The Book of James Week Six Lesson Five

“Turn Them Back”

“My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.”         James 5:19-20

This is the last lesson from the Book of James Study. I hope you have discovered many new or renewed truths from this short book written by our Lord’s brother. God’s Word is multi-faceted and gives us new lessons each time we read and study it. 

Read James 5:19-20. What should we do when we see another believer wander from the truth?

What is important to remember?

James is speaking to believers in Jesus about other believers who have wandered from the truth of God’s Word. It is our responsibility to turn our brothers and sisters in Christ, who have wandered from God’s Truth, back to Him. It isn’t an easy task.

Read Matthew 18:15-18. What are we to do when a believer sins against us? 

If they listen to you, what is the result?

What happens next if they don’t listen to you?

What is the next step if they don’t listen to the testimony of others?

What is the result if they do not listen to the church body as a whole?

Jesus gave us these steps to follow when we have disputes between one another. It is orderly and should be followed as He instructs us in the Bible. The purpose of disciplinary action is to correct the immoral character of people who claim to be Christians. This is hard, but, Christ has called us to take such action. This is not judging behavior, this is God judging behavior and is what He commands us through Christ Jesus to do.

There is right and wrong and we as Christians need to understand the line we cross when we sin. Otherwise a blurring of the lines takes place  and we slowly begin to turn away from God’s truth. We must hold each other accountable. 

Read Romans 16:17-19. This is a powerful portion of Scripture. The Apostle Paul redefines the line between right and wrong. What does he tell us to “watch out” for?

What do you think “serving their own appetites” means?

What are the obedient expected to do?

We must stop believing there is a gray area in the behavior of believers. This study of James has taught us just that. For too long, we have turned our heads to the way people justify worldly behavior. It has infiltrated our churches at an alarming rate. 

Truth without grace is wrong. Grace without truth is wrong. Truth and grace must prevail. We cannot function correctly within our Churches without both. We’ve been told we aren’t suppose to judge others, but the Word doesn’t say we are suppose to allow sin to flourish because we think we can’t judge. God gives us discernment to deal with sin among believers. The judgment and discipline is left to Him. He reveals to His people what He wants removed from His Church. 

Read Hebrews 10:26-27. What happens if we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth?

The Spirit of the Living God speaks to those who are His and calls us back to Him. He employs believers to turn fellow believers back to Him. Christ Himself gave us the process for doing so. If the person refuses correction, they are living the will of Satan and not the Lord’s. Again, this is hard but necessary.

We save lives when we bring others to Jesus and they give their lives to Him. One of our responsibilities is to bring others to Christ. Do you ever look at your Christian walk this way? Our main concern, aside from loving God, is to love others. If we love others as Christ commanded, we should care what happens to them.

Saving someone from death is a major thing. Rescuing a drowning person or pulling someone from a burning car is stuff heroes do. Someone who is brave enough to do this should be honored. Do we think of saving someone from eternal death in the same way? This should get our adrenalin pumping even higher than rescuing the living from physical death.

Both the Old and New Testaments speak of death as a result of our sinful nature; they also speak of death in comparison to the Living God. We’ve learned over the last six weeks of studying James that sin equals spiritual death.

As a kid, my family would go to to the lake. We’d load up the ’65 Chevy station wagon with all six kids, two dogs, our picnic and pull the boat filled with life jackets, inner tubes and skis. When we’d get there we’d unload everything and then go out on the boat to ski. We’d come back to shore and swim a little while before we’d eat. 

I loved getting in the black inner tubes to float on the water. I’d pick the biggest one I could handle, climb on and float off daydreaming as I drifted along. I remember one time when I wasn’t paying attention and drifted out into deep waters. My mom happened to see me and sent one of my big brothers, who were strong swimmers, to rescue me. They pulled me safely to shore.

It’s the same way with those who drift away from the safety of God’s truth in Christ. Sometimes believers are floating along, not paying attention and the current of life pulls them away from safety. Others choose to swim away  from the truth. Whatever the case, the Lord sends out His strong swimmers to bring those adrift back to safety. Some refuse to be brought back and that is their choice. Those who the Lord sends to rescue those who have left the safety of God’s Son must be obedient so those adrift may be brought back to safety.

Read Jude 17-13. What we as believers supposed to do?

What are we to keep ourselves in?

Look closely at verses 22-23. There are three things, we as believers, are to do for “others who doubt.” What are they?

1. 

2.

3.

Show mercy to doubters - There are those who doubt. They are divided in their thoughts. These folks have heard the truth and they hear the message of the world and are drifting. We are to show them mercy from Christ.

Snatch them from the fire - There are those falling forward towards the fire. We see them heading that way and we must respond. A gentle tap on the shoulder won’t do. A forceful grasp of the collar is more like it.

Show them mercy mixed with fear - There are the ones with a strong smell of smoke. It is the stench of seared hair, clothing and flesh which permeates the air they breathe. Mercy mixed with fear means we remind them of Christ’s mercy, but we also remind them to fear God and the discipline He gives.

It is the responsibility of those who place their faith in Christ Jesus and live their lives for Him, to turn those who have drifted away back to the Savior. We really are in the business of saving lives.

As we close our study of James, let us remember we are called to serve the Lord with all our hearts, souls and minds, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is the Royal Law of our King Jesus. My limited earthly love cannot cover sins. The infinite love of Jesus, demonstrated on the Cross of Calvary, can cover all sin. It is this love in us which enables us to love others as Jesus does.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. It has been a honor to study the Word of God with you. Keep seeking Him and He will always reveal Himself to you. May we “count it all joy” to follow Him right into eternity.

The Book of James Week Six Lesson Four

“Faithful in Prayer”

“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.” James 5:16-18

Confession is an essential part of prayer. Jesus taught us in the “Lord’s Prayer” to “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.” To be forgiven, we must confess our need to be forgiven and also, we must forgive others. Confession removes the obstacle of sin so God can do His work in us by forgiving us.

Read James 5:16. What is the result of the prayer of a righteous person?

To have a right relationship with God we need to humble ourselves before Him and confess our sins to Him. God knows everything about us and what we have done. There is no sense in not being totally honest with Him and ourselves. After confession, we can pray more effectively. It is the first step in prayer so we can have true open communication with the Father.

Let’s take a look at an example James gives us in the rest of our text for today.

Read James 5:17-18. Who does James us for an example?

What did he do?

What happened?

Why do you think James uses this person as an example?

James says the Prophet Elijah was a mere human just like the rest of us and yet God worked mightily through him. James used him as an example to show what God can do through a mere human who places their full trust in Him. God was revealed to those who knew Elijah because he was faithful and believed God when he prayed.

We have a tendency as humans to place others up on a pedestal and give them the glory for miracles we’ve seen in their lives. We look at others in the church and ministry and deem them more special than we are. The truth is God has given us all the right to approach Him too. He wants to work through all of us and reveal His glory to those we encounter. Just think of how many more people would come to know Jesus if we would just believe that.

Read 1 Kings 17:1. What message did Elijah give to Ahab?

How did Elijah identify himself?

Read 1 Kings 18:1-2. What did God tell Elijah?

What did Elijah do?

Read 1 Kings 18:41-46. Did it rain right away?

Did Elijah stop praying and believing God?

Did God ever answer Elijah’s prayer? When?

Elijah was faithful and persistent in his prayers. By being faithful and persistent, we aren’t trying to change God’s mind by badgering Him with more and more prayer. Rather, our prayers are to be acknowledgements of wanting His will and His timing. Our goal in prayer is for His will to be accomplished and for Him to be glorified so the world around us knows our answers come from God.

God isn’t a genie in a bottle, a Buddha belly we can rub or a rabbit’s foot we can hold. God is God and He is determined to be glorified in our lives as Christians. It is our responsibility and privilege to come to Him and bow in humility before Him. We can ask Him for anything in Jesus’ Name and He will do it according to His perfect will, not ours.

We must not become discouraged when we feel we’re not hearing from God. We must remain faithful and persistent in our prayers. God is not reluctant to answer us. His timetable is not like our timetable. By being faithful in prayer we are developing a Christ-like character. He grows us and matures us as we remain faithful to Him.

How do you view your prayer life?

Is confession part of it? Why or why not?

God wants to talk with you. He wants to hear what is on your heart even though He already knows. Remain faithful in your prayers. Don’t give up. God hears you. God loves you. He wants you to be healed and whole. Let go of the secrets you think you are hiding and confess them to Him. You’ll be surprised how much better you will feel. Find a godly person you trust and tell them. Ask them to pray with you and for you. Take this step of faith and find forgiveness and healing at the feet of Jesus. Surrender you life to Him completely.

Write your prayer of confession here and allow God in completely:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Book of James Week Six Lesson Three

“Trouble”

“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.” James 5:13-15

I love to sing. When I was a little girl, I used to lie on the sofa with a hymnal in my hands and sing song after song until my voice would give out. Some of my favorites were, “Praise Him, praise Him, Jesus our blessed Redeemer...,” or “He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today...,” or “There’s within my heart a melody, Jesus whispers sweet and low...” I didn’t fully understand each word, but I felt an overwhelming joy as I sang. Even to this day, I like to sit at the piano and play old hymns and an unspeakable joy floods me. I love to sing new praise songs we sing nowadays at Church too. Standing up and sing praises as our music team leads us, moves me and fills me with joy and gratitude for my Lord.

Read James 5:13. What should we do when we are in trouble?

What should we do when we are happy?

Singing is a form of prayer for me. It pleases God when we sing. It breaks down walls of frustration and pain as we allow the words to pour over us like a healing balm. Sometimes, when we don’t know what to say, songs can help bridge the gap as the Holy Spirit helps us respond to God and humble ourselves before Him.

Of course you would think we would pray when we are in trouble wouldn’t you? So many times we sit on our worries and don’t tell to them to Jesus. He tells us to pray. He desires to fill our needs. When we finally come to Him, He fills us with His joy and presence.

Throughout the Bible we read about different people who offered up praise to God as part of their prayers. Read the following passages and describe who gave the praise  and what they were praising God about:

Exodus 15:1-2

Psalm 13:5-6

Acts 16:25

Colossians 3:16

Moses sang praises to God for bringing the Israelites to safety. They were caught between trouble and more trouble. But, God in His power made a way through the troubled water and brought His chosen people safely to the other side. He even destroyed their enemy.

We too must trust God has made a way when we seem to be caught between troubles. It is by faith in His mighty strength we get safely across. Praise is a natural response to God and is part of prayer.

Look at Paul and Silas. Even though they were in  prison they sang out their praises to God. The other prisoners and guards heard them and were blessed by this praise. You too may be in a prison whether literally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. Look up and sing praise to the One who loves you most and knows you best. It is the key to opening up the prison doors to let healing in.

Read James 5:14. What is the question James asks in this verse?

James answers his own question. What is it?

What two things are the Elders of the Church to do? 

1.

2.

The prayer of faith is the communication of our beliefs about God through belief in His Son Jesus. In prayer we confirm we believe Jesus and seek Him as the source for the answers we need. Sometimes His answers are not what we want or expect. 

James tells us in faith we are to pray and then go to the Elders of the Church. Today, many churches have redefined the role of Elder to be only administrative only. It’s a shame they don’t spend more time praying for the sick. Most folks wouldn’t even think about going to the Elders of the Church. 

There were two things the Elders of the Church of James’ day did. First, they prayed over the sick and then they would anoint them. To understand why this order was taken, we need to understand the history and tradition of the Jewish people and the early church. 

When a person was ill, they would go to the Rabbi instead of a doctor like we would today. The Rabbi would pray for them and anoint the person with oil. 

* Before we get any further, I must state this portion of scripture is not to negate the uses of medicine or doctors. The New Testament Book of Luke was written by a doctor name Luke. God provides doctors and medicine for us.

However, during the time James wrote this letter to the “twelve tribes scattered,” the temple, synagogue or church was the place where people knew they could come for help. The duties of the Elders in the early church included caring for the sick. Oil was a common medicine, as were balm, wine and salve. 

Even today, our churches, the Body of Christ, should be a place where a person can find help, prayer and healing. We are each called to care for one another. We can surely pray for those in need. Each of us, as believers have the responsibility to take care of each other.

Read James 5:15. What makes a sick person well? How?

The prayer of faith will “make well.” Believing God in prayer will “make well” the ailment. What about those prayers that seem to go unanswered? The Apostle Paul wrestled with this question too.

Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. What was given to Paul to keep him from getting conceited?

How many times did he plead with the Lord to take it away?

What was the Lord’s response?

What did Paul learn to do? Why?

Our prayers of faith is for God’s power to be revealed through us. For God to glorify Himself in us, we must choose to trust him by being faithful and willing to accept everything He wills in our lives. That may include healing or not being healed. Even though we may not understand why the Lord chooses to heal some and not others, we must trust Him anyway. Our main desire, in the life we have given over to Him, is to honor Him no matter what.

Praise and prayer of the faithful in Jesus is welcomed by our Lord. This is His will for us, to come to Him and enter His presence delighting in the love found there. His will, no matter what we think should happen, is the best. When we are in trouble we have a place to go to others don’t have. Go to Jesus. We must trust God has made a way when we seem to be caught between troubles. It is by faith in His mighty strength we get safely across.

The Book of James Week Six Lesson Two

“Promises, Promises”

“But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.” 

 James 5:12

We’ve all made promises and broken them. It’s so easy to say, “I promise...” Why is it so hard to keep the promises we make? The people of James’ era were no different than we are. 

Read James 5:12a. What we not to swear by? Why?

I never really fully understood what this passage meant until I wrote this study on James. Apparently, the Pharisees at the time had different levels of oaths. They believed an oath was only binding if God’s name was used in it. If they made an oath by using anything other than God’s name, it wasn’t truly binding. So, they got away with breaking a promise by saying things like, “I swear by heaven....or I swear on my the earth...” 

Read Matthew 5:33-37. What did Jesus say about taking an oath? (making a promise)

What four examples did Jesus use for making oaths and how did He clarify taking an oath?

1. ________________________

2. ________________________

3. ________________________

4. ________________________

Jesus addressed the Pharisees about their perverted way they were taking oaths. The Lord shone light on their lies and loop-holes. He taught that taking oaths by anything was the same as using the name of God. 

Remember when you were a kid and crossed your fingers behind your back? This meant you didn’t have to keep your promise? Too bad for the kid who believed you. It was a loop-hole to keeping a promise. Similarly, the Pharisees kept their fingers crossed behind their backs so to speak and Jesus called them out on it.

Read Numbers 30:2. What types of pledges are mentioned?

1. _______________________
2. _______________________

What must a person NOT do?

What must a person DO?

The Hebrew words for “makes a vow” is “nadar” and “neder,” which means, “to verbally consecrate something to the Lord.”

The Hebrew words for “takes an oath” is “saba” and “sebuah,” and means, “the giving of one’s word to faithfully perform a promised deed.”

If we offer a pledge to God, what has the pledge become?

To make a pledge, what do we offer? What do we place on the line?

Making promises, whether we use His name or not, is serious business to God and should be to us. As believers, our word reflects back onto our Lord. We must always bring glory to God and not compromise His name. 

By swearing to God or anything else, we are asking Him to stand as witness to the pledge or transaction we are making. Do we realize who we are calling on to witness our promises? We are calling on God Almighty, the Holy One, to be witness of our promise. So when we swear flippantly, we are misusing the name of God. We are not bringing glory and honor to His name.

Read James 5:12b. We read James echo the Lord’s words, what are they? Why do you think he stresses this?

Below is an excerpt from the IVP Bible Commentary:

James has been saying, "Be patient in your suffering. Remember the Lord is coming. Remember the example of the prophets. Remember the perseverance of Job. Remember the Lord's full compassion and mercy." Now he says, "Above all, don't fall into swearing, as if you could manipulate God by your oaths. Instead, speak honestly and directly, and rely on God in prayer."

When we rely fully on God, then we must keep our promises. Manipulation is out. Fully trusting in God and remaining obedient to Him is in. How simple is that? We don’t need to explain ourselves. We don’t have to say “yes” when we mean “no” just because we don’t want to say “no.” God will take care of the rest if we are obedient to Him in all things and remain honest to God, others and ourselves.

Our promises, our oaths, our actions, should always be well thought out and especially we must seek God for His will before we do or promise anything. It’s ok to take time to find out what His will is. However, don’t use praying about it as an excuse when you know you will say “no.” Really pray about it. Mean what you say. Say what you mean. 

Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” Bring glory to God in your actions and your words. No more manipulation. No more loopholes. Rely on Jesus as you live out your life for Him.

The Book of James Week Six Lesson One

“Who Cares?”

“For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.”

 James 5:10-11

We all have gone through difficult times when we wonder if anyone cares. James gives us examples of others who have suffered greatly and persevered. Their lives show who really cares.

Read James 5:10-11. What two examples does James use in our passage today?

1. _________________________
2. _________________________

James addresses the subject of perseverance (endurance), in our passage for today. This is the second chapter where we find him teaching about it. He places so much emphasis on perseverance that it is worth studying again. He asks us to look at the prophets who spoke boldly in the name of the Lord. He also uses Job, the man who lost everything, as another good example. Let’s look at both examples of “those who endure great suffering.”

The Prophets (James 5:10)

James uses the prophets as examples of “those who endure great suffering.” These men spoke boldly in the name of the Lord, preaching what God told them preach without regard for their own well-being. Each refused to stop proclaiming God’s truth. Their words were often offensive and brought them persecution and even death by those who opposed them. They suffered patiently for the cause of God’s truth.

Read Matthew 5:10-12. What did Jesus say about those who are persecuted for righteousness?

The prophets represent patience in suffering for faith. Jesus taught us when we boldly stand up, even through the persecution of our belief in Him, we will be blessed eternally. We will receive great reward when we see Jesus after this life and even before then. He wants us to know the reason we have to rejoice and be glad when people persecute us. Jesus warns us persecution will happen but He will punish those who persecute His people and reward those who are faithful to Him. If we are persecuted for our faith then we are going in the right direction because satan will try to stop us. We are a threat as followers of Jesus.

Read Isaiah 51:7-8. What does God tell those who know what is right and have His law in their hearts?

What example does He use to represent what will happen to those who persecute His children?

What will last last forever and through all generations?

God rewards those who continue doing what is right in God’s sight and keep His Word engrained on their hearts and minds. He promises that those who oppose Him and His people will be destroyed eventually. His righteousness (right relationship) will last forever and His salvation through all the generations of mankind on this earth. I

It is imperative we remember God’s promises and continue to live our lives in obedience to Him and His Word. Even though we may be persecuted for our beliefs, we must trust He will punish those who persecute His people. 

Read 1 Peter 3:15-16. Who are we to set apart on our hearts?

What does that mean to you?

What are we to alway be prepared to do? Why?

How are we supposed to do it? Why?

What does Peter say is better?

We will suffer for doing what is right in God’s eyes. It’s a fact of life for those who believe in Jesus and follow Him as Lord. Each of us should be ready to give the reason for why we believe what we believe. But, we must do it without arguing and be gentle in our response. Jesus, Himself, lived this way. He is our perfect example.

Sometimes it seems easier to just live as if we don’t believe by hiding our faith. Have you ever been in the position where you have remained silent about your beliefs around others just to avoid confrontation or persecution? I know I have. Peter teaches us to be bold about our faith. It is better to suffer for God’s good than doing evil.

Job (James 5:11)

James uses Job as an example of perseverance in suffering physically, mentally and spiritually. Poor Job suffered so severely, few can actually relate to the extent of it. He never stopped believing in God through it all.

Read Job 1:13-22. What happened to Job?

How did Job respond?

In verse 21 we find what Job said. Write it out here.

Why did God not see Job saying these things as sin?

Job, in all the calamity and pain, acknowledged God’s sovereignty and goodness. He didn’t curse God even though he was in extreme pain and suffering. He hurt, but he didn’t lose faith. His pain didn’t cease for a long time, but he never forgot that God was still God.

Read Job 38-41. (This may take some time) We read about God’s response to Job. He asks Job seventy questions. Write out the first ten questions God asks and replace Job’s name with your own. 

1. 

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

The questions God asked Job, He asks of you and me. God taught Job, and is teaching us, He is in control and has the power to do all things. He is the source for filling each need and we really have no control over what happens to us. The only true choice we have is either to bow to His sovereignty or walk through this life on our own limited power. 

Read Job 42:1-6. Fill in the blanks:

Job acknowledges to God:

• God can _______ all things.

• God’s plans cannot be _______________.

• Job spoke of things he did not _______________.

• Job listened to God, God _____________ Him.

• Job ___________________.

After Job heard from God, he bowed in acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty. Job is at the lowest of lows. He had no where else to look for answers for his suffering except to God. By acknowledging his weaknesses and God’s strength, he bows in humility and repents.

We can question God. We can cry our to Him with all our emotions. He’s big enough to handle it. As long as we acknowledge who God truly is and the power He really has, we can pour out all we are going through to Him. God cares so much for us. Persevering is acknowledging God as God. It is true submission to Him when we turn our troubles and needs over to Him, relying on Him for strength. 

No one care like our Lord. God sent His Son Jesus to show us how much He cares and loves us. So, when you are going through something so tough you don’t know which way to go, look up because Jesus cares. He cared so much He gave His life for us to have a relationship with God. He removed the barrier between us and God. Who cares? Jesus cares. So, with this truth, let us humble ourselves before Him and acknowledge Him as Lord.

The Book of James Week Five Lesson Five

“The Grumble Rumble”

“Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!”

 James 5:9

You can ask my kids what I would tell them when they would whine and complain. Even though they are grown and married, they can recite what I taught them about grumbling. 

Mom: “What does whining and complaining get you?”

Kids: “NOTHING except a spanking.”

They knew the best way to tell me something that was bothering them was to tell me without complaining or whining. It didn’t always work that way but they learned what the results were when they did.

Read James 5:9. What does James tell his reader NOT to do? Why?

Who is the Judge that stands at the door?

We’ve learned about patience in our study of James. Grumbling is a symptom of being impatient. It indicates a lack of faith and obedience to God. We may not believe it, but our grumbles can be heard and often times felt by those around us. It is even felt by those who are not believers who are watching those who profess to believe in Jesus.

The definition of “grumble” means, “to murmur or mutter in discontent; to complain sullenly; to utter low, indistinct sounds; to growl.” Grumbling is described as discontentment vocalized in a guttural sound. You can almost hear it can’t you?

What do you feel like when you hear someone mutter under their breath?

How do you think God feels when He hears us do the same thing?

The Book of James was originally written to Messianic Jews. Those who had been scattered because of their faith in Jesus as Messiah. The stress of this would push anyone to the limit, but James was reminding them to not allow the persecution of their faith to cause them to grumble and complain.

Think about it. The devil couldn’t get them in their faith, so he hit them in their attitudes. He would push and push on their self-centeredness to get them to fight. Complaining is a damaging as a fire in a barn. The grumbling tongue can and does destroy so many things in its way.

If the evil one can distract us from the strength we find in Jesus, then he can worm his way into our churches and families. We must be very aware of this and keep our eyes on Jesus. James knew every Christ follower will suffer, so James taught perseverance. There is always blessing found because we remain faithful through times of struggle. If we forget these lessons and grumble, satan has a foothold and can cause great damage to believers and the church as a whole.

How should we live then? How do we keep from complaining against God and each other? Write out your thoughts.

Read Philippians 2:12-15. What does it mean to “work out your salvation in fear and trembling”?

Why should a Christian do everything without complaining or arguing?

We must walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our lives should reflect the glory of God, causing us to shine like stars. Grumbling and complaining puts a tarnish on our shine. 

Paul says to “work out your salvation in fear and trembling.” This doesn’t translate well into the English from the Greek. The IVP Commentary says this about it, “"in your relationships with one another live out the salvation Christ has brought you."

 This is not confuse the reader by saying we work and earn our salvation, rather, Paul adds “for it is God who works in you...” He gives each believer the ability to grow and live out their faith.

Each believer not only lives our their faith, but also works within the church, unified with other believers. Grumbling, complaining and self-centeredness destroys unity. However, calling someone out for ungodly behavior is not wrong if it is done as Christ teaches us. 

It isn’t right to allow unchecked behavior among the Church and its leadership. We have to hold one another accountable. We are also responsible to not allow false teachers into our midst. This is not judging, this is discernment. Too many churches allow false theology into their lives because they are afraid of confronting issues and think they are grumbling or being judgmental. Granted there is a fine line, but if correction is done according to Scripture, then it isn’t grumbling rather, church discipline.

Read Matthew 18:15-17. What does Jesus say about a “brother” (or sister) sinning against you? What are the three steps a believer should take in this regard?

1.

2.

3.

What are we to do if the first three steps are not heeded by the offender?

If we go about resolving disputes the way Christ Jesus teaches, then we are not grumbling. It becomes grumbling when the dispute begins to find its way into our conversations without regard to the ears that hear it. We must be obedient to Christ’s instruction on this matter. Grumbling is wrong. Getting to the heart of the sin in our midst as a Church Body is right as long as it is done according to God’s will.

Read Exodus 16:6-8. What did Moses say about the Israelites grumbling?

We must be careful not to grumble about what God has provided for us. The Israelites grumbled about being hungry. God gave them manna. They in turn grumbled about the manna, wanting meat too. God gave them meat. They continued to grumble against God and were met with His wrath. We are no different when we grumble against all the blessings God has bestowed on us. We want what others have. We want more and better. Our grumbling is offense against the Giver of all good things.

So now, let us throw off the grumbling attitude and instead with thankful hearts glorify God in our lives. Let’s shine like stars, showing the world that God is great and greatly to be praised. Instead of grumbling, praise His Name. Stop the grumble rumble and see what He has in store for you.