James 2 Real Faith will make us Doers of the Word.

James 2

Real Faith will make us Doers of the Word

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Review of James 1• Single minded believers know

that God is involved in their lives and trust Him

• God uses trials to turn us into His children– Thank God for His work– Don’t blame Him for your temptations

• God’s children are doers of the word – not just hearers

Basic intent of James’ Letter

If we trust God’s involvement in our life, we will have a spiritual mind that allows us to live as

members of God’s family both now and forever.

James 2-5 deals with issues stated in James 1

2:1 Partiality (1:17)

2:14 Doer of the word (1:22)

3:5 Tongue (1:26)

3:13 Wisdom (1:5)

4:1 Fighting & wars (1:20)

4:10 Humble yourselves (1:21)

4:13 - 5:6 Rich & their pursuits (1:10)

5:7 Patience (1:19) slow to hear, speak, wrath

5:13 Help sick (1:27) widows & orphans

These are specific

examples of the problem

James is dealing with

The Test to see if you are a Doer

of the word

• Doers don’t show favoritism (prejudice) caused by evil thoughts which lead us to misjudge others (2-13)

• Doers have an active faith expressed in works of faith (14-26)

The Lord of glory (v.1)1 Corinthians 2:7-8

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

This may reflect back on “Father of lights” (1:17) – no variation or shadow of turning –

He shows no partiality, but welcomes all into His family!

One star differs from another in glory (1Cor 15:41)

Showing Partiality (Favoritism)

• Based on outward appearance

• Pay special attention (notice certain people)

• Give special treatment (seats)

“become judges with evil thoughts” (2:4)

Note: not “judges of evil thoughts” (KJV)

God doesn’t show favoritism! Neither should his children

• 1:17 Father of lights – no shadow due to turning• 1 Tim 2:4 Desires ALL men to be saved

– 2:5 there is one God and one mediator

• God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; 1 Pet 1:17)

I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with

partiality. (1 Tim 5:21)

1) Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith

Tanzania, Africa

heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

2) Look at the behavior of the rich

• Oppress believers

• Drag them into court

• Blaspheme the Lord’s name

How could believers show favoritism to people like this?

• James knew his readers would try to justify their preferred treatment of the rich using their Bibles!

• Lev 19:18 “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”

• So he develops the need to aim at keeping all God’s principles, not just a limited application of some.

If you really fulfill…

Even the Law condemned Partiality

(just 3 verses earlier!)

Leviticus 19:15'You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.

'Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. (NIV)

The Thinking of Judaism

• Keeping the law is the way for me to earn my salvation

• I can’t keep the whole law

• So I’ll rank the laws and keep some of them (those that are easier for me!)

• Then I’ll stress the laws that I keep

The law condemned those who could not keep it all

Deuteronomy 27:26'Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'

Gal 5:3 And I testify again to every man who becomes

circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.

Why bring up adultery & murder as the two examples (v.11)

Reminds them of King David

God knows the thoughts & intents of our hearts!

Our Favoritisms today• Dress

• Cars

• Skin color

• Country

• Ecclesia

• Family name

• Wealth

• Gender

• Education

• Age

• Bible version

• Yahweh name

When we judge one another today along these lines, instead of

appreciating their love for God, we are no different than the people to

whom James wrote

Mercy Triumphs

over Judgment!• we hope to be judged by the

Law of Liberty (sets us free from sin)– Our own fate hinges on God’s mercy!

• If we don’t show mercy now to each other, God will not show it to us

Not an excuse to live in sin or be tolerant of sin

Remember Joseph’s Example!

Don’t sit around and wait for others to

ask for forgiveness – offer it willingly!!!

It’s so hard to do even his brothers didn’t really think Joseph had really forgiven them from the

heart! (Gen 50:14-21)

Genesis 50:14-21 (17 years passed)

14 And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father.

15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him."

16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying,

17 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

Genesis 50:14-21 (17 years passed)18 Then his brothers also went and fell down before his

face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants."19 Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the

place of God?20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God

meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

21 "Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

If we really believe God is involved in our trials, we will respond the

right wayIt’s hard to do ourselves, and even

harder to realize others actually do it!

Forgiveness is not something we do for other people.

We do it for ourselves - to get well and move on!

A different perspective…

Verses 14-26

Doers of the word have an active Faith that is

evident by works of Faith

Faith without works is Dead

“Depart in peace, be warmed

and filled!”

Can this kind of faith save us?

Faith without works is Dead

Like a tree with no fruit

Has a form of godliness, but

denies the power (2 Tim

3:5)

James 2:15-18 (NASB) 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so [that] faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But (back to v.16) someone (like James) may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (note the quotes should be at the end!)

I will show my faith by my works

Even Demons believe in one God

But this doesn’t generate any works of

faith

Legion

Demoniacs may be able to recite the

correct answers in baptism interviews

Abraham was justified by works

Faith was working together with his works & his faith was made perfect

by his works

And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed

God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. (23)

Abraham the sinner was justified by faith; Abraham the saint was justified by works –

John Thomas (from John Carter’s book on Romans where he loosely quotes an article from 1904 Christadelphian Vol 41, pg

2)

The Friend of God2Chr 20:7 "Are You not our God, who

drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?

Isa 41:8 "But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend.

In Gen 18:17, God could not hide the destruction of Sodom from

Abraham

Hebrew word “friend” is actually “love”, as in “your only son Isaac whom you

love” (Gen 22:2)

Man is justified by works, and not by faith only (24)

Joshua had faith, and then worked to take the land

Rahab was justified by works

Works of Faith – not works of Law

The 3 Examples of James 2

Rahab (Gentile harlot): justified by works of faith

David (Jews’ great king): could not be justified by Law

Abraham (father of Jews): justified by works of faith

The body without the

spirit is dead

So faith without works is dead

also!

Next ClassDoers let the

implanted word control their tongues

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