James 2 Explained
I agree Jim, excellent explanation of the ‘whole counsel’, wish others were so faithful with it.
Source: James 2 Explained
I agree Jim, excellent explanation of the ‘whole counsel’, wish others were so faithful with it.
Source: James 2 Explained
One must ask himself why James was written. Was it a “field guide” to being able to “key out” the “true believers,” or was it an exhortation to believers?
It is clearly the latter.
Exactly John. I’ve been doing some chronological reading/study. It’s interesting to note that after Stephen was stoned, the persecution being revved up and the first church getting scattered. Some say it was written to Jews only (the 12 scattered tribes), and was preaching about the Millennial kingdom (hyperdispensationalism), but what is interesting to note about those who were scattered from persecution (I ‘think’ in Acts 8 and 11, is those people were the ones I believe spoken about in James as well as in other places, but the result was all the same, they went about preaching the Word or the gospel. I see 1 Cor 15:1-11 repeated over and over, from the death on the cross, to the resurrection, to fulfilled prophecy, to the witnesses, just recounted in slightly different ways. But after Paul preached to those Jews in the synagogue, even the Gentile audience wanted to hear it the same way, how the promises started with Abraham.
So James is definitely preaching to the church, albeit Jewish believers, it is believers. And these badly behaving believers are being chastised because this kind of faith is going to be worthless to others, in fact it can be detrimental. But we know when we are careful to maintain good works, it is beneficial to all men (Titus 3:8).
So many cannot reconcile the word ‘saved’ and ask, ‘saved from what?’.
They see saved and think it = saved unto eternal life.
They don’t see saved and ask, ‘saved from consequences’, ‘saved from doctrinal error’, ‘saved from hurting others’, ‘saved from maligning the way’, ‘saved from loss of rewards’?
These same people generally do the same with repent. They see repent to = repent from sins. They never ask, ‘repent’ (change your mind) from what?
Learning those things made such a difference to me, I was really thankful to those who were faithful in explaining these things.