James by Ryan Lowery (2020)

The book of James is often misunderstood and many argue that James and Paul contradict one another. However, a close reading of James--one that keeps in mind his audience and cultural context--reveals that James and Paul believe in the same gospel, but are writing to two different groups for very different purposes. From the book of James, we learn what a mature Christian faith looks like in action.

James urges his readers to persevere through suffering and even consider it joy. He elaborates that we can have joy in trials because we know that God promises to use it for our growth and that suffering can bring us near to God in a way nothing else can. Principles for mature suffering are still just as applicable for Christians today and include considering it joy, knowing that God can bring good from it, asking God honest questions, and enduring in faith.

James continues to urge believers to live mature Christian lives, this time focusing on withstanding temptation. Temptation is not a sin, but left unchecked it can lead to desire, then lust, and finally sinful actions. Christians must remember that God never tempts us and will help us withstand temptation, but the battle is won or lost at the start, before it becomes lust.

James is teaching to a Jewish Christian audience in the early years after Jesus' ministry when Christianity was only a decade old. The Jews were experiencing a major spiritual paradigm shift. in their previous faith, they tended to view people and treat people based on their success or status. James emphasizes not showing favoritism in the Body of Christ but to treat all people as equally valuable, children of God. God does not look at the outer man but at the heart

James argues that faith without works is a dead faith. Faith and works are not enemies, but they are united. Although we are not saved by works, we do demonstrate the authenticity of our faith by our works. Saving faith is an invisible transaction between God and the receiver of His grace. Works are the visible response to the salvation received. Works demonstrate to a watching word that our faith is genuine and inspires others to learn more about this God we follow.

James describes the power of our speech, for either evil or good in the lives of others, calling on all Christians, particularly those who teach the Bible, to prayerfully use their words to build up and encourage. He uses a variety of images to describe the need to control our speech, including fire and a ship's rudder, and the need for us to represent Christ and his love in our speech. Our culture badly needs encouraging, loving, constructive words, and Christians, under grace, can offer this.

James says one of the qualities of a mature Christian is developing and acting out of wisdom--the ability to properly apply knowledge about God to everyday living. Wisdom produces the ability to live out the good life God intends for people, but often seems counter-intuitive to our common understanding (man's wisdom). If we trust in God's wisdom and not our own natural wisdom we will find peace, relational unity, and more benefits, while James says relying on our own wisdom will yield jealousy, selfish ambition, and other negative results. If we will trust Him, God is always ready to help us grow in His wisdom, even if we've failed in the past.

The Kosmos--the world system that stands in opposition to God and His will--draws people toward a selfish point of view and lifestyle, which leads to destruction in their life. The Kosmos distracts us away from the good life that God has created us to have, and away from the true needs of others that He wants us to help meet. For Christians, James describes obedience to the Kosmos as being spiritual adultery, and calls on us to take these failings seriously. The good news is, as we turn to Him for mercy, God offers us forgiveness and a restoration to usefulness.

We learn from the book of James that God's wisdom is often different from ours, and often calls on us to be others-centered instead self-centered, our default perspective. This comes to bear as we make decisions, and James gives us insight into biblical decision making. A wise person will bring God into their decisions. In this passage in James, and in other passages in the Bible, we find practical guidance encouraging us to use prayer, scripture, mature counsel, and other elements to guide our decisions.

In chapter 5, James describes the mature believer as one who understands the perils of wealth. This teaching discusses the common pitfalls that affluence brings.

As James has demonstrated through his book, the world in which we live can prove unfair and harsh for believers in Jesus, but a mature Christian has learned to be patient in the midst of difficulty. James offers that someday Jesus will return, and the world will be put right. We should cling to that promise as our only true hope, and should wait patiently for now, engaging in the good works that will draw people to God, the only source of true good. We should also speak truthfully about God, even if we encounter opposition.

Does God heal the sick every time we pray in faith for them? And what are the keys to effective prayer? James covers these and other key questions in this short paragraph about prayer.