Sunday, October 23, 2011

James

Patient

Prayerful

Swift to hear, Slow to Wrath

Doer of the Word 

Written prior to the gospels, possibly about the same time as 1 Thessalonians and 1 Corinthians, so one of the earliest writings of the New Testament.  -- Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament -- Richard Holzapfel, Thomas Wayment, and Eric Huntsman

Chapter 1

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God—Resist temptation—Be doers of the word—James explains how to recognize pure religion.
1 James, a aservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are bscattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into adivers btemptations;
JST James 1:2 … many afflictions.
3 Knowing this, that the atrying of your faith worketh bpatience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be aperfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 aIf any of you lack bwisdom, let him ask of God, that cgiveth to all men liberally, and dupbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
GR reproaches, censures. 
6 But let him aask in bfaith, nothing cwavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A adouble minded man is unstable in all his ways.

There are many in the Church who have not yet made a full commitment to the Lord and his church. They seek to be in the world and of the world and also in the Church. Such a course is unwise. “Choose you this day” are the words of Joshua. ( Joshua 24:15 .) Jesus said, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” ( Matthew 6:24 .) There comes a time when we must count the cost of discipleship; the cost is full dedication and consecration, and there is no other way. If, with the major decisions of life, we constantly waver between alternatives and make and unmake decisions only according to the expediency of the moment, our lives will be rocked with compromise and we will be unstable in all our ways.   Institute 49:22
9 Let the brother of alow degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the agrass he shall pass away.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the agrace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the brich man fade away in his ways.
12 aBlessed is the man that bendureth temptation: for when he is ctried, he shall receive the dcrown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
JST: endureth is changed to resisteth
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be atempted with bevil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is atempted, when he is drawn away of his own blust, and enticed.

As James describes man being influenced by his own lusts, he chooses two words that are vivid and descriptive of how Satan works upon men. The first word, translated as drawn out, was used in hunting and was the word which described what the hunter did when he lured wild game out of the safety of the thick brush into an area set with snares. And the word entice came from fishing and meant “to bait, or to catch with bait.” How apt is the description, for the lusts of the flesh are designed to lure us out from the true safety of protective righteousness to become the victim of the evil hunter or fisherman.  -- Institute Manual  49:8
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth asin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every agood bgift and every perfect cgift is from above, and dcometh down from the Father of elights, with whom is no fvariableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to aspeak, bslow to cwrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all afilthiness and bsuperfluity of naughtiness, and receive with cmeekness the dengrafted word, which is able to save your souls.   [“an abundance of malice.”49:9]
22 But be ye adoers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a ahearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a bglass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect alaw of bliberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his atongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is bvain.
27 Pure areligion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To bvisit the cfatherless and dwidows in their eaffliction, and to keep himself funspotted from gthe hworld.
JST James 1:27 … the vices of the world.

“The Church’s outward ordinances and requirements are but necessary—yet they are necessary—aids to the inner spiritual life. The Church itself, the organization, meetings, ordinances, requirements, are only helps, but very necessary helps, to the practice of true religion—schoolmasters to direct us in the way of eternal light and truth.” (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 121.)

Chapter 2

God has chosen the poor of this world who are rich in faith—Salvation is gained by keeping the whole law—Faith without works is dead.
1 My brethren, ahave not the faith of our bLord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a apoor man in bvile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the agay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 aAre ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the apoor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men aoppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Do we treat people differently depending on their financial or social status?  



From time immemorial men have shown partiality in unrighteousness. The only aristocracy that counts with the Lord is that of righteousness. He who does His will is favored of God ( 1 Nephi 17:35 ). Men often have much less lofty reasons for their partiality. If you show partiality for any of the following reasons, you need to examine your life (read the scriptures for elucidation):

These are only a few of the unworthy things men show partiality for. Can you think of others? 
Institute Manual 49:24

beauty/good looks?
 
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy aname by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt alove thy bneighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have arespect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the awhole law, and yet boffend in one point, he is cguilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit aadultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of aliberty.
13 For he shall have ajudgment without bmercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 aWhat doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath bfaith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a abrother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily bfood,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye agive them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so afaith, if it hath not bworks, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my afaith by my bworks.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the adevils also bbelieve, and tremble
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that afaith without bworks is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father ajustified by works, when he had boffered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by aworks was faith made bperfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham abelieved God, and it was imputed unto him for brighteousness: and he was called the cFriend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by aworks a man is bjustified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not aRahab the harlot bjustified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the aspirit is bdead, so faith without cworks is dead also.


“There is no one great thing that we can do to obtain eternal life, and . . . the great lesson to be learned . . . is to apply in the little acts and duties of life the glorious principles of the Gospel. . . . Life after all, is made up of little things. . . . the true Christian life is made up of little Christ-like acts performed this hour, this minute, in the home, in the quorum, in the organization, in the town, wherever our life and acts may be cast.” (David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1914, pp. 87–88.)

Chapter 3

By governing the tongue, we gain perfection—Heavenly wisdom is pure, peaceable, and full of mercy.
1 My brethren, abe not many bmasters, knowing that we shall creceive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we aoffend all. If any man boffend not in cword, the same is a dperfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the agovernor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and aboasteth great things. Behold, how great a bmatter a little fire kindleth!

The literal meaning of the word matter in this verse is “wood.” It is used as we would speak of a forest or a wooded area. The meaning of the passage is, “Behold, how great a forest fire a tiny spark can start.”  Institute 49:12


"We have kind words for the stranger
And smiles for the sometime guest,
While oft to our own
The bitter tone,
Though we love our own the best!’”
(Hugh B. Brown in CR, Oct. 1954, p. 16.)
6 And the atongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Tongue on fire Over the ...
stuff.co.nz
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the atongue can no man tame; it is an bunruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith acurse we men, which are made after the bsimilitude of God.
10 Out of the same amouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a afountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with bmeekness of wisdom.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and astrife in your hearts, bglory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where aenvying and bstrife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the awisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and beasy to be intreated, full of cmercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without dhypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of arighteousness is sown in bpeace of them that make cpeace.


Chapter 4

Wars are born of lusts—The friends of the world are the enemies of God—Sin is failure to walk in the light we have received.
1 From whence come awars and bfightings among you? come they not hence, even of your clusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye aask, and receive not, because ye bask camiss, that ye may dconsume it upon your elusts.
4 Ye aadulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the bworld is cenmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the denemy of God.

“The world to which the apostles James and John and the Master make reference is that moral and spiritual system which is hostile to God and which seeks to delude us into thinking that we and mankind generally do not need God. It is a society which in every age has operated and is operating on wrong principles, from selfish desires, from improper motives, unworthy standards, and false values. Those who do not accept God’s revelation through his prophets have devised numerous philosophies from their limited human reasoning and seemingly think that they can find happiness and the satisfaction of their souls by ignoring God’s plan of salvation.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1968, p. 59.)    Institute 49:14
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to aenvy?
6 But he giveth more agrace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the bproud, but giveth grace unto the chumble.
7 aSubmit yourselves therefore to God. bResist the cdevil, and he will flee from you.

“James gave a formula for conquering: ‘Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ( Jas. 4:7 .) In abandoning evil, transforming lives, changing personalities, molding characters or remolding them, we need the help of the Lord, and we may be assured of it if we do our part. The man who leans heavily upon his Lord becomes the master of self and can accomplish anything he sets out to do, whether it be to secure the brass plates, build a ship, overcome a habit, or conquer a deep-seated transgression.
“He who has greater strength than Lucifer, he who is our fortress and our strength, can sustain us in times of great temptation. While the Lord will never forcibly take anyone out of sin or out of the arms of the tempters, he exerts his Spirit to induce the sinner to do it with divine assistance. And the man who yields to the sweet influence and pleadings of the Spirit and does all in his power to stay in a repentant attitude is guaranteed protection, power, freedom and joy.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 176.)  Institute Manual 49:15


8 aDraw bnigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. cCleanse your hands, ye sinners; and dpurify your hearts, ye double minded.
9 aBe afflicted, and mourn, and bweep: let your laughter be turned to cmourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 aHumble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
11 aSpeak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the blaw, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that ajudgest another?
13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to amorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a avapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your aboastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that aknoweth to do good, and bdoeth it not, to him it is csin.


Chapter 5

Misery awaits the wanton rich—Await the Lord’s coming with patience—The elders are to anoint and heal the sick.
1 Go to now, ye rich men, aweep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your ariches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your agold and silver is bcankered; and the crust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the ahire of the blabourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Often that phrase is read carelessly as the “Lord of the Sabbath.” This is incorrect, for the two words are actually unrelated in meaning. Sabaoth is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word tsabaoth, which means “host” or “multitude.” The title is the same as that used numerous times in the Old Testament, namely, the Lord of Hosts, meaning “the Lord of the multitudes who dwell in heaven and on earth.” It is interesting to note that the Savior so characterized himself in this dispensation also. (See D&C 87:7 ; 88:2 ; 95:7 ; 98:2 .)  Institute Manual 49:17
5 Ye have lived ain pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also apatient; bstablish your hearts: for the ccoming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9 aGrudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an aexample of bsuffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them ahappy which bendure. Ye have heard of the patience of cJob, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very dpitiful, and of tender emercy.
12 But above all things, my brethren, aswear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other boath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
13 Is any among you aafflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any asick among you? let him call for the belders of the church; and let them cpray over him, danointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the aprayer of bfaith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be cforgiven him.
16 aConfess your faults one to another, and bpray one for another, that ye may be healed. cThe effectual dfervent eprayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like apassions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it brained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which aconverteth the sinner from the error of his way shall bsave a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

“Every person who is beginning the long journey of emancipating himself from the thralldom of sin and evil will find comfort in the thought expressed by James. We could expand it somewhat and remind the transgressor that every testimony he bears, every prayer he offers, every sermon he preaches, every scripture he reads, every help he gives to stimulate and raise others—all these strengthen him and raise him to higher levels.
“The proper motivation for missionary work of any kind, as for all Church service, is of course love for fellowmen, but always such work has its by-product effect on one’s own life. Thus as we become instruments in God’s hands in changing the lives of others our own lives cannot help being lifted. One can hardly help another to the top of the hill without climbing there himself.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 205.) Institute Manual 49:20


 The book of James
http://institute.lds.org/manuals/new-testament-institute-student-manual/nt-in-11-11-49.asp 
http://institute.lds.org/manuals/new-testament-institute-student-manual/nt-in-11-11-49.asp

Institute 49:2
As to the date, we know from the historian Josephus that after many years of prominent church leadership in Jerusalem, James was taken before the Sanhedrin, sentenced to death, and executed by stoning in A.D. 62. (See Josephus, The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 20. 9. 1.) That would, of course, mean that the letter was written before then. Though it cannot be stated with certainty, the tone of the letter (for example, no mention of the Jewish-gentile controversy) might suggest that it was written early in the church’s history, perhaps around A.D. 50 or 51. This fact, if true, would make it one of the earliest of the New Testament letters.



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