Thoughts and questions, w. b. 31/1/21
James 2:14-26
James writes that faith should lead to a practical application.
- Can you explain, briefly, your testimony of how you became a Christian and what changed in your life?
- Spend some time thinking about your faith. What does your faith say:
- About the world?
- About Jesus?
- About you, as a believer?
- What is Christian faith without deeds, and why do you think James suggests that such faith is not faith at all? – v14, 17
- What visible deeds do you do, and how do they show your faith (in God)? – v18
- Why, in the middle of this challenge, do you think James brings in the vertical (us-God) aspect? – v19
James uses both Abraham (v21) and Rahab (v25) as examples of faith.
- Consider their stories (Genesis 22:12; Joshua 2).
- What do we learn from them about faith?
- What do you see as unusual about these stories?
- Both of these individuals were ‘considered righteous’. What do you think this means?
- Do you think this has changed, being New Testament times, and, if so, in what way?