1:1The writer of this letter, a leader of the church in Jerusalem (see Acts 12:17; 15:13), was James, Jesus’ half brother, not James the apostle. The book of James was one of the earliest letters, probably written before A.D. 50. After Stephen was martyred (Acts 7:55-8:3), persecution increased, and Christians in Jerusalem were scattered throughout the Roman world. There were thriving Jewish-Christian communities in Rome, Alexandria, Cyprus, and cities in Greece and Asia Minor. Because these early believers did not have the support of established Christian churches, James wrote to them as a concerned leader, to encourage them in their faith during those difficult times.
Life Application Study BibleJamesChapter 1
James 1
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 2114, 2115, 2116
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1James 1
1MEGATHEMESTHEMELiving Faith
Wise Speech
1. Genuine religion
Greetings from James
This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the LORD Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes’—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!
Faith and Endurance
22Dear brothers and sisters,* when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. $For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. 5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7Such people should not expect to receive anything from the LORD. ®Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. 9Believers who are* poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. 10And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like alittle flower in the field. 11The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. 12God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 'SAnd remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong,* and he never tempts anyone else. 14Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. 16So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 7Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.* He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.* 18He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.*
Listening and Doing
1919Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20Human anger* does not produce the righteousness* God desires. 21So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. 22But don't just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. 26]f you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
2. Genuine faith
A Warning against Prejudice
My dear brothers and sisters,* how can you claim to have faith in our glorious LORDJesus Christ if you favor some people over others?
Textual footnotes
- 1:2 Greek brothers; also in 1:16, 19.
- 1:9 Greek The brother who is.
- 1:13 Or God should not be put to a test by evil people.
- 1:17a Greek from above, from the Father of lights.
- 1:17b Some manuscripts read He never changes, as a shifting shadow does.
- 1:18 Greek we became a kind of firstfruit of his creatures.
- 1:20a Greek A man’s anger.
- 1:20b Or the justice.
Life Application Notes 12 notes
1:2,3James doesn't say f trouble comes your way but when it does. He assumes that we will have troubles and that it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain but to have a positive outlook (“consider it an opportunity for great joy”) because of what troubles can produce in our life. James tells us to turn our hardships into times of learning. Tough times can teach us perseverance. For other passages dealing with perseverance (also called patience and steadfastness), see Romans 2:7; 5:3-5; 8:24, 25; 2 Corinthians 6:3-7; 2 Peter 1:2-9.
1:2-4We can't really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others are
1:17The Bible often compares goodness with light and evil with shadow and darkness. For other passages where God is pictured as light, see Psalm 27:1, Isaiah 60:19-22, and John 1:1-14.
1:19When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important han theirs. James wisely advises us to reverse this process. Put imental stopwatch on your conversations, and keep track of how nuch you talk and how much you listen. When people talk with rou, do they feel that their viewpoints and ideas have value?
1:19,20These verses speak of anger that erupts when our ego s bruised: “/am hurt;” “My opinions are not being heard.” When njustice and sin occur, we sfou/d become angry because others ire Deing hurt. But we should not become angry when we fail to vin an argument or when we feel offended or neglected. Selfish inger never helps anybody.
1:21James advises us to get rid of all that is wrong in our lives ind “humbly accept’ the salvation message we have received, decause it alone can save us.
1:22-25It is important to listen to what God’s Word says, but it is much more important to obey it and to do what it says. We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes. Do you put into action what you have studied?
1:25It seems paradoxical that a law could give us freedom, but God's law offers us a true reflection of our sinful condition and gives us the opportunity to ask for God's forgiveness (see Romans.7;7, 8). As Christians, we are saved by God's grace, and Salvation frees us from sin’s control. As believers, we are free to live as God created us to live. Of course, this does not mean that Wwe are free to do as we please (see 1 Peter 2:16). We are now free to obey God.
1:26See the notes in chapter 3 for more on controlling the tongue. No matter how spiritual we may think we are, we all Could control our speech more effectively.
1:27in the first century, orphans and widows had very little means of economic support. Unless a family member was willing to care for them, they were reduced to begging, selling themselves as slaves, or starving. By caring for these people, the church put God’s Word into practice. When we give with no thought of receiving, we show what it means to truly serve others.
1:27To keep ourselves from tetting the world corrupt us, we need to commit ourselves to Christ's ethical and moral system, not the world’s. We are not to adapt to the world’s value system, which is based on money, power, and pleasure. True faith means nothing if we are contaminated with such values.
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IMPORTANCE Living faith makes a difference. Make sure your faith is more than just a statement; it should also result in action. Seek ways of putting your faith to work. Don’t resent troubles when they come. Pray for wisdom; God will supply all you need to face persecution or adversity. He will give you patience and keep you strong in times of trial. Keeping the law of love shows that our faith is vital and real. When we show love to others, we are overcoming our own selfishness. Accepting God’s wisdom will affect your speech. Your words will convey true humility and lead to peace. Think before you speak and allow God to give you self-control. All of us are accountable for how we use what we have. We should not hoard wealth but be generous toward others. In addition, we should not be impressed by the wealthy nor look down on those who are poor.
EXPLANATION James wants believers not only to hear the truth but also to put it into action. He contrasts empty faith (claims without conduct) with faith that works. Commitment to love and to serve others is evidence of true faith. In the Christian life there are trials and temptations. Successfully overcoming these adversities produces maturity and strong character. We are saved by God’s gracious mercy, not by keeping the law. But Christ gave us a special command: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19). We are to love and serve those around us. Wisdom shows itself in wise speech. God holds us responsible for the results of our destructive words. The wisdom of God that helps control the tongue can help contro} all our actions. James taught Christians not to compromise with worldly attitudes about wealth. Because the glory of wealth fades, Christians should store up God’s treasures through sincere service. Christians must not show partiality to the wealthy or be prejudiced against the poor.
Trials
Law of Love
Wealth
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Nae ree treating us unfairly? God wants to make us mature and complete, not to keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth. Thank God for promising to be with you in rough times. Ask him to help you solve your problems or to give you the strength to endure them. Then be patient. God will not leave you alone with your problems; he will stay close and help you grow. 1:5 By “wisdom,” James is talking not only about knowledge but about the ability to make wise decisions in difficult circumstances. Whenever we need wisdom, we can pray to God, and he will generously supply what we need. Christians don’t have to grope around in the dark, hoping to stumble upon answers. We can ask for God's wisdom to guide our choices. 1:5 The wisdom that we need has three distinct characteristics (1) itis practical. The wisdom from God relates to life even during the most trying times. It is not a wisdom isolated from suffering and trials. This wisdom is the tool by which trials are overcome. An intelligent person may have profound ideas, but a wise person puts profound ideas into action. Intelligence will allow someone to describe several reasons why the car broke down. The wise person chooses the most likely reason and proceeds to take action. (2) It is divine, God's wisdom goes beyond common sense.
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SHAPTER SUMMARY
|:10-11 9g 102:4, 11 sa 40:6-7 I Pet 1:24 1:42 I Cor 9:25 1Tim 4:8 las 5:11 Fev 2:10; 3:11
Chapter1......... Confident Stand.............. What a Christian has
Chapter 2......... Compassionate Service........ What a Christian does
Chapter 3......... Careful Speech.............. What a Christian says
Chapter 4......... Contrite Submission........... What a Christian feels Chapter 5 Concerned Sharing What a Christian gives
The rich should be glad that money means nothing to God because money is easily lost. We find true wealth by developing our spiritual life, not by developing our financial assets. God is interested in what is lasting (our souls), not in what is temporary (our money and possessions). See Mark 4:18, 19 for Jesus’ words on this subject. Strive to treat each person as Christ would treat him or her. 1:10, 11. If wealth, power, and status mean nothing to God, why do we attribute so much importance to them and so much honor to those who possess them? Do your material possessions give you goals and your only reason for living? If they were gone, what would be feft? What you have in your heart, not your bank account, matters to God and endures for eternity. 1:12 The crown of life is like the victory wreath given to winning athletes (see 1 Corinthians 9:25). God’s crown of life is not glory and honor here on earth but the reward of eternal life—living with God forever. The way to be in God’s winners’ circle is by loving him and staying faithful even under pressure. 1:12-15 Temptation comes from evil desires inside us. not from God. it begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and allow it to become an action. Like a snowball rolling downhill, sin grows more destructive the more we let it have its way. The best time to stop a temptation is before it is too strong or moving too fast to contro!. See Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Corinthians 10:13; and 2 Timothy 2:22 for more about escaping temptation. 1:13, 14 People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. Does God tempt them? God fests people, but he does not tempt them by trying to seduce them to sin. God atlows Satan to tempt people, however, in order to refine their faith and to help them grow in their dependence on Christ. We can resist the temptation to sin by turning to God for strength and choosing to obey his Word. 1:13-15 It is easy to blame others and make excuses for evil thoughts and wrong actions. We use excuses such as: (1) It’s the other person’s fault; (2) I couldn't help it; (3) everybody's doing it; (4) it was just a mistake; (5) nobody's perfect; (6) the devil made me do it; (7) } was pressured into it; (8) I didn't know it was wrong; or (9) God is tempting me. A person who makes excuses is trying to shift the blame from himself or herself to something or someone else. A Christian, on the other hand, accepts responsibitity for his or her wrongs, confesses them, and asks God for forgiveness.
3ommon sense does not lead us to choose joy in the middle of ‘rials. This wisdom begins with respect for God, leads to living by 3od’s direction, and results in the ability to tell right from wrong. itis a wisdom that James will describe at length in chapter 3. (3) it is Christlike. Asking for wisdom is ultimately asking to 3e like Christ. The Bible identifies Christ as the “wisdom of God” 11 Corinthians 1:24; 2:1-7). {:6 We must believe not only in the existence of God but also it his toving care. This includes relying on God and expecting that he will hear and answer when we pray. We must put away pur critical attitude when we come to him. God does not grant avery thoughtless or selfish request. We must have confidence that God will align our desires with his purposes. For more on this concept, read the note on Matthew 21:22. 1:6 A person with divided loyalty is not completely convinced that God’s way is best. He treats God’s Word like any human advice and retains the option to disobey. He vacillates between allegiance to subjective feelings, the world’s ideas, and God’s commands. If your faith is new, weak, or struggling, remember that you can trust God. Then be foyal by committing yourself wholeheartedly to God. 1:6-8 if you have ever seen the constant rolling of huge waves at sea, you know how restless they are—subdject to the forces of wind, gravity, and tide. Divided loyalty leaves a person as unsettled as the restless waves. If you want to stop being tossed about, rely on God to show you what is best for you. Ask him for wisdom, and trust that he will give it to you. Then your decisions will be sure and solid. 1:9 Christianity brings a new dignity to the poor and not-soinfluential people of this world. That dignity is most apparent in the church, where there are not (or should not be) any class distinctions. All believers share the distinction and dignity of being changed by the gospel and being charged with the mission of taking that same Good News to the rest of the world. Believers know they have dignity before God because Christ died for them. Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a great example of this truth. The dignity that she displayed when she realized what God had done for her is seen in her prayer of praise, called the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Whatever our social or economic situation, James challenges us to see beyond it to our eternal advantages. What we Can have in Jesus Christ outweighs anything in this life. Knowing him gives us our high position, where we find our true dignity. 1:9-11 The poor should be glad that riches mean nothing to God; otherwise these people would be considered unworthy.
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