Do I know The Truth?
What place does the Truth have in my life?
Yesterday
We LOOKED at Elijah to understand the effective prayer that accomplishes much.
Today
We come to the conclusion of James’ letter, that focuses on another group of people – those who have strayed from the Truth.
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
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Let’s Pray
LORD, we come to You hungry and helpless apart from Your divine grace, love and mercy that we have in Christ. Gather our thoughts today, and help us to focus on You and what You are saying. We are ready to learn, hungry to hear and ready to respond to You.
Open the Deeper Discovery
Scroll to the #19 LEARN Question
#19. What is the last group James addresses in the church? What are they doing? What’s at stake? What are the brethren to do? (v19-20)
Now, what will you want to concentrate on to help you stay focused?
LOOK at What God Says
Let GODcha guide you.
Open the LOOK Section
How will you get underway?
READ God’s Word
Read James 5:19-20, asking the 5W’s and H.
Let’s read these verses together.
WHO?
19 My brethren,
if WHO?
if any
WHERE?
among you
WHAT?
strays
from WHAT?
from the truth
and
WHO?
one (one of the brethren)
WHAT?
turns
WHO?
him (the strayer)
HOW?
back,
WHAT? WHO?
20 let him (the brethren)
WHAT?
know
WHAT?
that he
WHO
WHAT?
who turns
WHO?
a sinner
from WHAT?
from the error of his way
WHAT will happen?
will save
WHO?
his (the sinner’s)
WHAT?
soul from death
and
WHAT else will happen?
will cover
WHAT?
a multitude
of WHAT?
of sins.
Let’s Keep LOOKING and REASONING
About What We Just Read, and Let It Sink In!
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Unplug Your Ears!
According to verse 19, Who is the last group James addresses in this letter?
My brethren, if any among you (in the church) strays from the truth. . .
Is anyone among you suffering?
Is anyone among you sick?
And now, if any among you strays from the truth. . .
Think About Context
Do you remember this is why James was writing this letter?
THINK: His whole letter was to the brethren, those fellow Jews, who believed in Christ.
REASON: James says if any among you – there are some among the true believers who have strayed.
His whole purpose for the letter is for those who ‘say’, who profess the name of Christ, and he wants them to examine to see if their faith was the real deal.
He didn’t want anyone to be deceived about their salvation!
How can we know those who ‘say’, who just ‘profess’?
They stray from the truth!
What does it mean to stray from the Truth?
Let’s Camp on the Truth!
Truth, aleâtheia; (I) Truth, verity (A) Truth as evidenced in relation to facts, (B) Spoken of what is true in itself, purity from all error or falsehood; “the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law”; “The truth of the gospel”; “The word of truth”;
(II) Truth, i.e. love of truth, both in words and conduct, sincerity, veracity;
(III) In the NT especially, divine truth or the faith and practice of the true religion is called ‘truth’ either as being true in itself and derived from the true God, or as declaring the existence and will of the one true God, in opposition to the worship of false idols. Hence the Lord Jesus is called ‘the truth,’; So also ‘the Spirit of truth,‘ who declares or reveals divine truth.
(IV) Conduct conformed to the truth, integrity, probity, virtue, a life conformed to the precepts of the gospel. Meaning someone who lives uprightly. See also . . .Jas 5:19.
Check out the Grammar
There is a definite article before truth.
Reading: the truth
Meaning: There is a definite, specific truth James is talking about.
“My brethren, if any among you (in the church) strays from the truth (God, Jesus, the Spirit, the gospel, the Word). . .”
Let’s do some 
Cross Referencing
1. Do you remember what James said about the Truth?
a. Jam 1:18
God brought us forth by the Word of Truth. (Jam 1:18)
b. Jam 1:22
Commanded us to be doers of the Word. (Jam 1:22)
c. Jam 3:14
We are not to lie against the Truth. (Jam 3:14)
2. What is Truth?
a. Psa 119:160;
b. Joh 17:17
God’s Word is Truth. (Psa 119:160); (Joh 17:17)
3. What else is Truth?
a. Isa 65:16
God is Truth (Isa 65:16)
b. Joh 14:6
Jesus is the Way to God, the Truth about God, and the Life with God. (Joh 14:6)
Do you remember Christ is the wisdom of God!
James 1:5 Ask: God For Wisdom – Part 1 >
THINK: Truth leads to wisdom.
c. Joh 14:16-17
The Spirit is Truth. (Joh 14:16-17)
Do you see the Trinity?
4. What does Truth do?
Joh 8:31-32, 41
Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him,
if you continue in My Word, you are truly disciples of Mine.
and you will know the Truth and it will set you free. (Joh 8:31-32, 41)
Understand: Truth CANNOT be understood apart from God and His Word.
Understand: Truth leads to life, freedom, and wisdom.
5. What is a believer’s responsibility to Truth?
a. 2Th 2:10
Truth is something we must love. 2Th 2:10
b. Gal 5:7
We are to obey Truth. Gal 5:7
c. 2Co 4:2
Truth is to be displayed and manifested in our lives. 2Co 4:2
d. Eph 4:15
We are to speak Truth in love. Eph 4:15
e. Joh 3:21
Truth is to be practiced, lived out. Joh 3:21
If you have some time do a Word Search on ‘truth’ and see what all God shows you.
What Did We LEARN
Sum It Up!
We LEARN:
Among the brethren are those who have strayed from the Truth.
We LEARN:
The Truth is:
God, Jesus, and the Spirit;
The Word;
The Gospel.
We LEARN:
The Truth leads to:
Life;
Freedom;
Wisdom;
Obedience.
We LEARN:
There are some among the brethren who have strayed from God, Jesus, the Spirit, the Word, the Gospel.
LISTEN. . .
What place does the Truth have in my life?
Do I know the Truth?
What has the Truth set me free from?
What proves I love the Truth?
Am I obeying the Truth?
Am I living the Truth out in my life?
Respond to God. . .LIVE it out!
You Knocked It Out of the Park!
Mull over what we just read.
Perhaps read and re-read for clarity, and consider what God has said through James.
Reflect on all God said about straying from the Truth.
May this text cause us to examine our lives!
Notes
Did you have questions?
Put them in your Notes.
Ask God to answer them.
He will!
Video Tutorial> Notes Tutorial >
Let’s Close in Prayer
Perhaps. . .
FATHER GOD, THE GOD OF ALL TRUTH, WHO SPEAKS NOTHING BUT TRUTH, and LORD JESUS WHO IS THE WAY TO THE FATHER, IS THE TRUTH ABOUT THE FATHER, AND IS LIFE WITH THE FATHER, we bow before You and praise You who are our Masters. Thank you so much for Your Word that is absolute, inherent Truth! We are ever so grateful that You, Holy Spirit of Truth, lead us and guide us into all Truth, which leads us into Your wisdom! Thank you that Your Truth that has set us free, bringing us forth into Your family, Your kingdom. What a gift! And to receive life with You, life that is abundant! Oh Father, help us love Your Truth more and more, for we do desire to know and understand it so we would be able be be doers as James has urged and commanded. We desire to please You, honor You and glorify You. May we quick to hear and receive Your Word, paying close attention as we look intently into what You say, so we will walk in obedience to You!
Next: We’ll focus on ‘the Strayer’.
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