JAMES LESSON 4


     We will begin this lesson in James 2:15 "If a brother or sister
be naked, and destitute of daily food,"

     In the last lesson, we learned that works do not save you, but
you will have good works, if you are saved. The brother and sister,
here, are not brothers and sisters in the flesh, but in the faith.
This is speaking of those who are Christians. This is not speaking of
wants in their lives, this is speaking of their needs.

     James 2:16 "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?"

     James is saying, in this, that just telling them to be filled
will not fill that empty place in their stomach. To wish them well,
without giving them a coat to warm with will not keep them warm. We
must put action to our wishes. Feed them and clothe them, and then
wish them well, and you will have done something.  Matthew 25:42 "For
I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave
me no drink:" Matthew 25:43 "I was a stranger, and ye took me not in:
naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me
not." Be doers of the Word, and not just hearers. Be a sermon by the
actions you take toward others.

     James 2:17 "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone."

     We can say we have faith, but we will not be believed, unless we
have works to match up with our faith. The faith of Abraham was put
into action when Abraham was about to offer his son, Isaac, as
sacrifice to God. Faith brings results. Faith causes us to step out
and do things we would not think of trying otherwise.

     James 2:18 "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."

     Look, with me, at faith in action.  Hebrews 11:7 "By faith Noah,
being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear,
prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned
the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
Hebrews 11:8 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a
place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he
went out, not knowing whither he went."  Hebrews 11:29 "By faith they
passed through the Red sea as by dry [land]: which the Egyptians
assaying to do were drowned."  All of these Scriptures show faith in
action, or faith acted upon. We must do the things of God, if we are
of faith. One of the very best examples of this is the parable about
the 3 men who received talents from the Lord. Two of them acted in
faith and earned more for the master. The third was afraid and hid his
talent. His Lord was angry and took it away from him. Fear is the
opposite of faith. To be truly faithful, we must act upon our faith.
Just to sit down and say you have faith, without doing something about
it, actually shows lack of faith.

     James 2:19 "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest
well: the devils also believe, and tremble."

     Many believe that just to say you believe in God is enough, but
without trust in God to act upon the faith, it becomes very
questionable about whether you really have faith in God, or are just
saying you do. The devils believe, because they have seen God in
heaven. It takes no faith at all to believe something you have seen
with your own eyes. The true faith is believing in your heart in
something you have not seen. "Devils", here, is speaking of the angels
that followed Lucifer out of heaven. They tremble, because they know
the terrible fate that awaits them.

     James 2:20 "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without
works is dead?"

     Faith that is not acted upon brings no fruit. Mark 4:8 "And other
fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased;
and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred."
Mark 4:20 "And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as
hear the word, and receive [it], and bring forth fruit, some
thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred."  Those who profess faith
must be like this fruitful tree. Silent Christians are not fulfilling
the great commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
It is not our obligation for them to listen, but it is our obligation
to tell them, if we have faith. To have faith and do absolutely
nothing about it, is no faith at all.

     James 2:21 "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when
he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"

     Abraham's faith was tested to see if it was really faith, or just
talk. He acted upon his faith, and God saved his son Isaac. Abraham
had great faith. His faith had grown into complete trust in God. He
knew in his heart, God could raise him from the dead. Hebrews 11:17
"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that
had received the promises offered up his only begotten [son]," Hebrews
11:18 "Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:"
Hebrews 11:19 "Accounting that God [was] able to raise [him] up, even
from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure."
Abraham's faith was strong enough to stand the test.

     James 2:22 "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by
works was faith made perfect?"

     The faith of Abraham was made perfect in the action he took. He
proclaimed his perfect faith and trust in God by his actions. Had the
test of offering his son for sacrifice to God never arisen, we would
not have realized how great faith Abraham had in God. His act of faith
helps us in difficult situations to act upon our faith. We might be
like the man who brought his son to Jesus for healing. He said he
believed, but help his unbelief. Each person has a portion of faith,
but to let it grow, we must use it. Our faith grows with every use.

     James 2:23 "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."

     "Imputed", in the usage here, means counted. The belief of
Abraham was counted unto him for righteousness. Without faith, it is
impossible to please God. Without acting upon the faith that we have,
it is not faith at all. To be the Friend of God would be the highest
honor we could be paid. God had great regard for Abraham.

     James 2:24 "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and
not by faith only."

     The works, spoken of here, are an evidence of the faith the
person has. Faith saves us, but the works are a by-product of our
faith. When we stand before Jesus on judgement day, He will say to His
own, well done, thy good and faithful servant. Servants serve.

     James 2:25 "Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by
works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them] out
another way?"

     The actions that Rahab took revealed that she had faith in God.
She helped the messengers, because her faith in God was greater than
her fear of men.

     James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead also."

     The spirit within the body is the real you. It is the spirit that
is alive, quickened by the Lord Jesus Christ. The body is just the
house that the spirit lives in here on the earth. When a person's
spirit leaves the body, the body is dead. Jesus dismissed His Spirit
from His body, and the body died on the cross. The spiritual body that
lives within this body of flesh is the part of us that will live on.
When the spirit leaves the body, the life is gone. Faith that is not
acted upon, is like this empty shell of the body. Faith is not real,
until the actions show the faith of the person.












                          James 4 Questions


1.  What, in verse 15, lets us know these are Christians?
2.  This is not speaking of ________ in their lives, but _______.
3.  What had they said to the needy in verse 16?
4.  Quote Matthew chapter 25 verses 42 and 43.
5.  Faith, without works, is _______.
6.  What proves our faith?
7.  Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my
    _______ by my _________.
8.  Quote Hebrews chapter 11 verse 7.
9.  Who were some others who showed their faith by their actions?
10. What parable does the author think is a very good example of faith
    at work?
11. Thou believest that there is One God; thou doest well: the _______
    also believe, and tremble.
12. Why do the devils believe?
13. Who are these "devils", spoken of here?
14. What is the parable of the fruit, in Mark, about?
15. What is wrong with silent Christians?
16. What does verse 21 say, that Abraham was justified by?
17. What did Abraham believe God would do, if he sacrificed Isaac?
18. By ________ was faith made perfect.
19. How can we have more faith?
20. Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
    _____________.
21. Abraham was called the __________ of God.
22. What does "imputed", in verse 23, mean?
23. What is a by-product of faith?
24. What harlot is mentioned as being justified by works?
25. What did the actions Rahab took show?
26. The body without the _________ is dead.
27. Faith without __________ is dead.
28. What are the two bodies that we have?