parakaleo

Q3. (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 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? Its THE commandment of how we should relate to one another, and it was given and modelled to us by our "King" Jesus Christ. All the other laws hang off the Royal Law. If one law is broken then all are... however favoritism is not loving as God intended, it is using our own selfish very flawed bias rather than God's unconditional love. It puts us at the centre and is self serving. Therefore we are not "loving" we are judging. So we are not serving God and we are not loving our neighbor so we are breaking the laws... Jesus modelled the Royal Law in that he was a servant.

Q2. (2:4) In what way does favoritism make one a judge? When you show favoritism to anyone or a particular group you are definitely judging people. You

Q1. (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? Wow interesting question.... I am REALLY prejudiced... I just cant stand it when a Church doesn't care about what goes on outside of its own walls... I am really prejudiced towards those that portray that only a "perfect well respected person is acceptable in church"... If we were all that blinkin perfect we wouldn't need Jesus... And I am prejudiced to those that think that a women's place is in the kitchen, and that women are second class citizens in a church... Yeah I have ALOT of prejudices to reflect on in the light of reading James. I guess this is sitting pretty close at the moment as I recognised I was annoyed yesterday when the "welcome committee" on the door gave me a hard time for being 4 minutes late to church. Yes I could have been earlier and probably should have, but the message I heard was "you are not good enough for here"... I think our church on the whole is a great place, we have the best pastor I know of :-) a truly amazing guy and a fabulous preacher. But I think in reflection that our church probably tries to make a good impression on those 45 - 65 as this seems to be where our music style etc is aimed at and our newsletter content. Youth stuff happens but it is never in the newsletter... Men also seemed to be favoured as they take most of the services. I don't think a Women led service would go down well! But we do have our mens group leading a couple of services each year. I am really happy at our church but in reflection maybe we do "favour" some over others??? But this is probably just my own prejudices coming through!!!!!

Q4. (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? Because the taming of the tongue reflects the inner work that God is doing in us. The tongue is a reflection of our basic sinful nature and can only be tamed by pressing into God and by a work of the Holy Spirit. The taming of the tongue is a continual work. The taming of the tongue and caring for the poor is putting God's kingdom before the worlds. The world asks us to have money, power and pleasure etc as its primary focus. God asks us to Love Him and Others ! To be servants. We are to commit ourselves to Christ's moral value system and not be corrupted by the world. Taming the tongue is a sure focus of staying on track with God rather than the world! Jeannette

Q3. 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? GRACE!!!! The law reflects our sin, and salvation frees us from sin. The perfect law is the question and the answer! We are now free to obey God. The Royal Law is the fulfilment of the perfect law. Now we are set free, we recognise the love of God and his Grace so we can love God and others and ourselves as explained in the first few of the 10 commandments. "Won't the awareness that God loves us no matter what, lead to spiritual laziness and laxity? Theoretically this seems a reasonable fear, but in reality the opposite is true... The more rooted we are in the love of God, the more generously we will live our faith." Brennan Manning (Lion and Lamb) Jeannette

Q2. (1:22) Why are we so easily fooled into thinking that listening to Bible teaching means that we are living out righteous lives? What is the nature of the self-deception? The Bible has the keys to being set free. But if it is not applied than it is useless in changing us. I guess a measure of how effective our Bible studying is can be found in resulting changes to our behavior and attitudes. Are we being changed in our behavior and attitudes? If not, then maybe we are fooling ourselves!!!! Listening to God's word is important, but being changed and doing what God's word says is really important. Change comes out of discomfort. If we are comfortable in reading the Bible then maybe we are not hearing what it is saying!

Q1. (1:18) In what sense are we given spiritual birth by the "word of truth"? What does spiritual life have to do with the Word? God's Word is living. It brings life. In verse 15 it says that "desires give way to sinful actions, and when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death". The Word of truth is direct contrast to this and gives life. Spiritual life is that a spiritual life, and the word is for the equipping of that life. Its about listening to God's word and also doing it.

Q4. (1:5-8) What is the promise to claim in verse 5? What is the condition attached to this promise in verse 6? How do trials help us receive this wisdom? That we dont need to stumble alone in the dark, we can ask God for wisdom. However our trust needs to be in God alone. It is not just asking for wisdom to add to the pile of other ideas... ie well I will check out what family says, the media says, popular literature says and what I think... it is about seeking out God alone and not wavering in this! Trials can help us to press into God and seek his Wisdom. So we can be single minded and not double minded!

Q3. (1:5-8) How do trials help cure us of "doublemindedness"? How do trials help us grow in faith? I think that trials make you choose one way or another! It brings a decision to a head. It is SO easy to be double minded and tossed around by the sea of life in this society. If I take my lead from society, especially the humanistic and hedonistic view that it is all about "me", then it is not going to match the Word of God! I am unsettled when my humanity and sinful nature get in the way! I am like someone tossed around by the sea. I think I have spent many years being thrown around and it is in facing trials that I have grown in my faith. It is in trials that I have recognised my lack of God's influence in my life, that the world has sometimes had my ear more than God. It is in these trials that I have moved to a "more stable" place of standing on His word and in that hearing His voice. A voice that is very different to the world. As I turn up God's word and turn down my TV I am finding I am less double-minded and more growing in my faith. So trials have definitely helped to cure me of doublemindedness and grow in my faith. I think trials also expose blind spots of doublemindedness. Its not in the text here but I think that doublemindedness is not always something that happens immediately. I think it can be a gradual process, being enticed and dragged away. A bit like going for a swim in the ocean and not noticing the tide change, or the storm brewing until it is too late and we are being thrown around. At that point I think a trial exposes the doublemindedness that we have walked into, and it is at that point that God's wisdom is required rather than the world. And it is in returning to God and making Jesus Lord of our life that we can grow and remain in the faith.

Why do people blame God for evil? Does God tempt us with evil? Does he tempt sinful people with evil? Why does he allow people to sin? Why does he allow evil to exist at all? Jesus taught us (in Matthew 6) what is now known as "The Lord's Prayer" Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. Give us our food for today,* and forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And don

I don't know if I have ever been left unchanged by a trial... even when I have "failed" a trial, sometimes quite spectacularly, when I totally left God out. The trials still left me being aware of my lack of God, and aware of how I had gone off track. The result has been that I have returned to God and recognised my need of God. So even the challenges where I have failed have brought about positive changes in my walk with God. Without the trials I would not have come to a place of recognising my independence from God, my need to repent and made necessary changes. On the times I have walked well through trials (and there have been some major ones!) and pressed into God I have learnt lots and been strengthened in my faith. So God has and continues to refine me. Trials help me to see my need of God and remember how human and sinful I am, and what a wonderful Saviour we serve. The longer I am on the journey I see more of my weaknesses and more of God's strength. Trials never leave me unchanged in my walk with God. In that I rejoice.

Gudday, From New Zealand where we just had a fabulous hot sunny Christmas !!!! My husband and I were discussing doing a study together so here I am Looking forward to this ! Mrs JJ