The Book Of James Pt. 32 Review of James 1 & 2

The apostle James has taught us some wonderful truths. 

James 1 Review. 

Joy while enduring trials, testing and troubles.

James 1:2-6  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3)  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4)  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5)  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6)  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 

In James 1, we learned that believers in Christ should rejoice when we have our faith tested or when we go through a trial. 

Trials and tests are good gifts from God to mature and strengthen our faith.

We learned to ask for wisdom from the Father because He is ready to give it to us when we ask, and He will give it liberally. 

James also addressed the issue of believers who were blaming God for their sins. He made it very clear that this is a grievous sin and that God will never tempt anyone to sin. 

God always gives good and perfect gifts.

James 1:17-18  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18)  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Then, we learned that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights and that we are born again through the power of the scriptures and the mighty ministry of God's Spirit. 

Be slow to speak in a culture of unruly speech. 

James 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 

We learned that God saved us in order to change us into the image of Jesus Christ. Therefore, God's Word must have a direct impact upon how we live and the choices we make. 

Thus, the apostle urges us to be slow to speak in the midst of a people who think they must blurt out their opinion on everything. We must think, speak and act like a child of God, not a child of the Devil.

Those who hear and heed the Word are true Christians. 

James 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

We learned that we cannot be mere hearers of the word, but we must be transformed into being doers of it. We must live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).

James 1:26-27  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27)  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

A person who is truly born again is going to have a tongue governed by the Spirit of God and is going to have evidence of a changed life. 

James 2 Review.

The sin of partiality & prejudice 

James 2:1-4  My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2)  For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3)  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4)  Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 

The apostle James taught us about the sin of showing preference or being partial to people based upon their wealth, status or attire. 

The sin of partiality includes being prejudiced against certain people based upon race, ethnicity or status. 

Thus, this is a sin that each generation of Christians must guard against. 

Faith without works is dead faith.

James 2:14-18  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15)  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16)  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17)  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18)  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 

We also learned that faith without works is dead faith. 

Any person can make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, but if there is no evidence of new life, no good works or fruit of the Spirit in their conduct, then it is a false profession of faith.

True faith in Christ always produces the fruit of the Spirit of God in us (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Saving faith in Christ always has evidence of old things passing away, and of all things being made new, followed by walking in newness of life (See 2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:4). 

I hope this brief review helps us keep the major points of emphasis from the apostle James, before us. 

I plan on posting another review of chapters 2-4 when we complete James 4. 

My Pastor, Pastor Alvis, is very good at incorporating reviews like this to help us remember truth. 

May God bless us with understanding and retention of His truth as we read it, study it and review it. 

Bob