The quiet time regimen that I put together for our teens recently took us through the book of James. As I was reading, I was reminded that James is sometimes called the "Proverbs of the New Testament" because it contains lots of practical wisdom and can seem to jump from topic to topic. However, there are also some big, connecting themes that unites the epistle into more than just a loose string of pithy truths.
James' epistle is a text dedicated to wholeheartedness in the life of the believer: the total unity of body, mind, and heart -- of faith and works -- in comprehensive worship of the Lord. The antithesis of this is divided allegiance between God and the world (4.4), doubt (1.6), double-mindedness and instability (1.8), confusion (3.16), and lack of true saving faith (2.14). James writes to persecuted churches, dispersed from their homes, to remind them of their calling and to warn them of how easy it would be to allow their circumstances to dictate how they act and think, and what they believe. Most of these churches were comprised of Jewish Christians, which meant they carried a lot of cultural baggage with regard to how to properly understand and practice the Law in the light of the gospel, and so James spends a lot of time talking about how to properly apply what he calls the "Law of Liberty" -- not de-systematized freedom from religious obligation, but rather heart-felt obedience to the commands of Christ, done as a response to the free grace of salvation, not as a duty-bound means of obtaining it.
Recorded below are some observations I jotted down as I was reading.
[Jas 1.1-18] James addresses his epistle to the Jewish believers scattered by persecution from their fellow, non-believing Jews (see Acts 8.1-3). This opening section of his letter deals primarily with believers' appropriate responses to suffering, trials, and temptations, as well as helping them to understand the sovereign hand of God in these unfortunate circumstances. In fact, the believer is to see all trials as a means of perfecting faith, not cause to blame the Almighty for leading them astray. From the hand of God comes the Christian's eternal security, any blessings we might receive this side of heaven, and also the trials were experience, which serve the function of helping us change our perspectives on what truly matters. God's goodness is what gave us this existence to begin with. The believer, facing enormous difficulty, has only to petition the Lord for wisdom, asking in faith, and God will supply.
[1.19-27] James exhorts the believers to wait for the righteousness of God, even in persecution: man's wrath won't produce justice or settle the conflict, but God's measured wrath -- one day -- will settle all scores. Our calling is to meekly receive the truth of the gospel, which preserves our souls beyond the experience of suffering. In the meantime, what is required of those who would persevere toward the crown of life (1.12)? Answer: the exercise of self-control, sacrificial service, personal integrity (1.26-27). This type of lifestyle means putting the commands and priorities of God's Word into practice, moving beyond merely hearing and intellectually receiving its teaching, and actually exercising the faith and gifts we've received from the Holy Spirit Someone who does not live as the Word commands is self-deceived, because he thinks he is pleasing the Lord simply by hearing but not responding. Such might be the excuse of Christians experiencing hardships and trials, such as persecution, but this is James' call to faithfulness: true believers hear and obey God's Word by doing what it says, no matter the circumstances, because we have a joy that transcends our trials and orients us toward eternity.
[2.1-13] Speaking to Jewish believers in dispersion, James has an audience that could easily slip back into old ways of thinking -- obeying the Law not from a place of faith, but a place of obligation, preferring certain peoples over others, especially other Jews over Gentile believers, or expecting God to change their misfortunes as a result of their obedience. The Church is growing and expending and diversifying under persecution; there is no room for Christians within the Body to treat others with class distinctions in the way pagan communities might. There is to be no inequality of personhood in the Church -- hence the special care for orphans, widows, and the destitute (1.27). The Church is to vibrantly stand out against the culture by its radically different approach to serving one another, not abusing one another -- that's what the persecutors were doing to the Christians! The entirety of the Law was captured by Jesus: to love the Lord and to love your neighbor as yourself. This "law of liberty," and the constraints placed upon believers by the Apostles' teaching (via the Holy Spirit), are altogether the standard of holiness promoted by OT law, a standard which must be embraced in the heart in order for mercy (2.13) to truly be shown. One cannot hope to show mercy to others if one has not first received mercy from God.
[2.14-26] This conversation, which began with James' exhortation to be doers of the Word and not just hearers (1.22), is pressing toward this key theological understanding: obedience to the Law and obedience to the Word are the manifestation of true saving faith. James is clearly referencing Deuteronomy 6.4-5, the Shema, which Jewish believers would have quoted and known, but which may not have inspired active, wholehearted obedience to the commandments that follow. A faith that has no obedience is a dead and useless faith. This was the condition of ancient Israel, and the Church was already in danger of its members following the same pattern. Abraham and Rahab both demonstrated this principle: they believed, which justified them before God and counted (imputed) as righteousness for salvation, but that faith was also verified ("justified" or "vindicated" is the word James uses) before men by their works of obedience. Believers must -- will -- follow this example, because they are transformed (see 2 Cor 5.17). Faith, when it is true and saving, produces in the believer a receptive and obedient heart. All Christians must therefore demonstrate a faith + works, Romans 12.1-2 lifestyle, which is adherence to the Law of Liberty: freedom from sin, freedom to righteousness, both in status before God and in demonstrable conduct before men.
[3.1-12] In discussing the Christian's earthly goal (pure and undefiled religion before God -- 1.26-27), James foreshadowed a longer conversation regarding the necessity of self-control and reputation with regard to the tongue. After discussing the critical nature of works that prove/verify the Christian's faith, he connects this idea to the topic of edifying, gospel-centered speech. This comes with another warning: as we will be held accountable for our actions, so also we will be held accountable for our words and what they reveal of our hearts (see Matt 12.36). This standard is high for all Christians, but it is even higher for those who are teachers -- elders, leaders, mentors, influencers in the Church. This is because the tongue has incredible power to edify or demolish, to lead to truth or to deceive. Furthermore, the mark of maturity is found in self-control in our speech. How and what we communicate are representative of Christ and how we have been shaped by Him. How we speak to others should not usurp God's place of judgment (4.11). Wisdom is ultimately the discretion of knowing how to speak and act in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord and edifying to man (3.13). God is not pleased by a believer who talks out of both sides of his mouth, is culturally profane, unrestrained, or immature in speech. Speech is a defining quality, for it is out of the heart that the mouth speaks, and therefore acquits or condemns (1.26-27; 3.6; Matt 15.18).
[3.13-18] James is not interested just in actions and works: humans can be pharisaical, boasting of our piety and wisdom but harboring selfishness, pride, and bitterness inside. Our works should verify our faith in the "meekness of wisdom" -- that is, a humility of the heart demonstrating that truth has penetrated not just our heads, but also our hearts. All of our speech and conduct should be windows into our hearts. Wisdom is the right knowledge of how to speak and act in a God-honoring, man-edifying manner, and it comes from a place of internal transformation. The sign that this genuine change has happened is found in how the individual responds to criticism, hardships, and people: are we compassionate and merciful? Are we approachable and humble? Are we patient and gentle? Are we sincere? Do we only choose to listen to people who think like we do? Are we in the business of seeking and making peace? These are the characteristic pursuits of a heart transformed, manifesting faith via proper speech and conduct. The opposite will eventually be revealed for what it truly is: wanton selfishness, ambition, disorder, vile and demonic practices. But ultimately, the harvest -- at the end of the "season" -- is what will reveal the wheat and the chaff (see 5.7-8). True, God will judge our works (5.9), but first He judges our hearts to ensure they belong to Him.
[4.1-10] The types of disorder, vile practice, and selfish ambition that James referenced in 3.16 are the underlying source of conflict among the believers in 4.1ff. When we exercise the "meekness of wisdom" (3.13), we practice peacemaking selflessness; when we are motivated by self-centered arrogance, we are exercising friendship with the world, and trending down the progression of sin (see 1.14-15). The underlying issue is the motive: the heart wants, creates idols, and craves. This lifestyle is more becoming a child of the world than a child of God, for whom Christ paid the highest price. Perhaps the single most important factor in our relationship to God (and to others!) is a spirit of humility, which provides the necessary platform for the selfless type of love that does not seek its own way (1 Cor 13.5). The Christian must submit himself to God, not to his own desires. This type of genuine humility brings great reward in God's kingdom.
[4.11-5.6] While arrogant and judgmental behavior is unbecoming a believer in any scenario, it is especially damaging when such behavior is directed toward another Christian. Christ has redeemed both individuals; how can you presume to act as the Lawgiver when there is only One who can adequately and justly fulfill this role? Whether or not a brother has wronged us, our role in conflict is still subordinate to the Law and its Lawgiver; none of us is the Judge, jury, and executioner of God's Law! James is shifting in this section to addressing presumptuous behaviors, which result from arrogance and are the enemy of the applications his epistle has been pressing. Overconfidence in presuming on time and financial security are both attitudes with an unwarranted sense of entitlement. Time is in the hands of the Maker and is only a gift to be used appropriately while it is here. We aren't guaranteed more of it. Money similarly is not a lasting commodity. James seems to allude to Jesus' teaching on where treasures should be "laid up" (see Matt 6.16-21), reminding the persecuted believers in dispersion that the pursuit of wealth and prestige did nothing to protect them when persecution came, and would ultimately fail again if that became their aim. Wealth should never be a means of exploitation or self-indulgence, but exclusively a means of increasing service. Furthermore, it is the brother of "low degree" (1.9) -- the humble, poor, persecuted believer -- not the comfortably rich land-owner who is in a better position to know everlasting wealth, because he pursues a crown of life that will not perish instead of earthly comfort (1.12).
[5.7-12] Here, James returns to his opening exhortation: believers should count it a unique opportunity for joy even when trials come. Suffering is just the waiting process for the inevitable harvest (5.7; 3.18). The Lord's coming is perhaps "slow" by human reckoning, but it is nevertheless imminent -- that is, it could happen at any moment. In order to persevere, we must remember the examples of faith and endurance set by our spiritual predecessors. They too lived through suffering and trials, keeping their eyes on the God of Heaven and the reward at the end. Even in examples of suffering like Job's, where the suffering seemed heavy and meaningless in the moment, God still proved Himself steadfast and compassionate. He operates the same way with his children today. Our confident expectations should be in Him and His promises, not in our abilities or words of oath. Our obedience is possible because He helps us, not because we swear to fulfill our end of the bargain. Ultimately, all our boasting must be in Christ (1 Cor 1.31). The epistle's call for the believer to remain "steadfast" under trials (1.2-4, 12) is only possible because God Himself is steadfast (see Ex 34.6-7).
[5.13-20] As he concludes the epistle, James reminds the suffering believers of their recourses: prayer and community. Our prayerful worship can appropriately vary in tone with our current circumstances, but the common thread is a joy surpassing the mere emotions of the moment. In cases of serious illnesses, suffering believers may request the elders of their church family to pray for them, anointing with oil. This act is intended to remind the believer of his/her chosen, called, and sanctified status, set apart for the Lord's own purpose. The prayer of the Apostles and laying on of hands could work miracles of healing by the Spirit's power during the New Testament era; in our modern context, the prayer of the elders, symbolic anointing, and laying on of hands is all done to petition the Lord to act, not to indicate special apostolic power in the elders' authority. To the contrary, this concluding section of James' letter is driving home the power of prayer, which is intended to work first toward the spiritual healing of souls and the increasing of faith, and second to entrust physical healing to the Lord. This, of course, does not replace the necessary practical steps of seeking medical aid, nor does it rule out the possibility of the Holy Spirit to perform a spontaneous miracle of divine healing. As a poignant reminder, James points to Elijah, who was "like us" in faith, and saw God powerfully answer his prayers. We too serve this one true God, who can act in supernatural ways should He so choose. Ultimately, the Church community exists for rescue: to evangelize the lost, to encourage the suffering, and to confront and restore the wayward. James' final point is that steadfastness in all of these areas depends ultimately on prayerful reliance upon God, and that such exercise of prayer must be done completely in faith (1.6).
