I. The Imperative of Establishing a System
Develop a systematic approach to learning; learn to read the classics.
The powerful Gospel is built upon a system of faith rooted in Jesus and the Apostle Paul.
II. The Way of the Nice Guy is No Way at All
The nice guy seeks to please everyone, except God.
The nice guy rarely rebukes; he speaks one way to people and another to spirits, never standing firm on the truth.
Paul's words may be blunt, but his doctrine is not.
III. Be a Person of Responsibility (James 3:1)
It is a most selfish argument, for everyone should rise up like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Paul, and Jesus, releasing God's power in this era, building God's victorious church, and becoming a blessing to all nations!
God wants us to be people of responsibility, doing our jobs well in our respective positions.
IV. Overcoming the Bad Habits of Fearing to Speak Frankly and Hypocrisy (James 3:2-10)
A mute does not err in speech; does that mean all mutes are perfect?
Neither the Old Testament, the New Testament, nor Jesus taught that perfection lies in making no errors in speech, as this would mean we could restrain our whole body!
It is better to speak incorrectly than not to speak at all.
Speaking wrongly is better than remaining silent or being hypocritical.
Our God both blesses and curses; shall we also push our Lord into judgment?
James' words in James 3:10 refer to Paul's defense in Galatians 1:8. (If anyone preaches a gospel to you other than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.) Should we not correct a false gospel! Know that a person who believes or preaches a false gospel is accursed. Why then, should we alter God’s gospel?
The curse of the nice guy runs deep.
Confront the bad habits inside of us, which are the ways of the nice guy and the love of hypocrisy .
Be a person who edifies others.
V. Rejecting Morality-Based Faith (James 3:18)
The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one Shepherd. (Ecclesiastes 12:11 NIV)
James never explained what the true way and wisdom from above are.
James speaks of gentleness, kindness, and peace like the conduct of monks, while Jesus says in Matthew 10:34, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” It is a battle between two kingdoms, which an amiable person can absolutely not resolve.
The gospel we believe is a state of opposition and warfare between the kingdom of God and the devil, absolutely not gentleness!
The God in James is the mistaken image of Santa Claus.
VI. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of Power
The teachings in James are ineffective in dealing with the desires of the flesh.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of power, a gospel that saves us from the desires of the flesh and the powers of darkness, and releases us from the hands of the devil.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live in holiness and be a blessing to many.
Personal Reflection
Based on your actual situation, reflect and share your insights using the following sentence structure:
The most enlightening key takeaway from studying this chapter is:
My past understanding of this point was:
My current understanding is:
Specifically, what I need to change and implement in my personal life is:
Keywords
Faith must have a system.
Do not be an amiable person.
Rebuking others.
A responsible person.
Hypocrisy.
The words of the wise.
The battle between two kingdoms.
The gospel of power.