The Book of James: REVISITED Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 1: Verses 1-11)

Hello Friends!

Welcome to a REVISITED serious “study” series surveying the powerful book of James in considering the TRUE calling of the “Christian” life as directed throughout this excellent Epistle – “Putting Faith to Work!”

The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 1: Verses 1-11)

¹James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. ² My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; ³ Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. ⁴ But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. ⁵ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. ⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. ⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. ⁹ Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: ¹⁰ But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. ¹¹ For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways – James 1:1-11

OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: ”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 engaging “epistle” that boldly bears his name (see Jude 1). ”James” had at first “rejected” the lauded “Lord Jesus Christ” as the PROMISED mandated “Messiah” (see John 7:5), but later “believed” on Him (see 1 Corinthians 15:7). ”James” became the key LEADER in the “Jerusalem” congregation (see Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18 and Galatians 2:12) and was rightly REFERRED to as one of the “pillars” along with “Peter” and “John” (see Galatians 2:9). ”James” was also KNOWN in kind as “James the Just” because of his deep DEVOTION to real “righteousness” and wrote with the AUTHORITY of one who personally had surely “seen” the “resurrected” righteous “Jesus Christ” Himself (see 1 Corinthians 15:7). ”James” was also RECOGNIZED as an associate of the “Apostles” themselves (see Galatians 1:19). And as outlined in Acts 15 he was also the LEADER of the – Jerusalem Counsel!

Folks often compare or even challenge the tantamount “teachings” of ”James” with the ardent “Apostle Paul” in kind. In the book of Romans, the purposed “Paul” was aptly asking the question: "How is salvation RECEIVED?" And his answer is ALWAYS finalized by “faith” found ONLY in “Jesus Christ” and ”James” was aptly asking the question: "How is salvation VERIFIED?" And his answer is ALWAYS beset by "works” worked FOR our Justifier “Jesus Christ” Himself. Therefore, “salvation” is received by “faith” and it is verified by “works.” There is NO conflict found here – Only PERFECT Harmony!

It is interesting to note that ”James” does NOT deal with the essence of “salvation” itself, as there is nothing mentioned about the “crucifixion” or the “resurrection” of “Jesus Christ” discussed. There is nothing mentioned about the “deity” of “Jesus Christ” or of “justification” nor of “regeneration” recited. These Divine “doctrines” are NOT mentioned at all by ”James” himself. WHY? Because they are – Aptly ASSUMED!

Similar in nature to the book of 1 John, the ENTIRE epistle of ”James” also outlines the trying “tests” of a living, active and true found “faith” of which are rightly RELATED to how a “Christian” lovingly lives and bravely behaves as such. It is NOT a question of what you say you “believe” in heart. Rather, it IS a question of how you “live” for “Jesus Christ” in full. In other words, it doesn't matter WHAT you claim with your lips and it doesn't matter WHAT particular religious activities you might perform with your hands held… If there is an obvious absence of real “righteous” caring 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)

Brother ”James” also writes with a devotion to DIRECT and poignant statements on wise LIVING that is reminiscent of the book of Proverbs in kind. And he holds to a very practical emphasis that does NOT focus on theoretical head “knowledge” alone, 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 AUTHENTIC author of this excellent epistle:

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting – James 1:1

“James” says he is a bold “servant of God” – Greek word “doulos” meaning “SLAVE”– as he writes a ground-breaking GREETING to the “twelve tribes” of Jews “scattered abroad” of whom are cast among the bewildered “believers” of the first-century “church” set in “Jerusalem” proper. The Greek order of this passage reads like this:

"James, of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, a servant.”

In other words, “James” surely says “I'm simply a SLAVE” of whom was SUBMITTED unto our great “God” and “of“ our loving “Lord Jesus Christ” – A HUMBLE Servant!

THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Does “James” have TWO looming “Lords” as some so-called sordid “scholars” have claimed? NO! These very HUMBLE words are expressive of his devoted “submission” to his loving “Lord Jesus Christ” as his grand – “God” – the One “James” grew up with as a child but did NOT personally “believe” upon until he “saw” Him in His “resurrection” body…

…For neither did his brethren believe in him – John 7:5

Incidentally, “James” rightly refers directly to “Jesus Christ” as his loving “Lord” some fourteen times in this great epistle to the great – GLORY of God!

HISTORICAL HINTS: The “scattering” of which “James” speaks of here BEGAN to take place as a result of the events outlined in Acts 7 when “Stephen” was STONED to death 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 the year 35 A.D. Incidentally, it was approximately the year 50 A.D. when the “Council of Jerusalem” over which “James” had presided over described in Acts 15 took place. It was somewhere in this 15-year span of “church” honored HISTORY when this great epistle was “written” under the loving – LEADERSHIP of James!

As is true of “Jude” – the writer of the excellent “epistle” that bears his name – “James” is also the half-brother of our “Lord” in kind. When “Jesus Christ” Himself was “firstborn” into this waning “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” as such:

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him – Mark 6:3

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: These siblings were half “brothers” and “sisters” in the sense that “Jesus Christ” was the ONLY vindicated “virgin-born” child of “Mary” and NOT the biological child of “Joseph” born. Nonetheless, they were considered to be the “brothers” and “sisters” of “Jesus Christ” as such. Therefore, the “false doctrine” known as the “Perpetual Virginity of Mary” is not only unbiblical it is deeply – Demonic DECEPTION!

Triumph IN Trials!

Here “James” takes this OPPORTUNITY to openly speak unto his “scattered” flock as being most concerned about the GENUINENESS of their “faith" and he gives them a series of these THREE true “tests” to mindfully MEASURE their proposed – PROFESSION of Faith!

The FIRST serious “test” of true “faith” is purposed “patience” through “divers temptations“ of sure SUFFERING and harsh HARDSHIPS set in “all joy” of life:

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing – James 1:2-4 

Here “James” is saying that what happens to a person during “trials” in life is a telling TEST of whether they have true Sovereignly SAVING fostered “faith” fomented. When “God” puts someone through a trying “test” or “trial” and if they are a true belonging “believer” they will courageously “count it all” WHAT? “Joy!” The purposed PERSEVERANCE of a true bold “believer” is a SURE sign of Biblical “faith” finalized. Therefore, “we” will personally PERSEVERE and become strong & victorious keenly “knowing” that it produces “perfect and entire” endearing ENDURANCE and provided “patience“ prolonged – Wanting NOTHING!

The SECOND serious “test” of true “faith” is reliability on the “wisdom” of “God” and His sure SUSTENANCE for life:  

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is 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 righteously “received” as sent directly from “God” for the asking! However, one ought NOT think they have true fomented “faith” if it is woefully “wavering” in nature or if is doubtfully “double minded” and “unstable” in absolutely “all his ways” of life. WHY? Because this kind of FALSE fallacious “faith” is as a whimsical “wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” and is powerless to surely “save” a sordid “soul” from “sin” and hell. This kind of “asking” is actually doubt looking for proof and is NOT true Biblical “faith” found ONLY through – Jesus Christ!

PERCEPTION of Rich & Poor!

The THIRD serious “test” of true “faith” pertains to our FINANCIAL perspective of life:

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways – James 1:9-11

Here “James” is saying that “we” are NOT to belligerently base our soul’s “salvation” on whether we are “rich” or “lowly” in our FINANCIAL standings. The “brother” of a “low degree” should greatly “glory” in his “exalted” existence before the “Lord” Himself. However, the spiritually LOST reckless “rich man” is indeed “made low” in life. WHY? Because just as the “grass” and the “flower” will finally “fail” and perilously “perish” in kind, the “rich man” will foolishly “fade away” in his prideful PURSUITS of woeful worldly pleasures set APART from the “Lord” Himself – FATAL Folly!

In closing:

Brother “James” purposely provides each of “us” a serious series of terrific “tests” as to the VALIDITY of sure “salvation” found ONLY through “Jesus Christ” alone. A vexing verbal and insolent intellectual assent to the “truth” of “God” utterly USELESS unless there is a Divine DEMONSTRATION of a totally transformed life that is mindfully MARKED by the real “righteousness” of “Jesus Christ” present. Pious perfunctory and ritualistic rhetoric with an EXTERNAL rank “religiosity“ wrought WITHOUT the equal EVIDENCE of a truly transformed life in becoming a “new creation” through the “Savior” Himself is an absolute – ABOMINATION to God!

In fact, the ardent “Apostle Paul” had THIS to say pertaining to the “new creation” made by “Jesus Christ” alone:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new – 2 Corinthians 5:17

The GENUINENESS of something valuable is aptly affirmed through a process of EXAMINATION via a “testing” time…

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? – 2 Corinthians 13:5

Anything that is of intrinsic value such as “gold” or “silver” is soundly SUBJECTED to a rigorous “testing” as such. WHY? To adamantly AFFIRM its true worth. And the most valuable commodity in all the waning “world” is that of “eternal salvation” evaluated – ETERNALLY Priceless!

Beloved, to have a right “relationship” with the living “God” is to personally POSSESS the most valuable possession in existence! Thus, people who “believe” they have this “eternal life” from “God” should surely SUBJECT it to the Biblical process of “testing” to dully determine its – TRUE Validity…

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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