Author Archives: Phillip

Mon 15^th June  –  Read James 2:1-4

V1: Christians should not treat anyone differently because of appearance, status or wealth. James believed this was happening, and says it dishonours the name we bear as believers, the name of Jesus, who is indeed the Lord of glory.

V2:  He offers a ” test case ” – 2 visitors appear in church (the assembly) one wealthy and well-dressed, the other poor and shabby.

V3-4:  If the rich man is treated well ( almost fawned over, in the picture James paints with words ) but the poor man is – well, treated “shabbily”, then a judgement has been made on mere externals, and the thinking behind it is “evil”, thinking and judging as the world does. The point can and should be applied to more than the specific example here. Do we make distinctions between people and how we treat them because, for any reason they are not ” like us”? Do we make any who visit our services feel uncomfortable for such reasons? How far this should be from Christian behaviour.

Sat 13th June –  Read James 1:25-27:

V25: But those who ( always and only by grace, remember ) look into the “mirror” of God’s Word, the Law which is the law of liberty, the truth which sets us free in Christ ( John 17:17; John 8:32) and obey it – “doers” not merely “hearers”- persevering in this by God’s grace will find His blessing as they walk in obedience.

V26: Again, practical applications which challenge us all -here is a very blunt truth. We can think ourselves to be “religious” – in Christian terms to know and follow the Lord – but if we have no control over our tongue – say things which are hurtful, spiteful, etc our profession of religion is empty and vain.

V27: True religion is seen, says James, in a practical concern for others, especially for those most vulnerable and needy – a life like Christ’s own. God sees this as “pure and undefiled” – that is, sincere and true godliness in practice. But much more widely, He looks for a life which avoids the defilement of this fallen world, resisting temptation to sin. Remember, James is speaking in absolutes. We will not be perfect in obedience in this life, but do we show real evidence of His work in us, in our faith and obedience and a desire to be pleasing to Him?

Fri 12th June – Read James 1:19-24

V19-20: How do we live out our new life in Christ? James is always practical, “down to earth”,whether in warning against sin or urging to right living.Listen to others, think before you speak ( i.e. only speak what is helpful and good ) and restrain any impulse to be angry – for human anger, always tainted by sin, will not help us grow in righteousness as God’s children – rather it will impede our growth.

V21: So, resist and put away all that is contrary to God’s word, the Word planted in our souls by the Holy Spirit,
the Word which is the way of salvation, showing and pointing us to the only Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14:6)

V22: And don’t just listen to the word ( or just read it ) DO what it says. Without obedience to God’s will as revealed in Scripture we are only deceiving ourselves if we think we have really “received it”.

V23-24: He uses the vivid picture of someone seeing themselves in a mirror, then turning away and forgetting what they saw. So, to hear or read the truth of God’s Word, but not put it in to practice, not walk in faith and obedience to the Lord and to His Word to us, is to be like that.

Thurs 11^th June  –  Read James 1:16-18

V16:  This warning against being deceived in the context here is probably by the tempter’s wiles. Perhaps it goes back to James 1:13 – being tempted to think God is tempting us and thinking hard thoughts of Him:

V17:  God is the source and giver of all that is good, and He never changes. ” No shadow” reminds us that we may be as variable as shadows cast by the sun, but He will never show such inconsistency. Do we recognise and are we truly thankful for all God’s good gifts to us? He is the “Father of lights” – the source of all true light, even physically ( Genesis 1:3 ) but how much more spiritually. So, Jesus said ” I am the light of the world” ( John 8:12 ) – He alone is light to us, and in us.

V18:  God’s Word of truth ( John 17:17 ) is the source of our new life in Christ; as we receive it by faith, through God’s sovereign will and grace we are saved and made children of God ( Romans 8:14-15.) That first generation of believers were ” the firstfruits”, the beginning of a great harvest that will only be fully seen in eternity.

Wed 10^th June         –          Read James 1:12-15

V12:  Those who do remain “steadfast under trial” ( and prove the reality of their faith) will know the Lord’s blessing, not only here and now but with the ultimate and eternal glory that waits for them. He uses the image of “the crown of life”, God’s promised and sure gift to all who love Him – (which is to say, those who know HIS LOVE in Christ.) Compare Paul in 2 Timothy 4:8.

V13:  Yet trials can tempt us to doubt. James then asks, where does such – or any – temptation come from? Never think it is from God – He tests us, but will never tempt us, for He has no evil in Him. We know, of course, that the source of temptation is Satan. Since God is all sovereign, there is a mystery here, but God is good, When we are told to pray ” Lead us not into temptation” we are really praying to be lead away from temptation, kept by the power of God.

V14: And even as believers, we know all too well that, as James warns us here, our weakness, the wrong desires that we still have ( and need to battle against ) open us up to temptation.

V15: And to give way is sin ( Remember, it is not a sin to be tempted, but to yield to it.) And ” the wages of sin” is death ( Romans 6:23 )- but complete the verse. In Christ, our sins are answered for and forgiven – nevertheless, James is warning of the utter seriousness of sin.

Tues 9th June  –  Read James 1:5-11

V5: The only source of true wisdom is God. Which of us doesn’t lack it at times – how do we make hard decisions, how do we know God’s will? ASK HIM, says James, He is the God of generous grace, He will never blame you for coming to Him in prayer, rather He will answer, and show you His way.

V6-7: But we must ask in true faith, we must not doubt that He will hear and answer. He compares doubting Christians to tossing waves driven by the winds. When doubt fills our hearts, how can we expect God to answer? (Yet for all that, remember God is gracious, often we are like the man in Mark 9:24 – ” I believe – help my unbelief!” ) But James is calling us to that assured faith which triumphs over our doubts, by God’s grace in us.

V8: “Doubleminded” is not a momentary wobble, but a fixed disposition where faith never confidently lays hold of God. Such a one lacks stability in every aspect of their ( Christian ) life. Rather, let us look to Jesus in trust and dependence.

V9: “Lowly” here is not speaking so much of that meekness and humility we are all to know before God and our fellows ( Matthew 5:5 ) But those literally in a humble human condition – remember many of these early Christians were poor, low in human status, some literally slaves. James tells them to “boast” – that is set their glory in, the exaltation that waits for them, and for every believer because of Christ’s redeeming love.

V10: And let those whose human condition is very different, who are rich and well placed, remember how vain is any trust in these things – the things of this world they – and we – are so easily tempted to rely on. ( See also 1 Peter 1:24-25.) James says the same here – let such a one be humble before God, relying only on His grace.

V11: So, the image of the sun burning up the flowers that were so lovely the day before, but are now withered and dead, is likened to the vain trust in earthly riches, etc. Such verses as these make us ask, is James addressing believers, or those who may be in the circle of believers ( “church attenders” in our terms ) but have no real faith? Opinions differ, but the warning not to give the things of this world too much place in our hearts surely speaks to us all?

Mon 8th June – Read James 1:1-4

V1: Who is this James? Almost certainly the Lord’s “brother”, the son of Mary and Joseph, who became a leader of the “mother church” in Jerusalem, which remained predominantly Jewish. So he writes to Jewish Christians wherever they are scattered. Note he refers to himself only as a servant (literally bond-slave) of God and of the Lord Jesus – to put them together in this way is to declare that Jesus, the Son, is truly, as the Father, God.

V2: He calls on them not only to accept trials and troubles uncomplainingly but actually to rejoice in them when they are for the Lord’s sake. So, Jesus Himself in Matthew 5:12 – and there are many seeming echoes of the Sermon on the Mount in this letter. was James there, though, as we know, not yet a believer?

V3: For God uses our trials to test the quality of our faith – not that He does not know, the purpose is for us, and others to know our faith is real by our response. Faith that endures produces ” steadfastness” – some versions say “patience” – the idea is really “patience plus” -the fruit of a strong, secure faith that clings to the Lord at all times.

V4: Let this develop in you, says James. ( Our faith must be active, not merely passive.) This will make us mature as Christians ( not “perfect” in the sense of without sin, that will only be ours in glory), but causing us to grow in the Christian life, be more like Christ and proving His work of grace in us.