James Journal ENTRIES Read James 1 1 18

James Journal ENTRIES

Read James 1: 1 -18 • Who was the author of this letter? • 2. When did James become a disciple of Jesus? (1 Cor 15: 7) • 3. What stature did he have in the early church? (Acts 1: 1314, 12: 17, 15: 13, 21: 17 -19) • 4. To whom was he writing this letter? When? Why? • 5. Notice three themes; hardship, perseverance, and wisdom. What does James say is the purpose for hardship? (James 1: 2 -3, Romans 5: 1 -5, 1 Peter 1: 3 -9)

Read James 1: 19 -27 • 1. What is the command in verse 1: 21? • 2. How do we shed “moral filth and evil”? (See 1 John 1: 9) • 3. In verses 1: 21, 22 and 23, James refers to the “word. ” To what does that refer? (James 1: 18, Jeremiah 31: 33 -34) How are we to react to that ‘word’ and what are we to do with it? • 4. Why does James use such a preposterous analogy in verses 1: 23 -24? • 5. What is the ‘law’ that James refers to in verse 1: 25 and why is it perfect?

James 2: 1 -13 • 1. How does the world regard the wealthy vs. the poor? • 2. Why would first-century believers find James’ concept revolutionary? (Deuteronomy 7: 12 -14, Joshua 1: 8) • 3. Is James condemning the wealthy and exalting the poor? • 4. Whose side is God on? • 5. What is the obvious contradiction in Verse 2: 5? • 6. How does one inherit God’s Kingdom? (John 1: 12)

James 2: 14 -26 • 1. In verse 2: 14, James speaks of a person having faith without deeds and asks, “Can such faith save him? ” Can it? • 2. Doesn’t James 2: 18 contradict Paul in Romans 3: 28 when he writes “man is justified (saved) by faith without the deeds (works) of the law”? How do you explain this? • 3. What do you think is the point of 2: 19 where James says that even the demons have faith? • 4. Was Abraham saved by faith or works? (Genesis 15: 3 -6, Romans 4: 3).

James 3: 1 -12 • 1. In Verse 3: 1, who was James warning about becoming a teacher? And why? • 2. In Verse 3: 2, James says, “if anyone makes no mistakes in what he says, he is a perfect man. ” Is anyone a perfect man? If not, what is James saying here? • 3. James gives four examples of a small thing controlling or overpowering a large one. What are they? • 4. Why does he emphasize the negative example of the fire so much more than the positive examples of the horse’s bit or ship’s rudder?

James 3: 13 -4: 12 • 1. What does James say is the evidence of wisdom in Verse 3: 13? • 2. How does James characterize ‘earthly wisdom? ’ (Verse 3: 14 -16) • 3. How does James describe ‘heavenly wisdom? ’ • 4. What does heavenly wisdom produce? (Verse 3: 18) • 5. What does James say is the root cause of fights and quarrels between people? (4: 2) • 6. What are the two main behaviors that James criticizes in Verses 4: 2 -3? • 7. Can we love both God and the world? What happens if we try to love both? (1 John 2: 15 -16, also Matthew 6: 24)

James 4: 13 -5: 6 • 1. Here James is again coming back to the subject of wealth and pride. Where had he addressed it previously and what was his focus then? (James 1: 9 -10) • 2. From these verses (4: 13 -17), do you get the impression that James is opposed to planning? (Proverbs 19: 21, 27: 1, Job 17: 11, Luke 12: 16 -21) • 3. Is James opposed to business success and making a profit? (1 Corinthians 5: 6, 1 John 2: 15 -17) • 4. When James speaks of ‘mist’ in Verse 4: 14, he is referring to Hosea 13: 3. Why? • 5. Starting in Chapter 5, James addresses a new audience in a new “tone of voice”. Who is the audience, what is his tone, and why?

James 5: 7 -end • 1. How does James’ teaching to be patient (vs. 7 -8) fit in with the preceding context (4: 13 -5: 6) and consequently, what does it mean to be “patient” here in this context? • 2. Does vs. 12 forbid the taking of oaths by Christians in a court of law or saying the Pledge of Allegiance today? Explain. • 3. Does vs. 14 -15 speak of an experience limited to the time of the apostles or of one that is still valid today? Why? • 4. How can you tell if someone has wandered (vs. 19), taken “the wrong path” (vs. 20) and is headed for death (vs. 20)?