Lesson Twelve

“Pure and Undefiled Religion”

(James 1:27)

The terms “pure” and “undefiled” are efforts to say that just being religious is not

enough. Our religion must be characterized by these two terms or else it is invalid Man needs to

fully realizes that he is estranged from God by his sinful rebellious spirit and needs to be

reconciled to God.

Lesson Eleven

“The Need to Bridle our Tongue”

(James 1:26; 3:1-12)

James briefly, but pointedly, shows the need for man to bridle his tongue. Then, in

chapter three he comes back to the subject with strong warnings and dangers of the tongue. He

is

dealing with a very practical problem among humans—the lack of control of one’s tongue!

James has a very forceful way of illustrating his subjects under consideration and his

conclusions

are very pointed, logical, and inescapable. It is as though he is saying that the way to evaluate a

person’s religion is by his use of his tongue.

Lesson Ten

“Doers of the Word”

(James 1:22-25)

The first emphasis of this lesson needs to be about the real dangers of not only being

deceived, but being self-deceived! The dangers of deception are all about us! God tells us that

there are many deceivers (2 John 7; Titus 1:10) who have gone out into the world.

Lesson Nine

“Laying Aside Evil”

(James 1:21; 4:1-10)

Reception of the Word of God depends upon the kind of heart that we have. In the

parable of the sower (Matthew 13), Jesus pointed out four kinds of soils that evidently

represented the kinds of hearts of mankind.

Lesson Eight

“The Swiftness to Hear”

(James 1:19-21)

James deals with some very practical factors in human relationships. One of the greatest

evils in such relations can be the improper use of the tongue. (We will spend more time on the

tongue in Lesson Eleven.)

Lesson Seven

“Wisdom and God’s Word”

(James 1:5; 1:18; 3:13-18)

Another gift that God promises to give to the seeker is “wisdom!” But it is obvious that

God’s wisdom has been revealed to us through His word. The Gospel (as well as Christ) is not

only said to be the “power of God

Lesson Six

“Gifts from God”

(James 1:17; 4:13-17; 5:13-20)

As a follow-up from Lesson five, James tells us not to mistake God’s place in man’s

pathway to sin. Nothing but good comes from God—He is the author of good and not evil. God

did not and does not plot man’s fall. He doesn’t want man to fall, nor to be lost eternally. Ezekiel

said of God: “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, therefore, repent and live.”

Lesson Five

“The Pathway of Sin”

(James 1:12-16)

Sin is the breaking of God’s Law or Lawlessness—not respecting Law (1 John 3:4). If

there is no Law, there is no sin (Romans 5:13). The Bible says that “all have sinned” (Romans

3:23); therefore, we can logically conclude that all men are under God’s Law and are held

accountable to it.