Study From the Book of James,2

         Study from the Book of James,2

Today is the second part of this series where we study chapter one of this rich epistle. As usual we pick up a couple of biblical principles and lessons that can be useful in biblical counselling.

     In chapter one the Apostle Paul after greeting makes comparison of trials and temptations. While trials are from God to test faith of the believers. Faith produces patience. Patience produces good works and good characters.  While temptation to sin is produced by Satan. God never produce temptation. If one fall into his/her desires. That produces sin. And when sin is full grown it brings death.

Then James directs the attentions of the readers to the good deeds. Faith without good works is dead and a dead faith is worse than no faith at all.

Structure:

Verse 1: greetings

Verses 2- 8: profiting from trials

Verses 9-11: the perspective of rich and poor

Verses 12-18: Loving God under trials

Verses 19-20: qualities needed for trials

Verses 21-27: doers, not hearers only

Principle 1, verse 1:2,3: “- My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

Lesson1: there is nothing joyful about trials, in and of themselves. There is no value in suffering for its own sake. God uses both trials and suffering to test our faith, so that we may learn to patiently endure.

Principle 2: verse 1:13, “let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God, “for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”

Lesson 2: To say that God tempts anyone to sin is to confuse the Lord with the devil. The whole satanic purpose of temptation is to entice people away from God and His best for them,