Outline of James
I. Introduction 1:1
II. Faith at work during trials and
temptations 1:2-18
A. The trials that fall upon people 1:2-12
1. The proper attitude toward trials 1:2-4
2. The provision during trials 1:5-8
3. A primary area of trials: finances 1:9-11
4. The reward from trials 1:12
B. The temptations that people bring
upon themselves 1:13-18
1. The true source of temptation 1:13-15
2. The true nature of God 1:16-18
III. Faith at work through proper
response to the Word of God 1:19-27
A. Mere bearing is insufficient 1:19-21
B. Mere doing is insufficient 1:22-25
C. True faith in action 1:26-27
IV. Faith at work against partiality 2:1-13
A. The exhortation concerning
partiality 2:1
B. The illustration of partiality 2:2-4
C. The arguments against partiality 2:5-13
1. It is inconsistent with one's
conduct 2:5-7
2. It violates God's law 2:8-11
3. It results in God's judgment 2:12-13
V. Working faith, instead of spurious
faith 2:14-26
A. Examples of spurious faith 2:14-20
1. Inactive faith is dead 2:14-17
2. Credal faith is vain 2:18-20
B. Examples of working faith 2:21-26
1. Abraham's faith was perfected
by works 2:21-24
2. Rahab's faith was demonstrated
by works 2:25-26
VI. Faith at work in teaching 3:1-18
A. The teacher's warning 3:1-2a
B. The teacher's tool: the tongue 3:2b-12
1. The tongue, though little,
controls a person 3:2b-5a
2. The careless tongue destroys
others as well as oneself 3:5b-6
3. The wicked tongue is untamable 3:7-8
4. The vile tongue cannot praise
God 3:9-12
C. The teacher's wisdom 3:13-18
1. The wise teacher 3:13
2. Natural or worldly wisdom 3:14-16
3. Heavenly wisdom 3:17-18
VII. Faith at work against worldliness
and strife 4:1-17
A. Natural or worldly desires 4:1-3
B. Natural or worldly affections 4:4-6
C. Exhortations to turn from
worldliness 4:7-10
D. Exhortation against judging a
brother 4:11-12
E. Natural or worldly planning 4:13-17
VIII. Miscellaneous admonitions for
working faith 5:1-20
A. Faith during affliction 5:1-12
1. A warning to the rich who cause
affliction 5:1-6
2. An exhortation to patient
endurance 5:7:12
B. Faith that works through prayer 5:13-18
C. Restoring a brother 5:19-20
