Judging Others, Faith and Works

Pray as the Lord leads with thanksgiving.  (Don’t forget to ask for wisdom!)
1.       Read James 2:10-11 and read Matthew 5:19-20.  Have you broken one commandment in your lifetime?  When we break one, we are guilty of breaking them all!  The Bible says there is no one righteous and we are all sinners.  Do you get into Heaven for the good you have done?  Do you get into Heaven for the bad that you do not do?  Read Romans 10:3 and Romans 10:9-13.  No, it is through the blood of Jesus and by grace through faith that we are saved.  It is by grace because we are sinners and do not deserve it!  It is through faith because we cannot see it.
2.       Read James 2:12-13.  Since we have all transgressed/broken the law and sinned in some area or another we should never judge those who have committed a sin.  When you judge someone for something they have done it can come back to bite you and you may find yourself doing the same sin they did later on down the road!  This has happened to me more than one time.  It is so hard not to judge other people for their “awful sins” that we think we would never do.  However, if we judge them we will not be shown mercy by others when we mess up.  “Mercy rejoiceth against judgment” or mercy triumphs over judgment.  When you see or hear about someone messing up, don’t judge them, show them mercy.  God showed us great mercy, “While we were yet (still) sinners, Christ died for us”.
3.       Read James 2:14-20.  Some people say they are Christians but they do not show any signs of being one.  They show no works to go along with their faith.  The example given is of a person without clothes or food coming to you in need and you saying “See ya later, have a good day, stay warm” but you do not clothe or feed them…it does no good. 
4.       Read 1 John 3:18.  How are we not supposed to love?  How are we supposed to love?  If you are a Christian, a child of the King, you will LOVE God and LOVE others because God’s heart is in you.  Know Christ, Know Love; No Christ, No Love.   What does this quote mean to you?
5.       What is faith without works according to James 2:17?
6.       Read James 2:18 again.  This can be confusing and deep stuff!  Here is my thought…I am saved and I know Jesus and my whole entire life is wrapped around the fact that I love the Lord and serve Him and follow Him and do what He tells me to do.  Everything I do in my life today is because Jesus has told me and led me and taught me to do it.  My faith has works…does yours?  I cannot imagine saying “I am a Christian” and then go out and do my own thing and make my own decisions without talking to the Lord about it. 
7.       The flip side of this is that some people think they are going to Heaven because they do good works but they do not have a relationship with Jesus.  James 2:19 says even the devils believe in God and they certainly are not in Heaven.  Search your heart on this matter. 

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