James Series

Watch the full video: https://rumble.com/v4lvdwq-james-1-sanctification-vs.-salvation.html

Watch the full video: https://rumble.com/v4lvdwq-james-1-sanctification-vs.-salvation.html

Watch the full video: https://rumble.com/v4jwo73-james-1-introduction.html

Watch the full video: https://rumble.com/v4jwo73-james-1-introduction.html

Watch the full video: https://rumble.com/v4jwo73-james-1-introduction.html

As we close out our series on James, we’re embarking on a recap to keep in mind the key points of this book. We learned that we are to consider it joy when we encounter trials. they are opportunities sent by God so that we can demonstrate our spiritual maturity. We need a strong body of believers around us to keep us accountable and to help us develop that maturity. In James 2, we learned that we shouldn’t show favoritism based on someone’s status. We are to view one another the way God sees us. Then, we moved right into “faith without works is dead”, one of the more misunderstood concepts in the Bible. It doesn’t mean that salvation is based on works, rather, the works show that faith is in action. In James 3, we learned about guarding our speech. What we say makes an impression on the people around us. Our speech ought to match the faith we claim to have. In James 4, we learned about edifying each other and not placing ourselves above others. This keeps us in a place of humbleness, which God will favor. When we are humble we are less likely to slander other people, which James also warns against doing in chapter 4. James 4 also reminds us that our life is short-lived like a vapor or mist. That thought is very humbling. In chapter 5, James addresses the rich and corrupt rulers of that time. He warns them that God sees what they are doing and unless they change, there will be severe consequences for their actions. Then James switches his focus back to believers and finishes with exhortations on how to live in the world until the Lord returns. As we close out this series, we hope it has been a blessing to you.

We have come to the final part of James chapter 5. Here, James gives an exhortation to believers. First, he tells the believer to be patient in the midst of suffering. In the previous verses, James just finished going on a rant against the rich corrupt rulers. It is hard to be patient in the midst of that. But, Jesus modeled that behavior for us when He was silent before His accusers. When we are patient in oppressive times, it shows the world that we trust our Heavenly Father to work things out. It also shows the world the true difference between justice and revenge. Next, James warns the believers not to grumble and complain about each other. When you are putting up with everything going on in your life, It is hard not to complain. Everyone reading this has probably done it. But this issue has to do with a spirit of bitterness we can develop when we are just beat down by the world and we feel like everything is against us. However as we previously read, we can trust God to work things out. We can choose to trust Him and not be bitter and have a more effective testimony about how God helped us through a tough time. As we reach the conclusion of James, there have been many things that James has said not to do. So, James ends with some things we can do including prayer, singing songs and confessing sins. As we read in James previously, we are to live our faith out in actions like these. It’s a perfect ending to this powerful book in God’s Word.

This first section of James 5 continues the warning we saw at the end of James 4. In it, James goes on a rant against rich people who are corrupt and abuse the people in their employ. At the end of chapter 4, we saw James speaking against the worldly behaviors of rich people in the church. Now, James is speaking to those outside the church. Why the sudden shift? It has to do with how James knew the letter would be delivered. Back in those days a courier would hand deliver the message to the gates of a city. The city's gates were where the elders and leaders would gather to conduct official business. When James’ letter arrived believers would have come to collect the letter and very likely would have started reading it out loud. James likely had this in mind writing this section of his letter. James wanted to make it very clear to the corrupt rulers who were listening that their actions had not escaped God’s notice. He wanted to warn them that there would be severe consequences because they were oppressing their people and acting corruptly. Interestingly there is no message of hope like there are in other areas of James. James perhaps recognized that such people were utterly corrupt and could not be convinced to change their ways. Unfortunately, we still see this happening today.

As we continue our series on James, this section could be summed up in two points: don’t slander and don’t brag. Both of these come from a human sense of pride which James warns against over and over again. He continues to address matters of the inner person, which is the person that God sees. First, what is slander? In short, it is making a false statement about another person. That is something that is rampant in our culture today. James says when you slander someone, you are judging them and putting yourself above that person. Judging from a place of superiority is never good. Then there is boasting or bragging about things you are going to do in the future. Here, James is speaking to the wealthy class in the church. Those people could afford to pick up and move to another city to get a business advantage. James warns against boasting about this, because life is short, like a mist that evaporates. He encourages the reader to be humble by allowing God’s will in future plans.