The Strand Study Bible

Written From Jerusalem (See Acts 12:25)

JAMES

2086

2:14 b James is not saying here that “works” (how you live) save a person. That would contradict all that the Apostle Paul taught through the HOLY SPIRIT concerning salvation by grace ( Eph 2:8-9 and Rom 4:1-6 & 11:6 ). What James is teaching here is that “what you claim” (your professing faith) cannot save you from outside criticism if “how you live” (works) doesn’t back up “what you profess” (the meaning behind “ can faith save him? ”). According to verse 17, works (how you live) that fail to back up a professing faith (what you claim) only go to hurt the believer’s testimony. Good works don’t save you; good works show that you’re saved. The King James Study Bible notes: This statement and others in verses 14-26 persuade some critics that James is teaching salvation through faith and works… James, however, sees two kinds of faith: saving faith and professing faith. For Paul, justification is by faith (Rom. 4:5). For James, justification is by a faith that works – by a genuine faith that manifests itself in post- conversion works. 1 2:16 In essence, what James is saying to believers is, “What kind of Christianity is that?” ( what doth it profit? ) 2:18 Because man cannot see another man’s heart, and thus his faith, the only way one can know anything about another’s faith is by what they see him do and say ( and I will shew thee my faith by my works ). This is why we are justified before God by faith (for only God can see our faith - Rom 5:1), but we are justified before man by our works. THE ADAGE IS TRUE: Though faith alone saves, a faith that saves is never alone 2:21 Abraham was not “justified” (saved; born-again – Jn 3:7-10) because he did a “good deed” by offering Isaac upon an altar in Genesis 22:1-9 (c. 1859 BC). According to Romans 4:1-5 and Galatians 3:6-9, Abraham’s salvation took place forty-nine years earlier in Genesis 15:1-6 (1908 BC). What James is teaching is that Abraham proved (in the sight of all men) that he was already saved, by offering his son (Isaac) upon an altar. In fact, according to Hebrews 11:17-19, Abraham knew, when he offered Isaac, that he was showing the world a picture of the coming MESSIAH . The Bible is plain: good deeds (works) cannot save anyone (Mt 7:21-23, Eph 2:8-9, Titus 3:5 and Rom 10:1-4). 2:25 Like Abraham, Rahab was not “justified” (saved; born-again – Jn 3:7-10) just because she did a “good deed” by protecting the messengers of Israel (Josh 2:1-4 – 1447 BC). According to Joshua 2:9-11, Rahab’s salvation took place forty years earlier (Exo 12:37-42 – 1487 BC). Again, what James is teaching is that Rahab proved (in the sight of all men) that she was already saved by protecting the messengers of Israel. 3:1 Jesus reiterated the same warning ( be not many masters ) in Luke 12:48. 3:5 THE ADAGE IS TRUE: The tongue weighs practically nothing, yet few people can hold it 3:6a Saying something ugly doesn’t make you any “prettier” ( that it ‘the tongue’ defileth the whole body ). 3:6b Seeing that the destructive power of the tongue comes directly from hell , the results it carries are eternal. 3:10 The reason “ these things ought not so to be ” is because Christians can control what they say. According to Proverbs 23:7 and Matthew 12:34, what a man says is controlled by what a man thinks. Therefore, if a Christian truly wishes to control what he says, he must control what he thinks (Rom 12:1-2, II Cor 4:16, Eph 4:22-24 and Colo 3:9-10). THE ADAGE IS TRUE: Not to be the master of your tongue is to be its slave 3:13 James answers this question ( who is a wise man ) in the last half of the verse. He states that the wise believer is the one who remembers his moral responsibilities ( let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom ). In other words, the wise believer will show the world a changed life through his works. If wisdom displays itself apart from good behavior, it is not from above. Heavenly wisdom always shows up in the behavior of the believer ( vs 17 ). 3:17 There are seven visible evidences of a wisdom-filled believer: 1. purity (the opposite of evil), which comes from God’s Word (I Cor 2:6-7 and Prov 2:6) 2. peaceable (those who preserve peace) 3. gentle (Phil 4:5) 4. easy to be entreated (reasonable) 5. full of mercy and good fruits (good doctrine) 6. without partiality (no respecter of persons - Jms 2:1) 7. without hypocrisy (honesty and sincerity)

1 The King James Study Bible . Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson Pub., 1988. Print