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Dave Burnette's Commentary

James Chapter 2

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: James
Date Penned: (49 AD)
Overview: James' Concern for the Persecuted Christians (c 1-5)
Theme: General Faith (c 2-3)
Message: Faith and Our Good Works (v 1-26)

James 2 Commentary

(2:1-13) Do Not Favor the Rich - James 1:19-27 encourages us to put our beliefs into practice. In 2:1-13, James gives a practical lesson: we are not to show favoritism. Such discrimination violates God’s truth. James takes it for granted that the believers in the church will welcome strangers. But he is urging them to be alert about the way that they welcome strangers into the church. He does not want the warmth or honor of the welcome to be determined by the status or apparent wealth of the visitor. It is showing favoritism based on social standing that James specifically condemns. He makes it a cause for questioning the reality of a person’s faith.

(2-14-26) Final Results in Good Works - The remainder of chapter 2 shows the other side of the coin that Paul teaches on Good Works. James: “Faith is dead without good deeds” (2:26).Paul: “We are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law” (Romans 3:28). Careful reading and understanding of both Paul and James will show how their writings that as lost individuals we are saved by grace through faith and not our good works while James expounds that Faith will produce Good Works in and through the believer in Christ-Jesus


David Burnette's Life Application

Salvation Produces Good Works

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the book of James with Chapter 2 and in our text we see James giving us instruction of Genuine faith which does not discriminate and produces good works. In making application we see that we are not saved by our works but our salvation will produce good works Lord will work in and through us in the form of the Holy Spirit. How about you? Do you see your faith producing good works? Let us learn from our text today and reminder of James that we are not saved by our works but our salvation will will produce good works as we allow the Lord to live in and through our lives. 

 

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James 2

James 2

 1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

 2For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

 3And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

 4Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

 5Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

 6But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

 7Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

 8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

 9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

 10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

 11For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

 12So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

 13For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

 14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

 15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

 16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

 18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

 22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

 23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

 24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

 25Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

 26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.