Lesson 1 – James Chapter 1:1-11
James, who is the half-brother of Jesus, was called “Old Camel Knees.” He was known for spending extended periods of time on his knees in prayer, asking God to forgive the sins of the people. His knees had become so calloused, they looked like the weathered knees of an old camel.
If we look at James years before he wrote this book, we see that he has made a giant turn-around from where he was when we last saw him with Jesus. John 7 gives us the account:
John 7:1-5
“After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. “For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For even His brothers did not believe in Him.”
It wasn’t until after Jesus died and was resurrected from the dead, did James believe that his own brother was the Messiah.
I Cor. 15:3-7
“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.”
James was so convinced that his own brother was the Son of God that he went on to become a solid leader within the early church. As we read this book, we’ll see James make reference to the Old Testament over forty-four times in this relatively short book. Not only was James related to the Living Word, but he was a man greatly connected to the written word.
The book of James is kind of a “how to” book when it comes to the Christian life. It is one of the most practical books in the New Testament because it offers instruction and exhortation to all Christians who are experiencing real life problems, as all of us do.
James. 1:1
“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
Peter, Paul, and Jude all used this same phraseology as well, by describing themselves as “bondservants.”
In Roman times, the term bondservant or slave could refer to someone who voluntarily served others. But it usually referred to one who was held in a permanent position of servitude.
Under Roman law, a bondservant was considered the owner’s personal property. Slaves essentially had no rights to speak of, and could even be killed by their owners without penalty. The slave owners had total freedom to do just as they pleased with their slaves.
The Hebrew word for “bondservant” (e’bed) had a similar undertone. However, the Mosaic Law allowed an indentured servant to become a bondservant voluntarily: (Exodus 21:5-6) “If the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with a tool. Then he will be his servant for life.”
In the Old Testament, we see some of the patriarchs were referred to as servants, such as Abraham, Joshua, David, and Isaiah. They were all called servants of God.
Mark 9:35
“And Jesus sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
Our take-away from this is we all should consider ourselves bondservants of God for life.
James says, The twelve tribes… this is a reference to the Jewish people scattered throughout the world, the ones who had come to a knowledge of the true Messiah and had become believers in Jesus Christ.
James. 1:2
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience..”
James knew that trials and tribulations go hand in hand with being a Christian. When a new believer first reads this verse, they might be thinking, “What did I get myself into? Why should I be joyful when troubles come into my life?”
The Greek word for both “trials” and “temptation” is the same. God allows trials to come into our life as a form of testing and strengthening, which can also increase our faith. Satan on the other hand, will use temptations to tear us away from God, in hopes that we will fall and sin against God.
• Can you give a personal example of how a trial or testing actually increased your faith?
Then James says,
Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience…
Well, here’s a big red flag for us… being patient. We’ve talked about patience before.
James 5:7
“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.”
James is giving us a timeframe as to how long we should actually be patient; he says, “until the coming of the Lord.” So, let me interpret this for you, this means we are to be patient as long as we have breath, it’s a life-long thing for us.
We have fun talking about being patient and praying for patience, but when we give it some serious thought, being patient is something that should be high on our list of “wants.”
God was so patient with His people, Israel. He mercifully and repeatedly forgave them and did not destroy them.
Psalm 78:38
“But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath;”
Yes patience comes from compassion.
David Mathis (adjunct professor for Bethlehem College) wrote, in his book, “Perfect Patience with the Worst of Sinners” about a common misconception regarding patience:
He says, “It is not as though the Father is quick-tempered, while the Son is patient. Rather, the patience we see in the Son is the very patience of His Father.”
Remember, if you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father. (Jn. 14:9)
II Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
Peter tells us that God is patient toward us (His longsuffering), this tells us that God is being patient by waiting for that very last Gentile to repent and come to Christ. We should be patient when people do not become Christians. We should be patient when Christians let us down. And we should be patient with ourselves.
If we care about living God’s way, we will sometimes throw up our hands in disappointment at how little progress we’ve made. Why? Perhaps it’s triggered by falling into some sin yet again, and as our consciences hurt so much, we may cry out, “I’ve been a Christian for so many years, what’s going on with me? I try to do what is right, and still I fall into pride, or selfish anger, or greed. Have I learned nothing?”
Unless we’re talking about some habitual sin, be patient. Remember the patience of Jesus and the promise of God to bring to completion the good work he has begun in us.
Phil. 1:6
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
James 1:4
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
But let patience have its perfect work… this is a very interesting phrase. Not very many people enjoy learning patience (active perseverance), but here James is saying, let this process do its thing, let it work within you.
• What are some of the spiritual benefits that can come from exercising patience?
How about better prayer – you need to give God time to work out the answers to your prayers according to His timing and according to the best possible answer, which may not be the very thing for which you are praying.
The longer you live and the more stuff you go through, the more you learn about the Christian life.
Rom. 5:3b-4
“But we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
Many times, the trials and tribulations we go through require patience, the end product can be perseverance, character, and hope.
Another way patience does its work is in our fruitfulness, meaning our witness for those we pray for. Praying for the salvation of others takes patience, because we like to see people saved right away. Hang in there, keep praying for salvation.
Also, patience can result in better fellowship:
Rom. 15:5-6
“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be likeminded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
It takes time and patience for good Christian friendships to develop. It takes time for believers to become likeminded concerning things of the faith. We don’t all start out believing the same thing.
Some of the best friends you will ever have in the Lord will be people with whom you have survived some kind of conflict.
It takes time for us to grow; so be patient, let patience have its perfect work. By doing this, you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
The meaning of perfection in the Bible relates to a state of completeness or absolute wholeness. In the New Testament, a Greek term for “perfection” can also mean “maturity.” James wants us to strive toward being mature, but this process involves patience on our part.
James 1:5
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
If we’re honest, we’ve probably prayed for wisdom much more than we do for patience. The wisdom God gives us is not necessarily information about how we’re going to get out of some kind of trouble, but rather insight on how to learn from your problems as you go through them.
Wisdom helps us to use the trials we go through for God’s glory and then to mature us. Wisdom is mentioned in the Bible about 215 times.
Psalm 111:10
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”
Proverbs 2:6
“For the Lord grants wisdom! From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (NLT)
Proverbs 2:12
“Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted.” (NLT)
Proverbs 3:7
“Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” (NLT)
Proverbs 4:7
“Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.” (NLT)
Strong sound faith isn’t based on our feelings, but on the knowledge and understanding of the promises of God’s truth, which is spiritual wisdom.
Wisdom is a good thing for us to pray for!
James 1:6-8
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
“But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can’t make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do.” (NLT)
When you read this verse the question you should come up with is, how strong is your faith?
Heb. 11:6
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
The first thing when it comes to faith is, we have to believe God, and that He is who He says He is!
Exo. 3:13-14
“Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.”
So, in other words, God said, “I am whatever you need.” If you are lonely, God is the friend who’s closer than any brother or sister. Maybe you’re confused about what to do about something, God is the door for you. Perhaps you feel like you’re walking around in a fog, God is the Good Shepherd for you. Faith hopes in God because it believes in God.
If we ask God for wisdom and we’re not strong in our faith, James says, we’re described as, he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind… the waves of the sea go in every direction.
Eph. 4:14
“That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,”
A person might say, “I’m not sure if my faith is strong enough.” If that’s the case, they need to pray for more faith, and God will honor that prayer. Faith and wisdom both increase when we have a vibrant living relationship with God.
If our trust in God is going to grow, we have to learn to step out in faith, sometimes this involves moving out of our comfort zone and taking some chances. If we really believe that God will maintain us for that day, we can be free to carry out His will, regardless of the consequences.
People lacking in faith or are not mature in their relationship with God are described in verse 7 and 8:
“Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” (NLT)
If you’re seeking wisdom from above, ask, and when you ask, ask in such a way that you have the confidence that God will answer your prayer.
Luke 11:9-13
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
The application here is, don’t stop asking, don’t stop praying!
James 1:9-11
“Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.”
“Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.” (NLT)
Here we have The Perspective of Rich and Poor.
• What does a rich man and a poor man have in common?
Health and death… for the most part (health), these are both out of their control.
The lowly brother or of humble circumstances, means being poor. James is bringing us two examples of trials, being poor and being rich. I say trials because both offer a challenge in life.
For the poor, it says, they are to glory in exaltation (which means of measurement or place, a ranking or high station).
John MacArthur writes; “He may be considered the scum of the world, the dregs of all things,” (I Cor. 4:13) in the eyes of the world, but in God’s eyes he is exalted. He may be hungry, but he has the Bread of Life. He may be thirsty, but he has the Water of Life. He may be poor, but he has eternal riches. He may be cast aside by men, but he has been eternally received by God. He may have no home on earth, but he has a glorious abode in heaven.”
This obviously is describing a poor man that is saved; a poor man that is not saved is poor beyond measure. Our Sovereign Lord sometimes removes physical things from us for the purpose of making us more spiritually mature, I think it all depends if our “things” have a real grip on us. For the believer who thinks they’ve some how missed out on the finer things of life, just remember you have a future divine inheritance that is both eternal and secure.
But the rich in his humiliation…
Matt. 19:23-24
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Is it impossible for a rich person to be saved? No, of course not. For the rich person that is saved and knows that money can’t buy true happiness, they are of a good mind set, mentally and spiritually.
Matt. 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Being poor in spirit is the first beatitude because humility must come before everything else. No one can receive the kingdom of God until they recognize that that they are unworthy of the kingdom.
Rev. 3:17
“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—”
Wealth can destroy; we see it in “the love of money.” But for the rich person who is in Christ, they know that everything hinges on the condition of the heart. The rich believer can glory when they run into trials that bring them low, because it teaches them that life is short and that all of their accomplishments will one day fade away. The rich person should always trust the Lord, and not themselves or their money.
They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements (NLT)
This speaks to poor and rich equally, that life is short.
James reminds us that regardless of our financial situation on this earth, we’re exalted and elevated above the world system because we’re part of a kingdom where the streets are paved with gold. Thus, whether we’re worried about poverty or weighed down with vast riches, we can be absolutely free if we keep a heavenly perspective.
John 8:36
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
James has lots to teach us. We’ve learned it’s a very good thing to be a “bondservant” of God, which involves serving Him and those around us.
Go ahead and pray for patience, you will grow in Christ. Also pray for wisdom and believe in your heart that God will bless you there.
And finally, if you are rich, poor, or somewhere in between, you’re exactly where God wants you!