【Audio Recording of Learning How to Take Notes】

【Bible Study Audio Recording of James Chapter 1】

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Bible Study Notes Template (For Reference Only)

Theme of James Chapter 1: "Saying Without Doing"

I. Impracticable Endurance

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

2. James believes that when a person faces various trials, they should consider it pure joy, and only by persevering to success can they become perfect and complete. This is very difficult to achieve.

3. Jesus said, "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out." God does not want people to simply endure, but to have the strength that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit, running forward with hope.

4. What James wrote can lead to despair and a lack of faith. It is very difficult not to doubt at all.

5. What is the relationship between wisdom and endurance? How to become complete? It is not explained!

II. Poverty, Wealth, and Spirituality Are Unrelated

Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

2. Both the poor and the rich feel despair after reading this.

3. Humility, wealth, exaltation, and humiliation are not related to joy.

III. James's Discourse on Temptation Is Useless

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

2. Was Jesus tempted by his own evil desires when he was tempted?!

3. Temptation and evil desires are unrelated.

4. It only explains "temptation" but does not release faith.

5. James raises the problem but does not provide a solution.

IV. The Law Discussed by James Is Impossible for Anyone to Fulfill

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

2. Did Jesus not achieve God's righteousness when he was angry in the temple?!

3. For cancer patients, do they have to do good deeds first to be healed?!

4. In James's understanding, the law is a set of rules, such as keeping circumcision, not eating strangled animals and blood, not committing adultery, etc.

5. The summary of the law is Christ, to build the body of Christ, but James has no concept of the church.

6. The law cannot set people free. For example, the Pharisees read the law every day but did not gain freedom. Clearly, James's discourse here completely contradicts the gospel that Jesus spoke of.

7. The law makes people aware of sin, knowing that they cannot do it and cannot fulfill it. Paul proposed a solution: because of faith in Jesus, relying on the promised Holy Spirit to do the work of carving in us, it is because of God's grace, not the law!

V. James Did Not Explain His Way Clearly, and It Is Even More Impossible to Practice

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

2. Is taking care of widows pure and undefiled piety? Is a corrupt official who saves a drowning child a good person or a bad person? There is no logic between the two!

3. The threshold set by Jesus is lower than the threshold set by James. James said that people cannot do it, but Jesus said that they can all do it.

VI. Summary

2. Our gospel is a gospel full of grace and mercy.

3. Our gospel does not rely on our own actions, but on the strength God gives us to overcome.

Personal Reflection

2. The most enlightening thing I learned from this chapter is...

3. My past understanding...

4. My current understanding is...

5. The areas I want to change and implement in my life are...

Keywords: (5-8)

2. Saying Without Doing

3. Impracticable Endurance

4. Poverty, Wealth

5. Spirituality

6. Temptation

7. Law

8. Impracticable Way