hanks

Q30. (5:14) What is the elders' role in prayer for the sick? What must be their spiritual qualifications for this ministry of prayer? They are to be spiritually strong men of prayer who can lift up, and strengthen the weak, the sick by the power of God through their prayer. The elders of the church are to be persons of sincerity and soundness in the faith, persons of long standing and experience. They are spiritually mature believers who have the gift and grace of prayer. They must also be capable of giving advice to the sick. One feels that a true elder is a mixture of the divine and the human; created for this specific function by the Holy Spirit (Acts 20:28). Very strong are the energetic prayers of the righteous man. The man who knows the Word of God, and the God of the Word.

Q29. (5:13-14) According to verse 14, who is to initiate prayer for healing? Why might this be important? I feel that in all circumstance of life, we should go to the Lord in prayer. When we are in trouble, we should pray earnestly; and in times of rejoicing, we should lift our hearts to Him in praise. We should not allow ourselves to become victims of circumstances, or to wait for our circumstances to change. We should acknowledge that God is in control of our lives. When we come to sicknesses, we know that God does heal. We are to initiate the prayer for healing and when we are weak and weary turn to the elders to pray for us. The elders could intercede for us, while we are ill, but their presence at our bedside, and their audible prayers, as well as the anointing with oil, are all bound to have a healing effect, even if it is only psychological. This will show that we belong to a happy church served by leaders that are compassionate, caring, loving and selfless.

Q28. (5:9) What does our grumbling and complaining say about us? About our faith? About our patience? Our grumbling and complaining shows disrespect towards our Heavenly Father who is sovereign, and in control of everything. While we are groaning, grumbling, and complaining we cannot be joyful and thankful. Even though at times we might find ourselves in difficult circumstances; when we start complaining we can easily fall into sin. We start accusing God, perhaps indirectly, for the misfortunes we receive. We find fault with our fellow believers, blaming them for our troubles; this causes friction and also makes us judge them unjustly, which is contrary to the Royal Law of love. It’s another test of our saving faith by which we and others can determine if we are truly saved. We are to be patient knowing that our Lord will be coming soon; during this time, we can glorify our Him by living our life in obedience to Him, and by staying awake and alert. Trusting our Lord completely, knowing that He is in control and that we should acknowledge the fact that He is the Sustainer of the universe. If God is for us, who can be against us?

Q27. (5:7-8) What can happen to us Christians if we lack the patience to eagerly expect Christ’s return? Why is patience so vital? James tells us to be patient and to stand firm knowing that our Lord is coming back. We, of course, do not know when that will be, but while we are waiting, doubt and distraction often enter our lives. It is for this reason, that we are to stand firm in the knowledge that our Lord will in due time fulfil the promises He made to us. We are reminded of our Lord's imminent return so that we do not lose heart in difficult circumstances. We note that patience is a virtue; because we live in a society that endorses the word instant. But to be patient, is much more than just waiting for the time to pass. We have to be patient in enduring bad and oppressive conduct, as well as controlling our anger. It is the opposite of being short-tempered. We see that God displays patience by being “slow to anger”; it is this patience that we have to reflect in our daily life. Our patience is not one rooted in fatalism that says everything is out of control; rather it is rooted in faith that says everything is in God’s control. We as believers want Jesus to Come: “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev 22:20), while the world of unbelievers just carry on living their lives not aware of the wrath to come.

Q26. (5:5-6) What is the Spiritual danger of our demand for comfort and luxury? Extra Credit: How might our demand for low-priced goods and services cause us to (1) Oppress our own employees or (2) Cause workers in this country or abroad to be under paid or oppressed? How does all this relate to the need for patience? Riches are a blessing of the Lord. “the blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it.” (Prov 10:22). But when wealth is devoid of the Lord's blessing, trouble accompanies it in the form of envy, injustice, oppression, theft, murder, abuse, and misuse. It is abuse and misuse of wealth, when we squander our wealth on ourselves, while there are multitudes living in desperate need. I find it revolting when I see the affluence and extravagance of some churches as well as certain so-called Christian TV channels. We live in a world where thousands die daily of starvation, and in such a world it is difficult to justify any form of extreme self-indulgence. The clear teaching of the scriptures, the appalling need of the world, the example of the Saviour, and the simple instinct of compassion tell us that it is wrong to live this lifestyle of extreme luxury. If I understand the question correctly, there is an extreme example of this in my country. Our politicians have looted the country to such an extent that there is no money in the Treasury for the poor and oppressed people. We are talking about more than a trillion Rand ($ 1 = ZAR 15) stolen in State Capture, tender fraud, corruption, and looting. Their greed is almost beyond comprehension, resulting in bankrupting the state coffers. All this stolen money is spent on unbelievable luxuries. Most expensive cars, houses, you name it! No money left for low-priced goods and essential services. Depriving the poor of promised housing, running water, toilets, and jobs. Unemployment rate is the highest in the world – over 44%. And this continues today with no politician being held accountable. It is in our rush to attain wealth and riches that the biggest dangers occur. Love for God and the neighbour becomes love for money that leads to all kinds of evil. “for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Tim 6:10) when this happens, man worships and serves not God but money. Then he is a friend of the world and God is his enemy. Rather be patient and live a life of discipline under our Lord Jesus’ guidance.

Q25. (4:13-16) What danger is James warning us about in verses 13-16? How can we be humble in our planning without being indecisive and wishy-washy? We are warned about the danger of not consulting God in all our future plans. We must realize that our destinies are under His control. Our decisions should be made in prayer. That is including our Heavenly Father in all our planning, so that way forward will be and should be in compliance with His will. As a new believer, before I knew about the dangers of making important decisions without including God in my plans, I bumped my head very hard, and had some scary business experiences. It is only when I included our Lord in my plans that I found I could go ahead in peace, and full confidence. His Word teaches us: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. We come humbly before our Lord, and discern His will through His Word. Remember that when we abide in Jesus – living in Him, day by day – then our will becomes more and more aligned with His will, and we can ask what we desire, knowing that more and more of our asking will be according to His will. “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” (John 15:7). Then we see answered prayer. In this, we see the purpose of prayer and the secret of power in prayer. We are not boasting about things done in our power, but in the power from above. No indecision or wishy-washiness here! It is to ask; to ask anything; to ask anything according to His will; and once having so asked, to have the assurance that He hears us. We should be very careful in leaving God out of our planning and priding ourselves in our boastful plans for the future. We can sometimes act as if we are the masters of our own fate. We need to humble ourselves before God, acknowledging that He is control. We must also be careful in saying ‘I will’ or ‘we will’ without first consulting God. We should note the ‘I wills’ of Lucifer in Isa 14:13-14: “for you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most high”.

Q24. (4:11-12) In what way does bad-mouthing a neighbour cause you to be a judge of the law? Why is it tempting to bad-mouth others, do you think? Speaking evil, slandering, or bad-mouthing a neighbour is the equivalent of ignoring/disrespecting God’s Laws of love (love your neighbour, Like yourself), and judgment. James echoes the teaching about judging others that Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount - “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way, you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matt 7:1-2). We have to be very careful how we judge others; remembering that all of us are guilty because of our sins, and that we are under the law and on the same level as our fellow believers. We are the accused. Therefore, instead of placing ourselves above the law and assuming the position of a judge, we ought to encourage, comfort, and love our fellow man. In short, we are in no position to judge because we ourselves are in need of the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. Let us help each other by directing our attention to Jesus. We are taught in scripture that all of us will have to appear before Jesus on the day of judgment and at that time we have to give an account of “every careless word we have spoken” (Mat 12:36). So, God holds us responsible for the very words we speak and especially the words spoken against our fellow believers. Because of our pride it is tempting to bad-mouth others, thinking that by doing this we build ourselves up by tearing others down. John Calvin wrote, "Hypocrisy is always presumptuous and we are by nature hypocrites, fondly exalting ourselves by defaming/slandering others." But it is actually the result of a deceitful heart; a heart full of pride, hatred, and jealousy.

Q23. (4:6-10) Verses 7-10 contain 10 different commands. Why are these actions so vital? In what way do they go against our nature? Which of these commands is most difficult for you? These actions are vital, in that when they are followed, they show true repentance. We read earlier how wicked the old nature of ours was before becoming believers. We are to reject this wicked nature and get nearer to God. We repent and humble ourselves; we confess our sins, with a true deep sorrow for all these sins; we submit ourselves to God, by obeying Him. We should humble ourselves before God and seek His forgiveness for our sinfulness and over our worldliness. God wants us to come to Him in true repentance, faith, obedience, and prayer; He will then fill us with His grace and crown us with His blessings. When we pray “Your will be done,” we have dismissed pride, are submissive to God, and are obeying His commands. I suppose, the most one I battle with is pride. But then again being a sinner, I must have in my lifetime battled against all/most these commands, and have been disobedient in all/most of them at some stage. These commands are a test of our saving faith. But fortunately, through the grace of our Lord, we grow spiritually, and we become more and more obedient to these commands.

Q22. (4:4) Why does James refer to church members as "adulteresses"? What does the adultery consist of? Who is the aggrieved husband? What is wrong with friendship with the world? James is writing to Jewish Christians who are familiar with the term adulteress being applied to the marriage relationship of God as husband and Israel as the unfaithful wife. In the NT the church is thought of as being “the bride of Christ”, and we, the church members, are the bride that have been unfaithful to Christ in our loving the world. This love is seen as spiritual adultery. Our adultery consists of our effort to satisfy the **** of the eyes, the **** of the flesh, and the pride of life that leaves no room for our Lord. By loving worldly things, we are being untrue to our Lord Jesus – Him being the aggrieved husband. Our God is a jealous God (Exo 20:5; Deu 5:9) and will not tolerate our friendship with the world. We cannot be a friend of God and a friend of the world, because “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Mat 6:24). We as Christians cannot pursue our selfish ambitions and still remain loyal to God. In fact, when we look toward the pleasures of this world, we turn our backs to God. We become an enemy of God! The apostle John also warns us: “do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 john 2:15). Therefore, anyone who deliberately chooses for the world and against God is an enemy of God.

Q21. (4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? What wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? No, I don’t think God is against pleasure as such; in the unselfish sense of the word. He is definitely against any worldly pleasures that take His place in our lives; when the pursuit of personal pleasure becomes selfish, leaving no time to consider our fellow believers; when we become totally self-centred. Besides, worldly pleasures are not always pleasing to God. We only have to read Col 3:5 and Gal 5:19-21 to get an idea of our evil desires. Our hearts are truly deceitful (Jer 17:9). We have this craving for pleasure to satisfy our bodily appetites. There is the **** to accumulate material possessions; also, a drive for prestige. We never seem to be satisfied, always wanting more. This then becomes the source of bickering and strife among unbelievers and unfortunately also believers. It comes from the desire for more, in other words greed; also from covetousness, and jealousy of others. We seem to forget that Jesus told us to first seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then He will guarantee our future needs – we will never lack the necessities of life (Matt 6:33). That is to put God first in our lives.

Q20. (3:17-18) With what tool do peacemakers sow peace? Why does this produce a ripening crop of righteousness? In whom does this crop grow? It is through heavenly wisdom, which is a free gift of a gracious God, that peacemakers sow peace. With this wisdom from above, they get a pure heart full of love, and it’s with this love that they live peaceably together, actively concerned for harmony and unity. Their pure hearts are being filled, with the fruits of true wisdom: peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Living together in a righteous way their behaviour towards each other will be Godly, bringing glory to our Heavenly Father, and the result will be harmonious relationships. The final outcome will be a ripening crop of righteousness, because they are living in obedience to the will of God. The crop grows in the hearts of the peacemakers themselves, as they become more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ. Their heavenly wisdom will be noticeable in their behaviour, their deeds, and their attitude. Combining the care for righteousness with attempts at making peace, will result in blessings and increased grace leading to the reward of eternal life.

Q19. (3:13-16) In what ways are "bitter envy" and "selfish ambition" (3:14) direct opposites of "humility" (3:13)? How does denial of "bitter envy" and "selfish ambition" prevent healing? How does boasting about these prevent healing? Bitter envy and selfish ambition characterise the worldly-wise person. They act according to the principles of this world, which embodies all the traits that the world glorify. This behaviour tells us there is no evidence of divine life within their heart – their hearts are defiled. Full of covetousness, greed, and self-centredness. We have the worldly person who is only interested in advancing his own interests. It is here that we also find confusion, disharmony and every other kind of evil. Directly opposite we have the wise and understanding person characterised by their humility, who manifest the life of Christ, and in whom the fruit of the Spirit is evident. We have the godly person who besides being wise, understanding, and humble, has a heart is full of righteousness. All this bitter envy and selfish ambition prevents healing of the heart since it is not wisdom that comes from heaven, but is earthy, unspiritual, and demonic. We need an antibiotic, a massive dose of humility. Better to self-medicate than wait for God’s remedy. same with boasting which is only promoting our self-worth – no humility here.

Q19. (3:13-16) In what ways are "bitter envy" and "selfish ambition" (3:14) direct opposites of "humility" (3:13)? How does denial of "bitter envy" and "selfish ambition" prevent healing? How does boasting about these prevent healing? Bitter envy and selfish ambition characterise the worldly-wise person. They act according to the principles of this world, which embodies all the traits that the world glorify. This behaviour tells us there is no evidence of divine life within their heart – their hearts are defiled. Full of covetousness, greed, and self-centredness. We have the worldly person who is only interested in advancing his own interests. It is here that we also find confusion, disharmony and every other kind of evil. Directly opposite we have the wise and understanding person characterised by their humility, who manifest the life of Christ, and in whom the fruit of the Spirit is evident. We have the godly person who besides being wise, understanding, and humble, has a heart is full of righteousness. All this bitter envy and selfish ambition prevents healing of the heart since it is not wisdom that comes from heaven, but is earthy, unspiritual, and demonic. We need an antibiotic, a massive dose of humility. Better to self-medicate than wait for God’s remedy. same with boasting which is only promoting our self-worth – no humility here.

Q18. (3:7-8) Read Matthew 12:34 and 15:18. In light of these verses, why is the tongue untameable? What has to happen before it can be tamed? Jesus reminds us that what is in our heart is revealed by what we say. A wicked heart will speak evil thoughts, while a heart filled with love will speak words of grace and righteousness (Matt 12:34). Jesus again tells us that the heart is the corrupt source of human motives and desires. It is here that impure thoughts, depraved words, and evil acts originate (Matt 15:18). In Luke 6:45 Jesus says: “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). So, whatever is spoken have their source in the heart. It is because of our total depravity that our hearts are filled with hatred, blasphemy, abuse, bitterness, jealousy, and pride, and our tongues are untameable. Before the tongue can be tamed our hearts need to be filled with goodness. Provers 4:23 tells us “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life”. Emphasising the importance of a clean thought life – as a man thinks, so is he. “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Rom 10:9-10). There needs to be a radical change of heart – a new birth. Once we put our trust in Jesus, we become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit. On our own we can never control the tongue, only by the Holy Spirit living within us can we ever hope to gain control over our tongue. As the Holy Spirit gains more and more control over our lives, as we become more and more like our Lord Jesus, will the fruit of the Spirit become more obvious for all to see (Gal 5:22-23).

Q17. (3:1-2) Why does James discourage people from aspiring to be teachers of the Word? Why is greater strictness appropriate? Should you set higher standards for your pastor than you do for yourself? James is issuing a simple warning to not take teaching the Word of God lightly, since it carries with it a great responsibility. I will never forget the Sunday when our pastor was not available; a medical doctor from our congregation was asked to help out with the preaching. Before he had said a word he told us how daunting this was standing here, even more so than when being in an operating theatre. Because he felt that now he was dealing with people’s eternity, and there was even less room for error. Besides the responsibility to teach the truth, the teacher will receive heavier judgment if they fail to practice what they preach. He must be prepared to obey what he sees in the Word. He can never hope to lead others beyond what he himself has practiced. Yes, greater strictness is definitely appropriate. They have been trained and taught various Christian doctrines and should know better than to deviate from the truth. I also think it is a great privilege to be given such a noble and distinguished task. No, it is not for me to expect my pastor to be more righteous/holy than myself. We are all sinners, and who am I to judge him.

Q16. (2:20-26) How does James' point about the necessity of works jive with Paul’s emphasis on salvation by grace without works (Ephesians 2:8-10)? There is no conflict here at all. James is concerned with the claim to having faith; the worthless/useless/ dead faith; and real faith. Teaching us that faith without good deeds/good works is no faith at all. This faith is not a saving faith; it is a faith that involves a total commitment that will result in a changed life. One that will bring glory to our Heavenly Father. Real/true faith and works are inseparable. Paul on the other hand is more concerned with saving faith; a faith that is a free gift from God. It is given to those who are utterly unworthy of it, on the basis of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not by our works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:9). It all originates with the grace of God: He takes the initiative in providing it. We are not saved by works, nor by faith plus works. We are saved through faith alone.

Q15. (2:18-19) What is the difference between the "belief" of a demon and the "belief" of a practicing Christian? The "belief" of a non-practicing Christian? It is essential to believe in the existence of God, but it is not sufficient. We read that even the demons believe in the existence of God and that they shudder at the thought of their eventual punishment by Him. The reaction of the Christian is exactly the opposite; we have peace with God, knowing that our future is secure in Him. This we see in Romans 5:1; “therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The belief of the demons is not a saving faith, and ours is only achieved when we truly believe on the Lord, and totally commit our spirit, soul, and body to Him. This commitment in turn results in a changed life. Faith apart from works is head belief, and therefore dead belief. The non-practising Christian is still captive to sin and self, his life being dominated only by his own concerns. Whereas we find that in the genuine Christian there is evidence of communion with God, compassion for others and conversion from self.

Q14. (2:15-16) To what degree are we responsible for the poor and needy in the church community? How about our responsibility for those outside the church, in the community at large? I believe charity begins at home. We, however, have a responsibility to others in need. If we have enough resources, we should then extend our help to do good to our fellow Christians. We are to love our neighbour as ourself, we must do our best to help our fellow brothers and sisters in need. In many families today, divorce, desertion, and separation create untold grief and bitterness. John mentions the same problem with people who try to do their duty with a few cheap words and charitable wishes: “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Instead of faith, John uses love. Words of faith/love that are never translated into action are worthless. This should also be extended outside our church to the community at large; but then only if we firstly do not harm our own family and secondly neglect our brothers and sisters.

Q13. (2:14-18) In what sense is faith dead if it is unaccompanied by action? In what sense might (if that were possible) it be alive? We may claim to have faith, but without works it is not real faith at all – it is just talk and nothing else. In this sense faith unaccompanied by action is dead, for works are the outward proof of the reality of our faith. We are not saved by a faith of words only, but by a kind of faith that results in a life of good works. If we have been truly saved by faith we will want to please our Lord and Saviour by doing good works to glorify His name; not for boosting our own image. Calvin put it well: “we are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone.” True faith and good works are inseparable, and to show faith apart from works is impossible. We cannot say that we are saved by faith plus works. To hold such a view would be to dishonour the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we were saved by faith plus works, then there would be two saviours - Jesus and ourselves. It is not faith and works that saves a person. It is not faith or works. It is faith that works. The only way others can know we have faith is by a life that demonstrates it; in other words, “I will show you my faith by my works”. If our faith is real, it will show itself, by our obedience to the Word of God. It is not our obedience that saves us, but it is our obedience that proves we are saved.

Q12. (2:13b) In what way is showing regard towards the wealthy (2:2-3) a denial of mercy? Extra credit: read Hosea 6:6; Matthew 5:7; and 9:13. In what way does mercy "triumph over" (NIV, RSV, and NASB) or "rejoice against" (KJV) judgment? What does this mean? The general idea seems to be that if we show mercy to others, the judgment which might otherwise fall on us will be replaced by mercy. If we are merciful, kind, and compassionate to others, then when we need mercy and grace and kindness it will be given to us. But by showing regard (favour) towards the wealthy we sin; we are acting with selfish and evil intentions, hoping to gain something either socially or materially; we might be denied the mercy our Lord might show us. God showed mercy in sparing us from the judgment which our sins deserved and in demonstrating kindness to us through the saving work of Christ. In His Word we read that God delights in mercy - His mercy triumphs over justice. He does not stay angry forever but delights to show mercy (Micah 7:18). He desires mercy (Hosea 6:6). Jesus Himself said “I desire mercy” (Mat 9:13), that is preferring that we show mercy and compassion and concern for everyone. Loving our neighbours as ourselves. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). When we deal kindly with others we will be shown mercy. We imitate God when we are merciful, kind, and show compassion to others. If we are not merciful to others we are not in fellowship with our Lord, and we will suffer the consequences. All told the meaning is that mercy triumphs over judgment.

Q11. (2:9-11) Why does James refer to the great commandment as the "Royal Law"? How is it more "Royal" than the Mosaic law? How does showing favouritism toward a rich person break the "Royal Law" towards that rich person? How does it break the "Royal Law" in regard to a poor person? It is called the Royal Law because it belongs to the King of kings and because it is the king of all laws. When comparing it to the law of Moses we note that both required us to love our neighbour, but only the Royal Law gave us the power to do it, and did not condemn us if we failed. It is only under grace, that we are given the power to love our neighbour and are rewarded when we do it. We don't do it in order to be saved but because we are saved. We do it, not through fear of punishment, but through love for our Lord Jesus who died for us and rose again. If we really loved our neighbours as ourselves, we would treat them all the way we would want to be treated. We would not want to be despised simply because we were poor, or to be shown favouritism simply because we were rich. It is because we are self-centred, that we cater to the rich because of the hope of reward, either socially or materially. At the same time, we neglect the poor because there is little prospect of their benefiting us in any way. The Royal Law forbids such selfish exploitation of others, and teaches us to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Q10. (2:4) In what way does favouritism make one a judge? How does favouritism make one a judge with "evil thoughts"? Instead of accepting people on the basis of their faith in Christ, we show favouritism based on their appearance and status. I think we are, to a certain extent, all guilty of this. We judge and treat people according to their outward appearances. We don’t honour Jesus Christ by our actions; instead, we pay respect to a rich man and despise a poor man. Poverty makes us uncomfortable, but we honour worldly greatness. It is an evil thought to judge people this way; our thoughts can never be impartial. It is a sin of discrimination as our hearts are filled with evil thoughts; either selfishness or the love of money, and we definitely have an ulterior motive in mind. Within the context of the Christian faith, practicing discrimination is the exact opposite of loving one's neighbour as oneself. We must remember that God puts the greatest glory on those who are the least in this world.

Q9. (2:1-3) What kind of person or what kind of sinner do you tend to discriminate against? What kind of people are you (or your church) trying to make a good impression on? There is no place in Christianity for discrimination of any kind. Probably the most glaring example of it in the church today is the discrimination shown against people of other races and colour. In my country, prior to 1994 - the apartheid era, black believers had been excluded in many instances or at least made to feel unwelcome. But never in my church. Our church did not discriminate against black believers, it was more about cultural differences that they might have felt uncomfortable in my church – at worst we might have been guilty of not making them more welcome. Since we are all made in the image of God (Gen 1:26) there can be no lack of respect for others because of birth, race, sex, or poverty. Not that I consider myself better than anyone, but I can honestly say I do not consciously discriminate against other people. I tend to shy away from those that flaunt their wealth being much more comfortable with the ‘down to earth’ people. A lot of our church members are battling financially. The church is also situated in an area with a high density of retired people (myself included). All are most welcome!!

Q8. (1:26-27) Why does James make taming the tongue and caring for the poor the prime tests of pure religion? Why not the quality of our quiet time or worship? James is writing about practical Christianity and warns us not to deceive ourselves with a counterfeit religion that is nothing more than a charade. He mentions keeping our tongue under control and getting our hands dirty helping people in need, as examples of practical religion. We have to be careful not to consider ourselves religious because we have quality quiet times and worship regularly. This might merely be an outward show – a formality. God is looking for a practical type of godliness which takes compassionate interest in others. We should be putting our own faith on trial by serving others and controlling our tongues.

Q7. (1:25) What is this "perfect law" that James mentions? How would you define it? How does it relate to the "royal law" (2:8)? In what sense does it bring liberty? The Perfect Law that James mentions is the Word of God, specifically the gospel. To me it’s perfect because it is God’s law, and it alone can set us free from the bondage of sin and selfishness. Coming from God it is perfect in itself, and as we obey it we are set free from worldly customs and traditions and also from carnal thinking. The more we look into it, the more we meditate on it, the more we understand it, the more we obey it, the more we become perfect believers. Jesus Himself said “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). The freedom James is speaking about - “the perfect law that gives freedom” (1:25). Again, in John 8:36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. Also in Romans 8:2: “… because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death”. As long as we live within these boundaries set by God, we are free, as soon as we cross these boundaries we become slaves to sin. The entire law is summarized in James 2:8: “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbour as yourself," you are doing right.” This is confirmed in Gal 5:14 as well: “The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbour as yourself."” It is a royal law because it is the king of laws, a kingly law one worthy of reverence and perhaps the one most difficult to always obey.