James 3

James 3 is about the power of our tongue and he continues to discuss more about living out our faith and seeking Heavenly wisdom.

James discusses how those who are teachers within the church will be judged by God more strictly when their time of judgment comes. In my opinion, I would assume that this extends to Christians in general who are teaching within a church or those who are of influence outside of the church as well. Basically, we need to be aware of how we are being perceived as followers of Christ through our words and actions. The tough part is that we all stumble and get tripped up easily and that sin hinders our relationship with the Lord. He talks about how pretty much everyone stumbles in word. A commentary gives examples of what it means to stumble in word: boasting, exaggeration, selective reporting, criticism, gossip, being two-faced, anger, flattery, use of insincere words to gain favor. I think we can all confidently say that we struggle with one or many of these stumbling, I definitely do.

This leads to...

The power of the tongue:

James gives analogies of a bit to a horse and a rudder to a ship as a comparison of the tongue and body. Something so small can be extremely powerful. The words spoken can have massive impact on a person's life. There have been many stories and accounts of words spoken against someone that has affected them for years and years. On the flip side, encouragement spoken over someone can also impact someone positively and inspire them for years and years.

Verses regarding words:

• Proverbs 10:19-21

• Proverbs 12:25

• Proverbs 16:24

• Proverbs 18:21

Taming the tongue...it's tough:

For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3: 7-8)

This is why we need to heavily rely on the Holy Spirit to tame our tongue, we are incapable of doing it on our own. It's important that we ask God to guide our tongue and use it for good and not for destruction. Speaking without wisdom and discernment is very dangerous and can lead to deadly and poisonous speech.

We use our tongue to bless and praise the Creator of the universe and with the same tongue we use it to curse men. How crazy?! But James says, it shouldn't be like that. We should constantly be glorifying God with our tongue and asking ourselves "Is what I am about to say going to glorify God?". He talks about how springs do not yield both salt and fresh water and also about a fig tree bearing olives, it's an impossible contradiction and can only be one or the other. Similarly, that is the tongue to Christians. Are we to call ourselves Christians but then use our tongue with deadly, poisonous speech?

James then goes on to discuss wisdom and living out our faith.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. (James 3:13)

Wisdom is not being book smart, instead we demonstrate wisdom and understanding by our good works. True wisdom is shown by good works in meekness, or gentle humility, not to bring attention or boasting about it, which would actually show a lack of wisdom. Earthly wisdom is sensual and demonic and shows bitter envy and self-seeking. It leads to confusion and every evil thing, which is the fruit of worldly wisdom.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3: 17-18)

This is the wisdom from above, the wisdom that we should ask God to teach us and equip us with.

Takeaway: On judgement day, we will have to give an account for every word spoken. Our tongue is powerful, both positively and destructively. We are to yield our tongue to glorify God and lift others up but we cannot do this on our own and need to partner with the Holy Spirit to give us heavenly wisdom and to guide our tongue.

James 2

This chapter is about not showing partiality to certain people/groups of people and the importance of a living faith, one that is backed by works as an active and living faith is a faith that saves.

Discrimination:

James tells us that our faith should not be associated with partiality, which is discrimination. During the time of the Bible this was written, there was a lot of judgment and discrimination based on class and status, ethnicitiy, religion, rich vs poor, etc. and people were obviously more partial to those who were of higher status and paid very little attention to or even hated or oppressed the poor. Jesus came to reconcile us and allow us to become one body and do away with old commandments and ways of thinking (explained in Ephesians 2).

God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him (James 2:5).

Those who are poor have to rely on the strength of God. Where the rich man may or may not trust Him, the poor must and that is why God especially blesses the poor. When He came to earth, He came into poverty. However, this doesn't mean he showed partiality against the rich.

James then discusses the importance of obeying God's commands.

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of libery. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:10-13)

James explains that we cannot just pick and choose which commands we obey or disregard, God cares about the law in its entirety. If a man keeps all the commands except one, basically it's as if he has commited all of them and he breaks the whole law. We will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ (Jesus says this on the Sermon on the Mount). God does and will extend his mercy, which triumphs over judgment.

Living faith in our action:

What does it profit, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (James 2:14)

This is something that is really hard for me to wrap my head around. James implies that it's impossible for someone to have saving faith without works. They might say that they have faith but if they don't show good works then that fait is dead. Some people think that "having faith" is enough to save them but don't exercise holiness or righteousness. A commentary that I read says that James clarifies the kind of faith that will save us: we are saved by grace through faith, not by works alone BUT a saving faith will be accompanied by works. There are other pieces of Scripture that back this up:

• From Paul: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10)

• From Paul: This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8)

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James describes the opposite of saving/living faith, which is dead faith. He talks about if someone is in need of food and clothes and we just give encouraging words but don't actually do anything to help, what good is that? A commentary said something that I found really powerful--When someone is in need, we can sometimes pray as a substitute for action. I've been guilty of this many times, saying "I'll be praying for you" instead of taking action and using myself to help others. Throughout the Bible, Jesus describes how important community is and yes, while He doesn't need our help to get anything done, it pleases Him for us to partner with him in helping others.

We are saved by faith alone, but James distinguishes it must be a living faith.

• Even the demons believe--and tremble!

This is a demonstration of faith without works, the demons acknowledge that God exists but just knowing and acknowledging is not saving these demons. This is why James says that real living faith is followed by works. Faith is not visible, we can't see if someone has faith. We can, however, see works and we can see their faith demonstrated by their works.

Examples of living faith:

• Abraham offering his son Isaac

  • His obedience in his works showed that he really did trust God

  • If he never had faith, he couldn't have been obedient through works

  • His faith was proven and made perfect by his obedient works

• Rahab the harlot (prostitute) (Joshua 2)

  • She hid spies and showed her living faith by doing something with her faith, specifically helping people

In both of these examples, obedience via works showed a living faith even at the expense at it costing them something.

James distinguish between a faith that is dead vs a faith that is living. However, both of them are faith; he is not denying that someone does not have faith. But he makes it clear the distinction between a faith that saves vs a faith that does not save.

Takeaway:

We are not to show partiality to people based on their status, religion, race, upbringing, etc. Each person is a child of God and we are to treat them that way. I've really battled the idea of a dead vs living faith and while I think it is clear that James thinks one cannot be saved without works, I have a hard time believing that if someone truly believes in God, His death, and His resurrection that they will not be saved. I think that God's mercy is greater. However, I also don't think that it is truly black and white. I believe that my God is good and just and that His grace and mercy is more than my earthly human mind can fathom. I think that maybe we're not meant to have all the answers here on earth but if it is true that faith without works is dead, then why not just live a life that is pleasing and obedient to the Lord? Oftentimes we try to dissect the Bible so much that we forget the bigger picture that we can all agree upon: we are called to live for God and to spread His love.

James 1

This chapter of James is about how to go through trials by seeking wisdom and establishing perseverance and our faith and reliance on God. James also discusses the importance of receiving the Word and then acting upon it.

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Trials are inevitable

• It's when you fall, not if you fall, but the good news is that trials are opportunities for joy and not for discouragement. They are used to help us develop patience, endurance, steadfastness

  • Patience (Greek word: hupomone) = active endurance to remain under heavy load (this patience is more the type that helps you finish a marathon vs sitting waiting, it's more of an active kind)

• Trials don't always develop this kind of patience though. If we receive our trials with grumbling and lack of faith then it can lead to bitterness and discouragement in us, which is why James tells us to receive them with joy. Obviously this takes time to develop, and is why I feel like trials typically aren't a quick thing, a lot of times they feel like seasons.

• Our faith is tested during trials; it reveals how much we have and how much we are lacking. It is evidence not only to ourselves but also shows how much we faith we have to those around us.

• Trials can lead to sin

  • A lot of times it can lead to unbelief, which is a sin

  • It can also cause us to curse or want to curse God, which is also a sin

Receiving wisdom from God:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will recieve anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8)

• When trials come, we need to seek wisdom from God. We tend to seek it from books or friends/family, people, mentors, etc and sometimes that is helpful to gain counsel from people we trust but James clearly tells us "Let him ask of God"--> go to the Bible. God loves when we come to Him and ask Him for wisdom and help. "He is the God of the open hand, not the God of the clenched fist". Ask in faith, without doubting God's ability or desire to give us His wisdom, He loves when we do this! If we lack faith and trust in God then we lack a strong foundation; we are double-minded. Someone who is double-minded is literally two-souled: "The man of two souls, who has one for the earth, and another for heaven: who wishes to secure both worlds; he will not give up earth, and he is loath to let heaven go".

Encouragement during trials:

• Trials serve as a reminder that our comfort in this life is truly only for this life on earth. Just like flowers of the field pass away, these trials will pass and similarly earthly comfort with come and go. A lot of times, trials not only reveal the posture of our heart but also where we tend to place our trust--is it money, earthly security, fame, success/career, family, etc? But trials when handled with God will leave you feeling the strength of Him, increase your faith, make you feel empowered, and excited to share your testimony with others. That is why and how we can find joy amidst trials.

Living for the Lord in times of temptation:

• We can be blessed as we endure temptation. God may allow temptation in our lives, and we will be rewarded as we resist temptation; our steadfastness shows our strength in our faith and our love for Jesus. Being able to overcome temptation shows our honor, glory, and reliance on God, therefore strengthening our relationship with Him--that is our motive for resisting temptation: to love Him more than our love for the sin. James is very clear: temptation does NOT come from God, he may allow it and test our faith BUT He does not entice us with evil. God is UNABLE to be tempted by evil and He doesn't tempt anyone. Instead, temptation comes when we are drawn by our fleshy desires and enticed by worldly things. Satan does tempt us but it is by our own desires that we are drawn away and corrupted from our God-given desires (because of our fallen nature). God does not corrupt our heart but because we were born into a sinful world with sin in us, we are already subjected to temptation.

  • Desire --> Sin --> Death

  • Satan's mission is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17)

• This "goodness" refers to goodness on an eternal/heavenly scale. We might not think (with our earthly mind) that something is good, and some things that we perceive as good, may in turn lead to destruction (money is a great example of this). God is never changing and out of His own will (without any incentive or prompting) and of His great mercy, He brought us into light via salvation through taking our sins upon us.

  • Sin --> death

  • Will of God --> salvation

Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce righteousness of God (James 1:19-20)

• If we just slow down, we will be better listeners, more patient, and less likely to use our tongue for destruction

  • Hurry and hustle culture has caused us to speed up and rush in everything; we have become impatient people, quick to put blame on others, get annoyed easily, and terrible listeners (this is not everyone, and I know I am at fault for doing this too).

  • Before we respond to a person, a situation, etc. we need to ask the question, "Does this accomplish the righteousness of God?".

We are to lay aside our filthiness and impurity and receive the word of God.

• Receiving is the opposite of doing; Spurgeon explains that when we receive, it is the door through which God's grace enters to us. We are saved by receiving not doing. We are to receive with a teachable heart, ready to be molded more and more into the image of God. As we receive the word of God, we also receive the power of God

James tells us that we are also to be doers of the word.

• As mentioned above, receiving does not require work but once we receive, then we must act upon it and become a doer of the word. Like the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that hearing the word and doing nothing is like building a house on the sand but hearing God's word and doing it is like a man whose house was built on a rock and can withstand life's storms and the judgment of eternity (Matthew 7:24-27). "A healthy person looks in the mirror to do something, not just to admire the image. Even so, a healthy Christian looks into God's Word to do something about it, not just to store up facts that he will not put to use by being a doer of the word". Amen! The enemy works to make us believe that attending church and hearing a sermon is enough, but the doing and putting it into action is a pillar of living out our Christian life and duty. If we study and examine the word (perfect law of liberty), and do it, then we will be blessed.

  Real religion is being doers of the Word. If your walk with God does not translate/is not evident in how you live and treat others, it is useless. This is why so many people classify Christians as hypocrites. We are to retreat from earthly/worldly things and to be charitable and pure.

Big takeaway from James 1:

Trials/temptation--> testing of faith --> lay aside filthiness and receive the word -->faith comes by hearing the word --> we are to be hearers and then doers --> transform our heart and lifestyle --> increase in faith and hupomone