14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
She said just as Paul taught on justification by faith...and James on works because of faith... doesn't mean both aren't true! She said "When two texts appear to contradict one another, which is right? Both of them. We just don't always have the understanding to see how. but God does.
Then, she spend a good bit talking about VS. 14. What good is your faith? Our faith is meant do do some good. James 2:18 says, Someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works". Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith from my works. " Clearly, we are NOT saved by works. However, when we have real faith ..it is demonstrative. Our faith will show!
One commentary noted: James was combating a superficial faith that had no wholesome effect in the life of the professed believer Paul, on the other hand, was combating legalism- the belief that one may earn saving merit before God by his good deeds."
Martin Luther said: O it a living, busy active mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good things incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done this, and is constantly doing them. Whoever does not do such works, however, is an unbeliever. He gropes and looks around for faith and good works, but knows neither what faith is nor what good works are,"
Next, she focused on the warning to teachers... Before you say that you aren't a teacher.. do you have kids? If you do, you are a teacher..whether you want to be or not. So..what is the warning? James 3: 1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
She warns that we should not say or pretend to have "an overabundance of insight" . She points us to 1 Timothy Warning Against False Teachers of the Law
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
We need to be careful to resist the temptation to teach more than we KNOW, particularly when we talk about natural disasters or human sufferings.
She also points out the obvious... TEACHERS must be in God's word..and have the self-discipline for consistance. She says "One of the signs of a teaching gift is an unexplainable thirst to study followed by the difficulty of keeping to yourself what you learned. A teacher who doesn't like to study is just a talker"... OUCH!
She also says..want to teach? Prepare to apologize a lot.
Next, she focused on James 3:13-18
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
She notes that sometimes "we dress up jealousy...and call it discernment...and sometimes we stick a mask on selfish ambition and label it ..calling." Jealousy takes root in the soil of insecurity.
Lots to chew on...
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