The global church does well to remember that we are called to be in the world but not of it ( John 17:14–16). James reminds us that “friendship with the world is enmity with God” ( James 4:4). Chapter 4 of James deals with the quarrels and fights and pride that come from worldliness. Echoing the teaching of Jesus, James reminds us that our words are simply the overflow of what is within us ( 3:10–12 compare Matt. Like a rudder on a ship or a bit in the mouth of a horse, the tongue is small but is able to direct the whole course of our lives. With striking imagery, he shows how the impact of what we say with the tongue is all out of proportion to the size of this small body part. James mentions the use of the tongue a few times in chapters 1 and 2 (e.g., James 1:19 2:12) then in chapter 3 he turns his full attention to this important topic. The question James raises is, what kind of faith saves ( James 2:14)? Authentic religion, expressing authentic faith, consists of not only orthodox theology but also upright living ( 1:26–27). The apostle Paul and James agree that it is faith alone that saves. The question here is not whether we are saved by faith alone or by faith plus works. in step with the truth of the gospel” ( Gal. James is impatient with those who hear the word but do not do it ( James 1:22–25) and those who profess faith but do not live it out ( 2:14–26). To a contemporary world drunk with the desire for material wealth, James reminds us of the emptiness of such pursuits and the final judgment that is fast approaching.Ī living faith. “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you” ( 5:1). “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom?” ( 2:5). “Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation” ( 1:9–10). Each time, he says just the opposite of what the world says about money. Throughout his letter James raises the issue of wealth ( James 1:9–11 2:1–7 5:1–6). In 1:2 James refers to hardships “of various kinds.” Whatever global Christians are suffering today, they must be patient and steadfast ( 5:7–11). James returns to this theme at the end of the letter, and there too he links suffering with steadfastness ( 5:7–11). James begins by urging his readers to gladly receive the trials that wash into their lives, since these trials produce steadfastness ( James 1:2–4). Throughout James the church is confronted with several strong exhortations as to how wisdom works, all of which speak clearly to the church today. Global Exhortations from JamesĪs with Proverbs, the main point of James is that godly wisdom works. Indeed, Jesus himself is the true and ultimate embodiment of wisdom: he is the one “who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” ( 1 Cor. It is for those who, though sinners, have been redeemed by Jesus Christ. The letter of James enables God’s people to flourish as they journey through life in this fallen world. To live wisely is to act with humble integrity. A wise person exhibits a godly kind of skill in the practical matters of everyday life. Wisdom in Jewish tradition and Scripture does not refer to intelligence in a strictly intellectual way but rather to upright living. Much like Proverbs in the Old Testament, James should be seen as an example of Jewish wisdom literature. The grand theme of the book of James is wisdom. A transformed life of love for others should be the result of experiencing God’s love. The message of James is that those who have been truly saved through the gospel must manifest that salvation in practical ways in their lives.
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