Note for study: The Word of God is powerful and full bodied.
These are some thoughts on James Chapter 2.
The hope for all of us is that we hear from the Lord as we read
and integrate what we have learned into our lives.
This is by no means every explanation possible.
The word of God is alive and this is just what the Lord exposed to me.
Keep digging for more, the riches and richness of God’s treasure
is way beyond one person or any certain teaching.
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith,
and have not works? can faith save him? v 14
The question is: Can faith save him?
That question seems to be answered in the following verses.
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, v 15
And one of you say unto them,
Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not those things
which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? v 16
The world calls these people fake Christians. I’ve heard them.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan answers this question of faith.
Jesus gives instruction at the end of the parable:
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying,
“Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
He answered,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your strength, and with all your mind; (Deuteronomy 6:5)
and your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)
He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.”
But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus answered, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,
and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him,
and departed, leaving him half dead.
By chance a certain priest was going down that way.
When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him,
passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was.
When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him,
and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.
He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn,
and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed,
he took out two denarii, gave them to the host, and said to him,
‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that,
I will repay you when I return.’
Now which of these three do you think
seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?”
He said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37 WEB
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. v 17
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:
shew me thy faith without thy works,
and I will shew thee my faith by my works. v 18
What are these works that people squabble about
and have difficulty understanding?
The Parable of the Talents will help explain and so will this scripture:
But he that knew not and committed things worthy of stripes,
shall be beaten with few stripes.
For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required;
and to whom men have committed much,
of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:48
The Parable of the Talents
For the Kingdom of Heaven is as a man traveling into a far country,
who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods.
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one,
to every man according to his several ability,
and straightway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same,
and made them another five talents.
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained another two.
But he that had received one went and dug in the earth
and hid his lord’s money.
After a long time the lord of those servants came and reckoned with them.
And so he that had received five talents came
and brought the other five talents, saying,
‘Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents.
Behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.’
His lord said unto him,
‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
Thou hast been faithful over a few things;
I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.’
“He also that had received two talents came and said,
‘Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents; behold,
I have gained two other talents beside them.’
His lord said unto him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.
Thou hast been faithful over a few things;
I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy lord.’
“Then he that had received the one talent came and said,
‘Lord, I knew thee, that thou art a hard man,
reaping where thou hast not sown,
and gathering where thou hast not strewed.
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth.
Lo, there thou hast what is thine.’
His lord answered and said unto him,
‘Thou wicked and slothful servant,
thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not,
and gather where I have not strewed.
Thou ought therefore to have placed my money with the exchangers,
and then at my coming I should have received mine own with interest.
Take therefore the talent from him,
and give it unto him that hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance;
but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he hath.
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Matthew 25:14-30
The takeaway? We shouldn’t be lazy, slothful servants.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well:
the devils also believe, and tremble. v 19
It is not enough to believe.
We cannot just take what we want from the word,
we have to apply the entire word of God and its lessons and examples.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? v 20
Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? v 21
Abraham’s obedience to the Lord was a form of work.
The next scripture explains it further:
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works,
and by works was faith made perfect? v 22
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God,
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness:
and he was called the Friend of God. v 23
Abraham applied the word of God.
He acted in obedience to God
after God had given him his much desired promise of a beloved son.
Abraham loved his son Isaac, but he still obeyed God.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. v 24
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works,
when she had received the messengers,
and had sent them out another way? v 25
Rahab’s work was spiritual work, she believed and feared God.
She protected those who served the Lord.
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones
a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple,
verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. Matthew 10:42
For as the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without works is dead also.. v 26
Those who use the excuse that
we don’t have to do anything but believe are fooling themselves.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after Me,
let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Matthew 16:24
Carrying our cross is work, a spiritual work that helps us to stay close to Him,
to remember His precepts and commands.
We are in no way able to pay back the Lord for what He has done for us.
We also should make every effort to care about what God cares about,
the things of His heart and those things that are important to Him.
Otherwise, we could be considered a wicked servant,
one whom Jesus does not know.
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me,
ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:23