Lisema Ralitsoele

Q32. (James 5:19-20) In the light of James' emphasis on active faith vs. dead faith (James 2:17), why is the role of finding and bringing back the wandering sheep so important? In light of James 2:17, finding and bringing back the wandering sheep plays a significant role in living out our Christian faith in a practical way and demonstrating our selfless love.

Q31. (James 5:14-16) In the healing prayer, what is the role of oil? The role of oil is to encourage faith in the person being prayed for by symbolizing the presence of the Lord in the healing moment. What is the role of the prayer of faith? The role of the prayer of faith is to heal the sick person body, soul and spirit. What is the role of faith? The role of faith is to impart the healing power of the Holy Spirit to the one praying for a sick person, so that healing is manifested. What is the role of confession of sins? The role of confession of sins is to make oneself accountable for the sin, to pierce the darkness of this secret, so that one can finally let go of the sin to God and find relief from forgiveness.

Q30. (James 5:14) What is the elders' role in prayer for the sick? To pray for the sick, anointing them with oil in Jesus’ name. What must be their spiritual qualifications for this ministry of prayer? Their spiritual qualification is that they must be mature believers who are full of faith, and are best equipped in the congregation to pray "the prayer of faith”.

Q29. (James 5:13-14) According to verse 14, who is to initiate prayer for healing? The sick person or those close to him if he isn’t able to do so. Why might this be important? This might be important to ensure that there is a pre-existing willingness, motivation or faith to get well so that the one doing the praying doesn’t end up casting pearls before swine.

Q28. (James 5:9) What does our grumbling and complaining say about us? Grumbling and complaining says that we are firmly children of the here and now gratification of our worldly desires. About our faith? Our grumbling and complaining means that we do not have faith in God whose word says we must pray believing that we have what we pray for. In other words, when we grumble and complain, this means that we do not believe in God or our faith is dead. About our patience? Grumbling and complaining says that we are firmly impatient.

Q27. (James 5:7-8) What can happen to us Christians if we lack the patience to eagerly expect Christ's return? What might happen to us is that since sin is so deceptively nice, we might be caught in our worldly pleasures at Jesus’ return and therefore miss the opportunity to be taken up to Heaven with Him. Why is patience so vital? Patience is vital because it opens a window of opportunity that must be grasped without any delay or any measure of wasted time.

Q26. (James 5:5-6) What is the spiritual danger of our demand for comfort and luxury? When we put a premium on our comfort and luxury we become so addicted to this affluent lifestyle that we depreciate the value of the lives of our needy neighbors whom we now do not love as we have been commanded to. 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? The American AGOA is very beneficial to my country Lesotho, as well as other African countries, because it creates much needed employment. However, since there is lack of skills and capital, the clothing factories are run by mainland Chinese companies with their ruthless management style that is often of questionable ethics. How does all this relate to the need for patience? In this case we need to thank God and pray Him to continue to Bless America and to give us the wisdom to accumulate the necessary skills and capital so that we may legally and professionally take over the running of the companies. That takes patience.

Q25. (James 4:13-16) What danger is James warning us about in verses 13-16? In verses 13-16 James is warning us about the danger we face when we ascertain that we shall do such and such in days to come because the future we are presumptuous about may, unbeknown to us, be our death knell. How can we be humble in our planning without being indecisive and wishy-washy? We are humble in our planning when we submit ourselves and our plans to God for His blessing, modification or even rejection at His own time, which we are prepared to accept and live by.

Q24. (James 4:11-12) In what way does criticizing a neighbor cause you to be a judge of the law? It does so in that by criticizing my neighbor I appoint myself a judge who is prejudiced because I do not have the facts from my neighbor and the sentence only serves to gratify my interests of feeling better than my neighbor. Why do you think it is so tempting to criticize others? It is very tempting because it gives us the selfish pleasure of self-righteousness, feeling better than them.

Q23. (James 4:6-10) Verses 7-10 contain 10 different commands. Why are these actions so vital? They are the conditions that we must meet so that God can lift us up and our prayers for His promises may be manifest. In what way do they go against our nature? They go against our nature in that they want us to submit to God and resist the devil whereas our spirits are designed for **** and envy. Which of these commands is most difficult for you? Resisting the bloody devil from invading my thoughts.

Q22. (James 4:4) Why does James refer to church members as "adulteresses"? Church members are adulteress if they become unfaithful to their bridegroom Jesus and break their marital vows. What does the adultery consist of? It consists of indulging in worldly pleasures. Who is the aggrieved husband? Jesus Christ is the aggrieved husband. What is wrong with friendship with the world? One cannot be hot and cold at the same time. One cannot serve mammon and God at the same time. A friend of the world is an enemy of God. The choice is ours.

Q21. (James 4:1-3) Is God against pleasure? No, God is not against pleasure because Psalm 37:4 says delight in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart. John 16:24says …Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. What's wrong in living to increase one's pleasure? It is wrong to live for one’s selfish pleasure as an end in itself, devoid of the righteous motives of doing God’s will, because selfishness can deteriorate into quarrels, strife and anger against those we perceive to be frustrating our pursuit of happiness.

Q20. (James 3:17-18) With what tool do peacemakers sow peace? With the tool of heavenly wisdom. Why does this produce a ripening crop of righteousness? Because it is sown in peace. In whom does this crop grow? It grows in the humble who have surrendered their hearts to and for the Holy Spirit’s cleansing.

Q19. (James 3:13-16) In what ways are "bitter envy" boasting about “and "selfish ambition" (verse 14) direct opposites of "humility" (verse 13)? Where there is “bitter envy” and “selfish ambition” is found disorder and every evil practice; whereas true wisdom and understanding is expressed by the good life and deeds. How does denial of "bitter envy" and "selfish ambition" prevent healing? How does boasting about these prevent healing? The denial of, and boasting about, “bitter envy” and “selfish ambition” hardens the heart making it impenetrable to Holy Spirit cleansing.

Q18. (James 3:7-8) Read Matthew 12:34 and 15:18. In light of these verses, why is the tongue untamable? The tongue is untamable because like the paper on which the news is written, it is not the author; it is not the source. The tongue is just the final audio that reaches our eardrums. The author, the source is our storehouse of all evil or good thoughts and motives – the heart. A heart that is full of evil thoughts and motives will transmit these to be published by the tongue. What has to happen before it can be tamed? We have to confess our weakness and ask the Holy Spirit to cleanse our heart and fill it with thoughts and motives of righteousness.

Q16. (James 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)? According to Ephesians 2:8-10 Paul says we are saved by Grace, if we have the required faith without which the Grace is wasted and we cannot perform the good works we were fore-ordained to walk in. James agrees that the people of a dead faith are not doers of the Word of God; it is only those who look into the perfect law of liberty continually without forgetting, but being doers of the work who shall be blessed.

Q15. (James 2:18-19) What is the difference between the "belief" of a demon and the "belief" of a practicing Christian? The “belief” of a demon is actually full awareness that God is alive, powerful and plans to send him to eternal damnation. Hence the demons fear God and try hard to neutralize God’s plans instead of repenting. The belief of a practicing Christian on the other hand, is alive with faith that motivates and transforms him from the former man to a new man with love, compassion leading to good deeds. The "belief" of a non-practicing Christian? The “belief” of a non-practicing Christian mimics that of a demon without going so far as to be actively destroying God’s children. It is sterile, of doubtful effect in saving his soul, and as dead as the body that is cast into the grave after being separated from the spirit.

Q14. (James 2:15-16) To what degree are we responsible for the poor and needy in the church community? To the degree that our faith motivates us to give according as God has enriched us and our hearts are willing to give cheerfully. How about our responsibility for those outside the church, in the community at large? The apostle James does not seem to distinguish between the Church poor and those outside the Church. He exhorts us with these words: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. I think that is why we are the light of the world. We are here to enlighten the orphans widows and others out of the darkness of this world.

Q13. (James 2:14-18) In what sense is faith dead if it is unaccompanied by action? In the sense of our being transformed so that we follow our Christian faith which is founded on good works: God creating the universe and all life and declaring it good. Jesus coming to earth to give us the good news, heal the sick, feed the hungry, drive out demons and do many other good deeds topped by sacrificially dying on the cross to redeem us from perishing. Our Christian faith is action oriented modeled on exceptionally good deeds. In what sense might (if that were possible) it be alive? In the sense tat we be doers of the word, looking into the perfect law of liberty, continuing in it by doing work such as bridling our tongues, and visiting the fatherless and the widows to help them in their afflictions

Q12. (James 2:13b) In what way is showing regard towards the wealthy (James 2:2-3) a denial of mercy? Showing regard to the wealthy is an act of favoritism which is a perversion of justice that reinforces their self-righteousness which then disqualifies them from receiving mercy by Grace because they stay unrepentant. Extra credit: Read Hosea 6:6; Matthew 5:7; and 9:13. In what way does mercy "triumph over" (NIV, RSV, NASB) or "rejoice against" (KJV) judgment? Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? Matt9:11. They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. i.e., The humble will triumph by Grace, while the judgmental Pharisees will be vanquished. Sinners are spiritually sick, oppressed by their evil acts. To be healed, to be delivered, they need mercy, that is filled with love, and is therefore greater than or triumphs over cold judgment by law. That is why Jesus –the Lord of Love- declares in Matt 9:13 that He prefers mercy over the judgment that declares one guilty and therefore required to pay with the slaughter of an animal. Jesus came to call – show mercy to – sinners through their repentance and the resultant etching of God’s Word in their hearts. This is reinforced in Matthew5: 7 where the merciful are blessed or consecrated and therefore have the benefit of escaping judgment by God’s grace. On the other hand, the unmerciful are secular minded and judgmental. Even in the Old Testament era of judgment and atonement through burnt offerings, God declares in Hosea6:6 His preference for mercy and the knowledge of God over freedom from guilt through animal sacrifice. What does this mean? It means that we can rejoice because Christ met the requirements of the Law fully, and through Him we have the privilege, grace to triumph over judgement. We are free indeed because the Son Himself who has defeated Satan and death has set us free.

Q11. (James 2:9-11) Why does James refer to the Great Commandment as the "Royal Law"? It is because it came from our King Himself, our only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How is it more "royal" than the Mosaic Law? The “Royal Law” is a summary of the entire Mosaic Law. How does showing favoritism 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? With respect to both the rich and the poor, the Scriptures are clear "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly." (Leviticus 19:15). Furthermore, selectivity in observing Jesus’ commands through partiality and prejudice are evil in God’s eyes and we have to repent of all sin.

Q14. (James 2:15-16) To what degree are we responsible for the poor and needy in the church community? To the degree that our faith motivates us to give according as God has enriched us and our hearts are willing to give cheerfully. How about our responsibility for those outside the church, in the community at large? The apostle James does not seem to distinguish between the Church poor and those outside the Church. He exhorts us with these words: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. I think that is why we are the light of the world. We are here to enlighten the orphans widows and others out of the darkness of this world.

Q13. (James 2:14-18) In what sense is faith dead if it is unaccompanied by action? In the sense of our being transformed so that we follow our Christian faith which is founded on good works: God creating the universe and all life and declaring it good. Jesus coming to earth to give us the good news, heal the sick, feed the hungry, drive out demons and do many other good deeds topped by sacrificially dying on the cross to redeem us from perishing. Our Christian faith is action oriented modeled on exceptionally good deeds. In what sense might (if that were possible) it be alive? In the sense tat we be doers of the word, looking into the perfect law of liberty, continuing in it by doing work such as bridling our tongues, and visiting the fatherless and the widows to help them in their afflictions

Q12. (James 2:13b) In what way is showing regard towards the wealthy (James 2:2-3) a denial of mercy? Showing regard to the wealthy is an act of favoritism which is a perversion of justice that reinforces their self-righteousness which then disqualifies them from receiving mercy by Grace because they stay unrepentant. Extra credit: Read Hosea 6:6; Matthew 5:7; and 9:13. In what way does mercy "triumph over" (NIV, RSV, NASB) or "rejoice against" (KJV) judgment? Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? Matt9:11. They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. i.e., The humble will triumph by Grace, while the judgmental Pharisees will be vanquished. Sinners are spiritually sick, oppressed by their evil acts. To be healed, to be delivered, they need mercy, that is filled with love, and is therefore greater than or triumphs over cold judgment by law. That is why Jesus –the Lord of Love- declares in Matt 9:13 that He prefers mercy over the judgment that declares one guilty and therefore required to pay with the slaughter of an animal. Jesus came to call – show mercy to – sinners through their repentance and the resultant etching of God’s Word in their hearts. This is reinforced in Matthew5: 7 where the merciful are blessed or consecrated and therefore have the benefit of escaping judgment by God’s grace. On the other hand, the unmerciful are secular minded and judgmental. Even in the Old Testament era of judgment and atonement through burnt offerings, God declares in Hosea6:6 His preference for mercy and the knowledge of God over freedom from guilt through animal sacrifice. What does this mean? It means that we can rejoice because Christ met the requirements of the Law fully, and through Him we have the privilege, grace to triumph over judgement. We are free indeed because the Son Himself who has defeated Satan and death has set us free.

Q11. (James 2:9-11) Why does James refer to the Great Commandment as the "Royal Law"? It is because it came from our King Himself, our only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How is it more "royal" than the Mosaic Law? The “Royal Law” is a summary of the entire Mosaic Law. How does showing favoritism 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? With respect to both the rich and the poor, the Scriptures are clear "Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly." (Leviticus 19:15). Furthermore, selectivity in observing Jesus’ commands through partiality and prejudice are evil in God’s eyes and we have to repent of all sin.