zamar1

Caring for the poor and controlling our speech are signss of compassion. If compassion fills our hearts, then these two things are part of what will result. Thus, they are a true sign of the Spirit's work in our hearts.

Someone once said mentioned to me that it shouldn't be called "falling into sin." In reality, we JUMP into sin, because our own evil desires lead us there. God does not tempt to evil, but he allows us to be tempted. And He may send tests designed to refine our faith. James is not about a conflict or controversy between justification by faith or justification by works, as Angus said in his introduction. It is about the fact that untested faith, faith out of which no good work grows, is not the deep, real faith we should have. It is about the fact that once we get a handle on what God has done for us, good works will spring from that. And we might try harder, and find more success, in fighting sin when we stop trying to blame God for tempting us and remember that our own evil desires lead us away. Sue

Hi! I'm Sue, and I live over in New Hampshire. I enjoyed the JesusWalk study through Luke, and I look forward to this study on James.