Book of James

Lesson Two


James 1:1-18


Greeting

 

1  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

Testing of Your Faith

 

2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers (Different) temptations;

 

3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

 

4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect (complete, mature) and entire, wanting nothing.

 

5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

 

6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

 

7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

 

8  A double minded (change your mind often, or be easily swayed) man is unstable in all his ways.

 

(See also Ephesians 4:14)

 

9  Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

 

10  But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

 

11  For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

 

12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

 

13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 

 

(This does not say that God will not test us, but there is a difference between "tempting" and "testing". Tempting is when you say or act in such a way as to get a person to respond in a certain way...normally an evil response. Testing is allowing a person to act or respond in a way that seems right to them, for the purpose of showing them where they are at.)

 

14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

 

(If you don't have a fleshly desire for something, it is very hard to be tempted in that area. So, when you find yourself tempted, it is showing a fleshly lust in that area of your life)

 

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

 

(Temptation is not sin.  But when you are tempted in an area of your life, and fleshly lust is triggered, one of two things will happen.  Either you will reject that temptation and put down the lust of your flesh, or you will embrace it (conceived) and then it becomes sin.  And of course the wages of sin is death. Do not despise this testing as it will always brings forth a realization of where you are at and what you need to work on.)
 
16  Do not err, my beloved brethren.

 

17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, (changing.. See also Malachi 3:6) neither shadow of turning.

 

18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

 

(By Himself He will bring us back to Him so that we will be a type of first fruit of His creation)

Answer the questions below.  If you miss a question, go back and study that portion of the class and then retake the test.  Once you have received a 100% you may proceed to the next class.  You DO NOT have to submit this test for grading.  Only the final test will be submitted.