Hello Friends!
Welcome to a new multi-week Monday morning Daily Devotions
summer series titled
“The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work!”
This
week we will begin our reading of verses 1-11
in chapter 1 as
we consider our Triumph In Trials…
James
was the oldest half-brother of Jesus Christ (see Mark 6:3) and blood-brother of Jude
(see Matthew 13:55), of whom also wrote the
epistle that bears his name (see Jude 1). James had at first “rejected” Jesus Christ as “Messiah” (see John 7:5), but later “believed” on Him (see 1 Corinthians 15:7).
James became the key leader in the Jerusalem church (see Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18 &
Galatians 2:12) and was referred to as
one of the “pillars” along
with Peter and John (see Galatians 2:9). James was also known as
“James the Just” because of
his devotion to “righteousness”
and wrote with the authority of one who had personally “seen” the “resurrected”
Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15:7). James was also
recognized as an associate of the Apostles (see Galatians 1:19). And as outlined in Acts 15, James was also the leader of – The Jerusalem Counsel!
Some
people often compare or even challenge the “teachings”
of James with the Apostle Paul. In the book of Romans,
Paul was asking the question: "How is
salvation received?" And Paul's answer is always
by “faith” in
Jesus Christ “alone.” James
was asking the question: "How is
salvation verified?" And James’ answer is always
by "works” for
Jesus Christ “alone.” Our “salvation” is received
by “faith” and it is verified
by “works.” There is no
conflict here – Only perfect harmony!
It
is interesting to note that James does not deal with the essence
of “salvation” itself. In
other words, there's nothing mentioned about the “crucifixion” or the “resurrection”
of Jesus Christ. There is nothing mentioned about the “deity” of Jesus Christ, “justification” or “regeneration.” These “doctrines” are not mentioned at all by
James. Why? – Because they are
assumed!
Please join us over the next few months as we learn more about a “Christian” life “lived” in the
light of true “faith” in Jesus Christ – Enjoy!
The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work!
Similar
in nature to the book of 1 John,
James’ entire excellent epistle also outlines the “tests” of a living, active and true “faith” of which are all related to how a “Christian” lives and
how they behave. It isn't a question of what you say
you “believe,” it's a question
of how you “live”
for Jesus Christ. In other words, it doesn't matter what you claim
with your lips and it doesn't matter what religious activities you
might perform with your hands… If there is an absence of
truly “righteous”
Christ-centered “works”
empowered by the Holy Spirit in a professing believer’s life, it betrays
– An unredeemed heart!
An Outline of James:
The Test of Perseverance in
Suffering
(1:2-12)
The Test of Blame in Temptation (1:13-18)
The Test of Response to the Word
of God (1:19-27)
The Test of Impartial Love (2:1-13)
The Test of Righteous Works for
God (2:14-26)
The Test of the Tongue (3:1-12)
The Test of Humble Wisdom (3:13-18)
The Test of Worldly Indulgence (4:1-12)
The Test of Dependence on God (4:13-17)
The Test of Patient Endurance (5:1-11)
The Test of Truthfulness (5:12)
The Test of Prayerfulness (5:13-18)
The Test of True Faith in Jesus
Christ (5:19-20)
James
also writes with a devotion to direct and poignant statements on wise living
that is reminiscent of the book of Proverbs.
He holds to a very practical emphasis that does not focus
on theoretical head “knowledge”
– But upon godly “behavior.”
James also wrote with a passionate “desire”
for his readers to be uncompromisingly “obedient” – To
the Word of God!
Greetings from James
With
that brief introduction in mind, let's meet the author of this excellent
epistle:
James, a bondservant of God and
of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:
Greetings – James 1:1
James,
a “bondservant of God” – “doulos”
of God = slave – writes a “Greeting”
to the “twelve tribes” of Jews
“scattered abroad” of whom are
among the “believers” of the
first-century “church” in
Jerusalem. The Greek order of this passage reads like this:
"James,
of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, a servant.”
In
other words, James says “I'm just a slave”
of “God” and of the “Lord Jesus Christ” – A humble servant!
IMPORTANT QUESTION: Does James have two
“Lords” as some “scholars”
have claimed? NO! These very humble words are expressive
of his devoted “submission” to
Jesus Christ – “God” – the One
James grew up with as a child but didn't “believe”
upon until he “saw” Him in His
“resurrection” body.
Incidentally, James refers to “Jesus Christ”
as “Lord” fourteen
times in this great epistle – To the
glory of God!
The
“scattering”
James speaks of here began to take place as a result of the events outlined in Acts 7 when Stephen was stoned as well as
those outlined in Acts 8 when Paul
begins his “persecution”
against the “church” of which
was further “scattered” as a
result. These historic first-century events occurred around 35 A.D.
Incidentally, it was approximately 50 A.D. when the “Council of Jerusalem” over which James
presided described in Acts 15 took
place. It was somewhere in this 15-year “gap” of “church” history when this great epistle was written – Under the leadership of James!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: As is true of Jude – the writer of the epistle that bears
his name – James is also the half-brother of our Lord. When Jesus Christ was “firstborn” into this world, His mother was
a “virgin” woman. However, after
the “incarnate” birth of Jesus
Christ, His mother Mary and her husband Joseph went on to bear other
children – “brothers” and “sisters” – and the eldest was named “James”:
Is not this the carpenter, the
son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon and are not
His sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him – Mark
6:3
These
siblings were half “brothers”
and “sisters” in the sense
that Jesus Christ was the only “virgin-born”
child of Mary and not the biological child of Joseph.
Nonetheless, they were considered to be the “brothers”
and “sisters” of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, the “false doctrine”
known as the Perpetual Virginity of Mary is not only unbiblical
– It is demonic in nature!
Our Triumph in Trials
When
James takes this first opportunity to speak to his “scattered” flock, he is most concerned
about the genuineness of their “faith."
And so he gives them a series of “tests”
– To measure their profession of faith!
The
first serious “test” of true “faith” is “patience” through “various trials“ of “suffering” and “hardships”
in life:
My
brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing
that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its
perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing – James
1:2-4
Here
James is saying that what happens to a person during “trials” in life is a “test” of whether they have true “saving faith.” When “God” puts someone through a “test” or “trial”
and if he's a true “believer”
he will “count it all” what? “Joy!” The perseverance of a true
“believer” is a sign of
Biblical “faith.” Therefore, “we” will “persevere”
and become strong & victorious “knowing” that it produces “perfect and complete”
endurance and “patience“
– Lacking nothing!
The
second serious “test” of true “faith” is reliability on the “wisdom” of “God”
and His sustenance for life:
If any
of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without
reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in
faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and
tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will
receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his
ways – James 1:5-8
Here
James says “wisdom”
is available “liberally”
and “without reproach”
to the true “believer”
and is “received”
directly from “God” for the
asking! However, don't think you have true “faith” if it is “doubting” in nature or if you're “double minded” and “unstable” in “all your ways” of life. A false
“faith” is as a “wave of the sea driven and tossed
by the wind” and is powerless to “save” a “soul”
from “sin” and hell. This kind
of “asking” is actually doubt
looking for proof and is NOT true
Biblical “faith” – In Jesus Christ!
Our Perception of Rich and Poor
The
third serious “test” of true “faith” pertains to our financial
perspective of life:
Let the
lowly brother glory in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because
as a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen
with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its
beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his
pursuits – James 1:9-11
What
James is saying here is we are not to base our “salvation”
on whether we are “rich” or “lowly” in our financial standings. The “lowly brother”
should “glory” in his “exaltation”
before the Lord and the “rich
brother” should “glory” in his “humiliation” before the Lord. Why?
Because the “grass”
and the “flower”
will “fail” & “perish” just
as the “rich man”
will “fade away”
in his “pursuits”
of worldly pleasures apart from the “Lord” Himself – Foolish and fatal living!
In closing:
James
provides us a series of “tests”
as to the validity of true “salvation”
in Jesus Christ. A verbal, intellectual assent to the “truth” of God is useless
unless there is the demonstration of a transformed life
that is marked by the “righteousness”
of Jesus Christ. Intellectual perfunctory and ritualistic, external religiosity
without the evidence of a transformed life in becoming a “new creation”
in Jesus Christ is an abomination to God – And
is very common!
In
fact, the Apostle Paul had this to say pertaining to the “new creation” in Jesus Christ:
Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new – 2 Corinthians 5:17
The
“genuineness” of something “valuable” is affirmed through a process of
examination – a “testing”
time. Anything that is of intrinsic value such as gold or silver is subjected
to rigorous “testing” to
affirm its true worth. And the most valuable
commodity in all the “world”
is that of “eternal salvation”
– It is absolutely priceless!
With
that said, to have a right “relationship”
with the living “God” is to
possess the most valuable possession in existence! Many
people who “believe” they have
this “eternal life” from “God” should also subject it to the Biblical
process of “testing” to
determine its – True validity…
Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s continued study of The
Book of James: Putting Faith to Work!…
May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect
love, mercy and grace!
Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah
and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!
Blessings!
Shane <><
