James 2:14-17

February 15, 2008

As you read today's passage, look for these words or phrases: faith, works, go in peace, and dead.

Passage for the day: James 2:14-17 (NASB)

14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

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?

Questions for thought: Take a few moments to answer these questions before you go on to the next section.

What is “faith” and what are “works”? What do they mean practically and in the context (see verses 15-16 for help).

Can faith be shown without works? Explain

What is the situation of the individual that is coming to the brother in Christ in verse 15?

In verse 16, why do the members of the church tell the brother or sister “go in peace?” What point did their words serve?

What does James mean by saying that our faith is “dead” in verse 17?

Chew on this:

Let me first clarify that James is not telling us in this passage that we are saved by works. The entire gospel is about Christ’s work on the cross, not us saving ourselves by our own merits. James is speaking of the man who “claims to have faith,” but does not show it in the way he lives. In other words, his faith is not authentic or genuine, because true faith is seen in someone’s actions toward others. In this passage, James plays out another familiar scene in the church. Much like the poor man who visits the local church and is shunned because of his dirty appearance, the brother or sister in need is also neglected. This time, the members of the church actually speak to the one in need and tell them to “go in peace, be warmed, and filled.” In our culture, that would be like one of us telling someone who is starving and homeless the same thing. What do these words accomplish for someone in need? When we tell them, “God bless you,” or “Have a nice day,” how have we really helped them? The problem is, we don’t want to help them! It’s inconvenient, it’s bothersome, and I am just too busy to help. James even asks the question, “What good is it—this faith that does nothing, that helps no one in physical need?” Inactive faith is empty! Our claim of faith means nothing when we can look someone in our church in the eye that needs help and just walk away from them without an ounce of compassion in our heart. Our faith instead must be Christ-centered, not self-centered. We must follow Christ’s pattern of compassion and love!

For His Name,


Pastor Stephen

Chew on it (again)

February 13, 2008

Instead of moving ahead, I believe that it would be very profitable to go back over chapters 1-2 for today. I don't want us to lose sight of the entire message that God is communicating through this wonderful letter He has written to His children. So, for today's chew on what God has taught us so far and how it has changed us from the inside out. As you read through these chapters, here are some suggestions:

When you come to a passage about how to respond to trials in your life, pray that God would give you wisdom and endurance to count it all joy.

When you come to a verse where God is commanding you to be like Christ and reach out in love toward others in need, call out to God and ask Him to give you the grace to be faithful in your obedience.

When you come to a passage that encourages your heart and makes you want to praise God, feel free to express it to Him! We are told in the Psalms to shout to the Lord, to sing out praises to His name, and to share what He has done in your life. Does this describe your time with God? It doesn't have to be boring and quiet - in fact, it should be the most exciting time of the day! You are meeting with God Himself and He is meeting with you!

Enjoy your time with God today and don't forget to share what you are learning with others. It may be just what they needed to hear!

For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

James 2:10-13

February 11, 2008


As you read today's passage, look for these words or phrases: keeps, guilty, transgressor, law of liberty, and mercy.


Passage for the day: James 2:10-13 (NASB)

10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.


Questions for thought: Take a few moments to answer these questions before you go on to the next section.

How can you be guilty of violating the entire law if you only broke one of the commandments?



What is the law of liberty?



Since we will be judged by the law of liberty, how should we act toward others?




What are 2 ways that you can show mercy to others this week?



Chew on this:

Sometimes we think that if we keep most of God’s commands, then we are okay. James explains to us that there is no middle ground. James tells us in this passage that if we violate even one of God’s commands, then we are guilty of all of them. How is this possible? Think of it this way. Sin is never a question of breaking a single command but of violating the integrity of the whole law. Each of the Ten Commandments are connected, like links in a chain. We offend the whole law through every single sin because we are actually refusing to submit to the Law-Giver, God Himself. The two extreme examples of adultery and murder show how this works. If you say, “Well, I only committed adultery, but at least I did not kill anybody,” then you have missed the entire point of obeying God’s commands. It is not the carrying out of the command but the heart attitude of submission that is required. Every time we sin, we are refusing to submit to God and are in opposition to God’s plan for our lives.

Instead, James tells us to speak and act as those who are to be judged by a law that makes them free. The law of freedom does not condemn – it liberates us! This law sets free those who obey it when they, in turn, set free those who are oppressed by the world. We obey this law of freedom through including the poor and unfortunate as people God has called us to serve. God will delight in showing His mercy to those who do this. However, if you refuse to show mercy and love your neighbor as yourself, then you will be in danger of judgment. Love and mercy define the “law of freedom.” Rejecting this liberating law means falling under judgment of the whole law.

It is interesting to me that James is so harsh about this concept of showing love and mercy. He does not come down on the adulterers and murderers in this passage (although they too will be judged). Instead, James’ focus is on getting us to see life from God’s perspective. Showing favoritism and refusing to show mercy to others is a very serious sin! It is not something that we can just overlook or take lightly. Failure to show mercy to those in need calls into question whether there has been any true act of repentance in face of God’s mercy. We have been shown great mercy and love from our God – why should we withhold that same mercy and love to others who are in need?

As we go throughout the day, let us remember to be Christians who submit to God’s commands with a heart of submission and be marked by our love and mercy toward those God has called us to serve!

For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

James 2:5-9

February 8, 2008

As you read today's passage, look for these words or phrases: poor, rich, blaspheme, and love your neighbor.

Passage for the day: James 2:5-9 (NASB)

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?
7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.


Questions for thought: Take a few moments to answer these questions before you go on to the next section.

What does it mean to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom? Who has God promised this honor to?


How have the rich oppressed the poor in this passage?



What command of Jesus is found in these verses?



Are you mistreating others or are you fulfilling Christ’s command? Name 2 ways that you can apply this passage to your life today.



Chew on this:

In these verses, we see how God has not forgotten about the poor in their distress. God has chosen the poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and receive eternal life. Once a person is a child of God, he is no longer poor and destitute. They will reap the benefits of saving faith because God makes them rich in their belief in God and in the eternal treasures of the kingdom of God. In 2 Corinthians 8:9, Paul tells us about how this happens: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” Eternal riches cannot be bought. They are a gift from God to those who believe in Him. Clearly not all who are poor are lovers of God. We know that God saves the poor and the rich, but here the emphasis is placed on how much glory God receives by saving those who go from having nothing in this world to having eternal “riches” in heaven.

In these verses James is concerned that the poor are being mistreated as opposed to being loved and honored. To act this way, the people had to disregard the honor God has bestowed on the poor who love him. No matter what our status, we who are in the body of Christ should not be seeking to dominate one another. This kind of spirit which takes advantage of others has no place in the church.

The rich in this group were literally dragging the poor into court and Christians were to do this no longer. As this was happening, the name of the Lord (“the fair name by which you have been called”) was being blasphemed or slandered. As the rich were using the resources God had given them to attack the poor, it was as though they were attacking the Lord. The name of the Lord was dishonored by those who were showing favoritism. As we have already seen, favoritism is a sin among the people of God. It leads to division within the church and violates Christ’s command to love our neighbors as ourselves. This point in the teaching of Jesus is the solution to the problem of favoritism and hypocrisy. No one is outside the boundary of loving one another, not even the poor! In this loving way, the rich believer and the believers who enjoy life above the poverty line can live life as Jesus intended for them – serving one another through love.

How are you treating those less fortunate than you? Are you seeking to dominate or show favoritism? Or, are you looking for an opportunity to show the love of Christ? This is not an easy way to live, especially since everything in our culture tells us to do the opposite! However, we are called to follow Christ’s pattern, not our culture’s direction. Let’s live out our faith by loving one another without favoritism!


For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

James 2:1-4

February 6, 2008


As you read today's passage, look for these words or phrases: poor man, one dressed in fine clothes, and judges.

Passage for the day: James 2:1-4 (NASB)

1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,
3 And you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”
4 Have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?


Questions for thought: Take a few moments to answer these questions before you go on to the next section.

What are the main differences between the two visitors in this passage?



How does James say that the people in the church responded to each man? How would you respond to these people if they walked into our youth group?



What are some ways that a person could show an attitude of favoritism and judge with the wrong motives?



Chew on this:

It is clear from this passage that we should not play favorites. But yet we do, sinners that we are. The world shows its true nature in its lack of love for the many who suffer under desperate circumstances. For the Christian, can showing favoritism to others coexist with the love that Christ has shed abroad in our hearts? Impossible!

In this passage, we see a well-dressed rich man and an unattractive poor man show up at a meeting of Christians (most likely a church gathering). The rich man is decked out with luxury which invites many oohs and ahhhs from the rest of the group as he walks in. His very presence requires that he deserves special treatment as a VIP. He is immediately given the finest seat in the church and many people are drawn to him. The other man is poor and in a desperate situation. It is clear that his clothes are shabby and grimy. As he walks into the room, people in the congregation start to feel uncomfortable and wish that he had not showed up. He is told that he can sit on the floor by a footstool. They ignore the neediness of this poor man and seek the favor of the man who is well-dressed. Unfortunately, the one who is in the greatest need is the one who is neglected and forgotten.

Picture this happening in our youth group on Sunday morning or Wednesday night. You’re sitting there talking with your friends and in walks a professional athlete or movie star that you know. You are immediately drawn to them and run up to meet them! Then, almost at the same time, a teenager walks in who looks like a freak of nature. His clothes are filthy and tattered, and he reeks of body odor. What will you do? Will you embrace this poor person and give them your seat? Will you show Christ’s love for them regardless of what others will think of you? Or, will you show favoritism and judge the poor person with evil motives?

So many times we are guilty of being judgmental of others and we do not show the love of Christ to those who are in desperate need of it! Let’s seek to do what Christ did by showing love, not favoritism.

For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

James 1:26-27

February 4, 2008

As you read today's passage, look for these words or phrases: religious, tongue, religion, and visit orphans and widows.

Passage for the day: James 1:26-27 (NASB)

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Questions for thought: Take a few moments to answer these questions before you go on to the next section.


What makes a person’s religion worthless?


What does it mean to bridle your tongue? Take a look at your life for a moment and evaluate whether this is true about you or not.



What is true religion when it is lived out before God (v. 27)? Are you doing these things in your life?



What are two ways that you can remain unstained from the world?



Chew on this:

In these verses, James talks to us about “worthless religion.” One of the chief characteristics of self-deception in the Christian life is that believers can make an empty show of religious devotion. “Religion” is a way of life that either demonstrates hypocrisy or true faith. The problem then is that you can seem to be religious, that is, rightly related to God, and yet in the most basic way be failing to be so. You can be a person who talks a lot about your religion and how much you love God, but your speech will reveal if that is real or not (Luke 6:45 – “out of the heart the mouth speaks”). The tongue, then, becomes the test case for true religion.

The tongue must be bridled, or controlled. The image used here involves the harnessing of a horse at the mouth. It is not that the tongue or speech is at all bad; James would later affirm it as an instrument of blessing. Unfortunately, an unrestrained tongue is a highly destructive force and an instrument of deception. By drawing attention to the tongue, James takes our attention away from just doing good things for people. Control of the tongue stands for control of the whole self against temptation to give into evil desire. James called the religion that goes with an uncontrolled tongue “worthless.” Worthless religion is then merely external, with no value.

Genuine religion is that which is “pure and undefiled before our God and Father.” Genuine religion means that everything in the believer’s life is to bear the mark of service to God. We bring this service before God our Father as a pure and genuine form of religion that has eternal value; not a fake form of outward religion that is worthless! And, when we are practicing this “true religion”, we will look after orphans and widows, the most vulnerable members of our church and society. Orphans and widows may be outcasts to the world, but they must be embraced into the relationships of believers! This is simply living as Christ lived. He went to where these people lived and ministered to their needs in love.

But James does not stop here! Along with genuine service to orphans and widows, we are to avoid whatever will pollute or stain our lives in the world. In other words, the world must have no hold on the believer. Instead, believers hold themselves apart from the ways of the world. Having received the life-giving Word, we are able to live out these truths through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s be people who are living out true religion that will show itself in a controlled tongue and a consecrated life of service to others!


For His Name,

Pastor Stephen

James 1:22-25

February 1, 2008


As we spend our time “chewing” on the Word, let’s remember of the end goal of this study – to taste the Word of God for ourselves! Simply showing up at Sunday School and church will not help you grow, just like simply showing up at the dinner table each meal will do nothing to make your hunger go away and give you what your body needs. You’ve got to actually pick up your fork and taste the food for it to help you grow and live. The Bible is no different! You’ve got to be daily tasting God’s Word and studying it for it to help you grow in your walk with God. I don’t just want you to know that God is good; I want you to taste and see for yourself that God is good! I don’t just want you to know that God’s grace is sufficient; I want you to taste and see that God’s grace is sufficient! Some of us, however, are just content to show up, go through the motions at church and at home, instead of tasting God’s Word and growing. Let’s feed on the Word and then follow Christ with passion!


As you read today's passage, look for these words or phrases: doers, hearers, mirror, and blessed.


Passage for the day: James 1:22-25 (NASB)


22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

Questions for thought: Take a few moments to answer these questions before you go on to the next section.


What are the major differences between a hearer and a doer?



Examine your life for a moment and think about all of the times during the week when you hear the Word (church, school, personal devotions, etc.). Would you consider yourself just a hearer of the Word, or are you a doer of the Word?



What is the result of being a doer of the Word?




Chew on this:


Where would we be without mirrors? We would have a hard time knowing what we looked like! With a mirror in front of us, however, it is very clear to see what we look like. Mirrors do not hide the truth, but reflect what is true. They are always honest. Ever notice that? Many people will lie to you, but a mirror never will. Mirrors are very helpful because they show us what we look like. In James, the Word of God is spoken of as a mirror. As you read God’s Word and hear it preached, you see what you look like spiritually. Just like a mirror, the Bible will reveal the real you and show you what needs to change. We are to receive the Word and hear what it says, but we cannot just stop there. Hearing the Word of God and accumulating knowledge is not the end – it’s only the beginning! The man who looks intently into the mirror of God’s Word can still ignore its message once it is received. The mere glancing at the Word without taking action is of little use – just as the mere glancing in the mirror as you are getting ready in the morning will not help you. James says that the person who just glances in the mirror will walk away and forget what kind of person he really is before the God and His Word.

In contrast, the believer who learns about himself and what God requires by concentrating on the mirror of the Word will be blessed. We must intentionally look into Scripture for the purpose of change. This exercise is one of careful attention to learn what is wrong and to discern what ought to be done to correct it. This kind of continual gazing into the Word guards against forgetting and motivates doing. Only by remembering to do what Scripture says (as we continue to hear and read it), can we apply it to our lives. In other words, apply yourself to the Word so you may be able to apply the Word to your life!

What James referred to as the “Word” in vv. 18, 21, 22, 23 he calls the “law” here. As the “Word” brings new life according to v. 18, it also sets us free and points to the free obedience of the Christian life. The blessing that is promised in this passage follows closely the words of Jesus, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28).

Let’s seek to apply ourselves to the Word so that we can apply the Word to our lives!



For His Name,



Pastor Stephen