Is my faith dead or alive?
We’ve Spent 11 Days,
- LOOKING at James 2:14-26, 18 verses, to correctly see what God says.
- Learning how to use GODcha.
- Becoming familiar with some of the different skills to help us correctly see what God says.
Today, we want to Wrap it up!
- Review all we have LEARNED.
- Summarize Chapter 2.
- LIVE it out! Apply it to our lives.
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
If you don’t have GODcha Get It >
Or, you can use your hardbound Bibles and follow along.
You can print off this post and put in a Notebook!
Do You Remember Why James Wrote This Letter?
Check out GODcha’s OVERVIEW if you don’t have this under your belt.
What is James emphasizing?
Before We Begin, Let’s Pray
Oh Lord, as we come to Your Word today to bring everything together, please show us our hearts, and see if there be anything that would hinder us from hearing You. May we confess and repent, and move on to hear what You are saying. Grant us understanding and help us walk away in such a way that we will live in the light of these mighty Truths. Thank you!
We LOOKED at James 2:14-26
We have been learning certain skills,
putting them into practice
as we keep going directly to the Word of God
to see what God has to say.
So now, let’s take all that God has taught us and connect the dots to bring it all together.
Go to GODcha.
First, Put Everything in CONTEXT
To refresh your mind and put everything into CONTEXT what will you do?
Read God’s Word
Read Chapters 1 and 2:1-13.
Let’s Rehearse the CONTEXT Thus Far.
Chapter 1:
Patiently Endure Trials;
Ask God for Wisdom;
Resist Temptations; and
Do the Word of God.
Chapter 2:
If we love our neighbor as ourselves,
we will be fulfilling the Royal Law, and
not show partiality.
Now What?
READ
Yes,
Read James 2:14-26 once again with a questioning mindset.
Now Let’s Wrap Up:
Faith and Works
Open the Deeper Discovery
Let’s View GODcha’s
#9. LEARN Questions
#9. As you look at the next test to evaluate your faith, what is faith (don’t assume, look it up)?
What are the different kinds of faith?
Describe the relationship between faith and works. How does this relate to being a doer of the Word?
Try to Answer on your own.
And then we will Answer together.
We Have We LEARNED
We LEARN:
Faith, is pístis, persuasion, moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher).
There are 3 basic elements of faith:
Conviction, Commitment and a Conduct.
We LEARN:
The Different Kinds of Faith
1. Dead Faith: says but has no works; is dead, useless and can not save. This is an intellectual assent.
2. Demonic Faith involves conviction and a fear of God, but no commitment or conduct.
3. Dynamic Living Faith that works with its works.
We LEARN:
The Relationship between Works and Faith
We are saved by grace through faith, not works.
Works give evidence that one’s faith is genuine and real.
Works are seen and give evidence of a changed life.
We LEARN:
Doing the Word Is Our Works!
In Trials we obey the commands –
to consider it joy:
patiently endure; and
let God perfect us.
In Trials we obey the command –
to ask God in faith for wisdom, who will give to us generously and without reproach.
We Resist Temptations.
We Receive the Word in humility by obeying the commands to –
be quick to hear the Word of God; slow to speak and anger;
put aside all filthiness and wickedness.
We obey the command –
to bridle the tongue;
help others in distress; and
abstain from worldly things.
This changed life causes us to love God.
And, in obedience we fulfill the Royal Law –
to love our neighbor as ourselves, showing no partiality!
Let’s View GODcha’s
#9 LIVE Questions
DO NOT SKIP THIS!
It will all have been a waste of time if you don’t hear and respond to God.
LISTEN…
9. What kind of faith do I have?
a. Dead faith: Do I say I have faith, but I have no works?
b. Demonic faith: If I say I have faith, what is the difference between my belief and the demons, who believe?
c. True saving faith: If I say I have faith, how does my faith affect my works?
d. What are my works that show that I have true, genuine, saving faith?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
Oh, spend time with God your Creator
if you are where I once was deceived with a dead faith,
let Him turn you from the error of your ways and save your soul from death!
Do you realize, those with true faith are doers of the Word?
Meaning, they obey what God says!
Okay, One Last Thing to Do
SUMMARIZE
To Wrap Up Chapter 2, GODcha directs us to Summarize the Chapter.
Read all of James Chapter 2 to refresh your minds.
Focus on a Paragraph at a time.
Remember: Paragraphs are designated by bold face numbers or letters in your hardbound Bibles.
LOOK for the main topics of each Paragraph.
What was talked about the most?
Hint: Key Words will help with this.
Hint: Keep in mind each test that proves our faith.
The main topics will help give you an outline, and you will see the flow of the chapter!
Jot the main topic of each Paragraph in the margins of your Bible next to the bolded verses, as well as in your Notes.
Try it on your own before you go any further.
I will help you after you give it a shot!
You can do this! I know you can!
Okay, Let’s See How You Did.
We determined the main points are:
v1-13 Not To Show Partiality
To show partiality is a sin.
We will be judged by the Law of Liberty.
Mercy Triumphs Judgment
Fulfill the Royal Law – Love your neighbor as yourself.
v14-26 Dead Faith, Demons Believe, Faith With Works
Dead Faith – says; has NO works; is useless; and can’t save.
Demonic Faith – believes and fears God, but does not save.
Dynamic Living Faith – believes, has works and saves!
Now to Summarize.
Try to keep your summary to 4-6 Words or less if possible because it’s easier to remember.
DO NOT paraphrase, use the Words God uses.
How Would You
Summarize Chapter 2?
What about: No Favoritism; Dead/Living Faith
Awesome, you all!
I am so proud of you, and
I sincerely thank you for staying with us on this journey!
We took it slow purposely to show you how much you can discover if you are willing. I thank God you have been willing!
Are you amazed at how READING and re-reading helped bury God’s Word into your heads and hearts?
Are you amazed at what you have LEARNED and the intimate encounters you have had with your Lord?
Do you see more and more the importance of knowing God’s Word?
Do you realize, you have been disciplined to show yourselves approved unto God, (2Ti 2:15)?
I pray you will urge others to join in this discovery and do the same!
Chapter 2 is a Wrap!
Meditate on all He is teaching you, for it pleases Him. Be glad in Him, (Psa 104:34).
What have you learned about yourself?
Is there some action God is requiring of you?
Do you need to confess and repent?
How has God touched your heart these past few weeks?
Put this Review and Summary in Your Notes
Video Tutorial> Notes Tutorial >
Let me give you some stats. You retain:
10% of what you read;
20% of what you read and hear;
30% of what you see;
50% of what you hear and see;
70% of what you read and say;
90% of what you say and do (write/type).
This is a Worldly Statistic.
But think,
if you have the Holy Spirit, how your retention level can be off the charts!
Thus, taking notes helps you think and concentrate to understand the text.
And the more senses you use, the potential to remember and not forget increases.
So take notes and keep reviewing your notes by reading aloud.
Turn What We Have Learned Into Prayer
By doing this you are learning to pray God’s Word, thus, you are praying according to His will, praying effectively!
Perhaps…
OH LOVING FATHER GOD, AND OUR GLORIOUS LORD JESUS CHRIST, we thank you for all You are revealing to us in Your Word through James. Thank you Holy Spirit, for leading and guiding us into these marvelous Truths. LORD, we know You are the Sovereign Ruler over our lives and circumstances, bringing forth, those who believe, by Your Word. And we know that when someone believes, You who are Righteous, declare that believer righteous, and we in turn begin to have a right conduct before You and others. May we truly grasp and understand that there can be no real faith without works. You have shown us that every tree is known by its fruit. We certainly are not perfect, but we have LEARNED that you make us new creatures, giving us new hearts and put the Holy Spirit within that causes a radical change within, placing a genuine love for You and for others in us. May Your love be alive in us, empowering us to be doers of Your Word, reflecting that change to others. May we understand that we cannot claim faith that saves when there is no evidence of a change. May the world see that we are different! We ask this in our Lord’s holy name. Amen!
Rest and worship the Lord!
In a couple of days we will dig into James Chapter 3.
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