James 1:1-2 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;.... James opens his letter by addressing his Intended Audience.... The Jewish ((12 tribes scattered abroad))... Converts To Christ ((calling them Brethren))... So James is speaking to Christians who come out of an Ethnic, Cultural, and Religious Heritage steeped in The Law Under Moses and the Tabernacle/Temple System.... James tells these Jewish Christians that they need to lay aside the sin and works of their flesh...... Be a Doer of The Word not just a hearer...... James says they need to Receive with meekness the Engraphed Word (Seed planted in fertile soil that grows)....... that this Seed Of The Divine Word will Save Their Souls..... Effecting Their Mind, Will, and Emotions..... ((Transforming Their Lives Step By Step Into The Image Of Christ))..... James knows that under the OT Law the human heart Was Not Changed.... No New Birth... James Knows That Under The OT Law System the people of God went home after offering the required sacrifices, With A Guilty Conscience and the Same Sin Nature.... James Knows That Under The OT Law System these Jewish Christians that he is teaching, followed God But Never Had A Real Change In Their Lifestyles... No New Birth Transformation, so they would still sin in the old ways even though they desired to fulfill Gods Law.... So Now..... James Is Explaining To These Jewish Converts To Jesus, That The New Birth Changes Our Nature and Frees Us From The Bondage Of Sin, Allowing Us to Obey God like we never could before..... James says that Now.... Under The New Covenant and the New Birth..... By Our Faith In Christ and Thru The Indwelling Presence Of The Holy Spirit...... We Will Produce Works Of Righteousness as Evidence Of Our New Birth.!! James Is Not Telling These Jewish Christians To Do Good Works To Be Saved..... ((For As Paul Said In Galatians 2:16 - Knowing that a man Is Not Justified By The Works Of The Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for By The Works Of The Law Shall No Flesh Be Justified.)) But James Is Saying That For The Genuine Convert, Born Again By The Spirit Of God, THERE WILL BE OUTWARD EVIDENCE OF THE INWARD CHANGE...... The New Born Again Heart Will Begin To Manifest The Nature Of God In The Outward Life Of The Believer.!! Notice James 2:22 - ((Talking about Abraham - Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?))...... The word Perfect in this verse means: To be whole, complete, and fully mature...... To furnish what is lacking so as to make Full and Complete and Finished. James uses Abraham as an example of Mature Complete Faith. James says that The Faith Which Abraham Had Was Strong Mature Faith Which Led Him To Obey God In Being Willing To Sacrifice His Son Issac.... Trusting That God Would Raise Him From The Dead.!! ((Of course we know that God Stopped Abraham Before He Could Strike The Death Blow)).... James Says In Verse 22 of chapter 2..... That Abrahams Faith, Belief, and Trust In God Was Made Full and Complete and Mature By His Obedience... James says that Genuine Faith will be like what we see in Abraham.... A Faith That Effects and Directs Our Actions.... Our Works. Manifesting Outwardly The Faith Hidden In Our Heart.... But Just As Importantly...... James is not refuting Righteousness By Faith....... And Preaching Some Righteousness By Works Gospel...... What James Is Doing Is Confirming That The Works Of The Righteousness Received By Faith, Will Be Manifest In The Life Of The Believer.... If The Faith Was Genuine At The Time Of The New Birth. James Is Saying that Bible Faith Will Be A Living Belief That Effects and Directs Our Actions..... and Manifests Evidence Of Itself In The Believer By The Changed Lifestyle Of The Believer..... Doing The Works Of Gods Nature and Kingdom.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 02:37:56 +0000
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