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Lesson 4

Discipleship That Works

James 2:14-26

June 21, 2015

Where are they now? That is the question I have asked myself many times over the years. I have wondered what has happened to all of the people who have come forward during a concert, revival or at the end of a regular service saying that they have committed their lives to Christ. We can probably list on one hand the number of those who are still involved in church today. Why is it that so many of those who have said they want to be Christians have not followed through on that decision? One of the reasons, possibly, is we who call ourselves disciples and followers of Christ are not obedient to the most important commandments He gave to us. We do not make an effort to help them grow. We applaud the decision and then allow them to wander off into a wilderness that is hostile to babies in the faith and they get swallowed up by what the world has to offer in place of a true relationship with Christ.

In my mind works is about accountability. I am to be obedient to carrying through on my faith in obedience to Christ. It is my responsibility not just to say I believe and have faith but also, to show the world that it is genuine. I am to be involved in the ministries that have a real impact on those around me. There are many needs among those each of us know. They must be addressed. It is easy to talk a good talk. It is just as important to make sure the needy in our church are not neglected.

Our vision statement says that we are to make disciples who make disciples. It is important that each of us understands what makes a person a disciple. All too often we stop at the point of a person becoming a member of the church. To be a disciple goes well beyond just having one’s name on a church roll somewhere. It means that a process has begun that will last for a lifetime that brings about a complete transformation to a person’s life. One of the shortcomings of the church over the last two generations is the failure to make true Disciples of Christ. The end result that the church has become ingrown and anemic.

To grow as a dynamic church each person who calls him or herself a Christian has two responsibilities. The first is to be true to Christ in our own lives obeying Him in every facet of our being. The second is to take care of the spiritual and physical needs of others. Since we have not accomplished these two things very well it is about time that we become serious about becoming a church who reflects Christ to the world. When we unleash His power into our own lives and then help others to become true disciples we can truly impact the world. We would hope that the letter James wrote would not apply to us. There is a direct correlation between discipleship and works. Although James does not use the word disciple we can still see if his letter is not descriptive of what one should look like. James used negatives to get his point across because that was the place the people seemed to be in their relationship to others.

James 2:14

One of the commentators cleared up the relationship between Paul’s emphasis on faith and James’ on works. Paul was dealing with those who were new in the faith and needed to understand that their old ways of living according to the Law would never bring them into the correct relationship with Christ. James on the other hand was writing to those who had been Christians for a while and needed a refresher course on how they were to live. James wanted to know why they were only carrying out part of what it meant to be a follower of Christ. It is important to note that neither one saying he has faith or one who had works alone as his guiding principle was necessarily saved. True faith would lead to a life of obedience to Christ who served all mankind.

1. Why did Paul place so much emphasis on faith in his writings? (He was dealing with those who had put too much emphasis on traditions and works to save them.
2. What can we learn from James’ opening statement? (Salvation only comes from God and not according to what man can do.)
3. Who was James’ audience? (Scattered Christians.)
4. What does true faith do in a person’s life? (Gives him the desire to serve others in a real way.)

James 2:15-17

To get his point across James gave a real life situation and then asked how the church would handle it. He wanted to know if it was enough just to wish someone peace and wellbeing who needed food and clothing without really providing for those needs. Did that kind of action benefit anyone? With great emphasis he stated that kind of faith is dead. It did not follow the teachings of Jesus in any way.

1. How are we expected to handle a situation when someone has a genuine need?
2. Where should that kind of treatment of others begin? (Within the body of Christ.)
3. What kind of attitude does such neglect for others show? (We are not being obedient to the teachings of Christ.)
4. What are some real life needs you see in the church family that need to be addressed?
5. How can we go about doing what is Christ like?

James 2:18

There was a real issue concerning the whole idea of works and faith. There were those who put works above faith. Some said the only way to legitimize one’s faith was to keep all of the Jewish Laws including circumcision. Others said that all was needed was grace. Grace was the key that only could be given by God and received by a person to gain salvation. Genuine faith is then revealed in the works that are done for others. In a way it could be said that there is a danger of lazy faith that supposedly accepts the grace of God but does not give back to Him in thanksgiving for what He has done. There is one other thought that should be shared. Works must not just be activities but service that truly impacts and encourages others.

1. What was one of the issues the early church faced? (See Acts 15)
2. What is an example of faith without meaningful works? (See Acts 5:1-11)
3. Why was this a picture of lack of true faith, as James would describe it? (The husband and wife were looking out for their own self-interest.)
4. Why did both sides in verse 19 miss the point? (Salvation is the result of God’s grace not works, but works are to follow the receiving of the gift.)
5. What care do we need to take in regards to the whole idea of works? (They are to be for the benefit of the recipient and not just activities.)
6. What do you consider activities that may not meet the above criteria?

James 2:19-20

The point James made here can fit today’s society. Statistics show that a vast majority of people in this country say they believe in God, but immorality, selfishness and crime are rampant in every corner of the nation. Such faith is meaningless because their lives do not reflect the belief they claim. Even the devil and his minions believe. They understand the judgment that is coming to them because they are not willing to surrender their lives to God and therefore are terrified. Sadly those who hold to a nebulous belief in God believe they are all right and have nothing to worry about. The faith of both those who believe without works and that of the devil benefits no one.

1. How is the faith that James speaks about here reflective of our nation today?
2. How does the faith held by many differ from that of the devil? (He knows of the terrible judgment is coming to him while so many live in a delusionary world and believe there is no final judgment.)
3. How is your faith different from either of these beings?
4. In what ways has your faith helped others grow as disciples?
5. If not, how will you go about changing the way you have been working for Christ?

James 2:21-23

Again Paul and James started at two points in Abraham’s life. While Paul spoke of the time of Abraham’s justification by faith prior to the birth of Ishmael fifteen years prior to the birth of Isaac. The event spoken about by James came when Isaac was a young man. Abraham had been growing in faith from the initial promise of God. It culminated in the offering up of his son of promise. James viewed the event as Abraham being justified by his works that came after years of learning to trust God and obeying His commands. He did refer back to the same Scripture Paul used out of Genesis 15:6. The man’s works were a result of his faith commitment.

1. How did Paul and James differ in their use of Gen. 15:6? (One spoke of the beginning of Abraham’s faith journey. James wrote of the discipleship progress that brought him to having enough faith to offer up Isaac.)
2. In what ways did the not differ? (Both believed that he was justified by faith.)
3. What does this example mean to us? (Faith is a beginning point in our lives but to have meaning it must grow.)
4. Why was Abraham willing to offer up his son? (He believed that God would raise him from the dead because he was the child of promise.)

James 2:24

James summarized his believes by stating once again that faith and works are tied together in such a way that they could not be separated. It took works based on faith that showed the true nature of man.

James 2:25

He then wrote of the incident involving Rahab, the harlot living in Jericho, as one who was justified by the works she had done. She was willing to risk her own life and that of her family by hiding the spies sent from the Israelites and sending them safely back to their people. Having heard the stories of how God had worked in the lives of the Israelites that she could put her trust in Him.

1. What brought Rahab to the point of helping the spies? (She had heard what God had done for the Israelites from the time they came out of Egypt until that very moment)
2. How did she display her faith in the God of Israel?
3. What did it mean for her, if she was wrong? (Surely she would face death either at the hands of the Israelites or her own people.)
4. What do you think you would have done under the same kind of circumstances?
5. What was the result of her faith? (She married Salmon an ancestor of Jesus.)
6. What are you willing to give up to have that kind of faith?

James 2:26

His final argument is an equation. A body without a spirit is dead equals faith without works. In both cases there is no life either physical or spiritual.

1. What do you think of James’ reasoning?
2. How would you say the same thing in your own words?
3. What example can you think of from the life of Jesus that might show the same results? (Cursing of the fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22)
4. What are the works that truly show the world that you are bearing fruit in your life?

• Don’t take the gift of salvation as a license to do nothing else in your life for the church.
• Discover what spiritual gifts, passions, abilities and experience God has given you and use them for His glory.
• Understand that true discipleship is learning what it is to be a true follower of Christ and guiding and encouraging others to take the same path.
• Do all within your power to help those in difficult situations.
• Remember that faith and good works go hand in hand in our relationship with Christ.
• Determine for yourself what are activities as opposed to true ministries.

It cannot be emphasized enough that Christ expects each of us to become disciples. The importance to Him was spelled out for all who followed Him in the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-19. Disciples were to make disciples who were to act like Jesus. Disciples were to be baptized in His name and taught all that God had provided for them in His word. James was right in saying that those who understood the message were to take care of God’s family without partiality or neglect. The church is to treat all equally. They are also to provide for those who are not able to provide for themselves. James list included the poor, widows, orphans, the hungry and the naked. Our list may include anyone lacking the very necessities of life. If we have any doubt that what James wrote was out of line with the teachings of Jesus all we have to do is go to Matthew 25 for our answer. Two ministries that Bethany Place is doing that is line with James are the Backpack Buddies and the Good News Clubs. Both of these involve those within the body reaching outside the church walls to impact a hurting world. May our focus be on others always and not ourselves.

Lesson 3

No Place for Favoritism

James 2:1-13

June 13, 2015

Have you ever felt like Les Wolfeson in “Funky Winkerbean” or Charlie Brown in “Peanuts?” Neither of them ever gets any respect because they have the right stuff according to the world to be popular. Charlie Brown expresses what so many feel today when he utters his famous “Good grief.” One of the things that has disturbed me as far back as I can remember is favoritism. It has always seemed unfair, although accepted, for one group of people to be viewed as better than others. I guess one reason it has affected me is that quite often I have felt as if I was the odd man out. One example that sticks in my mind took place after my family had moved to North Carolina for about three years. Moving back to Richmond as I began attending high school , I found that those who had been my friends during elementary school had moved on and had formed their own groups who were part of their lives. During my high school years I was never ever able to reestablish those relationships. Many of them by that time were in the Cadet Corps, on sport teams or involved in school activities. I was just a stranger coming into a new environment just wanting to fit in. On my part I had to make new friends who were also considered outsiders even though many had grown up with the in crowd.

Even at church there were the popular kids who had no time for someone like me who they did not know. I can remember going to youth parties and spending the whole evening by myself. From what I have said it might appear that I am critical of those people. That is not the case. As an adult some of those same people have to come to respect me. I have learned a very important lesson from all of this. Even though, I may have been rejected by all others, I know with full assurance that Jesus loves me. I will never be left out of his group.

In a way the church is quite often guilty of the kind of behavior described above. I have seen youth groups so full of cliques that new people have not been able to break into them. All too often the ones left out eventually drifted away and sadly no one even knew they were gone. Those who were accepted were friends from school, were talented or had an overwhelming personality. The quiet ones, the unattractive or those who were the studious types may as well have been from another planet.

Adults quite often act no better. Many times the leadership is chosen from those who are successful in business who are outgoing or belong to the right group. There is little or no determination given whether they have the spiritual qualities to be a leader. They tend to gather around themselves and give support to those who are just like them. Jesus of course gave us the example of choosing those He wanted to be with Him, to learn from Him and be entrusted to carry out His work when He went home to be with His Father. Probably many churches would never select the type of men He did to be part of a leadership team in their midst. They were the most diverse group of outsiders that anyone could ever choose. Not one of them would have qualified to be a religious leader of his day. There is a danger that the ones we reject may be the very one that God has sent our way to provide a totally different perspective on our service to Him.

James 2:1

The faith man has in Jesus Christ makes each person equal with another in the eyes of God. There is no partiality with Him and He expects His church to have the same mindset to treat each person as equal. To promote another person as on a different level than others is to border on idolatry. It is the exalting one man above another. In other words showing a favoritism that is not Christ-like. One man is not to have undue influence over others.

1. What is our relationship with Christ to show us about how we look at others?
2. Why is it wrong for a man or group of men to have too much influence or power in the body of believers?
3. Why did I use the word idolatry in my comments?
4. How do we prevent favoritism from taking place in our midst?

James 2:2-4

James provides two examples of how the attitude of favoritism might work its way into the church. He first spoke of a man who came into the service with all of his wealth on display. He was dressed in the finest of clothing and was laden with gold rings on his fingers.

In contrast to the display of wealth another man entered who was obviously very poor. His clothing was shabby.

The treatment of the two men could not have been any different. The rich man was given the special treatment and a place to sit. Most likely he was seated where he would be the most visible to all who were there. On the other hand, the poor man was told to fend for himself and find a place to sit wherever there might be room even if it meant sitting on the floor. To make such a distinction between people that influences our behavior is wrong.

1. Why did James provide such a sharp contrast in describing the two men? (Extremes are often the means to setting up the point of the story. If the men were somewhat closer in status the people would have hardly noticed.)
2. How might we describe the different types of people who come into the church today?
3. How do we treat them differently?
4. What had James done up to this point? (Pointed out the obvious differences between different classes of people and how they are treated.)
5. How does this kind of favoritism play out in our churches today.)

James 2:5-7

The point James was trying to make was the way they were looking at people and the way God saw them was very different. Although poverty in itself does not give a person a greater status in eyes of God generally it was the poor who filled the churches of the day. They had so much more to gain by their willingness to accept the teachings of Jesus. They saw that God saw them as valuable and they could become fellow heirs in His kingdom. God offered them what they had never had before, worth as a human being. On the other hand, James noted that the people were dishonoring the poorer members of the church and giving honor to the very ones who had and were oppressing them.

The last point to be made before moving on to the way the people should act was the attitude of the rich. There would be every reason for them to demean those who had received a freedom because of their position in Christ. No longer would the Christian have to fear what their masters could do to them. Of course it would have caused the masters to do everything to keep the people under control even if it meant blaspheming God.

1. How does God view all men?
2. In what ways did becoming a Christian do more the down trodden and poor than the rich and powerful?
3. Why is it easier for the poor to accept Christ?
4. If God sees man as equal before Him what should be our attitude and behavior toward those God brings into our presence?
5. Why do the elite and rich behave the way they do? (It is their means to keep everyone under control)
6. Why do we ultimately not have to worry about their behavior?

James 2:8-11

According to James and others the main thrust of the Law of Liberty of man’s relationship to others was, “To love your neighbor as yourself.” When a man set one man above another person he was violating this summary of the Law and committing sin. To commit sin is put oneself in the camp of the transgressors and therefore in line for judgment.

Evidently there were those who did not believe that such a minor lifestyle would cause spiritual death. James wanted to make sure they understood what made a person a sinner and thus condemned. In his mind there was no degree of sin. He wrote that to break one point of the law made a person a law-breaker even if he or she kept every other commandment.

1. In James’ mind what was the royal law? (Love neighbor as oneself)
2. Why was playing favoritism violating this law? (Because you did not love everyone equally and would favor one person over the other. It would cause a person to serve a different master so to speak.)
3. How do we violate the Law of God? (By committing any act or having any thought that rebels God’s standards given in His word.)
4. Who according to that criteria is a sinner?
5. How does these verses leave a man in a hopeless condition? (No one can keep every facet of the Law)
6. How do we deal with this issue? (Teaching by grace man can find forgiveness and salvation even though we cannot keep the law perfectly.)

James 2:12-13

To act contrary to the Royal Law was to bring judgment. James saw that to act that way was to behave as one without mercy. To treatment people unequally was to have disregard for their needs, spiritual and physical. Those who violated God’s laws regarding relationships would be judged accordingly. There was hope however. To love one’s neighbor would bring God’s mercy upon and individual instead of judgment. Man’s attitude and behavior does matter in how God views him.

1. What can a person expect if he has no love for his neighbor? (Judgment)
2. What does the word mercy mean? (Treating a person with kindness even if he does not deserve to receive such treatment. Man only deserves death and judgment but God gives us grace instead.)
3. What did James see as a lack of mercy on a person’s part? (Not treating a person with fairness and equality as a child of God.)
4. What can a person expect who shows no mercy?
5. How can one avoid judgment? (By living according to the royal law that can only come when a person loves God with his heart, soul and mind.)
6. Why does God treat us with mercy rather than judgment?

• Even though those who attend Bethany Place may not be like you in many ways, work at loving them as Christ loves them.
• Work at eliminating favoritism from the church
• When the opportunity comes to choose new leaders make sure that you want them in those positions because of their qualifications and not popularity.
• Understand that it is only because of what God is doing in your life and the lives of others that you are part of His eternal family and not that you have not done anything on your own.
• Pray that God will remove any prejudices from your heart that will keep you from having true fellowship with others.
• Know and understand that none of us are perfect. By breaking even the minutest part of the law that you are a sinner in need of grace and mercy like every other person.

James gives some valid information in these verses. As difficult as it may be, there is to be no favoritism and snobbish behavior in the church. To do so destroys the very fellowship we hope to create. His message is a warning that if we exclude anyone from the opportunity to worship and be discipled by us we could be in danger of receiving the same treatment that we have afforded others. Christ came to save every man. It is our responsibility to not be a roadblock in that relationship. The old saying that the ground at the foot of the cross is level has not changed since Jesus walked this earth. Let each of us do our best to have the mind of Christ in us and welcome every one God sends our way. He has to do a work in all of our hearts. It needs to begin with me.

Lesson 2

After Faith Comes Works

James 1:19-27

June 7, 2015

It is so easy to get our relationship with God twisted. What I mean by that statement has to do with putting a greater emphasis on works than grace. Like many people I have often started my testimony with the thought that I was not ever really a bad person as a kid. To say that means that looking at the way I perceived myself had nothing to do with my spiritual condition but was totally about behavior. When compared with what God wants in our lives, I certainly was not as good as I thought. There is no need to go into detail but my life, like all of our lives, is full of examples of missing the mark. Even after I was saved it took years before I began to understand that my life must reflect what is written in God’s word. The reason that it took so long was that for years I was on cruise control and did not study or even consistently read God’s word. Of course ignorance is no excuse in the eyes of God.

After being out of church for a while, I went totally in the opposite direction. I was involved in enough activities to be away from home almost every night of the week. In my mind all of those activities showed the world what a good church person I was. In reality all I was doing was wearing myself out and my faith took a back seat. It was as the saying goes an inch deep and a mile wide. It was only after the study of God’s word became the driving force in my life did I understand the difference between grace and works.

Churches can certainly get caught up in the same mentality. Some call what they believe as a social ideology. They are so concerned with taking care of society that they forget that the work they do must be as a result of a deep-seated faith. Paul wrote in Colossians that the way to be presented by Jesus blameless before God is to “Continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that your have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven.” (Colossians 1:23) Our works are to be built on that foundation and nothing else. Thom Rainer wrote a book called “Simple Church.” In it he laid out the idea of how a church can resist the temptation of trying to do too much. A body that is too busy can easily find itself burned out. I will speak more of the Simple Church at the end of the lesson.

James 1:19-20

Before James continued on he made a very important point. The people to whom he was writing should have known the things about which he was about to share with them. They were to understand they were to be those who listened more than they spoke. There are exercises that have been held in conferences for a long time to help the participants to learn the art of truly listening. In it a person makes a statement his partner would then be asked to repeat what he had heard. One soon discovered that man’s tendency is to be preparing his answer or stating his ideas before the other person has had a chance to finish. Perhaps the majority of people have played the game of gossip. A word or sentence is started in a circle. By the time it makes it around the circle there is no resemblance to what was initially said.   James said by listening a man will hear new ideas and grow in his understanding of what he is being taught. One of the attributes of an introvert that is to be admired is the way he processes data. Before speaking the introvert will think about what he is going to say before responding.

There were to be two characteristics that each person was to have. It was to be slow in speaking and slow to lose one’s temper. There was no way that one who lost his temper and lashed out at others would be able to please God.

1. What were the brethren to know? (God’s word and how they were to live. See verse 18.)
2. Why is it important to learn the quality of listening?
3. Why did God give man two ears and one mouth?
4. What lessons can we learn from those are introverts?
5. What is the consequence of those who have a quick temper?
6. How do we learn to control our temper?

James 1:21

The believer was to shed any filthiness in his life. It was like one taking off dirty clothes and putting on those that have been washed and are very clean. The term used is derived from the Greek word rupos, which means to have wax in one’s ears. The idea is to remove anything in life that would get in the way of hearing and keeping God’s word. James then gives a warning to not get tangled up in a life of wickedness. Jesus spoke of this in the parable of the soils when he described the seed that was choked out by the thorns. (Matthew 13:7)

After giving the warning James supplied the remedy for overcoming those obstacles in a life. Showing self-control they were to receive the innate or inborn concept of good and evil implanted by God in the human spirit. It is equivalent to the idea of conscience with which each person is born. The word that God has put into a person’s hearts is the source of a man’s salvation.

1. Why did James use the term of shedding all filthiness? (One cannot just put something onto his life without getting rid of what keeps him from being clean.)
2. What does the word rupos mean in your life?
3. What are some of the things you have shed or believe you need to destroy in your life to have the relationship you need to have with Jesus Christ?
4. What are some of the things that can entangle you in a way that you step away from fellowship with God?
5. What has Satan done to make them attractive to us?
6. What do you think James meant by the word implanted? (God has placed a void in our lives that only He can fill with His goodness and understanding of what is right and wrong.)
7. What will be the result of heeding the implanted word?

James 1:22

The purpose of God for every man is to not just make him a life long learner. There are those who continually receive the word and never do any thing with it. The most observable proof of what God has done in life is the service one renders in the name of the Lord. Care must be taken here that what is perceived as service is not for one’s own glory, but is based on the deep-seated faith in Christ Jesus. Man is to serve, but only in the name of his Lord. Not only can those who are content to soak up God’s word live a delusion, but also those who serve to boost their own self worth. Doing must be for the right reasons.

1. What is the misconception under which so many in the church live? (It only the activities in which one participates inside the walls of the church that that have any meaning.)
2. What are some of the activities that are misdirected?
3. What is to be the source of all we do?
4. What difference will that make in the ways we serve?
5. How do we make sure that we are not serving for ourselves and not Christ?

James 1:23-24

Secondly James gave an example of the person who only listens and does nothing. In his day mirrors were made out of polished metal and gave a distorted view at best. A person could look into that type of mirror and not notice the imperfections in his appearance and walk away, either forgetting what he looked like or do anything to correct them. Man may listen to the truth of God’s word for a long time and sees the problems in his life but chooses to remain just as he is. All of his hearing has basically gone to waste.

1. What do you see when you look in the mirror?
2. What do you do about the image you see there?
3. What kind of mirror is James talking about?
4. How do we show that we are a hearer only?
5. What does God really call us to be? (Faithful hearer who then puts the words into practice.)

James 1:25

This is one of the verses that have caused critics of James to question what he meant. It appeared that he was leaning toward the Old Testament picture of adhering to the Levitical law. As a follower of Christ one knows that the only freedom a man has in the teachings of Jesus. There are three possibilities in describing the law of God as fulfilled in Christ. It was:

• It is God’s law
• Perfect and cannot be made better
• Given that those who obey it serve the purposes of God.

The one who continues to study and meditate on that perfect law lives by what he has discovered. He is not a forgetful hearer but one who serves according to that word. That man will find peace and happiness in the things that he does.

1. Why did the critics have trouble with this verse? (It appears that James was leaning towards a faith based on works and following the Law of Moses.)
2. What did he mean by the perfect law of liberty? (Obeying the laws of God as fulfilled by Jesus will bring freedom to a person.)
3. How can we describe the law of God? (They are God’s, perfect and in obeying them one is serving God.)
4. What happens to the person who is truly a hearer of the word?
5. How do you work at being a true hearer of the word?

James 1:26

The worse form of not controlling what is said is to bring disrespect to God. One who thinks that he is religious but whose conversation does not bring glory to God is only deceiving himself in thinking that he has a relationship with Christ.

1. What does it mean to blaspheme God?
2. How do we control what we say?
3. How do we honor God with our conversation?
4. What is one way we deceive ourselves even if a member of a church?
5. What are some examples you have experience when a person has shown who they really are by the way they talk?

James 1:27

According to James one who practices truth faith is the person who provides for the helpless. In his day the most vulnerable in society were the orphans and widows. Neither of those two groups could depend on the government or other entities to provide for them. One of the great testimonies of the church was the way it took care of both the widows and orphans.

James shared one last attribute of a true worshipper. It was to keep oneself separated and unaffected by the ways of the world. It would have included having nothing to do with false gods and keeping oneself morally pure.

1. What are some examples of those for whom the church should provide support both physical and spiritual? (Widows, orphans, single mothers, those who have lost a job etc.)
2. Why has the church not done very well in these areas? (Too much dependence on the government programs.)
3. How do we keep ourselves unstained by the world?
4. Why is this so important in today’s world?
5. How has the world crept into the church? (By our failure to follow James’s instructions.)

• Develop the habit of truly listening with comprehension what is being taught in the church.
• Learn to speak in a way that is edifying to the body and not just talking.
• Put what you have learned into practice by being not just hearers but doers of the word.
• Search the Bible for ways that people have effectively served God.
• Truly look into the mirror to see who you are and then do whatever is in your power to change those areas that need to be addressed.
• Treat those in need in the same way you would want to be treated.

I mentioned in the beginning about the book “Simple Church.” The reason I am returning to it at the close of this lesson is that it has ideas that will help a church be effective in the way it serves its community. It starts by telling us to develop a clear vision. Once that it is done the church should decide the ministries that fit that vision and to focus on them. Too many churches today try to do everything that anyone suggests. The end result, quite often, is the members get burned out and nothing ever really gets done. Our vision for Bethany Place is very clear. It is about making disciples who make disciples. If done correctly, this one idea will affect each of us and the community around us. Disciples then live out the life of which James wrote about. Not do we take care of the way we live but reach out to those in need of what we have to offer.

Lesson 1

Testing or Temptation

James 1:1-18

I do not know about you but I have been tempted far more times than I have been tested. Testing is those external things thrown at us, many over which we have no control. For instance I cannot determine what a person thinks of me when we first meet. Things like diseases, although they are within the body, come upon us because we live in a broken and fallen world. I have been in situations where there has been a personality conflict with someone at work. It may be my doing but quite often, rather than being able to have an open dialogue, the other party just decides that I am not one with whom he or she can work and one of us has to make drastic changes or move on to another position. There has been a few times when my faith has been stretched to the limit because of being put into a situation brought on by the actions of someone I love. The inevitable question that I want to ask is “Why” instead of how God can receive the glory by the way I handle myself. If we are hurt very badly we act out those feelings that do not make us a good witness for Christ.

All of the resources I read in preparing the lesson to follow used Job as a primary example of one who suffered in a way that he did not understand. He had no way of knowing that God was allowing Satan to cause him all kinds of problems. God allowed trials in his life that led Job to have a greater understanding of what He wanted to do in his life.

Acting on temptation is another matter. Although the stimulus for them may be external it is our own desires that if cultivated turn into rebellion against God. The word we all too often ignore calls our thoughts and actions what they truly are sin. I may have mentioned before that I once made a list of the sins I could find in the Bible. I was overwhelmed by the number of instances that are in the pages of the sixty-six books. We hear the advice that we should always be prayed up because temptation and the resulting sin are ever with us.

The church today is facing many challenges. We have seen one of the major issues in our study of the letters of John, Timothy, Titus and Jude. There is so much false teachings prevalent in congregations that those on the inside quite often do not know what to believe. Those holding to the truth have trouble surviving while others that compromise the teachings of the Bible seem to be thriving and growing. It is our calling to stay firm no matter what the world throws at us. We will see how James calls on the church to deal with the trials that face us today.

James 1:1

Although not mentioned in the initial greeting, the vast majority of theologians believe the James of this book was the half-brother of Jesus. He described himself only as a bond-servant, in Greek doulos, of both the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Like so many of the others he considered himself a slave, without rights, and totally committed to God.

The recipients of his letter were probably, what today are called Messianic Jews. They were those who had become believers of Christ as early as Pentecost and taken that new found faith back to the places from which they had travelled to be in Jerusalem to celebrate the feast following fifty days after Passover. Even though they were believers of Christ they maintained their commitment to the traditions and rituals of the Jewish religion. Many believed that James used the term twelve tribes as a picture of the new Israel who, unlike those living under the old covenant, had accepted Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews on the other hand had given up, for a period of time, their rights to be called the chosen people. His salutation was brief indicating that it was a circular letter to be read by many churches unlike the more personal greetings found in the letter of Paul.

1. What did we learn from the opening sentences of James’s letter?
2. Who was the James who is the author?
3. Why did he not explain his relationship with Jesus? (It was not his purpose to claim something that probably would not mean much to the readers of the letter.)
4. What gave him the right to send this letter? (He was considered an apostle and the primary leader of the church in Jerusalem.)

James 1:2-4

Knowing the challenges that the churches were facing he wanted them to have a sense of peace and feel blessed when they were dealing with the trials that were affecting their everyday lives. It would be easier if what was happening was the same thing over and over again. James wrote that they could expect the testing to be diverse and various. In other words they did not know what each new day would bring.

He wanted them to know as they were victorious in each situation, they would have the ability to handle and endure the next one. The steadfastness and living in a constant way in the faith would do three things in the person’s life. God was in the process of developing a man’s character. To do so God would:

• Bring him to the point of maturity or completion. They were to move beyond just knowing the ABC’s of the faith and are ready to teach and lead others.
• Make him complete. It was the process of removing the blemishes from a man’s life and taking away his weaknesses to make him fit to serve God and his fellowman.
• Make sure he was lacking in nothing. There would come a time when he was not deficient in any area of his life and would come closer and closer to being like his Savior and Lord.

1. In what ways do you feel that you have been tested or faced trials in your life?
2. How do you find peace and a blessing in the midst of testing?
3. What is God trying to do by allowing testing in your life?
4. In what ways have you blamed God for the trials that have come to you?
5. Who is really to blame?
6. What is Satan trying to do by bringing trials and testing upon you?
7. How can you defeat the devil?

James 1:5-8

According to James there is no reason that a man should lack wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to take what one has learned and put it to practical use. To get that practical knowledge all a man has to do is ask God and it will be given to him. God will not give a person just a little bit of wisdom, but will give generously and graciously all that a person needs. It is a powerful thing to understand that God will not criticize or rebuke for asking. There are those who will never be wise because they do not believe God will provide wisdom for them. The man who does not believe is like the water driven in all types of directions by the wind never coming to the shore the same way twice. A man who doubts and is inconsistent in his belief cannot expect to receive anything from God.

1. What is wisdom?
2. To whom is it available?
3. How does God act toward the man who seeks wisdom?
4. Who is the man who will not receive wisdom?
5. What is his nature?
6. What will be the results of his life?

James 1:9-11

As in all churches there is a diversity of people. James specifically spoke to two classes of people found in the early church. There would be the poor and throughout the Roman Empire those individuals were also possibly slaves. At the other end of the spectrum there would be those who were wealthy and in many cases slave owners of those in attendance at the church. James indicated they the poor should rejoice in the fact that Jesus had made them people of value and worth. In some cases they may have risen to positions of leadership in the church. On the other hand the rich was to rejoice because he had learned that it was not his wealth that brought him into a relationship with Christ. He had to repent and be forgiven in the same way as the poor. One lesson that the rich and poor alike learned was that the things of this world are not permanent and could be lost in the same way that the sun can burn up vegetation.

1. What was to be the attitude of the poor in the church? (Rejoice that God had given them worth when the world treated them as nothing.)
2. What was to be the attitude of the rich?
3. What has Christ done for everyman? (Made us equal at the foot of the cross.)
4. What are the lessons we can learn from these verses about physical possessions?
5. What is permanent that we should want in our lives?

James 1:12

Once again James returned to the thought of how a man was to handle adversity. He wanted a man to find joy and peace as he bore up under the trial courageously that might be taking place. It was not the idea of letting the testing weigh a person down but to be overjoyed that God will see one through the trial. The overcomer will receive the crown of life that signifies a life of abundant living for Christ. God has promised this crown to all who love Him.

1. How can you find happiness in testing?
2. What kind of attitude does God want us to have?
3. What is the outcome of enduring with joy?
4. What does endurance truly mean? (Living through a trial with courage.)
5. Who are the only ones who can receive the crown of life?

James 1:13-15

James quickly moved from the topic of trials and testing to what should be understood about temptation. He concludes that it was within man where the problem existed. Jesus spoke of the issue in Matthew 15:19-20. It was from the heart, the seat of man’s will, that every evil thought came resulting in the commission of sinful acts. John also spoke of the fact that sin comes from man as he wrote, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but from the world.” (1 John 2:16)

James spoke of the process of temptation to sin and death. It is

• All are tempted but temptation is not a sin in itself. One can quickly turn away from those situations.
• Man is carried away by the temptation. He or she continues to dwell on or fantasize about it. Temptation becomes sin at this point.
• Being enticed to commit the act of sinning
• Once the sin is committed spiritual death is the result.

For an example of this process read the account of David and Bathsheba in 2 Samuel.

1. What is the biggest difference between testing and temptation? (Testing does not begin in the heart but generally from outside the person.)
2. How does Jesus in Matthew 15:19-20 deal with this issue?
3. What is the process of temptation leading to death?
4. How can you avoid getting yourselves into situations that lead to sin?
5. Why is the result of sin spiritual death? (Sin is rebellion against God and must be punished.)
6. What is the remedy for sin?
7. What would happen if God could be tempted? (He would no longer be perfect and could no longer be the righteous judge for what we do.)

James 1:17-18

In contrast to what happens in the heart of man everything he receives from God is good. Man can rely on that statement because God never changes. He is not like the creation he made that varies every day. The Bible says, God, as seen in His Son, is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 15:8). Out of His will He had declared truth to mankind. His word stated that He would make man new through this rebirth in Jesus Christ. Those who were of James’s generation were the first born of many to follow.

1. What are some of the good things that you believe you have received from God?
2. How do you know they are good? (James emphasizes the truthfulness of God’s promises.)
3. What guarantee do we have that God never changes? (His word for one thing.)
4. How different is He than His creation? (The universe is changing everyday according the studies made byu reputable scientists.)
5. What is the greatest gift that God has given to man?
6. What indication is there that it is true in your own life?

• Knowing that you belong to God learn to face trials and testing with peace and courage.
• Grow in the knowledge that it is God’s desire for you to mature and become complete in your faith.
• If you do not believe you are a wise person ask God who is more than happy to give you wisdom.
• Be careful that you do not let the temptations you face lead you into sin.
• Understand that the love of God is manifested to us through the gift of grace found in His Son.

Every time we are exposed to any kind of media today, we realize the great challenges that face the church today. It is so easy to compromise our beliefs and fall into lock step with the world. God calls us to be different. Rather than giving up we are to see the trials and testing that are coming to us belong we belong to Him as causing joy in our lives. We know that those who endure will find an eternal home with Him. The Bible tells us that God’s word is true and He will fulfill every promise made to us. His Word tells us that He truly has a future for those who have received the new birth.