JAS Intro. & Syllabus  JAS-1  JAS-2  JAS-4 JAS-5

JAS_3_2:13_26                                        JAS-3 (2:13-26)

[All scriptures taken from the King James Version unless otherwise noted]

1.  For he shall have____________ without mercy, that hath___________no mercy; and mercy ____________ against judgment (Jas 2:13).  

2.  A great many religions teach that salvation is by "faith only," and that works has nothing to do with our salvation citing Galatians 2:16 and Titus 3:5. What does James 2:24 have to say about the relation between works and salvation? This is the only verse in the Bible that mentions faith only, and a great many religious teachers oppose this teaching.  

3. Galatians 3:16 discusses works under the Law of Moses which can justify no one. Titus 3:5 refers to works which man may devise in attempting to gain salvation. But consider the words of Jesus from John 6:28-29:  

Then said they unto him, What shall we____, that we might______ the______ of_______?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye__________ on him whom he hath sent.  

4. What then, is implied when many say that we are not saved by works? (in other words, what does Jesus say we are to do when we work the works of God?) 

5.   In James 2:14-16, what analogy is given to show the importance of works?

6.  If just believing were necessary, then what would that say concerning the "devils"? (Jas. 2:19)

7.   What is said of the one who clams he has faith but does not live the life of a Christian (Jas. 2:20)  

8.   What example is given to show how Abraham was justified? (Jas. 2:21-24)

9.   How was Rahab justified? (Jas. 2:25)

10. What can be said of the one whose faith does not motivate their works? (Jas. 2:26)

11. Now let us consider the faith-works "conflict". [It is only a conflict for those who believe in the "faith-only" doctrine.  

a. Speaking of Abraham, James said, Ye see then how that by________ a man is justified and not by faith only (Jas 2:24)  

b. Now, let's see what Paul has to say about Abraham.  For if Abraham were justified by_______, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham__________ God, and it was counted unto him for_______________. (Rom 4:2-3)  

      Now here's where the big theological clash comes in. James said that Abraham was justified by works; but Paul said Abraham was justified by faith. Which was it? "Luther's contempt for James'  emphasis on works, rather than the faith Luther stressed, caused Luther to call it 'a right strawey epistle' and considered leaving it out of his translation ...."  So you see the battle lines have been drawn, and most of our religious friends have opted for the "Faith only doctrine" saying even Luther did not agree with James. James is especially odious to many because James actually uses the expression "faith only" at James 2:24; but here James says that it is not by faith only, and that has caused many to side with Luther. Well if our salvation is at the point of belief, as in Romans 4:3, how can we say that the works of baptism, repentance and confession are required? One answer to that question is found in Romans 1:5 where Paul wrote::

13.   By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for_______________ to the_____________ among all nations, for his name:

14.  Paul opened his letter to the Romans with that statement and he closes the letter by saying, "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the___________ of________________:" (Rom.16:23)  

I believe in many cases the tone of a letter is set by the first few words of the letter. It is for this reason that I believe the theme of Romans is not "justification by faith" as so many have claimed, but rather, "justification by obedience to the faith."  

12. Answer this question, "Who was inspired, Luther or James"? [see this isn't difficult is it?]  

13.  Let's further look at Paul's use of the idea of "works" justification at Titus 3:5 

 Not by___________ of righteousness__________  ___  _______  _______, but according to his _____________he__________ ____, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;  

14. Who was the one who devised the works discussed by Paul in Titus 3:5 or what kind of works were these?   

It should then be clear that Paul and James are discussing two different kinds of works in these passages. Paul refers to works which are excluded from God's plan to save; James discusses works that are included in it. Those excluded, discussed by Paul, are works of which a man might boast and in which he might glory, are human meritorious works, works of human achievement, works the design of which is to earn salvation. -- All such works are excluded. The works included, and discussed by James, are the commandments of the Lord, obedience to which is absolutely essential to salvation (1 Jn.2:4; 2 Thess. 1:7-9). [1]   

One of the works which many religions claim as a requirement for salvation is the "Sinner's Prayer."

 15.  Where is the scripture that shows:

      a.  that an individual obtains salvation by praying the sinners prayer?

      b.  the wording of that prayer?

[If you are have difficulty finding the passages, ask your friends who are of that persuasion, and we'll share all of the answers with the entire class so all may be enlightened.]

16. For as the body without the__________ is__________, so________ without________ is_____________ also (James 2:26).

17. What is it that "proves" faith? (Jas. 2:18).

18.  What scripture was fulfilled when Abraham offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

END JAS - 3