The Book of James: Part 2

Pt. 1

In the previous teaching, specifically in chapter 1 of James, we saw how he moved forward into the fourth point on facing trials: how to face inward trials, which he calls temptations. The next few weeks are a continuation from last month’s study in the book of James. Today’s lesson will focus on the sequence or process by which temptations take hold and cause us to sin.

Since God isn’t the source of our temptations, where do these internal tests, these temptations to sin come from?  In v.14 James says they come from our own lust, and in fact, James lines out a sequence or process by which temptations take hold and cause us to sin. The process has three steps, and James uses the analogy of childbirth to explain the process.

First, the starting point is a lust that draws us away and entices us. According to Thomas Constable, lust is the desire to do or have or be something apart from the will of God. It takes many forms. We often use the word lust too narrowing, as in a sexual context or in describing appetites of the flesh, but James is speaking of it very broadly, all manner of desires outside God’s will. These desires draw us away and entice us. The words in Greek mean to lure with bait. The bait is something outside ourselves, but something inside us is attracted to that bait, even though God’s will is not met by that attraction.

Visualize how we use bait to fish; we are lying to the fish. The fish thinks the bait is something good, a morsel of food that will strengthen the fish and make it grow, but in reality, the bait is a danger to the fish despite the fact that it looks attractive. James’ message is the same here. Our lust is drawn by the attractiveness of some kind of bait, but in the end the attraction is built on a lie. The lie is part of what makes our drawing away turn to sin. We are choosing to accept the lie rather than God’s wisdom and truth. His will for us. So, step one of the temptation process is giving in to a lust for something that appears desirable, but in fact is dangerous and unhealthy. To use the childbirth analogy, we could say that giving in to lustful desires is like becoming pregnant. It begins a process that has an inevitable conclusion, but the effects of that process aren’t necessarily visible for a while and over time the effect grows and becomes more visible. As we give into our lusts and enjoy the bait, it may seem good for a while, but the seed of sin is just growing.

Secondly, after lust has been conceived, James says in v.15 that it will give birth to sin. Interestingly, James is teaching that the true sin of our lives is found in our response to lust, not in the temptation itself. One can be tempted to lustful thoughts as he looks at a woman, but he doesn’t sin until he gives in to that desire and entertain those thoughts. Then he has been carried away by a desire and it has conceived sin in him. He had a choice to rely on the Spirit and turn away from the desire and the temptation, but if he takes the bait, he enters into sin. James compares this moment to the birth process. Giving in to lustful desires conceives the birth of sin.

 Finally, when sin is accomplished (birthed), it brings forth death. Once sin is born, it takes on its own life and development, like a child. Just like human life has death waiting at the end of its course, likewise, a course of sin brings an end of death.

What is the death James is talking about?  First, we must continually remember this is a letter of exhortation written to believers about godly living. It’s a letter of sanctification, not of salvation. The “death” must be a statement of consequence for the believer. It can’t be speaking about the eternal death that comes upon an unbeliever, that’s simply not the context of James’ point in this chapter. What kinds of “death” are possible outcomes for the believer who gives into lust and pursues a course of sin? One obvious answer is physical death.

Note: It’s a Biblical principle that when God’s people choose a life of sin over one of obedience, they are testing God’s patience, and in some cases, God will visit physical death upon believers who continue in a life of disobedience. Consider the words of the writer of Hebrews:

 Heb. 10:28- Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Heb. 10:29- How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? Heb. 10:30- For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.”

Note: The writer admonishes those who might continue to follow the Jewish system of sacrifice after having come to know Christ as the One True Sacrifice. If God was willing to punish His people for their failings under the Old Covenant, how much more will He act against those under the New?  Look at the final statement in v.30: the Lord will judge His people. We’re talking about a consequence for the believer that begins with premature physical death brought by God as a consequence for willful sin.

Consider Paul’s words when speaking about the consequences for a member of the Corinthian church who was giving in to lust and willfully sinning. In this case, the brother was engaged in a sexual relationship with his father’s wife, so to that person, Paul used his apostolic authority to bring the following consequence according to God’s will:

1Cor. 5:3- For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 1Cor. 5:4- In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 1Cor. 5:5- I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

 As Paul says, we know this believer’s place in heaven was secure, because it was gained by faith and not works. Good works don’t earn our salvation, and similarly evil works (i.e., sin) can’t forfeit our salvation, but Paul says this man must suffer the destruction of his flesh (likely some kind of untimely death), for the protection of the church and the saving of his spirit.

  Pt.2

The previous lesson focused on the sequence or process by which temptations take hold and cause us to sin. This lesson is focused on: Understanding our circumstances from His perspective-Through His word.

Chapter 1 has taken us through an examination of trials and temptations. If we sum up what we’ve learned in a few simple words: Trials are reasons for joy! They are tests from the Lord and give us opportunity to show Him how much we’ve matured. How much He has grown us through the Spirit of the Lord working in us, and we pass them when we seek wisdom from the Lord and listen to His direction. They are open book tests so long as we are willing to rest, remain stable, in His instruction. Temptations are a different kind of trial, the natural result of our sinful nature, and there is a process by which they lead us into sin. If we seek the Lord’s strength and wisdom to confront those temptations, He will give us a way to escape them.

Note: The Lord is prepared to appoint an eternal reward to those who succeed in these tests. Paul affirms this teaching in a short passage from Colossians.

 Col. 1:9- For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, Col. 1:10- so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; Col. 1:11- strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously Col. 1:12- giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

James has said repeatedly that the solution to facing trials and temptations is to seek God’s wisdom. The best process is seeking God in His word and in prayer. Now James concludes the chapter on trials by focusing on one of those ways: God’s word:

James 1:19- This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; James 1:20- for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. James 1:21- Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.

If we are to understand these verses, we have to keep them together. The “hearing” James mentions in v.19 is related to the “receiving” that he mentions in v.21. James starts by saying, “This you know, brethren.”  They know what James has been teaching.  They know that the Father is all light and brought us forth by His will to make us a first fruit among creatures, but they aren’t living according to that knowledge. They were likely reacting in anger and doubt over the trials they were experiencing. They were speaking instead of listening. James says this you know, but…  but everyone should be quick to hear. In the day this letter was written, people didn’t have personal copies of the Bible (Old Testament). The scriptures were kept in the synagogue and were read aloud during the weekly services. When James says be quick to hear, he’s talking about quick to receive God’s word in the way it was received in that day – by hearing.

Note: James says the anger of men can’t produce the righteousness of God and producing the righteousness of God is the whole point of the trial. God wants to grow us; He wants to give us opportunity to show our growth.

He doesn’t bring trials to frustrate us unless frustrating us is the best way to mature us. If we stubbornly persist in letting our flesh drive our response to trials, we won’t grow. We’ll just see more anger and frustration and despair Instead be quick to hear God’s word (read it) but be slow to speak. Speaking refers to our tendency to explain or rationalize our circumstances to ourselves. We talk to ourselves and others about why something has happened or how we should respond. We talk so much in fact, that we stop listening. Winston Churchill once said, “"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."  If we are truly going to hear God’s own wisdom and direction as we contend with trials, we have to first silence the voice in our head and in our mouth. Remember Psalm 46:10:

 Psa. 46:10- Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

 James gives us the secret to receiving God’s wisdom in a trial. In v.21 he says, receive God’s word in humility. The word for humility is prautes which means meekness. We have to humble ourselves, eliminate pride from our response to trials. We don’t deserve anything; God doesn’t owe us anything. We have nothing good in us save for Christ Himself and trials are good for us.

"We pray for safety instead of purity because we do not see impurity as dangerous." – George Stulac-

We pray for health and wealth and ease because those things sound good to our flesh, but when the Father sends us trials instead, we respond in ungodly ways if we fail to recognize the goodness of God in those trials. Everything we need to face trials is available from God as well.

 2 Pet. 1:2- Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 2 Pet. 1:3- seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

Did you notice that both Peter and James refer to this word as something already granted, already in you, implanted in you? James says the word of God is implanted in you, which is the word that saves your souls. The word “soul” in Greek means the whole life, or the full measure of the person’s earthly life. God’s word is the way we are saved, and that word is also a Person Who lives in us. We “receive” that Word when we turn to it and seek His counsel over our own voice and emotions. When we understand our circumstances from His perspective.

Pt. 3

The last lesson focused on understanding our circumstances from His perspective-Through His word. This lesson is a continuation from the previous lesson.

Receiving the word implanted in us means yielding to the instruction of the word as the Spirit convicts us and prompts us to a different walk. Once we receive God’s word, we have to act upon what we hear.

James 1:22, prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:23 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; James 1:24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. James 1:25 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.

 If there was one indictment against the Christian today, it might be that many have become merely hearers of the word rather than doers. This is the classic critique of Bible churches. Groups of Christians who give lip service to the Bible and to God’s word. We love to read it, we love to study it, we put the word on our sign out front, but do we let it change our thoughts and actions?

Let’s break down what James is saying. James says prove yourselves doers of the word. The word “prove” in Greek means something that has been done or accomplished. Demonstrating through action, and in the context of trials, it refers to living according to God’s word in the midst of a trial.

Note: James sets up a choice of two paths once we have consulted God’s word. We can hear it and tell ourselves we’re fine. We assume it’s talking about someone else. We sit in the pew and say to ourselves, I hope so-and-so is listening to the pastor this morning. That point was meant for them (but not us). We delude ourselves either by thinking it was written for someone else, or we assume we’re already living according to God’s word. This is a Pharisaical way of thinking because it’s rooted in an overly positive view of self; an unteachable heart, ultimately, it’s pride rather than humility. James uses a beautiful analogy to describe that kind of person. The word of God is like a mirror, in the way it causes us to examine ourselves in an honest and true way. It speaks with authority and truth, and the Spirit in us takes those words and uses them to convict us of our sin. In that way, hearing the word of God is like seeing ourselves in a mirror.

 When we look into the mirror of God’s word, we need to come with an honest heart ready to learn something about ourselves. If we learn something from that self-inspection, we have to put it into action. Unlike the person who sees the problems in the mirror, but instead of addressing the problems, the person just walks away. It’s as if we can’t see the problems, then we don’t have any. Instead, James says we need to act differently. In v.25 James says look into the mirror of God’s word, the perfect law of Liberty. The word for “look” is parakupto, which means to stoop down to get a better look, to study intently, and we’re looking at the entire truth of Scripture, the law of liberty which isn’t the Law of Moses; It’s the entirety of God’s word, the full measure of God’s revelation that brings freedom and grace, and power, as Peter said, to face our trials successfully. Remember that James’ audience were Jews who had recently come to faith and learned that they were no longer compelled to keep the Law of Moses, but that raised a problem for some who now wondered if they had any obligation to do anything in response to their faith.

James is arguing for us to be better Christians simply by assuming a more active Christian lifestyle. The context of the first chapter is facing trials, and in that context being a “doer” means being someone who puts God’s wisdom and instruction into action.

-When you put God’s word and His instructions into action, you will be blessed in what you do- Apostle DeWayne Hill-

If you hear from God in His word, consider it, but then never take the steps to put it into action in your own life, you are the forgetful hearer and ironically. If we get busy in the church doing things, serving in one way or another but we never take the word of God and actually apply it in our own lives, we may feel like we’re the “doer” James asks us to be, but in reality, we’re still the forgetful hearer. We’re still the one who looks at ourselves, and instead of hearing and taking steps to adjust our life to Christ, we’re distracting ourselves by our works at religion, at doing Christian things instead of being a Christian.

James ends the chapter with exactly this kind of exhortation…….

 James 1:26- 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. James 1:27- 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.

Who is the one who thinks himself “religious”? The word in Greek is threskos, and it means someone who fears or worships God. We’re still talking about a believer, but the point is a believer who sees himself as someone doing the right things in keeping with their faith. Someone who lives his faith properly. James says if someone thinks he has already achieved the perfect reflection in that mirror, and they can look upon God’s word, hear it, and come away thinking there is nothing they need to change in their lives: Then that Christian is the one who thinks himself religious, according to James. To that person, James offers a simple test: can you bridle your tongue? Is everything you say to yourself and everyone else perfectly in accordance with God’s word? You never lie, you never gossip, you never utter a hurtful word, you never speak out of pride or arrogance? If we can’t even control something as small as our tongue – never mind the rest of our bodies. We deceive ourselves if we think there is nothing in our lives we need to change in response to God’s word, and in trials, we are going to fail rather than be blessed because we are going to rely on our own thoughts and instincts.

Pt. 4

This lesson is one focused on the second testing of faith, the issue of favoritism.

The letter of James describes how the Lord uses simple tests to determine the purity of our faith. The Greek word for test back in James 1:3 is dokimion, which means to prove or show the purity of something. The testing of our faith, according to James, ultimately produces the perfecting or proving the purity of our faith, by removing the impurities of our walk. The tests the Lord sends are nondestructive in the sense that they aren’t sent to destroy us but to build us up, so we could say that the Lord is at work in our life testing the purity of our faith to show whether it is contaminated with impurities of one kind or another.

In Chapter 1, James discussed how the Lord uses trials or difficulties as a means of testing our faith, and in Chapter 2, James describes two additional methods of testing. The chapter opens with an examination of how God tests our faith by our responses to people from varying social backgrounds. Later in the chapter, James moves to a third test, which we will address when we get there. Turning to the second test now:

 James 2:1- My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

The second testing of faith comes on the issue of favoritism. There is an interesting Greek word used here for personal favoritism: proso-polemp-sia. It’s a translation of a Hebrew idiom which literally means to “lift up the face.” The point of the idiom is that lifting our face to someone is to show them our favor or attention to the exclusion of others. James says don’t hold (the Greek word actually means accompany or join) your faith in Christ with favoritism among men. Again, we’re talking about a man or woman of faith who is acting wrongly in the faith…failing a test in that sense. James now moves to using examples to make his point clearer.

James 2:2- 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, James 2:3- 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,” James 2:4- have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

 Note: It’s in this visibility of wealth or social status where we find a test developing for the believers in this assembly. The test is how we choose to think and act in response to that show of wealth, and the key to passing the test, as before, is to think and act like God thinks and acts. Relying on Godly wisdom, led by the Spirit. In vs. 3-4, James presents an indictment and describes the crime. As each of these men walk into the assembly, you pay special attention to the rich man. The Greek word for special attention means regard with favor. The rich man looks wealthy and so this leads the usher to guide the man to a good seating place. Likewise, the poor man is given a lowly position in the assembly. There are two errors or sins committed here.

 They are committed not only by the one who selects the seats, but by association everyone in the assembly who would see that decision as proper is also culpable. The first sin was in making a judgment of each person’s worth, and then responding to each person in a different way based on that judgment. James says in v.4 that they have made distinctions among themselves. The assembly is showing favor to one man over another, and regardless of the basis for that judgment, the very fact that we make distinctions is wrong – period. This fact alone is wrong, and it means they failed the testing of their faith. Our faith should bring with it an understanding that all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Our faith also understands that by Christ’s blood we have all been made new creatures and are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm. We are brothers and sisters in Christ without distinction in worth or value to God; So, when we look upon our brothers and sisters in Christ and assume one to be better or more important than another, we sin. We aren’t looking at each other with eyes of faith; we’re relying on worldly eyes. Rich people aren’t more important or more special than poor people in God’s economy. Good looking people aren’t better either, neither are smarter people, famous people, or UT grads, etc. Any attempt to re-establish that kind of worldly ranking system in the church is simply sinful, and ungodly. When we see people in these ways in the Body of Christ, we sin because we fail to operate in godly wisdom. We are living in our flesh.

Note: In v.4 James says that our favoritism for the rich Christian over the poor one stems from evil motives. What “evil motives” do we have for making distinctions between rich and poor in the church? If we’re honest with ourselves, the answer comes easily. We favor a person who looks rich because we have a secret hope that they will return our favor by using their wealth to reward us; Perhaps they will reward us personally or just reward the church, but either way, it’s the lure of money and the looks of status that causes us to think and act sinfully. That’s the evil motive that James is referencing.

James 2:5- 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? James 2:6- But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? James 2:7- Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?

James gives us God’s view of rich and poor. God chose the poor of the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, but when we show the poor scorn or simply dismiss them, we dishonor that person. The Greek word is atimazo which means treat shamefully. We treat them as if we are ashamed of them or for them, but God has chosen them and made them rich in the things that matter, spiritual things. If we saw them with eyes for eternity, knowing they share the same future we have, then we wouldn’t shame them.

 Consider this…they may earn more treasure in the coming kingdom and be the “rich” person in the future kingdom.

James’ statement that God chose the poor is echoed in Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church:

1Cor. 1:26- For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 1Cor. 1:27- but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 1Cor. 1:28- and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 1Cor. 1:29- so that no man may boast before God.