The Zone Gathering

The book of James, if one were to summarize it succinctly, is a treatise on faith that works. It is about practical righteousness. It was written by the half-brother of Jesus who, instead of emphasizing his physical relationship with Christ, chose to identify himself as “a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:1). James became a pillar of the church, a leader of the council of Jerusalem, and a friend of Peter and Paul.

James addressed his epistle to “the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad,” indicating a readership of Jewish Christians living outside of Palestine. This was the only epistle James wrote, and it is believed to have been written sometime in the A.D. 50s. James was martyred for Christ around A.D. 62.

James addresses several topics in his letter, but none are more prevalent than the relationship between faith and works. Throughout the book, James employs a pattern of first introducing a subject by making a statement or giving an instruction. Once the subject is introduced, he usually follows with more instructions concerning that subject, or he gives an illustration or explanation of it. For example, in James 1:2 he says to “consider it all joy…when you encounter various trials” and follows this by offering an instruction to ask God when you lack wisdom (1:5).

In his main theme, practical faith, James demonstrates that the acid test of true faith is in the “doing” rather than the “hearing.” Many scholars are quick to note that James is not arguing that a person is saved by what he or she does (works); however, he clearly makes a distinction between faith that is a mere intellectual assent and one that is vibrant and proven by works. He stresses that “faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (2:17). He lays out this case throughout the entire book.

Test of Faith (1:1-18)

Christians, as you all know, do not become immune to or sheltered from trials and temptations once they have put their faith in Christ. For many, faith is tested by those moments when our earthly confidence is shaken. In this passage, James reveals the correct response to both trials and temptations. We are to “consider it all joy” when we encounter trials and realize that God is not the source of our temptations (1:13-14).

Characteristics of Faith (1:9 to 5:6)

James spends the majority of his book outlining what faith should look like when lived out in a practical manner. He instructs his readers to “be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger” (1:19). He stresses the importance of faith that obeys the word and takes action (1:19-27). This faith also should not discriminate or play favorites (2:1-13).

Faith proves itself by its works (2:14-26). As noted earlier, we are called to live out our faith in a real and practical way. It is not enough to acknowledge Jesus with our mouths. If our lives are not lived in a way that brings glory to Him by our obedience, our faith is lacking.

James also demonstrates the “restless evil” of the tongue and shows how only the power of God applied by an active faith can tame it (3:1-12). Just as there are good and bad uses of the tongue (blessing v. cursing; see 3:9-12), there also are demonic and divine manifestations of wisdom (3:13-18). James uses this passage to contrast human wisdom with divine wisdom. No wonder he began his book by exhorting us to ask God (”who gives to all men generously and without reproach;” 1:5) for wisdom!

In Chapter 4, James outlines the relationship between faith and humility. We are instructed to “submit to God,” to “draw near” to Him, to “cleanse (y)our hands” and “purify (y)our hearts” (4:7-8). This submission and humility enables God to perfect our faith. In fact, James tells us that when we humble ourselves in the Lord’s presence, He will exalt us (4:10). He follows this by reminding us of the uncertainty of life and showing that faith produces dependence on God (4:12-17).

Triumph of Faith (5:7-20)

James concludes his epistle focusing on the importance of patience and prayer as believers await the return of Jesus Christ. We are instructed to “be patient…until the coming of the Lord” and to “strengthen (y)our hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (5:7-8). In short, we are called to endure.

James also lays out our responsibilities in faith to one another. We are called to pray. This prayer should happen when we are cheerful and when we are afflicted (5:13-15). We are called, as leaders, to pray for healing and forgiveness of sins for those who suffer in our midst (5:14-15). James instructs us to “confess (y)our sins to one another” and to “pray for one another” (5:16), encouraging that “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (5:16). Our prayer can even help to turn sinners from the error of their ways (5:20).

James is such a challenging book to read because he lays the cards right there on the table. Are we going to remain “hearers” of the word, or are we going to obey God’s commands and become “doers?” We cannot bluff our way through faith — it has to be practical and it has to be real. That is the faith that counts with God.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 8th, 2006 at 9:12 am and is filed under Bible Drills. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.