Wednesday, October 03, 2007
James
Study #2
James Chapter 1
We found out last week that Jesus is only mentioned 2 times in James and one reference is made to Him without naming Him.
We discovered that James is pointing emphasis on Fruit if you say you have faith.
We ended with a double minded person is unstable in all his ways.
V2 count it all joy when you fall into temptation is not the temptation to sin, for that is not anything to be joyful about. We also found that the temptation that comes from God is not a temptation to sin but an opportunity to let the world know that you have faith in God. (Job)
Jas 1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
:10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
:12 Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
The words here makes us to see the importance of being humble. Brother here is speaking in the spiritual sense of a brother. Even the poorest of this world can be and will be exalted in Christ.
V10 but the rich is made low, refers to that they trust in the riches instead of trusting in God, they are trusting in something that will fade away.
V11 makes us to understand though the riches may be given to someone else the man fades.
V12 James points to the Crown that does not fade away.
If we humble ourselves in the sight of God He will exalt you. 1Peter 5.6
The Source of Sin
Jas 1:13 ¶ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
V13 reinforces the truth that we spoke of last week and began with today, God does not tempt anyone to sin. Flip Wilson made a living by saying the devil made me do it, but that is not completely correct.
Again let me say God may test us in order to strengthen our faith, but never with the leading into sin.
V13 neither tempt he any man with sin, v17 there is no variableness or shadow of a hint that God would lead someone into sin. Message Bible says it like this “There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle”.
V14 describes it when man is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
It is the dangling of the carrot in front of rabbit that leads it into the trap. Notes from Bible program, Now this meeting with some bait, which entices and draws it out, or with some external object, which promises pleasure or profit, a man is allured, and ensnared, and drawn away by it, and so the temptation begins: thus, for instance, covetousness was the predominant lust in Judas; this meeting with an external object, or objects, which promised him profit, he is at once enticed and drawn away to betray his Lord and master for the sake of it: so sin often promises pleasure, though it is but an imaginary, and a short lived one; which takes with a man’s own lust, and corruption within him, and so he is allured and drawn aside; and to this, and not to God, should he attribute temptation to sin.
How important it is to resist evil and allow the HS to purge this lust out of our heart and mind, even to the best of us for none of us are perfect.
The sin nature in all of us can be held back, Faith in Christ, the Empowerment of the HG in us can and will keep us from this temptation to sin if we allow Faith and HG Power to work in us.
V16 do not err, don’t believe for a moment you can follow that bait and not get hooked and die lost. Sin will destroy everything that is good.
V18 First fruits of His creatures, God’s fruit is not bad, or sinful.
