper James 2:14-26

* How do we reconcile James teaching on faith and works and other parts of Bible whereby it says we are justified by faith alone?
*How does faith outwork itself in our daily lives?  Read 2:15-17
*When you consider 2:19 is it possible to believe in God but yet not be saved?  What does this verse tell us about belief in God?

Favouritism not an option

Partiality and favouritism are both things I am sure all of us have had to deal with at some point in our lives.  The sad thing is that it infiltrates our churches making us a bad example to those who don’t know Christ.  There is nothing worse than walking into a church knowing that there are closed groups and no matter what you do you won’t fit in.

This is something that James addresses because it was an issue in his time.   James warns us not to judge people by outward appearance.  Matthew 7:1ff speaks to this issue.   We are not to judge.  It is not an option for us to take.  The next time you are in a group of people check where your thoughts go.  Have you already classified someone in that group? What areas do we judge people?  Background, culture, tribe, career (or lack of), clothes, too tall, too short, too fat, too thin, talks too much, doesn’t talk much, political standing, undisciplined children and list goes on.  We need to be careful how we judge because to the measure that we judge someone is the same measure that we to are judged.  Matthew 7:2.

Everyone has something to offer in their church fellowship and that includes the poor.  We are not to right the poor off.  The poor might not be able to add much to the financial pot in our church but sometimes they contribute more spiritually.  Read James 2:5.  God turns what the world holds dear and turns it on its head.  We need to be careful when we judge.

Today as you walk through your day be mindful of the times you judge.  You might be surprised at how many times we do it.  This shows a heart condition.  James instructs us to love our neigbour.  What does that mean? How are we to love our neighbor?  Who is our neighbor?  One definition of neighbor is “a fellow human being”.  If this is true then everyone we come in contact with is our neighbor.  Favouritism or partiality is a problem in our society just like it was in the time that James lived.  It is something we need to fight against.  It is too easy just to go with the flow or to go with public opinion.  We need to use God’s Word as our standard of living not public opinion.

James asks us at the beginning of this chapter not to show favouritism but he goes one step further in James 2:9.  He calls it sin.  For those of us who show favouritism we need to realize how serious it is.  We are sinning and therefore we are lawbreakers.  Most, if not all of us, don’t want to be called lawbreakers.  We want to be seen as law abiding citizens.  If we are to be law abiding citizens then we can’t show favouritism.  Simple to say but not always simple to do.

James talks of keeping the Royal Law and Jesus also talks about it in Matthew 22:37-40.  Keeping a law means that we do it.  We are to put into practice the Word of God.  As we mentioned last time we need to be doers of the Word not just Hearers. 

In our society today we compromise God’s Word.  There are some sins today that appear to be more culturally acceptable than they were maybe 50 years ago.  We get desensitized and before we know it we make excuses for sin.  God does not have acts of sin in categories where one is less than another.  They may have different consequences but God calls it what it is…sin.  James says in 2:10-11 that if we break one part of the law then we are guilty of breaking it all.  This should be a huge motivator for us to do what is right in the sight of God.  Do we get it wrong sometimes, absolutely and there is grace and forgiveness but we shouldn’t be living a life whereby we tolerate known sin in our life.  This is not pleasing to God.

James goes onto say in James 2:12-13 that we will need to give an account to God for our life here on earth.  Our life will be displayed before God and there will be no hiding.  As in the parable of the Talents we want to hear the same words from our Master, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

May those who walk into our churches, Bible study groups, prayer meetings, fellowship gatherings find impartiality and be welcomed into our midst.  For some of us this will take effort and a change of mindset but the dividends will be worth it.   May we be viewed as different to those of this world.  May those that don’t know Christ as their Lord and Saviour be drawn to their redeemer because of what they see in us.  It is quite the challenge but be encouraged with Philippians 4:13. 

I am always encouraged by those who share what they are learning through God’s Word.  Let me know how the challenge of not being partial or showing favouritism outworks in your life.  We run this race together. Hebrews 12:1-3.

Digging Deeper James 2:1-13

*Become familiar with James 2:1-13
* In looking at the Church you attend how well does it do in the area of favouritism? Is it a church where all walks of life would feel comfortable walking into?  What reputation does your Church have in the community for welcoming people in?
*On a more personal level, are you someone who is inclusive or exclusive when it comes to people?
*What does it mean to really love your neighbor?  Who is your neighbour?
* Consider the words of James 2:12-13.  What are your thoughts?

Hearers and Doers

James, at the beginning of 1:19 talks to his audience with great affection.  He calls them beloved brothers.  He has a deep affection for the people he is writing to and James knows that many of them have gone through some extremely difficult times.  His heart is for them to come out of their difficult circumstance in a different manner than when they went into it.  Remember 1:4, that our trials would make us perfect (have integrity and virtue), complete and lacking nothing. 

James continues to instruct his audience in one quick and two slows.  Often times we get these round the wrong way and it becomes one slow and two quick’s.  He is saying that we need to use our ears.  Some of us have a hard time using them at all.  However, he is saying that we need to be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.  It is easier said than done for a lot of us.  At times, our mouths can get ahead of our brains and we wish we could grab those words spoken and stuff them back in from where they came from.  Not only that but we are told to be slow to become angry.  Some things just push our buttons and our anger rises from within us and it can fly out of our mouths before we know what has happened.  Some versions of the Bible say wrath.   When looking at the meaning of the word in the original language one definition that comes out is “agitation of the soul”.  Our souls are not at peace.  Our wrath or anger comes from deep within and is usually selfish.  Think of a time when you were last mad about something.  What was going through your mind?  Often times it can simply be the fact that we didn’t get our way.  We wanted something and it didn’t happen the way we expected so we let that person have it.    We can get all bent out of shape and if we are not careful pride can get in the way and do more damage.

We used to tell our children that when their buttons were being pushed and they wanted to get mad at that other person that they were to count to 10.  Joshua, being our thinker, told us that that doesn’t work.  I told him count to whatever number it takes to think through your next move.   Sometimes, we as supposedly mature adults are no better than children when it comes to this topic.  Anger can get the better of us and then we have to do some damage control to sort it all out.  Eating humble pie is not a nice experience.

James goes onto say that anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.  What does righteousness mean?  Man’s condition that is acceptable to God.  It means living in a way that is right in God’s eyes both in thought and in deed.

So how do we do that practically, well look at the next verse.  James tells us to put away all filthiness.  When we look at what that word means it is not attractive at all.  On a recent visit to a farm there was a large pig in its enclosure lying in the muck and it looked very comfortable.  However, for those of us looking on there was no way we were going to climb over the fenced enclosure and join her.  Our clothes would have been ruined beyond measure not to mention the foul smell that came with it.  Filthiness is not attractive and James tells us to get rid of it.  What is filthy in our lives that we need to dispose of?  Have we been rolling around in the muck like the pig and need to take of those dirty “clothes” and throw them away?

Along with filthiness we are to get rid of rampant wickedness.  This is wickedness that just overflows.  I liken it to the story of Lot in the City of Sodom.  In Genesis 13:13 it says that “Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord”.  Any of us that know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah will know some of the evil things that took place there.  The wickedness was so intolerable in that place that God destroyed it.  One of the amazing things about this story is in Genesis 19:15ff.  Despite the evil that prevailed in that place Lot was in no rush to leave.  It says in v16 “But he lingered…..” and the angels had to drag him and his family from that place.  This is a warning that we don’t make excuses for our sins and become comfortable with them.  It not only affects us but those closest to us also.  Later in the story of Lot we see how far the sin of Sodom influenced his children. 

So, let us go back to James.  We are to get rid of filthiness and wickedness and we are to have God’s Word implanted in us.  The foul smelling sin of our lives needs to be removed and replaced with God’s Word.  The reason for this is that it saves our soul.  There is life giving words in the Bible.  Psalm 119:11 says “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”.  It is not just enough to get rid of the sin.  We need to replace it with the Word of God.  John 8:32 says “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”.  All of us need that in a world that is compromised by sin.

Let us go back to our friend Lot.  Now Lot was Abraham’s nephew.  I am sure Abraham and Lot had many a conversation during their time together of the things of God.  Stories were a sure way of passing information down the family line.  However, it is amazing that we can hear about the things of God and yet still get it very wrong.  James instructs us in 1:22 that we are to be doers of the Word and not just hearers.  James likens it to a man looking in a mirror and then walking away and forgets what he looks like.  We need to do the same with the Word of God.  We need to use it as a mirror to our lives.  Some of us spend a lot of time in front of the mirror making sure our hair is right and making sure everything else is in its right place before we walk out the door.  However, we are not always enthusiastic in looking in the mirror of God’s Word.  We don’t like to be corrected.  It can rub us the wrong way.  However, God is saying in these verses that we need to be acting upon His Word and it is not enough just to listen.  It is helpful to be asking the practical questions.  How can I be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to become angry today? What do I need to change in order to be a doer and not just a hearer?  Not only do we not want to be deceived by being only hearers but James says there is blessing if we do put God’s Word into practice.  We need to persevere in being doers of the Word.

He commends us in the last verse of chapter 1 that if we think we are religious but our tongues run wild then we need to think again.  However, we will talk about that more when we get to chapter 3.  James says we deceive ourselves and we are wasting our time being religious.   Religion that God deems worthy is one that is active.  It is interesting to note that James says that we are to be mindful of the orphans and widows in James 1:27 and then in Galatians 2:10 James, Peter and John instruct Paul and Barnabas to continue to remember the poor.  There appears to be a theme here with James.   He commends us to put our faith into action.

Digging Deeper - James 1:19-27

*Read through James 1:19-27
*James exhorts us to be quick to listen and slow to speak.  However, at times we get it round the    wrong way.  Think of a time when you were quick to speak and slow to listen.  What was the outcome?  How could applying James 1:19 have changed the situation?
*James warns us about anger. Again, think of a time where anger got the best of you.  How could you do it differently in the future?
*Consider carefully v22-25.  Are you someone who is a doer of the Word or just a listener?  What practical steps do you need to take to become more of a doer?  How does this relate to v26-27?
*Reflect on Proverbs 16:23, 32; 14:29, 19:11  Ephesians 4:32

Trials and temptations are inevitable

James 1:1-18

James writes his letter to the twelve tribes scattered around the world.  He is writing in a time when the Jews had been and were experiencing difficult times.  If you turn to the book of Acts chapters 7 and 8 you will read about some of the persecution that the Jewish Christians faced.  However, the persecution was not in vain as we read in Acts 8:4-8.  The people might have scattered but that was not all that was scattered.  The Word was preached wherever the believers went and people experienced healings and miracles.  Not only that but in v8 it says that there was great joy in that city.  The question is would the believers have voluntarily left their homes and lives to share the Good News if persecution hadn’t come.  It is interesting to note that the fastest growing church in the world today is the persecuted church.  That is something to think about in a day and age whereby comfort and a life of ease are strongly sought after.

 So James begins and ends this book on the issue of trials.  I am sure all of us reading 1:2 would not automatically think of putting trials and joy in the same sentence.  Thankfully the verse continues as to why we should consider it pure joy.  There is something bigger at stake.  James wants us to persevere and for that to happen we need to have our faith tested.  He goes on in v4 to say that perseverance is a catalyst for us becoming mature and not lacking anything. 

 

For those who have children or have been in a car with children on a long journey I am sure you have heard the phrase “…are we nearly there yet?”  Depending on the age of the children this can happen as early as just five minutes into the journey.  These words can be a bit foreboding for a parent who knows there are seven more hours of the journey left.  However, the journey is all part of the experience.  When we get to our final destination and see what is before us we look back and say the journey was worth it.  James is saying that the journey of trials has a purpose.  That if we follow through and remain steadfast there is a reward at the end.  Many of us have experienced people who are mature in the faith.  They are people that we gravitate towards; however, if you know even a part of the person’s journey in getting there you will probably find that it wasn’t an easy one.  There were some challenges along the way.  Charles Spurgeon once said that trials are God’s school for us.  It is where we learn the most.  Trials are not easy especially if the journey is long however it can be a comfort to us to know that these trials are not wasted.  They can be used for our good, so not only that we might be people that persevere in our faith and grow mature but that we can be a witness to those around us.

 
In some of the cultures we live in today asking for help is seen as a weakness.  The media promotes self -reliance and a mentality of being able to go it alone.  However, this is opposite to the teaching we find in the Bible.  God made us for relationships and for living in community.  However, that is a thought for another day.  James encourages us in verse 5 to ask God for wisdom because God is in the business of giving and it says He will give generously without finding fault.  Often times I wonder if we struggle unnecessarily because we have not asked God.  However there is a condition attached and that is that we should not doubt but believe.  James is a helpful writer for all of us who are visual learners.  I am sure most of us have seen waves of the sea or a rushing river as the water is tossed to and fro. I remember it first hand when I did white water rafting down the River Nile.  I was tossed out the boat more times than I could remember.  I was at the mercy of this raging river.  That is a picture of how we are if we doubt.  We go back and forward and James calls a person like this unstable in all the things he does. 

In addition to this when looking at a visual of an angry sea where waves are in turmoil there is no peace to be found.  I wonder, when looking at this verse, whether we forfeit peace in our lives because we do not ask God for wisdom.  This is something to ponder on.

The world teaches us that we need to be striving for bigger and better.  However, James has a different message.  He reminds the believers that their value is not in what they have but who they are in God’s eyes.  God’s value system is very different from the worlds and we need to be careful as to what we put our security in.  James is not condemning the rich but cautioning them in their rich estate.  James describes the life of a rich person as to that of a flower that blossoms for a while and then fades forever.  When the intense heat of a trial comes what is going to get us through? Is our security in the material or the eternal?

 One thing we need to understand is that trials and testing’s are different.  Trials and tests are allowed by God but God never tempts.  Temptations are not bad in of themselves but what do we do with temptation?  Do we feed the temptation so we then give in to it or do we starve the temptation and let it die a death?  The choice is for us to make.  Notice in verse 15 there is a process.  James uses the word “conceive” here.  When temptation and desire join together there is sin.  We can be tempted and not sin but we can be tempted and act on the desire and then we fall.  Sin leads to death if it is not dealt with.  What temptations are we facing today?  What are we doing with them?

Chuck Missler, an author and Bible teacher, says when things are going wrong, people are hurting you and an adversity comes your way -            HAVE YOUR QUIET TIME!  In other words draw close to God in these moments; it can keep you out of trouble.

James tells us not to be deceived or be misled.  We would do well to remember that God is good all the time and no evil comes from God.  Evil comes from Satan.  God is a god who doesn’t change.  Hebrews 13:8 says “He is the same yesterday, today and forever”.  We are the peak of His creation; everything else that He has created is under us. How amazing is that.

Further reading on the issue of temptations and trials

Matthew 4:1-11
Matthew 26:36-46
Hebrews 4: 14-16
Ephesians 4:20-24
Galatians 5: 16-17, 22-25
James 1:22
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
Colossians 3:2,16

Digging Deeper - James 1: 1-18

* Read through James 1:1-18
*How is it possible to have joy during trials?
*What is the difference between a trial and a temptation?
*What is the crown of life that James is talking about in 1:12?
*What was significant for you in this section of James this week?  Does it require an action by you?  If so what is it?

Last but not least I am happy to hear from you....what nugget(s) of gold did you find?

A Journey Through the Book of James - Introducing Camel Knees

 

Check out that knee!!!

Many of you will have seen a camel either in a book or in real life.  They are interesting animals but one thing that is not attractive about them is their knees.  They are knobbly and calloused.  On a trip to Dubai a number of years ago Zara and I had a ride on a camel.  The only way to get up on a camel is for it to lie down and then you can hop up on its back.  In order for it to lie down the camel leans forward and kneels down which at this point you think you are going to go straight over the camels head. 

Now you might be wondering what a camel has got to do with the Book of James.  Let me tell you.  It is believed by some scholars that James had a nickname and that name was Camel Knees.  He spent a lot of time on his knees praying and had callouses like a camel.  I wonder, even symbolically, if we can claim that.

So now we know his nickname we need to know who James is.  If any of you have read your Bible you will know that there is more than one James mentioned.  However, most scholars would say that the James we are talking about is the half-brother of Jesus.  Can you imagine growing up with Jesus being your half-brother?  Wow that would be an interesting childhood not to mention adolescence.  However, the interesting thing is that James did not become a believer until after the resurrection of Christ.  Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins and who rose again, which was prophesied in the OT, was not truly known by his half-brother.  Sometimes the truth can be staring us right in the face and we don’t see it.  This should serve as a warning to us all that we can know the Scriptures like James did but still not be saved.  Knowledge does not save us but a personal relationship with Christ and accepting all that He has done for us. 

James did not introduce himself in this letter as we might have thought.  Instead of saying I am James, the half-brother of Jesus, the Messiah, so you better listen to me.  He, instead, said “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”.  Some of your versions might even say “bond servant”  I am sure that is not how any of us would like to introduce ourselves  when writing a book, if we were brutally honest.

So you might be thinking what is a bondservant? Well, a bondservant  is a slave.  It is someone who follows their master with complete disregard for their own will, emotions and desires.  Wow that is quite the commitment.

So in context of how James put it what does it mean?   How can we be bond-servants and do we want to be bond-servants of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ?

None of us can be perfect this side of Heaven and God is not asking us to be.  It is beyond our ability to be perfect.  However, it does mean that God should come first above our own will and desires.  It means that we humble ourselves before God and seek His will above our own.  It is our responsibility to know what pleases our Master and we do this by studying His Word and communicating with Him through prayer.

In a bond-servant and Master relationship the Master also had responsibilities.  He had a responsibility to care for the servants needs.  This was a two way relationship.  The relationship that we have, as believers, with God is also two way.  One of the names by which God is described is Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides.  I am sure many of you reading this can attest to the goodness of God at different points in their lives whereby God has met both small and big needs.

So, welcome to the first part of our journey through James.  There will be lots for us to get our teeth into as we work our way through.  The great thing about the Book of James is that we don’t have to second guess what he is talking about.  He just gives it to us straight.  I am excited about what I am going to learn through the time in James and I hope you are too. Enjoy the journey.