This week we will cover James Chapter 2 Summary and Bible Study Questions. Reading through James Chapter Two can sometimes be difficult. Learning to understand the principles found in James Chapter Two can feel overwhelming. We might often question what the writer is trying to say when he says, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Or when he writes, “Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.”
However, I really can’t imagine a more honest look into the heart of what Jesus was wanting from His followers when He said “to love your neighbor as yourself” than when I read James Chapter Two.
The book of James is honest and truthful. When you read James Chapter Two, you are reading the truth shared in love. It’s difficult to look at our lives filled with favoritism and know we are walking out the Christian life with excellence. The hardest part about life and being a follower of Christ is being able to do relationships well. We can’t do those things when our words and actions do not line up in this life.
James Chapter 2 Summary
Read James Chapter Two
As I think about the legacy I will leave to my children and future generations, I am often confronted with the thought of what I am doing as a Christian and how I am sharing the gospel with the world.
I think often it is easy to get caught up in the culture of what it means to be a Christian, have gatherings with fellow believers, and even what it looks like to walk out our faith. I do believe that Jesus came into this world because He wanted to create a movement that was about the heart change of the individual. He died so we could have the Holy Spirit with us all the time.
I know when I am reading a book, I often get to the point where I am “full” on what it is saying, and instead of “stuffing” myself more and more with what the book is teaching me, I need to find ways actually to implement what that book is teaching me.
I think the same is true with this Bible study on James. As I have been teaching online Bible Study over the years, I have learned that I will never know everything there is to know about God’s Word – there is always something MORE for me to learn and gain knowledge from. Plus, we learn about God and get to know Him better through what we do as we walk out our faith.
Two very important lessons are being taught here in James chapter two, and they are:
Lesson One: Don’t get caught in the culture of Christianity and become prejudiced towards those who are really strong in faith, even if they might not look like they have it all together.
Don’t judge a Christian by their “cover.” Sometimes it’s just a mask, and when we reject those who don’t “look” Christian enough, then we are rejecting God and the ones He has called according to HIS purpose – not our purpose.
This is the love lesson in this chapter; God does not show favoritism, and neither should we. I think when we see God’s favor in our life, then we need to be humbled by that. I believe this topic will be addressed in another chapter of James.
Lesson Two: When you are “full” of the Holy Spirit, then the natural progression in growth is to pour out what you’ve been given. When it comes to faith, we need to use our faith instead of “feasting” on more and more when we really need to give it away.
When I read this scripture, I think about the Israelites and when they were being fed manna in the desert after leaving Egypt. Moses told them not to take more than what they needed for the day. But some of them did take more, and it just went bad after a while.
When it comes to faith, we have enough for today – even Jesus said do not worry about tomorrow. We only need faith for today, and if we don’t move in faith because we don’t have “enough” for tomorrow, then we will lose out on the faith that we do have.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, help us to be a light for you. Show us the people you want us to reach out to and connect with. Show us how we can serve others, and please help us to walk out the faith you have given us for today because it is enough for TODAY!
Every day our faith will lead us to the next day, and we will find that there will be enough faith for us on that day, too!
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