What three things does Scripture say are priceless, of inestimable value, of greater worth than gold?

Transcription

1 What three things does Scripture say are priceless, of inestimable value, of greater worth than gold? Faith 1 Pet. 1:6-7 God s Word Ps. 19:7-10; 119:72, 127 Wisdom Pr. 3:13-15, 8:19, 16:16

2 What are three of the most prominent themes James writes on in his letter? Faith, God s Word, and wisdom. Which tells you what? That the message of the book of James is consistent with the rest of Scripture.

3 The theme of James: Pursue with single-minded devotion a life focused on the wisdom of God.

4 A brief outline of James: 1:1-18 The testing of an undivided heart: trials and temptations. 1:19-2:26 The evidence of an undivided heart: obedience to the Word. 3:1-4:12 The threat to an undivided heart: compromise with the world. 4:13-5:20 The maintaining of an undivided heart: A Christian worldview.

5 James main point in 2:1-13 A single-minded pursuit of the wisdom of God will result in an impartial attitude toward others in obedience to God s Word.

6 What was Martin Luther s problem? Luther believed that Scripture must be interpreted in light of its witness to Christ the proclamation of the gospel. Therefore, he did not consider all books of the Bible to be of equal value.

7 What was Martin Luther s problem? You are in a position now rightly to discriminate between all the books, and decide which are the best. The true kernel of all the books, those which should rightly be ranked first, are the gospel of John and St. Paul s epistles, especially that to the Romans together with St. Peter s first epistle. Luther, in 1522 Preface to the NT

8 What was Martin Luther s problem? Those books which contain the true essence of the gospel are of first importance in Luther s interpretive scheme. In comparison with these, the epistle of St. James is an epistle full of straw, because it contains nothing evangelical.

9 What was Martin Luther s problem? Luther rejected the apostolic authority of James for two reasons: 1. He felt that, in opposition to Paul, it ascribes justification to works. 2. In the whole of its teaching, not once does it give Christians any instructions or reminder of the passion, resurrection, or Spirit of Christ.

10 What was Martin Luther s problem? Because James did not fit his interpretation of Scripture, he stated in 1542: I almost feel like throwing Jimmy into the stove. Luther remarked that he would give his doctor s beret to anyone who could reconcile James and Paul. Luther regarded Hebrews, James, Jude and Revelation as clearly secondary.

11 What was Martin Luther s problem? His problem was this: If he didn t see justification by faith alone in a book, he thought of it as valuable, but secondary. If something in Scripture did not fit the interpretive scheme he laid on top of it, it was rejected. Luther especially disliked James 2: Which is what we re studying today.

12 Here s how Luther should have interpreted Scripture 1. The Holy Spirit does not contradict Himself in Scripture. 2. Understand each author s context and audience. Paul: Gentiles, James: Jews. 3. Don t read Paul s meaning into James, or James into Paul. 4. Understand both James and Paul in the larger context of the Bible as a whole.

13 James 2:14-26 What is the main point? Genuine faith is demonstrated by actions that are consistent with that faith.

14 James is usually difficult to outline, but this passage is a little easier: The proposition v. 14 The illustration of dead faith v The restatement of the proposition v. 17 The arguments against dead faith v The arguments for living faith v The restatement of the proposition v. 26

15 V. 14 James states his proposition in the form of a question. What is he saying? You get five words. Faith without works is dead. James 2:14-26

16 V. 14 A few questions: What answer does James expect to his questions? Do works have saving merit? Define work. Which works, then, and how many must be done? James 2:14-26

17 Remember the main point: Genuine faith is demonstrated by actions that are consistent with that faith. There is genuine saving faith, and there is false faith. James is simply showing the difference between the two not saying you need to do x number of good works. James 2:14-26

18 V The illustration of dead faith: A cold, hungry brother or sister. Would James say that this is simply a weak faith that needs to be awakened? Inadequate faith, or no faith? Does James have any support from Scripture for this? Matt. 25:34-40; 1 Pet. 4:8; 1 John 3:10-19, 4:7-12, 20-21, 5:1-3. James 2:14-26

19 V. 17 The restatement of the proposition. Why can James say with such certainty that faith must be accompanied by works? Because he knew his Old Testament. See Ezek. 36: James seems to be indicating that works are simply actions that demonstrate Christian love. That is the evidence of a genuine, saving faith. James 2:14-26

20 V The arguments against dead faith. V. 18 is difficult to interpret. What is the simple point? The first argument: Faith by itself is not enough. You can t separate genuine faith from good works. James 2:14-26

21 Shema Yisrael, Adonai eloheinu, Adonai echad. Deut. 6:4 The beginning of the Shema, Israel s great declaration of faith. During recitation, orthodox Jews pronounce each word very carefully and cover their eyes with their right hand. Many Jews recite the Shema at least twice daily. James 2:14-26

22 Shema Yisrael, Adonai eloheinu, Adonai echad. Some pious Jews even attach merit to the way the Shema was said: Whosoever prolongs the utterance of the word One shall have his days and years prolonged unto him. James 2:14-26

23 V The arguments against dead faith. V. 19 would have been shocking to a Jew what is James point? The second argument: Good theology by itself is not enough. The demons have great theology, but no repentance. James sarcasm is biting. James 2:14-26

24 V The arguments for living faith. V : The first argument Abraham, the beloved Patriarch. See Rom. 4:2 Paul bases his argument on Gen. 15:6, but James bases his argument on Gen. 22:9-10 called, in Jewish tradition, The binding of Isaac. James 2:14-26

25 Justify to Paul: Declared righteous by God through faith, on the basis of Jesus atoning sacrifice. Justify to James: Actions that demonstrate that an individual has been declared righteous by God.

26 V The arguments for living faith. V : The first argument Abraham, the beloved Patriarch. Abraham had an undivided heart toward God his genuine faith was completed by his actions. Gen. 15:6 was completed, or fulfilled, in Gen. 22:8-9. His faith resulted in unquestioning obedience. James 2:14-26

27 V The arguments for living faith. V. 5: The second argument Rahab, the despised prostitute. See Josh. 2:1-11. Rahab s declaration of faith is in v. 11. Her faith was not just empty words; there were actions consistent with her profession of faith. James 2:14-26

28 V. 26 The restatement of the proposition one last time Works of law do not, and cannot, justify. Works of love are the evidence of true justification. James 2:14-26

29 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. Gal. 5:6