As we reach the end of James’ epistle, we see James call for patience in suffering. He started his letter in James 1 with a call for believers to be steadfast in faith, to be those who remain steadfast under trial, before he launched into the meat of James on godly living. Here he returns to the application of being patient — “be patient, therefore, brothers” ties this application directly to everything we’ve heard in James thus far. The call to patience here and the call to steadfastness in James 1 are bookends.
In this section of James, we look at what it means to be patient as a believer, why it’s important, and how we can be patient practically.
Who are the rich? People don’t think they are rich! We always think that we are middle class. Thus, when we read this text, we may have assumed that this is not us! But this is also for us. We are rich, relative to global and historical peers.
Thus, it will do us well to pay attention to what James says in these verses. James speaks honestly about the spiritual danger being rich means for us, and respond rightly.
“If the Lord wills” - what comes to mind when we hear this phrase? What do we ourselves think of when we say it? This study deals with two main things — the often prideful posture of our hearts, and the sovereignty of God.
In this section of James, we will be considering the issue of conflict. James highlights 3 dimensions about conflict — heart, spiritual and verbal (how we use our words).
God's word is here to tell us that there are two kinds of wisdom. What do you see when you seek for wisdom? As we come before God's word, ask that He would humble our hearts and help us to know rightly which of the two wisdoms that He describes in James 3 that we are actually pursuing.
In this section, James will help us see how the gospel transforms our words and how we can live it out practically.
Christians believe that we have a hope because God has made Himself known to us through His word. What does it look like to work out our faith before this God? This is what James is showing us today.
After addressing favouritism within the church community, James continues to address his readers by speaking about relationships with others.
In this section, we will see James’ command to not show partiality in church.
But how does James go from suffering, trials and tribulation to partiality?
James has been dealing with trials and sufferings in the Christian’s life. Here, he continues to lay out a lifestyle and a people that deals with trials and sufferings in a way that’s different from the world.
James gives us practical handles for godliness. Last week, we saw that the Christian will face trials of various kinds, and the call to turn to God and ask Him for wisdom.
In every trial, everyone is twice tested. Firstly, in the trial itself. Secondly, in the inward trial. There is a temptation to self-pity.
As we read in the previous study, James is writing to the 12 tribes in the Dispersion in this epistle (Jas 1:1). In this study, we continue to see what James wanted to exhort the Christians to cling on to and pursue.
We begin a new study in the book of James, In this study, we will take a look at the opening verse to understand who is wrote the book, and the centrality of the gospel through the chapters.
Thus far, we have seen how Scripture is sufficient for salvation, clear for us to understand, and authoritative. In this study, we will see how it is necessary. God has chosen to reveal to us His mystery of salvation, and His revelation is out of His love for us.
We are saying something profound about Scripture when we say that it is authoritative. We confess that Scripture trumps all other sources when it comes to being the source of spiritual truth and revelation. There is nothing above the Scripture that can explain it, or tell us definitively why we exist, or why life has meaning. In this view, yes (gasp) even modern science is subject to the Scripture. This is why some people think Christianity can be dangerous —we seem to reject modern scienceor what some consider to be healthy societal norms. The authority of Scripture means that the Bible is our final rule for faith and practice.
And the God who has spoken demands that we submit to the authority of His Word.
God’s word is clear and understandable. This does not mean that no effort is required, and not that it’ss all easy to understand, but that the plan of salvation in Christ revealed in Scripture can be understood plainly without additional intervention or interpretation.
What good is Scripture? What good is the Old Testament for us today? Does it help us with important life decisions?
This is the first of our new series on the Doctrine of Scripture. Through this series, we hope to see Scripture says about itself, that God’s Word is sufficient, clear, authoritative and necessary.
The final section of Isaiah speaks a lot about the New Heavens and New Earth, the home of all righteousness as mentioned in 2 Peter 3:13. This is a state of perfection, free from sin and corruption. Romans 8 also talk about how it is not just Christians who are groaning. All creation is groaning as it waits for the liberation from bondage to decay. Everything from our climate crisis, to our struggle to live with nature is groaning because all is not well on this earth.
And in Isaiah 66, we see our final destiny being described here, and God is absolutely committed to bring forth Zion (and His plans).
Isaiah 66 gives us one of the great hopes that God has laid out for His people — He is making all things new. And at the centre of it all, are His people.
In Isaiah 64, we saw the prayer of Israel that knew the strong hand of God’s judgement upon them. They know what it means to have been in sin and see brokenness all around. In some measure, they also know what it feels like when God seems silent. How do you think God will respond to a prayer like this? How do you think God will respond to your prayer today? God has a word for us today!
