James 2:8-26

For Reading and Meditation:     Proverbs 4:10-27

We pause today to make clear the difference between diligence and obstinacy. I know people who have experienced spiritual shipwreck because they didn't know the difference between these two things. When asked to clarify the difference between perseverance and obstinacy, a student wrote: "One is a strong will and the...

For Reading and Meditation:     Proverbs 11:16-31

Those who know how to be merciful are men and women to be envied. They get back what they give. Psychologists are always pointing out that our attitudes and emotions are contagious. Scripture puts the same truth in these words: "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly" (

For Reading and Meditation:
     John 13:1-38

What other teacher has taken the Ten Commandments and had the right to add another commandment to them? But this is precisely what Jesus did, as we see from our text today. "A new command I give you," He said. "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

The Old Testament and other...

The wrath of God is His fierce anger and retributive punishment directed against unrepentant sinners in time and in eternity. A. W. Pink has pointed out that it is as much a divine perfection as is His faithfulness, power and mercy. We need make no apology for it.

In pondering the wrath of God, there are a few facts we should keep in mind.

There is no conflict between God's love and His wrath. True love punishes sin, rebellion and disobedience.

If men refuse God's love,...

James does not say that the man in today's verse has faith. The man himself says he has faith, but if he really had saving faith, he would have works also. His faith is a matter of words only, and that kind of faith cannot save anyone. Words without works are dead.

Salvation is not by works. Neither is it by faith plus works. Rather it is by the kind of faith that results in good works.

Why then does James say in verse 24 that a man is justified by works? Isn't this a flat...

James 2:14-16

James was a practical man. He wanted a religion of deeds. "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" That is, faith without works, faith which is only of the intellect, having no influence on the life. We are saved by faith, because the faith unites us to Christ. There is no...

This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. § Faith working through love. § He who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. § We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. § [He] gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and...

As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. § He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked… If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. § Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. § Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to...

By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. § Without faith it is impossible to please Him. § He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. § Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!Whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. § Faith working through love. § Faith...

Him who judges righteously. § We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. § Each of us shall give account of himself to God. § The soul who sins shall die.“Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion,” says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd.” § The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. § Mercy and truth have met together;...