The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-05-28
The SUNDAY SCHOOL
The Senior Berean Lesson for Sun.
day, May 80. 1909.
BELIEVING AND DOING. james ..

bELiEN M AMI DOlNG. james :
li-2G
GOLDEN TENT-Faith without works
Is dead.-James >. 20
a. What doth II profit, my breth
rem, though a man say he hath faith
and have not works? can faith save
him?
- II brother or sister be naked
and destitute OF daily food,
l6. And one OF YOU say unto them
Depart IN peace be ye warmed and
faed, Notwithstanding ye give them
not those things which are needful "a
the body, what doth IL profit?
IL. Even SO faith. II 1t hath not
works Is dead, being alone
is. Yea, man may say, Thou hast
faith, and | have works: shew me thy
faith without thy works. and will
shew thee my faith by my works.
10. Thou believest that there is one
God; thou doest WELL the devils also
believe, and tremble.
20. But wilt thou know, o vain man
that faith without works is dead?
q. Was not Abraham our father
justified by works when he had offer
ed Isaac his son upon the altar?
%. Seest thou how faith wrought
with. his works. and by works was
faith made perfect?
%. And the scripture was fulfilled
which saith. Abraham believed God.
and ii was imputed unto him for
righteousness: and he was called the
friend of God
"a Ye see then how that by works
man is justified, and not by faith
only.
20. Likewise also was not Rahab
the harlot justified by works, when
she had received the messengers, and
had sent them out another way?
26. For as the body without the
spirit is dead so faith without works
is dead also.
The Lesson Explained.
One can not carefully read this
Epistle without observing its charac-
teristcally "Old Testament" tone and
language. James writes like one If
the old prophets. There is a strong
similarity of his language also with
thar of Jesus, especially with the say.
ings recorded by Matthew. The
Lords brother" certainly speaks like
the Lord. Compare his words about
the Fathers good gifts QIO with
Matt. I. IL: about hearing and doing
IL. 22) with Matt. Z. %. about being
prosecuted Il. l2) with Matt. ). 1912.
about poor believers %. 81 with Matt.
.. 3: about serving two masters Il. S:
1. - with Matt. 6. "a. about idle and
evil words g. l-li) with Matt. II 36.
81; about judging others "a. ID with
Matt. I. about the morrow q. 49,
with Matt. g. 81: about boarding mon
ey %. 1-3) with Matt g. "a: about
swearing >. 12) with Matt 3. "a.
The pride taken by the Jews gener-
ally in their national position and priv
ileges and orthodoxy has often been
noted. we have Abraham to our
father" they said. first to the Baptist
and then to Christ. What did the Bap-
tist say TO theme Bring forth fruits
meet for repentance" What did
Christ say TO them? IF We were Abra-
hams children We would do the works
of Abraham" In this Epistle our at.
tentiOn is called TO similar errors in
dulged in by the Christian Jews. Be
lieving in "one God. they held Gentle
idolatOrs in contempt. believing in
Christ. they held unbelieving Jews in
contempt. The spirit of the Pharisee
still survived. In word and life these
disciples set bad example to those
upon whom they looked down Their
treatment OF the poor. their envying
and strife. their evil speaking. their
ayarice. James sharply rebukes and
in the passage selected for our lesson
he goes TO the root OF Christian ex-
perience.
You speak OF your father Abraham:
he 700 believed God: but see what
came of it-he was ready to give up to
God his only son, Your faith is a
dead faith for II brings forth no fruit.
DO the works OF Abraham, then we
shall see your faith is a living faith:
then il will be to you as il was to him
imputed for righteousness and so you
will be justified in the sight OF God
and man" Such, in other words, is
James's argument. We know from the
Talmud that the expression in Gen. Is
about Abraham's faith being counted
for righteousness was a favorite theme
for debate in the ,rabbinical schools.
which makes the argument all the
more pointed. Why" he continues.
even that poor Gentle sinner Rahab
teaches you this, She believed in
lSI dtl bou. Dlu she SlI sun NO,
she had the opportunity 10 take Gods
side by befriending the spies, and she
did it at the risk Of her life"
The Lesson Applied.
A true faith includes much more
than intellectual belief. The best OF
creeds we share with devils: but true
faith is more than creed; it is with
the heart" that man believeth unto
Faith includes belief
in, dependence upon. surrender TO God
A true faith will inspire acts of self
denial He who has committed him
self to God will obey God. He who
lives completely for God no longer
lives for himself Self-denial is not
nearly so rare a virtue in this world
as our common conversation suggests.
The mother lives a life of self-denial
for her son; the soldier lives a life of
self-denial for his country: the student
lives a life of self-denial for himself,
II is similar remuneration of self-in-
diligence.
A true faith will obtain satisfaction