ALL ROADS LEAD TO CHRIST
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST …
SIXTH HOUR PRAYER AT THE END OF OUR STUDY …
CORRECTION I READ PROVERBS 16 - V. 20, IT IS NOT V. 21 - THAT A MENTIONED IN MY OPENING DIALOUGE …
THE BOOK OF JAMES CHAPTER 2 (Part Two Study)
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without [f]your works, and I will show you my faith by [g]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [h]dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made [i]perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [j]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Notes James 2 Study (Part Two – vv. 14-26)
2:14-19: The faith that saves is a complete faith, not just the mind and the tongue but the whole man trusting in the living God … This means our faith and our relationship with God – our justification – are dynamic and living … Our faith grows and affects our actions, or it does – (THIS IS SELF – EVIDENT, FOR THOSE WHO WALK IN COMPLETE FAITH) … “FAITH ALONE” – (BY ITSELF, v. 17), static faith, does not save … We are called to nurture our faith – (see Jeremiah 7:3 – from my Orthodox Study Bible), nor should you say that faith alone in our Lord Jesus Christ can save you, for this is impossible unless you acquire love for Him through your works … As for faith by itself, “the devils also believe, and tremble “– (MaxCon) – “Maximos the Confessor”
Jeremiah 7:3: Do not entrust yourselves to lying words, for they will not profit you when you say, ‘It is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord’ …
2:20-24: THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM IS LIVING AND ACTIVE:
(1): IN Genesis 12:1-3: when Abraham is 75 years old, he receives a call to forsake all and follow God …
(2): In Genesis 15:6: when Abraham is nearly 85 years old, and after proving his faith throughout the years renouncing his land, family, property, and privileges, God promises is “accounted to him for righteousness …” God fulfills Abraham’s faith by making a covenant with him, an OT liturgical and sacramental act …
(3): In Genesis 22:1-9, Abraham is nearly 110 years of age … He has been tested for years concerning God’s promise of a son … Now, after the covenant sacrament of initiation (circumcision) has been given in (Genesis 17), comes Abraham’s supreme test: the sacrament of Isaac, his son of promise – (Genesis 15:6) …
James reveals that Genesis 15:6 is fulfilled in Genesis 22 … This is a huge lesson for us all to fully understand the meaning of justification by faith … “Abraham shows us that it’s only living and active faith that truly saves and is the true meaning of justification of faith!!!”
2:26: This summary of the organic relationship of faith and works – (see Matthew 7:21; and Matthew 25:31-46; John 14:15; and Galatians 5:6) shows that only God can save …
Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Matthew 25:31-46: The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the [a]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer [b]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
John 14:15: “If you love Me, [a]keep My commandments.
Galatians 5:6: 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
PSALM 145 (146) STUDY & BREAKDOWN
&
Proverbs 16 Study continued – Humility, Discernment and Righteousness – (Proverbs 16:20 – will be read and broken down at the end of James study, please tune into my video content, posted daily with the write -ups … Be Blessed, Jehovah Shalom!!!