James Chapter 02: Be God’s Friend
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment! What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?…You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.“ James 2:13-14, 22-24 James Chapter two brings the next two tests of a true saving Faith: The Test of Impartial Love and the Test of Righteous Love. All people who claim to be Christians say they believe in Jesus and have faith, yet chapter two brings a specific definition of what the Biblical standards of belief and faith really are. Sadly more in this world reduce Biblical faith to simple agreement. We must always compare our own personal definitions of key concept words and concepts from the scriptures with the definitions we learn growing up so that we clearly understand the life-giving words of the Lord.
Have fun studying James Chapter two!
The Tests of True Faith
James 1:2-12 The Test of Perseverance During Trials
James 1:13-18 The Test of Blaming Others During Trials
James 1:19-27 The Test of Obedience: Being a Doer
James 2:1-13 The Test of Impartial Love
James 2:14-26 The Test of Righteous Works
James 3:1-12 The Test of the Tongue
James 3:13-18 The Test of Humble Wisdom
James 4:1-12 The Test of Worldly Indulgence
James 4:13-17 The Test of Dependence on God
James 5:1-11 The Test of Patient Endurance
James 5:12 The Test of Truthfulness
James 5:13-18 The Test of Prayfulness
James 5:19-20 The Test of True Faith
James and the Sermon on the Mount
James Verse Sermon on the Mount Verse Subject
James 1:2 Matt. 5: 10-12 (Luke 6:22, 23) Joy in the midst of trials
James 1:4 Matt. 5:48 God’s desire and work in us: perfection
James 1:5 Matt. 7:7 Asking God for good gifts
James 1:17 Matt. 7:11 God is the giver of good gifts
James 1:19,20 Matt. 5:22 Command against anger
James 1:22,23 Matt. 7:24-27 Contrast between hearers and doers (illustrated)
James 1:26,27 Matt. 7:21-23 Religious person whose religion is worthless
James and the Sermon on the Mount
James 2:5 Matt. 5:3 The poor as heirs of the kingdom
James 2:10 Matt. 5:19 The whole moral law to be kept
James 2:11 Matt. 5:21,22 Command against murder
James 2:13 Matt. 5:7; 6:14,15 The merciful blessed; the unmerciful condemned
James 2:14-26 Matt. 7:21-23 Dead, worthless (and deceiving) faith
James 3:12 Matt. 7:16 (Luke 6:44,45) Tree producing what is in keeping with its kind
James 3:18 Matt. 5:9 Blessing of those who make peace
James 4:2,3 Matt. 7:7 ,8 Importance of asking God
James 4:4 Matt. 6:24 Friendship with the world = hostility toward God
James 4:8 Matt. 5:8 Blessing on and call for the pure in heart
James 4:9 Matt. 5:4 Blessing and call for those who mourn
James 4:11,12 Matt. 7:1-5 Command against wrongly judging others
James 4:13,14 Matt. 6:34 Not focusing too much on tomorrow
James 5:1 (Luke 6:24,25) Woe to rich
James 5:2 Matt. 6:19,20 Moth and rust spoiling earthly riches
James 5:6 (Luke 6:37) Against condemning the righteous man
James 5:9 Matt. 5:22; 7:1 Not judging-the Judge standing at the door
James 5:10 Matt. 5:12 The prophets as examples of wrongful suffering
James 5:12 Matt. 5:33-37 Not making hasty and irreverent oaths
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