Lesson 42: “Pure Religion”

Lesson 42: “Pure Religion”," New Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (2002)

1.      Introduction

a)      Book of James

i)        Generally thought to have been written by James, the brother of Jesus

(1)   Became an apostle after Christ’s resurrection

ii)      READ -  Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:  "To have a book written by the Lord's brother is akin to having one penned by the Master himself. And in this General Epistle we find the son of Joseph, often in language reminiscent of that used by the Son of Mary, setting forth the practical operation of the doctrines taught by his Elder Brother.

    "James -- religious by nature; schooled in the strict Judaism of the day; converted after our Lord's resurrection; and said to have died a martyr's death -- took upon himself the awesome responsibility to write an epistle to the saints in the dispensation of the fulness of times.

    "Paul wrote to the saints of his own day, and if his doctrine and counsel blesses us of later years, so much the better. But James addressed himself to those of the twelve scattered tribes of Israel who belonged to the Church; that is, to a people yet to be gathered, yet to receive the gospel, yet to come into the fold of Christ; and if his words had import to the small cluster of saints of Judah and Benjamin who joined the Church in the meridian of time, so much the better."(DNTC, 3:244)

iii)    Unlike Elder McConkie, Martin Luther hated the Book of James

(1)   Called it an epistle of straw

(2)   READ Luther wrote, "Many sweat to reconcile St. Paul and St. James, but in vain. 'Faith justifies' and 'faith does not justify' contradict each other flatly. If anyone can harmonize them I will give him my doctor's hood and let him call me a fool."

b)      James is a book about doing, a call the righteous to take action based upon their faith.

c)      Reading 1 – In his Lectures on Faith, Joseph Smith wrote, “If men were duly to consider themselves, and turn their thoughts and reflections to the operations of  their own minds, they would readily discover that it  is faith, and faith only, which is the moving cause of  all action, in them; that without it, both mind and  body, would be in a state of inactivity, and all their  exertions would cease, both physical and mental.”

d)     Reading 2 – President Heber J. Grant said, “I am so practical in my make-up that when a Latter-day Saint tells me that he knows that he is engaged in the work of God, that he knows that this is the work of the Lord, that he knows that Joseph Smith was an inspired Prophet, that he knows that the men that stand at the head of the church today are the inspired servants of God, and such a man pays no attention whatever to the plain, simple duties that are taught to him day by day, month in and month out, year in and year out—I don’t have a great deal of faith in that kind of a man.” (Collected Discourses, 5:59–60)

e)      Christ connected faith with works on the shores of the Sea of Tiberius

i)        READ John 21:16 - Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

2.      We should endure affliction patiently

a)      Reading 3 – James 1:1-3

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

(1)   Verse 1 – To whom is James addressing his message?

(a)    Assyrians took the ten tribes into captivity about 800 years before James wrote his epistle

(b)   What will happen as a result of what James writes just a few lines down – James 1:5?

(2)   Verse 2 – Footnote 2a - JST James 1:2 … many afflictions.

(3)   Verse 2-3 – Why does James say we suffer afflictions and have our faith tried in this life?

(a)    the trying of your faith worketh patience

b)      READ – James 1:4

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

i)        ASK – What is the perfect work of patience? How does patience make us perfect and entire?

c)      Reading 3 – James 5:10-11

10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of `.

11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

i)        Job was described as a perfect man

ii)      Trial of Job’s faith

iii)    Job’s trials could only be overcome by patience

d)     Reading 4 – Isaiah 40:31

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

i)        I’ve often focused on the renewing of strength and mounting up with wings

ii)      Who receives these gifts? - they that wait upon the Lord

(1)   Isn’t this the core of patience among the humble followers of Christ?

(a)    Patiently waiting upon the Lord’s timing

iii)    What are the gifts of patience?

(1)   renew their strength

(2)   mount up with wings as eagles

(a)    Isn’t this a symbol of both resurrection and exaltation?

(3)   they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint

(a)    Where do we receive this promise?

(b)   Part of the process of exaltation

(c)    A symbolic promise for this world as well

e)      Reading 5 - Elder Orson F. Whitney wrote: “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God” (quoted in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle [1972], 98).

f)       Reading 6 – Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote: 
“Can we expect to become like Him, given our imperfections, unless we can learn to accept and apply needed reproof and correction . . . ? How essential our capacity to receive correction and reproof is, for ‘he that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.’ (Prov. 15:32) Deserved self-esteem depends upon our meekness.



“In our personal development, the emery wheel of events can polish us, and the sandpaper of circumstances can smooth us. Too often, when so worked upon, we grow fearful instead of being trusting and submissive. But Peter overcame his fearfulness, and so can we.” (Neal A. Maxwell, Even As I Am, p.63)


g)      Patience is a greatly under-appreciated and unrecognized part of the character of a follower of Christ. Being trusting and submissive are the fruits of patience and necessary for us to be prepared to return to Heavenly Father.

h)      The Atonement strengthens us to be able to pass through the polishing and smoothing and purifies our hearts and expands our souls if we will allow it to do so.

3.      We should pray to God in faith

a)      Reading 7 – James 1:5-6

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

i)        Luther criticized James for not teaching faith, but here we have one of the great exhortations to faith

ii)      ASK – If God is is willing to give liberally, are we willing to receive liberally?

iii)    Moroni 10:4 is a closely-related scripture

READ - 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

(1)   Moroni wants us to receive liberally as well.

iv)    Reading 8 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote: "This single verse of scripture has had a greater impact and a more far reaching effect upon mankind than any other single sentence ever recorded by any prophet in any age. It might well be said that the crowning act of the ministry of James was not his martyrdom for the testimony of Jesus, but his recitation, as guided by the Holy Ghost, of these simple words which led to the opening of the heavens in modern times.

    "And it might well be added that every investigator of revealed truth stands, at some time in the course of his search, in the place where Joseph Smith stood. He must turn to the Almighty and gain wisdom from God by revelation if he is to gain a place on that strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life." (DNTC, 3:246-247)

v)      READ James 1:8

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

(1)   Here is a contrast to the men and women described in Verse 6

(2)   Does not ask in faith

(3)   Is wavering

(4)   ASK – Is a double minded man likely to be a patient man?

4.      We should be “doers of the word,” showing our faith by our works

a)      Reading 9 – James 1:22-25,27

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

SKIP

 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

i)        Doers and not hearers

ii)      Verse 23-24 – If someone is only a hearer, he looks into a mirror and sees himself, then forgets who he is

iii)    Verse 25 - If someone is a doer, what is he looking at – the perfect law of liberty, the plan of happiness, the plan of salvation, the fruits of the Atonement

iv)    Can a doer look once?

(1)   Verse 25 - continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer

(2)   Verse 25 - a doer of the work

v)      Verse 27 – James explains what a doer of the work does

(1)   What actions does a follower of Jesus Christ, a person who understands what Christ has done for him through His Atonement, someone who loves the Savior, undertake?

(2)   The same actions Christ commanded Peter to take if Peter loved him.

(3)   He visits the fatherless and widows in their affliction

(a)    Who did Christ visit while He walked the earth?

(b)   Who comforts us when we are afflicted?

vi)    READ – Doctrine and Covenants 6:36-37

36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.

 37 Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.

b)      If we are looking unto Christ with every thought, where will He send us?

i)        To visit the fatherless, the widows, the suffering, the poor.

c)      Faith in Christ is absolutely welded to helping those in need.

d)     READ James 2:14-18

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Conclusion