I am working through these passages alongside you, and I am not the final authority on the text. Grab your Bible and dig into the pages of Scripture on your own.
Book of james bible study series#
Laying the GroundworkĪs we get started on this series, I want to lay some groundwork.įirst, this series isn’t necessarily intended to replace any of your own personal study or Bible reading. We need all of that in 2020-and every year, for that matter. He pushes us out of our complacency, helps us put our faith into action, and brings us to our knees before God. But while James writes hard truths that may be painful to hear at times, he writes words we all need to listen to, understand, and put into practice. In 2020, we may feel like a punch in the gut is the last thing we need. Tim Mackie called it, “a beautifully crafted punch in the gut.” I think that’s pretty accurate. It’s only five chapters long, but it’s such a beautiful, practical book. So, I’m excited to be launching a blog post series on the book of James.īack in January, I started studying James, and now eight months later I’m still in it. Typically, I post stand-alone blog posts, stories, or recipes, but sometimes there are topics I want to look at more thoroughly, but they can’t be covered in one post. May you be blessed and inspired as you read and study the book of James.I’m starting something new on the blog this week. 5:16).Īs you can see the book of James gives practical advice for the believer in living out what one believes. We are instructed to pray in faith because “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (vs. James closes the letter with instructions about praying. Then he encourages us to remain patient in suffering because the Lord is able to bring us through trials and make everything right. James 5 opens with a warning about hoarding wealth at the expense of workers. We are also cautioned to take into account the Lord’s will when making plans because our time on earth is short and it is God’s will that prevails. We are reminded to humble ourselves before God so that He can exalt us. James advises to submit to God and resist the devil and his schemes. James 4 describes the war that rages between friendship with the world and life in God.
Book of james bible study full#
It is “peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (vs. This chapter ends with the definition of the wisdom that comes from heaven. He makes the contrast that out of the same mouth come praise and curses, however this should not be because true faith is evident by our words. The tongue has the ability to set the course of life, James compares it to a rudder which steers a ship and a fire which can consume everything in its path. James 3 gives instruction about the dangers of the words we say. He closes the chapter with this statement, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (vs.
He cites examples from Abraham and Rabah, showing that what they did, proved their faith.
He goes on to build a good case for works of faith, which are deeds that grow out of one’s faith. James instructs not to show favoritism toward individuals who are wealthy because God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith. James 2 starts with instructions about being impartial toward people. He shows how knowing what it says shows us who we truly are and living it out will give freedom and bless us. James then gives instruction about listening and acting according to the Word of God. He then cautions us that God does not tempt us, rather temptation comes from our own evil desires inside. James encourages that God is faithful to this process and will grant wisdom so we can endure it. James 1 opens with a greeting and encouragement to remain joyful in the midst of trials because the outcome of this type of testing is perseverance and a mature and complete faith. However, James emphasizes that we are justified by faith but it needs to be expressed through works of faith (as opposed to works of the law), so given that preface there is no contradiction. James wrote extensively about the relationship between faith and works, which can cause confusion when comparing with the writings of the apostle Paul. The main theme of the book of James focuses on godly behavior and obedience to the Word of God. The audience for this book was Jewish as James addresses the letter “to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations” (vs 1:1). The book has been dated between 44-49 AD which makes it the first book written in the New Testament. The book of James was written by Jesus’ half brother, James who initially did not accept him as the Messiah (John 7:5), but later became a pillar in the early church (I Corinthians 15:7). Major Theme: Faith Expressed Through Works
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