JAMES LESSON 3


     We will begin this lesson in James 2:1 "My brethren, have not the
faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the Lord] of glory, with respect of
persons."

     I believe what James is trying to say here, is that being a
respecter of a person because of his station in life is not consistent
with Christianity. Jesus taught that we are not to be a respecter of
persons, if we are Christians. Luke 20:21 "And they asked him, saying,
Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither
acceptest thou the person [of any], but teachest the way of God
truly:" We see the same teaching from Peter in the following
Scripture. Acts 10:34 "Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:"

     James 2:2 "For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold
ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile
raiment;"

     We can easily see from this, that the church is not for just one
class of people. This, also, shows that just because a man was rich,
did not mean that he could not be saved. The fact that a person was
very poor, did not keep him from joining the church either.

     James 2:3 "And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay
clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to
the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:"

     James is showing them, in this, that they had been showing
preference to the rich. In God's sight, the rich should be given no
more privileges than the poor. There are many churches today that
would turn away the poor man in this instance. Vile raiment might be
just enough to keep them not only at the back, but completely out of
the church. The outward appearance of a man does not reveal what is in
his heart. The heart determines whether you are a Christian, or not.

     James 2:4 "Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become
judges of evil thoughts?"

     Church is not for the privileged few, but for all who seek God.
We are not to judge man at all, but if we did, we would not judge
fairly. We would be thinking of the flesh of man, and God looks at the
heart of man.

     James 2:5 "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the
poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he
hath promised to them that love him?"

     In the following Scripture Jesus says, that it is hard for a rich
man to enter heaven. He did not say it was impossible, just difficult.
The reason for that, is because the rich man has a hard time putting
anything ahead of his riches. God will not take second place.
Matthew 19:23 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto
you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 19:24 "And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to
go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the
kingdom of God."  For a person to come to Christ, he must humble
himself before God. The humbling is much easier for the poor, because
they are already in practice being humble.

     James 2:6 "But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress
you, and draw you before the judgment seats?"

     James is explaining that poor men seldom oppress anyone, but it
is generally the rich who oppress the poor, not the other way around.
The rich sometimes hold important offices in government, and have more
opportunity to oppress.

     James 2:7 "Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye
are called?"

     Notice in the following Scripture, the holiness of the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:6 "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall
dwell safely: and this [is] his name whereby he shall be called, THE
LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."  The name that we are called is Christian,
which means we are followers of and believers in Christ. Ephesians
3:15 "Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,"  The
family is made up of the sons of God. Those who choose to believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ are the sons of God. John 1:12 "But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even]
to them that believe on his name:"

     James 2:8 "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:"

     Jesus explained that loving God and loving your neighbor
fulfilled all of your obligations, if you were a Christian. Look, with
me, at the following Scriptures on this. Matthew 22:37 "Jesus said
unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:38 "This is the
first and great commandment." Matthew 22:39 "And the second [is] like
unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Matthew 22:40 "On
these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

     James 2:9 "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and
are convinced of the law as transgressors."

     If you respect someone because of their wealth or position in
society, you have not kept the two laws Jesus said covered all the
laws.

     James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet
offend in one [point], he is guilty of all."

     This is speaking to those specifically who have not accepted the
sacrifice that Jesus made as being sufficient for all sin, and are
trying to keep the Mosaic law. The keeping of the law saves no one,
because they cannot keep it in its entirety. The forgiveness through
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ saves you.

     James 2:11 "For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also,
Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou
art become a transgressor of the law."

     James is trying to show, in this, that by the keeping of the law,
no man is saved. The penalty for sin is death. Jesus took our sin upon
His body on the cross, if we are believers, we are not guilty of sin.
We have been pardoned by His great act of mercy. The keepers of the
law are not Christians, because they have not accepted the full pardon
through the shed blood of Jesus for their sins.

     James 2:12 "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged
by the law of liberty."

     The law of liberty in Jesus Christ is what Christians are under.
We are not perfect, just forgiven. We are righteous in the sight of
the Father, because we have been washed in the precious blood of Jesus
Christ and made righteous. We have taken on His righteousness in
exchange for our sin.

     James 2:13 "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath
shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment."

     This is so similar to what the Lord Jesus taught. Forgive, and
you shall be forgiven. If you will not forgive, then you shall not be
forgiven. Matthew 5:7 "Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall
obtain mercy."  Matthew 6:15  "But if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."  I John
4:8 "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."  I John 4:9
"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God
sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him."  I John 4:10 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he
loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins."
I John 4:11 "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one
another." I John 4:12 "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love
one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us."

     James 2:14 "What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say
he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?"

     We all know the answer to this is, that we are saved by faith and
faith alone, but if we are saved, we will have works showing our
faith. The works are a manifestation of our faith. Matthew 5:16  "Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven."  The works of a Christian
speak to the world of the faith he has.




                          James 3 Questions


1.  What does the author believe James is saying in verse 1 here?
2.  Quote Luke chapter 20 verse 21.
3.  What did Peter have to say about the same thing?
4.  How was the rich man described in verse 2?
5.  What type of raiment did the poor have?
6.  What lesson can the church today learn from James chapter 2 verse
    2?
7.  What did they say to the person in gay clothing?
8.  Where did they tell the poor person to stand?
9.  Church is not for the ___________ few, but for all who seek God.
10. What is the difference in the way God looks at man, and the way
    man looks at man?
11. Why is it difficult for the rich man to be saved?
12. Quote Matthew chapter 19 verse 24.
13. Who are the oppressors in this world, usually?
14. What name of God is in Jeremiah chapter 23 verse 6?
15. What does the name Christian tell about us?
16. Quote John chapter 1 verse 12.
17. What is the royal law?
18. On what two commandments, did Jesus say hang all the law and
    prophets?
19. What are you doing when you respect someone more than others,
    because of their wealth, or position?
20. Who is verse 10 really speaking of?
21. By the keeping of the law is ___ ____ saved.
22. Why are the keepers of the law not Christians?
23. Who is under the law of liberty?
24. Quote Matthew chapter 5 verse 7.
25. Quote 1 John chapter 4 verse 8.
26. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love _____ ________.
27. What is the answer to verse 14?