James 2

Study Guide 161: James 2:14-5:20 FAITH’ S CHALLENGES Overview The Book of James is about faith. But it is not about “ saving faith.” It is about the role faith plays in the life of a person who is already a believer. In our last study we saw James’ insights into personal and interpersonal aspects of the life of faith. A believer’ s character (James 1:2-4), attitudes (James 1:5-8), emotional responses (James 1:19-21), behavior (James 1:22-27) and priorities (James 2:1-13) are all reshaped by faith. Thus participation in the community of those who take Jesus as the focus of their lives brings a total reorientation of the individual, and of all that he or she is. Christian faith is not merely assent to a set of propositions about Jesus: it is a living trust in the Lord which leads to a whole new way of life. In this study you will help your group grasp a basic principle that underlies this faith-lifestyle (James 2:14-25), and examine problems to be faced by the man or woman of faith (chaps. 3-4). Finally you will look together at the prospects for the person of faith — redress of wrongs when Jesus returns, and until then all the resources we need to overcome. JUSTIFY. The Greek word means “ to vindicate” as well as “ to pronounce righteous.” Depending on the context, justify can mean “ found innocent” or “ vindicated in a particular course of action.” It is important to keep each meaning in view as we study James 2:1-26.

Commentary James was a man deeply concerned that those who have faith in Jesus express that faith in an appropriate lifestyle. Knowing God means a total reorientation for human beings who were before blinded and lost. It is against this background of concern that those who claim Jesus live a life of faith that James, in James 2:1-26, penned a paragraph which greatly troubled Martin Luther and others who thought that James suggested a salvation that is won through human effort rather than by the work of Christ on Calvary.

Principles of Faith: James 2:14-26Here is what the troublesome passage says: What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “ Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “ You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “ Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’ s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. We can avoid misunderstanding if we only look at the thesis James stated so clearly. He was speaking of an individual who claims to have “ faith,” but whose “ faith” has not produced any change of life. He asked, “ Can such faith save him?” (James 2:14, italics added) James thus was looking at a particular kind of “ faith,” that actually stands in contrast with what Paul and other New Testament writers call “ faith.” While the kind of “ faith” James examines does exist as intellectual acknowledgment of God (e.g., “ God exists” ), it does not exist as a trust in God that generates response. In this it is like that of demons, who know full well that God exists, but who rather than trust and love Him “ shudder” (James 2:19). This kind of faith is seen in human beings who, despite their claims to “ believe” in God are unresponsive to the needs of their brothers and sisters. It is not linked with response — either to God or to God’ s children. James then contrasts dead faith with a real and vital faith in God. As seen in both Abraham and Rahab, true faith produces fruit. Abraham’ s “ faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says ‘ Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness’” (James 2:22-23). That is, God’ s recorded statement that “ Abraham believed God” was demonstrated to be true by Abraham’ s subsequent obedience to the Lord! Where there is true faith in God, that faith will never exist apart from works, but will find expression in the believer’ s way of life. But what about the statement that “ a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” ? (James 2:24) Doesn’ t this conflict with the teaching that salvation is by faith, apart from works? Here we turn to the second meaning of justify as “ vindicate.” The Expository Dictionary of Bible Words (Zondervan) says: It is not beyond our efforts to resolve the apparent conflict between Romans and James. Consider the following: James does not teach that Abraham was pronounced righteous on the basis of his actions. James teaches that Scripture’ s announcement that Abraham was righteous is vindicated on the basis of Abraham’ s subsequent obedience. He did right because God’ s action actually worked within him to make him righteous! James is speaking of two kinds of faith, only one of which is saving faith. He teaches that saving faith will be vindicated by the actions that flow from it and in this sense complete it. What is particularly significant to us here is that James joins Paul in suggesting that justification is something more than a judicial declaration. True, in response to faith, God does declare sinners acquitted and righteous before Him; but He does more than that. God acts within the believer to make righteousness a reality. Thus the Gospel offer of salvation by faith includes more than a pardon: it also includes a transformation. God will declare the sinner righteous, and then God will act to make the sinner what God has declared him to be. The kind of faith which saves also transforms, and that transformation will show up in the lifestyle of the true believer. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT In a minilecture work carefully through this critical passage. Then have group members individually write a paraphrase of these verses. This process will help each see if he or she has grasped the verses’ teaching. Read several paraphrases to the group, or work together to develop a group paraphrase that takes the best insights and combines them. And so James calls us today to look at our Christian faith not only as what we believe, but also as how we believe. Has our response to God been a dry, intellectual kind of thing? Have we simply accepted as true the historical facts about Jesus’ life and death and resurrection? Or have we gone beyond recognition to a wholehearted trust in Jesus? A trust that involves not only the confidence that He has forgiven us, but also involves the commitment of our whole person into His loving hands. A commitment of all that we are and have to Jesus now. When we make this commitment, “ This kind of faith” not only will save us but will also transform our lives.

Problems for Faith: James 3-4 After his sweeping assertion of the principle that faith must find expression in our lifestyle as well as in our beliefs, James focused on problems that each of us must deal with. These are, in essence, challenges to the way of life that faith promotes. What is so surprising is that these are such common, ordinary problems. There is no demand here that our faith move mountains, produce miracles, or at the very least lead us to venture overseas without support, to carry the Gospel to distant tribes. Rather than the extraordinary feats we sometimes associate with great faith, James directs our attention to the unspectacular business of the common man’ s ordinary daily life. Taming the tongue (James 3:1-12). The tongue is the first challenge for faith. It’ s so easy for us to slip and to criticize or say something cutting about our brother. It’ s so tempting to gossip. The person who has his or her tongue under control has definitely matured in the life of faith. Subduing the self (James 3:13-4:10). Each of us has natural desires and passions that constitute another challenge to faith. We can recognize the influence of the old passions when we see “ bitter envy and selfish ambition” in our hearts. On the other hand we can recognize the divine wisdom by its traits. It is “ pure . . . peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). What is so serious about our desires? If we act out of the old passions our relationships with others will be marked by conflict. There will be “ quarreling and fighting” (James 4:1-2). What is more, the things we desire will be wrong. We will not obtain them, first because we have not associated them to our lives with God (James 4:2), and second because when we do ask God, we “ ask with wrong motives” (James 4:3). James went on to further emphasize the seriousness of the materialistic and selfish viewpoint that is linked with our old lives. “ Friendship with the world is hatred toward God” (James 4:4). Here “ world” is used in its theological sense as the world system: the whole set of values, attitudes, desires, and passions that characterize sinful human society. The challenge for faith, then, is to submit oneself totally to God. We are to adopt His viewpoint and His values, even at the cost of personal pain and humbling ourselves before Him (James 4:8-10). The reorientation of life which comes when we make full commitment to God will transform our desires, and by making us those who love rather than those who desire, will change our relationships with others as well. Judging the judge (James 4:11-12). Another common problem faced by all of us is our tendency to judge and evaluate each other in a negative, condemning way. James pointed out that God alone, who makes the law, is competent to judge. Faith struggles against this tendency to judge and criticize a neighbor. Humbling the haughty (James 4:13-17). Finally, faith comes into direct conflict with pride and the human tendency to rely on one’ s own self. Arrogance, boasting, and approaching life as though our lives were under our control rather than in God’ s hands is likely to grow with success and accomplishments. Faith maintains the awareness that we are each dependent on God, and faith frees us to relax in the assurance of His loving guidance for our lives. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Go around the circle and ask each person in the group to complete the following sentence: “ I would like more faith so I could….” List each completion on the chalkboard. Then discuss: “ How do we tend to see faith? What do we expect our faith in God to accomplish?” Then list the “ problems for faith” headings in James 3-4. Divide into teams, each of which is to examine one or two of these areas, to define just what problem we human beings have, and how faith leads us to approach it.

Prospects and Promises: James 5:1-20The men and women to whom James wrote lived, as we do, in a time when injustice was common and suffering the all-too-often lot of believer and unbeliever alike. What does a life of faith promise to Jesus’ followers? What are the rewards of joining with others on faith’ s great adventure? The prospect (James 5:1-6). James wanted to recognize immediately that there is no promise in Christianity of utopia now. Instead James spoke out for the oppressed, warning the wealthy who defraud the poor laborer while they live “ in luxury and self-indulgence” (James 5:5). Earthly treasures will rust away, and the very rust will be evidence against the oppressors in the coming judgment. The impact of this message is not to call the poor believer to vindictive joy at the prospect. Instead, James sought to call rich and poor alike to realize that a day is coming when God will show His justice as well as His love. To the rich this is a call to repent. To the poor it is a message of hope. This world is not the sum and substance of reality. When Jesus comes, the world as well as individuals will be renewed. Present promises (James 5:7-20). What about now, as we wait patiently for Jesus to return? James tells us that the person of faith has many resources. There is patience (James 5:7-12). Job waited, trusting God’ s timing. And the end of Job’ s life demonstrated the compassion and the mercy of God (Job 42:1-17). Like Job, the suffering believer today can commit himself and his suffering to the Lord. There is prayer (James 5:13-18). We have the privilege of joining with our brothers to bring both illness and sin to God for healing. James insisted that we not underestimate the importance of prayer. “ The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). Note that many see the promise of healing here as linked with confession, and the sickness as a divine judgment. In any case, we are to bring all our needs to Jesus, confident that He does hear and answer prayer. There is caring (James 5:19-20). This last resource is seen in the final words of James, “ My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth” (James 5:19). The response of the believing community is not to condemn but to seek to restore. The family is a community of life. Whatever life may hold, within the family there is the certainty of caring and concern.

Teaching Guide Prepare Work through James 2:14-25 carefully, and be ready to answer any questions on this “ problem” passage.

Explore Review briefly James’ concern with faith’ s lifestyle. Then give a minilecture, working carefully through James 2:14-25. Ask each group member to paraphrase this passage, and then work together to develop a group paraphrase.

Expand

1. Have your group members complete a statement about “ faith” and how each wants faith to enrich his or her life. See “ link-to-life” above.
2. Divide into teams. Give each team one or two of the topics in James 3-4 to analyze. What is the nature of these ordinary problems of life that faith deals with? How does faith affect our attitudes and behaviors in this problem area?

Apply Sum up the prospects and the resources we have as faith in Christ shapes us and our lifestyles.