Please read my list of study questions on the Epistle of James (the first nine questions on the link here), and then James itself. Suggest an answer to one or two of the study questions and cite or two a verse from James in support of your answer.
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What, according to James, are the main keys of living a life pleasing to God? One of the biggest things James says that is key to living a life pleasing to God is not succumbing to temptation. James 1: 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.” If we can avoid temptation as often as possible we will have a glorious life that is dedicated to God. Being human that is not easy however and that is why Christ died on the cross. We just have to keep trying to dodge temptation at every turn. If we can do that our lives will be pleasing to God. Temptation is the one thing that bring us down, but the more we avoid it the better pleasing our lives will be. -Kelly Longden
ReplyDeleteWhat is James’ attitude toward wealth/richer Christians? How is James’ attitude to wealth connected with his concern with ethics?: In chapter 5:1-3 James states,"come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure bin the last days." Basically, James is saying that if you keep your wealth for yourself and never use any of it to help those in need, it most definitely won't help you on judgement day; in fact, it will provide you with much weeping and misery.
ReplyDeleteThis verse goes along with James attitude toward ethics in several ways. First of all, James says, "blessed is the man who perserveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (1:12). James tells us not to judge the poor, instead we are to welcome the poor as we would welcome the rich; "faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (2:17). He goes onto tell us to "submit [ourselves], then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you" (4:7-8). If we live a life pleasing to God and follow his commands, he will reward us. -Melinda Quade
The ideas James proposes that are pleasing to God are our faith and perseverance. James 1:3-4 says "for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect." James is telling us that by testing our faith and winning the battle against temptation we please God by following his commandments and living our lives according to it. James also states in 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him." This is James telling us again that perseverance is a trait in man kind that God looks at with kindness and promises us that when we take the bad, he will see to it that good comes out of our struggle.
ReplyDelete-Zack Krage
What according to James is the way to live life so on judgement day, one can be right in the eyes of God? This is much the same throughout the New Testament. One must be kind to neighbors, keep the commandments, and live righteous in the eye's of God. Just means one has faith does not mean one is saved. If you stand by and do nothing for someone in need you are no better then the sinner who caused the problem, we need to take action, but the right action, righteous action. The attitude toward wealthier Christians is that they are corrupt with the sense of money. They are wealthy with money but not in faith. With money comes power and with power comes bad choices, this is seen throughout history. Money and wealth seems to drive the world today and bad choices. We often look down on the poor and say that the rich are better, this is not so cause God made the poor rich in faith. And it is not for us to judge who is right in the eye's of God, but that is God's job on judgement day!
ReplyDeleteWhat is James’ attitude toward wealth/richer Christians? How is James’ attitude to wealth connected with his concern with ethics? I think that James is not very happy with the people who are rich at the time, because he doesn’t really hold them to a very high standard. He knows that with money, greed comes second and those who are poor really do live a richer spiritual life. “Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?” James 1:5
ReplyDeleteHow does James deal with failure/human weakness? James doesn’t really think that we has humans should fail. He wants us to hold ourselves to a higher standard, then just to be a god fearing people. He really wants us to try to make humanity look like the best thing to ever happen to this plant. He wants us to be good to each other as well. “Do not speak evil against one another, brother and sisters. Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another speaks evil against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge.” James 4:11
-Liz Matson
In response to questions 8 and 9, James sets the standards very high for Christians. However, these standards are very essential to living a fruitful christian life, and really contains enough wisdom for every day life, to the point where it is applicable for both Christians and Non-Christians alike. I do not believe these standards are set too high, but at the same time do not thing that this will ever be "achieved" in a practical sense. The word achieve implies an arriving, which from a christian outlook does not exist. The christian walk is just that, a walk! There is no arriving or achieving nirvana. Not here on earth, and most definitely not by our own doing. Failure is something that we as humans will run into, but the very point of James is to avoid big mistakes, and potentially destroying both reputation and relationships. James is a go to book for myself, and never ceases to convict me to the point of absolute humility. James knew what he was talking about, and delivers his wisdom in a very relevant and important way.
ReplyDeleteIn response to question 2
ReplyDeleteI think James sums up what he expects from Christians nicely when he says in 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." He goes on to say that religion is worthless and faith is worthless if it does not produce good works amongst its believers. In 2:19 he says, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that- and shudder." He expects Christians to know that it is not simply enough to know God but to do what he wants because of your saving faith. If you are faithful you will bear good fruit and people will be able to tell that you are a christian by the way that you act. -Zach Kuhlman
1. James is writing this letter to the Twelve Tribes because he wishes to amend some serious problems he has seen with them, particularly ethical problems. As we see from 1:9-11, 19-20 and 4:7-10, for instance, the biggest problems James sees come from the qualities of rich men. In particular, greed, pride and the general belief that their way is best. -Sean M.
ReplyDelete#6 I chose this one more because I thought it was interesting than because I have a great answer, but I will try my best anyhow. As a farmer straw isn't necessarily a good thing. It tends to be worthless unless a rancher wants it to keep his cows warm in the winter. I think that this is what Luther is saying with straw. James has its purpose, but it isn't necessarily the most important thing, Christ. The plethora of issues covered point towards Jesus like in James 5:12 "But above all, my borthers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your 'yes' be yes and your 'no' be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation." This is seen in Matthew 5:33-37. I think that James is a great book that covers important topics in an understandable way, but Luther is also correct in stating that it the straw of the epistles. People should start somewhere else before reading James.
ReplyDelete3. What, according to James, are the main keys of living a life pleasing to God?
ReplyDeleteJames 1:5-8 "But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. Bur he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways." This passage is pretty much saying that one should not doubt in the Lord.
James 2:18-19 "Indeed someone might say, "You have faith and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble." This passage is stating that one just needs to show faith to the Lord and they shall be shown the good works of the Lord.
-Cheryl Hansen