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Sabbath Bible Lessons

Studies in the Epistle of James

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Lesson 6 Sabbath, November 9, 2024

Faith in Action

MEMORY TEXT: “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20).

“While good works will not save even one soul, yet it is impossible for even one soul to be saved without good works.”—Faith and Works, p. 111.

Suggested Reading:   Early Writings, pp. 226–228, 269–273. 

Sunday November 3

1. FAITH AND EXAMPLE

a. Why is it absolutely essential to live in full harmony with the faith we profess? 1 Corinthians 4:9; 1 John 5:3; James 2:14.

“Let none deceive themselves with the belief that they can become holy while willfully violating one of God’s requirements. The commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the Spirit and separates the soul from God.”—The Great Controversy, p. 472.

“The testimony of one’s life proclaims to the world whether or not he is true to the faith he professes. Your conduct lessens God’s law in the estimation of your worldly friends. It says to them: ‘You may or may not obey the commandments. I believe that the law of God is, in a manner, binding upon men; but, after all, the Lord is not very particular as to a strict observance of its precepts, and an occasional transgression is not visited with severity on His part.’

“Many excuse themselves for violating the Sabbath by referring to your example. They argue that if so good a man, who believes the seventh day is the Sabbath, can engage in worldly employments on that day when circumstances seem to require it, surely they can do the same without condemnation. Many souls will face you in the judgment, making your influence an excuse for their disobedience of God’s law. Although this will be no apology for their sin, yet it will tell fearfully against you.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 250.


Monday November 4

2. HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE WATCHING

a. What example does James give to illustrate the hypocrisy of empty talk without action? James 2:15–17.

“The most eloquent sermon that can be preached upon the law of Ten Commandments is to do them. Obedience should be made a personal duty. Negligence of this duty is flagrant sin. God lays us under obligations not only to secure heaven ourselves, but to feel it a binding duty to show others the way and, through our care and disinterested love, to lead toward Christ those who come within the sphere of our influence. The singular absence of principle that characterizes the lives of many professed Christians is alarming. Their disregard of God’s law disheartens those who recognize its sacred claims and tends to turn those from the truth who would otherwise accept it.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 58. [Author’s emphasis.]

b. What does genuine belief in Christ really mean? James 2:18; Matthew 6:24.

“God has spoken, and He means that man shall obey. He does not inquire if it is convenient for him to do so. The Lord of life and glory did not consult His convenience or pleasure when He left His station of high command to become a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, accepting ignominy and death in order to deliver man from the consequence of his disobedience. Jesus died, not to save man in his sins, but from his sins. Man is to leave the error of his ways, to follow the example of Christ, to take up his cross and follow Him, denying self, and obeying God at any cost. . . .

“If we are true servants of God, there should be no question in our minds as to whether we will obey His commandments or consult our own temporal interests. If the believers in the truth are not sustained by their faith in these comparatively peaceful days, what will uphold them when the grand test comes and the decree goes forth against all those who will not worship the image of the beast and receive his mark in their foreheads or in their hands? This solemn period is not far off. Instead of becoming weak and irresolute, the people of God should be gathering strength and courage for the time of trouble.”—Ibid., pp. 250, 251. [Author’s emphasis.]


Tuesday November 5

3. LEARNING FROM ABRAHAM

a. Of what dire spiritual condition are we solemnly warned? James 2:19.

“Many concede that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, but at the same time they hold themselves away from Him, and fail to repent of their sins, fail to accept of Jesus as their personal Saviour. Their faith is simply the assent of the mind and judgment to the truth; but the truth is not brought into the heart, that it might sanctify the soul and transform the character.”—Selected Messages, bk. 1, pp. 389, 390.

“You may believe all the truth; yet if its principles are not carried out in your lives, your profession will not save you. Satan believes and trembles. He works. He knows his time is short, and he has come down in great power to do his evil works according to his faith. But God’s professed people do not support their faith by their works. They believe in the shortness of time, yet grasp just as eagerly after this world’s goods as though the world were to stand a thousand years as it now is.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 161.

b. How can we be motivated by the example of Abraham? Romans 4:1–3; James 2:20–22.

“Abraham believed God. How do we know that he believed? His works testified to the character of his faith, and his faith was accounted to him for righteousness.

“We need the faith of Abraham in our day, to lighten the darkness that gathers around us, shutting out the sweet sunlight of God’s love, and dwarfing spiritual growth. . . . Every duty performed, every sacrifice made in the name of Jesus, brings an exceeding great reward. In the very act of duty, God speaks and gives His blessing.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 7, p. 936.

“Men are justified by faith, but judged and rewarded according to their works.”—The Signs of the Times, November 20, 1884.

“The righteousness of Christ consists in right actions and good works from pure, unselfish motives.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 528.

“Keeping the commandments of God requires of us good works, self-denial, self-sacrifice, and devotion for the good of others, not that our good works alone can save us, but that we surely cannot be saved without good works. After we have done all that we are capable of doing, we are then to say: We have done no more than our duty, and at best are unprofitable servants, unworthy of the smallest favor from God. Christ must be our righteousness and the crown of our rejoicing.”—Ibid., p. 526.


Wednesday November 6

4. WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

a. Explain how the pattern of Abraham’s life is to be reflected in our own lives as believers in Christ. Genesis 26:5; James 2:23, 24.

“Good works are the fruits of faith. As God works in the heart, and man surrenders his will to God, and cooperates with God, he works out in the life what God works in by the Holy Spirit, and there is harmony between the purpose of the heart and the practice of the life. Every sin must be renounced as the hateful thing that crucified the Lord of life and glory, and the believer must have a progressive experience by continually doing the works of Christ. It is by continual surrender of the will, by continual obedience, that the blessing of justification is retained.

“Those who are justified by faith must have a heart to keep the way of the Lord. It is an evidence that a man is not justified by faith when his works do not correspond to his profession. James says, ‘Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was his faith made perfect?’ (James 2:22).

“The faith that does not produce good works does not justify the soul.”—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 397.

b. Why can all who witness to the heathen today be encouraged by how Rahab, the harlot, is cited as whom God justified? James 2:25; Hebrews 11:31.

“In wicked Jericho the testimony of a heathen woman was, ‘The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.’ Joshua 2:11. The knowledge of Jehovah that had thus come to her, proved her salvation. . . . And her conversion was not an isolated case of God’s mercy toward idolaters who acknowledged His divine authority.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 369.

“All who, like Rahab the Canaanite, and Ruth the Moabitess, turned from idolatry to the worship of the true God, were to unite themselves with His chosen people.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 290.

“A great work is to be done in our cities, and the fields are all ripe for the harvest. Our attention will be called in every direction, for repentant souls in both Christian and heathen lands will lift up their voices for help. There must not be one particle of lifting up of self; your only safety is to trust in God.”—The General Conference Bulletin, April 1, 1895.


Thursday November 7

5. KEYS TO VICTORY

a. Explain how we can have victory in Christ. James 2:26; 2 Peter 1:3, 4.

“It is essential to have faith in Jesus, and to believe you are saved through Him; but there is danger in taking the position that many do take in saying, ‘I am saved.’ Many have said: ‘You must do good works, and you will live’; but apart from Christ no one can do good works. Many at the present day say, ‘Believe, only believe, and live.’ Faith and works go together, believing and doing are blended. The Lord requires no less of the soul now, than He required of Adam in Paradise before he fell—perfect obedience, unblemished righteousness. The requirement of God under the covenant of grace is just as broad as the requirement He made in Paradise—harmony with His law, which is holy, and just, and good. . . . Let no one take up with the delusion so pleasant to the natural heart, that God will accept of sincerity, no matter what may be the faith, no matter how imperfect may be the life. God requires of His child perfect obedience.

“In order to meet the requirements of the law, our faith must grasp the righteousness of Christ, accepting it as our righteousness. Through union with Christ, through acceptance of His righteousness by faith, we may be qualified to work the works of God, to be colaborers with Christ. If you are willing to drift along with the current of evil, and do not cooperate with the heavenly agencies in restraining transgression in your family, and in the church, in order that everlasting righteousness may be brought in, you do not have faith. Faith works by love and purifies the soul. Through faith the Holy Spirit works in the heart to create holiness therein; but this cannot be done unless the human agent will work with Christ. . . . In order that we may have the righteousness of Christ, we need daily to be transformed by the influence of the Spirit, to be a partaker of the divine nature.”—Selected Messages, bk. 1, pp. 373, 374.


Friday November 8

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. In claiming to keep God’s law, what must I realize about my influence?

2. What does Heaven require of Christian believers?

3. Why is Abraham often referred to as the father of the faithful?

4. Among my acquaintances, who might end up as a converted Rahab?

5. How am I to have a victorious Christian experience?

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