Chronological Life Application Study Bible 2nd Edition - Flipbook - Page 16
IN THE BEGINNING
undated–2100 BC
GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE
2100–1800 BC
BIRTH OF ISRAEL
1800–1406 BC
THE PROMISED LAND
1406–1050 BC
UNITED KINGDOM
1050–930 BC
has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do
sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided you have to judge your neighbor?
between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for
what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep Warning about Self-Confidence
grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and JAMES 4:13-17
gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going
to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do
Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know
Warning against Judging Others
what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the
JAMES 4:11-12
morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15What
Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live
sisters.* If you criticize and judge each other, then you and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about
are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.
17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do
to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.
12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone
and then not do it.
f JAMES 4:1-10 (cont.)
Jas 4:11 Greek brothers.
Jas 4:10 Bowing in humility before the Lord
means recognizing that our worth comes
from God alone. To be humble involves leaning on his power and his guidance, not going
our own independent way. Although we do
not deserve God’s favor, he wants to lift us
up and give us worth and dignity, despite our
human shortcomings.
Jas 4:11-12 Jesus summarized the Law as
love for God and neighbor (Matt 22:37-40),
and Paul said that love demonstrated toward
a neighbor would fully satisfy the Law (Rom
13:6-10). When we fail to love, we are actually breaking God’s law. Examine your attitude and actions toward others. Do you build
people up or tear them down? When you’re
ready to criticize someone, remember God’s
law of love and say something good instead.
Saying something beneficial to others will
cure you of finding fault and increase your
ability to obey God’s law of love.
Jas 4:13-16 It is good to have goals, but
goals can disappoint us if we leave God out
of them. There is no point in making plans
as though God does not exist, because
the future is in his hands. The beginning
of good planning is to ask: “What would I
like to be doing ten years from now? One
year from now? Tomorrow? How will I react
if God steps in and rearranges my plans?”
We can plan ahead, but we must hold on to
our plans loosely. If we put God’s desires
at the center of our planning, he will never
disappoint us.
Jas 4:14 Life is short no matter how many
years we live. Don’t be deceived into thinking that you have lots of remaining time to
live for Jesus, to enjoy your loved ones, or to
do what you know you should. Live for God
today! Then, no matter when your life ends,
you will have fulfilled God’s plan for you.
Jas 4:17 We tend to think that doing wrong
is sin. But James tells us that sin is also
not doing right. (These two kinds of sin are
sometimes called sins of commission and
sins of omission.) It is a sin to lie; it can also
be a sin to know the truth and not tell it. It
is a sin to speak evil of someone; it is also a
sin to avoid that person when you know your
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FAITH THAT WORKS
The book of James offers a larger number of similarities to the Sermon on the
Mount than any other book in the New Testament. James relied heavily on
Jesus’ teachings.
Lesson
When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for
great joy.
When your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect
and complete, needing nothing.
Ask God, and he will answer.
Believers who are poor (who don’t amount to much by the
world’s standards) should be glad, for God has honored them.
Watch out for your anger; it can be dangerous.
Be merciful to others, as God is merciful to you.
Your faith must express itself in your actions.
Blessed are the peacemakers; they plant seeds of peace and
reap a harvest of righteousness.
Friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God.
When you humble yourself and realize your dependence on God,
he will lift you up.
Don’t speak evil against each other. If you do, you are criticizing
and judging God’s law.
Treasures on earth will only rot away and be eaten by moths.
Store up eternal treasures in heaven.
Be patient in suffering, as God’s prophets were patient.
Be honest in your speech; just say a simple yes or no so that
you will not sin.
friendship is needed. You should be willing
to help as the Holy Spirit guides you. If God
has directed you to do a kind act, to render
a service, or to restore a relationship, do it.
You will experience a renewed and refreshed
vitality to your faith.
Reference
Jas 1:2
Matt 5:10-12
Jas 1:4
Matt 5:48
Jas 1:5; 5:15
Matt 7:7-11
Jas 1:9
Matt 5:3
Jas 1:19-20
Matt 5:22
Jas 2:13
Matt 5:7; 6:14
Jas 2:14-17
Matt 7:21-23
Jas 3:17-18
Matt 5:9
Jas 4:4
Matt 6:24
Jas 4:10
Matt 5:3-5
Jas 4:11
Matt 7:1-2
Jas 5:2-3
Matt 6:19
Jas 5:10
Matt 5:12
Jas 5:12
Matt 5:33-37
Jas 5:1-6 James proclaims the worthlessness of riches, not the worthlessness of the
rich. Today’s money will be worthless when
Jesus returns, so we should spend our time
accumulating the kind of treasures that will be
worthwhile in God’s eternal Kingdom. Money
