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​​Epistle of James Chapter One.   ​The Epistle of James opens with a powerful identity and continues with the benefits of one's identity as a believer. James speaks clearly about the facts of life and that believers should not ignore them.   

Every Christian, at some point, will bear the pressure of overwhelming odds against them. Whatever the crisis that leads you to worry, you can take to heart that Christ is not absent minded about you.  We must, however, not be absent minded about the facts that God has laid out for us.  In times of trials, we need the facts so that we know how to re-act.  Ultimately, God has blessed Christians with the ability act by faith.

  • Fact One:  God's Identification Of Us- vs.1
  1. Your Named - vs.1a   ...a servant... Who You Are Is Important.
  2. Your Claimed - vs.1b  ...a servant of God...  Who's You Are Is Impacting.
  3. Your Aim - vs.1c  ...of the Lord Jesus Christ... What You Are Is Impressive
  • Fact Two:  God's Invitation For Us - vs.2,3
  1. Know Our Belonging - vs.2a  ...My brethren...
  2. Show Our Believing - vs.3  ...trying of your faith...
  • Fact Three:  God's Instructions To Us - vs.3,4
  1. Respond In Faith - vs.3a  ...your faith...
  2. Reward of Faith - vs.3b   ...worketh patience... 

Note the reality of patience - vs.4

a. Spiritual Maturity - vs.4a  ...that ye may be perfect...
b. Sound Mastery - vs.4b   ...and entire...
c. Satisfied Man - vs.4c   ....wanting nothing...

  • Fact Four:  God's Imperative In Us. vs.5-8  
  1. Learning To Ask In Faith - vs.5   ...let him ask of God...
  2. Yearning To Ask In Faith - vs.6-8

a. Faith Is Demanded - vs.6a   ...ask in faith...
b. Faithlessness Denied - vs.6b  ...nothing wavering...
c. Faultiness Described - 6c   ...for he that wavereth is like...
d. Firm Warning Delivered - vs.7  ...let not that man think... God will not bless apart from faith in Christ.
e. Facts Defined - vs.8       

Note: Profound Definition of the Man without Godly Wisdom - vs.8a   ...a doubled minded man...

Note: Perpetual Destiny of the Man without Godly Wisdom - vs.8b  ...unstable in all his ways...Restless

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Epistle of James Chapter 1 continued: vs. 9-27  ​

James continues this chapter with a very common fabric in the life of all humans... money.  He emphasizes the importance of a proper perspective on materialism.  Wealth and/or the pursuit of wealth is meaningless in light of certain death. This fact is intended to impact how we act in our living.  Simply put, our treasures must be of eternal value or our acts will carry no real value.

  • Addressing Christians In Poverty - vs.9
  1. An Eternal Status - vs.9a   ...Let the brother...
  2. An Earthly State - vs.9b   ...of low degree...
  3. An Internal Satisfaction - vs.9c  ...rejoice
  4. An Exalted Standing - vs.9d   ...in that he is exalted...
  • Addressing Christians In Prosperity - vs.10-11
  1. Exhorted To Realize That God Prevails - vs.10
  2. Exhorted To Realize They Are Frail - vs.10  ...the flower...

Note The Example Of The Rich - vs.10

a. The Flower of The Grass
b. The Fact of The Grave - vs.10  ...he shall pass away...

  1. The Explanation of Riches - vs.11

a. Both Grass And Riches Are Fleeting - ...for the sun is no sooner...
b. Both Grass And Riches Are Fragile - ...with a burning heat...
c. Both Grass And Riches Are Fading - ...it withereth...
d. Both Grass And Riches Are Failing -  ...the flower thereof falleth... it perisheth...

  • Addressing Christians In Progress - vs.12-27

Note:  Contemplation Of Temptation - vs.12-14

  1. Faithful Blessing In Overcoming Temptation - vs.12  ...crown of life...
  2. False Blame For Temptation - vs.13  ...God cannot be tempted... neither tempteth he any man...
  3. Fact Of Balance In Temptation - vs.14   ...every man is tempted, when he is drawn away...lust.


Note:  The Completion Of Temptation - 15-17

  1. The Stages Of Sin - vs.15a  ...when lust hat conceived...
  2. The Wages Of Sin - 15b  ...bringeth forth death...
  3. The Pages Of Scripture - 16-17     

a.  The Warning From Scripture - vs.16 & Galatians 6:6,8

b.  The Witness Of Scripture - vs.17

Note: Consecration From Temptation - 18-27

  1. Eternal Life - vs.18   ...of his own will begat he us with the word of truth...
  2. Internal Living - vs.19,20  ...swift to hear, slow to speak...
  3. External Living - vs.21,27   ...       

Note:  A Personal Religion - vs.21   ...Wherefore lay apart all...

Note:  A Practical Religion - vs.22-27
a.  Honor God's Word - vs.22a   ...be ye doers of the word...
b.  Honest In God's Work - vs.22b,24
c.  Honored By God  vs.25  ...shall be blessed...
I.  Blessed To Be Different In An Indifferent World - vs.26
II. Blessed To Be Delightful In A World That Is Distressful - vs.27

Faithfulness to the Word of God accepts the fact that there are no other reserves to draw upon. All other means apart from the stern and sure admonition of God's Word will only leave us unpredictable, discontented and irrational.

Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger