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James and 1, 2, and 3 John

  1. Lesson One
    Overview of James
    18 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    James and Scripture
    19 Activities
  3. Lesson Three
    1 John
    21 Activities
  4. Lesson Four
    2 and 3 John
    21 Activities
  5. Lesson Five
    Proto-Gnosticism
    13 Activities
  6. Course Wrap-up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

Participants 5

James and 1, 2, and 3 John James and Scripture In | Matthew and James: Faith in Action
Lesson 2, Activity 9

In | Matthew and James: Faith in Action

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See the table below, which highlights the main themes of the pairs of verses from this exercise:

Common theme/messageMatthew (ESV)James (ESV)
Faith and doubtingAnd Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.” (21:21)But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. (1:6)
Divided loyaltyNo one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (6:24; 12:39)		You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (4:4) 
Purity of heartBlessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (5:8)Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (4:8) 

Reference: John Painter and David A. deSilva, James and Jude, 2012, pp. 36-38.

See the table below highlighting the main themes of the pairs of verses from this exercise:

Overlapping messageMatthew (ESV)James (ESV)
On becoming doers of the wordEveryone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock . . .

And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (7:24, 26)		But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. (1:22-23)
A criticism of lip serviceNot everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (7:21-23)What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? (2:14-16)
A call to perfectionYou therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (5:48)And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (1:4)

Reference: John Painter and David A. deSilva, James and Jude, 2012, pp. 36-38.