Book of James Quiz: Part 1

1. Who is the author of the book of James, and to whom is it addressed?

1. James of Jerusalem, to the Gentile converts who were struggling with the relationship between faith and the Mosaic law
2. James the Less, a minor apostle, to Jewish Christians who were abandoning their faith under Roman persecution
3. James the son of Zebedee and brother of John, to the churches of Asia Minor
4. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations

2. James 1:2-4 opens with a counter-intuitive command about trials. What does James tell his readers to do when they face trials?

1. Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds — because testing produces perseverance which must finish its work to make you mature and complete
2. Endure trials patiently, trusting that God will eventually deliver you from them
3. Pray without ceasing and God will either remove the trial or give you the strength to bear it
4. Stand firm in trials, knowing that God will not allow you to be tested beyond what you can bear

3. If anyone lacks wisdom during trials, James gives a specific instruction. What is it, and what conditions does he attach?

1. Ask God for wisdom — he gives generously to all without finding fault — but ask in faith, without doubting, not like a wave of the sea driven by the wind
2. Fast and pray until God reveals his purpose — perseverance in prayer brings wisdom
3. Read the scriptures diligently and wisdom will come through meditation on God's word
4. Seek wisdom from the elders of the church who have experience of suffering

4. James 1:9-11 addresses both rich and poor believers. What does he say about each?

1. Believers in humble circumstances should take pride in their high position; the rich should take pride in their humiliation, for the rich will fade away like a wild flower
2. God has no favourites — rich and poor are equally valued and equally accountable before him
3. The poor are more blessed in God's sight and will receive their reward; the rich must give away their wealth to prove their faith
4. The poor should be content and the rich should be generous — both attitudes are required by the gospel

5. James 1:13-14 addresses the origin of temptation. What does James say is NOT the source of temptation, and what IS?

1. God tests us but does not tempt us — testing is from God but temptation is from Satan who uses our weaknesses
2. Temptation comes from the world around us — not from God who is holy and cannot tempt anyone
3. Temptation does not come from God — when tempted, no one should say God is tempting me. Each person is tempted by their own evil desire, which drags them away and entices them
4. Temptation does not come from Satan — it comes from our own desires which entice and drag us away

6. James 1:17 contains a beautiful description of God's character. What does it say about him?

1. 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows'
2. 'God is faithful — he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, and with every trial he provides a way out'
3. 'God is love — and this love never changes, never fails and never ends, for he is the same yesterday, today and forever'
4. 'The Father of lights gives wisdom to all who ask — he is not stingy with his gifts to those who trust him'

7. James 1:19 gives three famous practical commands about communication and anger. What are they?

1. Be truthful in all your speech, be slow to judge, and be quick to forgive
2. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry
3. Listen more than you speak, speak truth in love, and let anger lead you to prayer not retaliation
4. Speak only when spoken to, think before you answer, and never let the sun go down on your anger

8. James uses a mirror analogy in 1:23-25 to describe someone who hears the word but does not act on it. What does he say?

1. Anyone who hears the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like
2. They are like a lamp put under a bowl — the light is there but hidden and useless to others
3. They are like a man who builds a house on sand — it looks good from the outside but collapses when tested
4. They are like a vine that produces leaves but no fruit — impressive in appearance but empty of what matters

9. James 1:26-27 gives a striking definition of religion that God considers 'pure and faultless.' What is it?

1. Acceptable worship is offering your body as a living sacrifice — holy and pleasing to God
2. Pure and faultless religion is to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world
3. True religion is keeping the commandments, attending worship and giving to the poor
4. True religion is loving God with all your heart and your neighbour as yourself — everything else flows from this

10. James 2:1-4 addresses favouritism in the church assembly. What scenario does he describe to illustrate the problem?

1. A man with gold rings and fine clothes is shown to the best seat while a poor man in shabby clothes is told to stand or sit on the floor
2. A wealthy church member sits at the front while a poor widow is told there is no room for her in the building
3. Certain members are greeted warmly while those with disabilities or unfashionable appearance are avoided
4. Wealthy members are invited to speak while poor members' contributions to the discussion are ignored or interrupted

11. James 2:10 states a principle about the relationship between different laws. What does he say?

1. 'Breaking any commandment is a serious matter but breaking the royal law of love is the greatest sin'
2. 'For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it'
3. 'The greatest commandments encompass all others — love fulfils the whole law'
4. No commandment is more important than another — they are all equally binding on God's people

12. James 2:14-26 is the famous passage on faith and works. What is James's central argument about faith without deeds?

1. 'What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead'
2. Faith without works is incomplete — a believer who lacks works needs more teaching to grow
3. Faith without works reflects an immature faith — it will eventually produce fruit if nurtured correctly
4. Works are the evidence of faith but not its cause — the absence of works may indicate a faith under stress, not a dead faith

13. James uses two Old Testament examples to demonstrate that faith expresses itself in action. Who are they?

1. Abraham and Rahab — Abraham was considered righteous when he offered Isaac; Rahab was considered righteous when she hid the spies
2. David and Daniel — David faced Goliath in faith; Daniel refused to stop praying in faith
3. Moses and Elijah — Moses obeyed God at the Red Sea; Elijah obeyed God on Mount Carmel
4. Noah and Gideon — Noah built the ark by faith; Gideon attacked Midian with three hundred men in faith

14. James 3:1 contains a warning about teaching. What does he say?

1. 'Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly'
2. 'The teacher of God's word bears a heavy responsibility — they shape the faith of those who hear them'
3. 'Those who teach are held to a higher standard — be sure your life matches your words before you teach others'
4. Do not rush to become a teacher — the teacher's calling is the most demanding of all Christian ministries

15. James 3:3-5 uses two vivid analogies to describe the power of the tongue. What are they?

1. A bit in a horse's mouth that controls the whole animal, and a small rudder that turns a large ship in the wind — then: just so the tongue, a small part, makes great boasts
2. A compass that steers a ship and a spark that starts a fire — small instruments that control large outcomes
3. A seed that grows into a tree and a leaven that works through the whole dough — small beginnings with large consequences
4. An arrow once loosed cannot be recalled, and fire once started cannot be controlled — both illustrate why the tongue must be restrained

16. James 3:6 makes a shocking statement about the tongue. What does he say it is?

1. A double-edged sword that can save or destroy — handle it only with the greatest care
2. A reservoir of the heart's content — what comes out of the mouth reveals what is stored within
3. A world of evil among the parts of the body — it corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell
4. An untameable beast that poisons every relationship it touches and cannot be safely unleashed

17. James 3:7-8 points out the unique problem with the tongue compared to wild animals. What is it?

1. 'A wild animal attacks only when cornered — the tongue strikes at any moment without warning or reason'
2. 'All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison'
3. 'Animals are predictable once you know their nature — the tongue cannot be predicted even by the one who owns it'
4. Animals can be domesticated by training but the tongue becomes more dangerous with age

18. James 3:9-12 points out a fundamental inconsistency in how people use the tongue. What contradiction does he identify?

1. 'We speak kindly to those who can benefit us and harshly to those who cannot — this inconsistency reveals what we truly value'
2. 'We speak of love for God but hatred for our neighbour — our theology and our ethics are completely disconnected'
3. 'With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be'
4. People speak blessings in worship but complaints at home — the same tongue serves two masters

19. James 3:13 introduces the theme of wisdom. What question does he open with, and what does he say genuine wisdom looks like?

1. 'Is wisdom found in age or in experience? Let your life answer the question — wisdom that does not transform the liver is not wisdom at all'
2. 'Where does true wisdom come from? From God alone — and those who possess it are known by their peace and their purity'
3. 'Who among you is truly wise? Wisdom is not demonstrated by words but by understanding the deep things of God'
4. 'Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom'

20. James 3:17 lists the qualities of the wisdom that comes from above. Which of these qualities is NOT in James's list?

1. Bold, courageous and willing to confront sin
2. Full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere
3. Peace-loving, considerate, submissive
4. Pure