Posts with the category “articles”

James 2:14 strikes like a hammer: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” The answer is obvious. No—it cannot. James is not attac...  Read More

James 2:14 asks a pointed question. The form of the question in Greek demands a negative answer. No—such a faith cannot save.That raises the vital issue: what exactly is saving faith? In every generat...  Read More

It is no exaggeration to say that James 2:14–26 is one of the most debated passages in the entire Bible. At face value, it seems to stand at odds with Paul’s letters. Paul proclaims, “Therefore, since...  Read More

IntroductionNot every "Christian marriage" is spiritually aligned. Many faithful believers find themselves married to spouses who are either unconverted, spiritually cold, or nominally Christian at be...  Read More

James closes his rebuke of partiality with a powerful conclusion. He doesn’t merely call us to avoid favoritism; he calls us to live in light of God’s final judgment. These two verses anchor our obedi...  Read More

After exposing the sin of partiality, James turns to the heart of the matter: the law of God itself. Favoritism is not a minor misstep—it is a violation of the royal law, a transgression of God’s holy...  Read More

James has just rebuked the church for showing partiality to the wealthy while dishonoring the poor. Now, he presses further by asking a piercing question.James confronts the upside-down values of the ...  Read More

James continues his argument against partiality by giving us a vivid illustration. This is not a hypothetical story. It is exactly what was happening in the churches James was addressing. A wealthy vi...  Read More

James opens chapter 2 with a strong and unmistakable command. This is not a suggestion for more mature Christians, not a polite encouragement, not even a mere principle for church leaders. It is a div...  Read More

IntroductionMoses was the man of God. The chosen deliverer. The prophet who spoke with Yahweh face to face. If ever there were a man whose children should have walked in covenant blessing, surely it w...  Read More

James concludes chapter 1 with one of the most memorable verses in the entire epistle:“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their afflict...  Read More

James has already warned us that hearing without doing is worthless. Now he turns his attention to a specific test of genuine faith: the tongue.“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle hi...  Read More

James does not waste words. After urging believers to receive the implanted Word with meekness (James 1:21), he immediately warns against self-deception: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers onl...  Read More

One of the most quoted verses in James is, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). It’s a rallying cry for obedience, and rightly so. But here’s the danger: if we jump straight to d...  Read More

When James sat down to write his letter, he was addressing a very specific group of people. He writes in James 1:1, “To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion.” These were Jewish Christians scattered bec...  Read More

IntroductionThe story of Moses and Zipporah is not often held up as a model of biblical marriage. It’s tucked between the dramatic scenes of Moses’ call at the burning bush and his confrontations with...  Read More

Salvation Begins with God’s WillJames concludes this section on trials and temptations with a profound theological statement:“Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should b...  Read More

Don’t Drift in Your TheologyJames interrupts his flow with an urgent pastoral warning:“Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.” (James 1:16)Why? Because in the heat of trials and temptations, we’re p...  Read More

When Trials Turn into TemptationsJames makes a critical distinction in verses 13–15: while God ordains trials to strengthen and sanctify us, He is never the source of temptation to sin.“Let no one say...  Read More

James knows how easily we confuse trials with temptations. The two often come close in our experience, but they are not the same thing. Trials are tests from God to strengthen our faith; temptations a...  Read More

In real estate, the mantra is “location, location, location.” In Bible study, it’s “context, context, context.” Before we even set foot in verse 12, we need to remember where James has been leading us...  Read More

James ends this early section of his letter with a shocking statement: God levels the ground. Not economically, not socially, but spiritually. And He often does it through trials.This is not political...  Read More

There’s nothing more disorienting in a trial than spiritual instability—feeling like your soul is being pulled in two directions. That’s what James is addressing here. Right after telling us to ask G...  Read More

In the midst of life’s most difficult trials, we are commanded to endure. But James knows that perseverance is not automatic. You don’t endure because you want to. You endure because you know how. And...  Read More

Christian maturity doesn’t happen by accident. It is not produced by age, knowledge, or church attendance. It is produced by endurance—the Spirit-empowered perseverance that responds to trials with fa...  Read More

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” Let’s just admit it—this is not how most of us naturally think about hardship. James opens his letter to suffering Christians n...  Read More

Introduction: A Shadow of the CrossThe wilderness story in Exodus 17 may seem like just another stop along Israel’s journey—but it is so much more. It is Gospel terrain. It is holy ground.When Moses s...  Read More

Introduction: What Do You Name Your Wilderness?In Scripture, names matter. Names remember. They mark moments, establish meaning, and declare to future generations what happened in a particular place.H...  Read More

Introduction: When You’ve Come to the End of YourselfMoses has reached his breaking point.He’s led faithfully. He’s obeyed. He’s trusted the Lord. But now the people are angry—so angry they’re ready t...  Read More

Now, in verses 2–3, we see what was inside Israel’s heart: unbelief. Their thirst becomes a theological test—and they fail it. Instead of crying out to God, they lash out at Moses. Instead of trusting...  Read More

God is orchestrating every movement of His people. Not just the major milestones, but the small stages. They didn’t move until He said move. And when He said move, they went. There is a kind of beauty...  Read More

The one who comes out of the water is not saying, “I’ve arrived.” He is saying, “God has made me new—and I now walk in that newness.” This is why baptism is not optional. It is obedience. It is your p...  Read More

But let’s be honest. While the old self is positionally dead, practically, we still feel its pull. Paul himself speaks to this tension in Romans 7, describing the ongoing war between the desires of th...  Read More

To be faithful stewards of this ordinance, we must be clear about what baptism is and what it is not. Baptism Is Not Salvific Nowhere in Scripture is baptism presented as a means of regeneration. Jes...  Read More

In Exodus 16, for the first time in Scripture, the Sabbath is introduced not merely as a command, but as a lived reality. Before Sinai, before the Ten Commandments are even given, God weaves a weekly ...  Read More

In the midst of life's most distressing moments, when sorrow weighs heavily on our hearts and we find ourselves caught in the wilderness, we must ask ourselves the critical question: Where do we find ...  Read More

The Refuge and Strength of Our God in Times of AdversityIntroduction:Life often presents us with challenges that seem overwhelming—personal struggles, political unrest, societal shifts, or natural dis...  Read More

Salvation: A Divine Gift, Not a Human Achievement"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing be...  Read More

A Call to Gracious, Preserved Words in Times of AdversityAn Expositional Teaching on Colossians 4:2-6In the closing verses of his letter to the Colossians, Paul provides practical instructions for the...  Read More

More than any other practice in the Christian life, prayer serves as a window into what we believe about God. It exposes our understanding (or misunderstanding) of His nature, and how we approach Him ...  Read More