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In this direct context, James says we should rid ourselves of “moral filth.” Sometimes, we think nothing of the words we use online and in other public spaces, but this passage equates those angry words with trash. Verses 19–21 tell us we should be quick to hear but slow to speak in anger. The first is that we should watch our speech, and the second is that a complete faith takes action. James introduces a couple of ideas in the second half of chapter 1 that he will come back to later in his letter. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works - this person will be blessed in what he does.
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For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. When facing personal tragedy or challenges, we should lean on the goodness of our God and our fellow Christians to help carry us past the pain and back to our hope in Christ.īut be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.When facing temptation, we should remember the promises of God are better than the passing pleasures of sin.When persecuted we should look beyond the pain of the moment to remember God’s love for us, and those who persecute us should see that love and hope in our conduct under pressure.James concludes this thought by reminding us that all goodness comes from God. By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the first-fruits of His creatures. Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. When we face challenges, persecution, and temptations in this life, we have an opportunity to grow in Christ.ĭon’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. Instead of letting trials beat us down, our relationship with God and the love of our fellow Christians can help us emerge with a stronger faith. James reminds us these things don’t matter in the big picture, that we are exulted in humility. For early Christians, persecution could include the loss of business relationships and even personal property. In the context, it makes sense that we’d seek wisdom from God in our trials it’s the eternal question of, “Why is this happening?” Wisdom helps us see past the events of the moment to God’s greater purpose.Īdditionally, our trials can challenge us financially. Verses 5–8 say we should ask God for wisdom with confidence, and verses 9–11 tell us we should value humility over riches. He then address two seemingly unrelated topics: wisdom and humility. He goes so far as to say these challenges are a good thing because they will result in greater maturity. Right after his greeting, James says to his readers that they will endure challenges as Christians. James opens with an unexpected theme - maturity through trials.
THE BOOK OF JAMES BIBLE STUDY FULL
And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Verses 1–18: Trials and MaturityĬonsider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
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Useful as they are for study purposes, they can also make it easy to take things out of context - adding meaning or removing it from larger thoughts.Īs a note, I’m working from the Christian Standard Bible. James and the other New Testament writers didn’t include the chapter breaks or verse numbers we use today. In this and following articles, I’m going to go chapter by chapter, but it’s always best to read each epistle in one sitting. It’s about owning our faith and making it a part of who we are - not just a name we wear. It speaks to what Christian living looks like in practice. Rather, this is a letter about putting faith into action. James spends little time on things like Christ’s deity, baptism, or the nature of the church. Based on the text, it’s written to people who already have a faith in Christ, possibly of Jewish heritage, and who understand the fundamentals of Christianity but they’re having problems putting it into practice. James is a book written to help Christians take their faith to a higher level.