James 1 - Printer Friendly

What does James 1 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

The book of James was most likely written by Jesus' half-brother, a son of Mary and Joseph who eventually became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem. The unifying theme of the book of James is "faith," though James frames his discussion with a very specific look at the effects of real, saving, trusting faith.

That is why James has attracted so much dispute over the years. James includes heavy emphasis on the works associated with Christianity. As a result, some interpreters have suggested that James contradicts Paul's clear teaching that salvation is not by works but by faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–9). Reading with the proper perspective, however, reveals there is no contradiction to be found. James asserts from the beginning of the first chapter that God's desire for us is to trust Him more, and more deeply. A person's actions are a good indicator of what kind of "faith" they really have.

Biblical saving faith is not mere intellectual knowledge—it is trust. A faith that saves is the kind of faith which naturally produces action, and this is the point of James' writing. As this book emphasizes our works as believers, the point is that those works are acts of faith. Put another way, people who trust God naturally obey God. Why wouldn't they if they believe Him? Saved people believe in Christ, and people who believe in Christ follow the way of Christ. Saving faith is trust which produces action.

So how does a believer respond to hard times? James calls us to label those moments as joyful things because they bring the opportunity to trust God at a deeper level. This is trusting faith.

What do believers do when they lack wisdom to make a decision? They turn to God and God generously pours wisdom out. This, again, is trusting faith. However, if we reject His wisdom or, worse, seek wisdom apart from Him, we demonstrate our lack of trust in the Father. Then He withholds His wisdom. James makes clear over and over again that what our Father longs to see in the lives of His children is evidence of our trust in Him.

That also includes how we think about money in this life. Those who trust God understand that this life is so short that our financial situation is meaningless in comparison with the eternal riches of our home in heaven. So Christians, those saved by faith in Jesus Christ, will rejoice in their high-status position in the next life, even if they have no material goods in this life. Those Christians who are rich in this life should discount the fleeting value of wealth.

Trusting in Christ guarantees us an eternity in heaven. That eternity with our Father includes a crown of life for those who trust Him through trials, instead of using them as an excuse to indulge in sin. James urges us to take responsibility for our desire to sin and not to blame God. God may allow suffering into our lives, but He never uses hardships to try to lure us away from Himself. He always encourages us to move nearer to Him in the hard times.

In fact, every good thing we have and every good thing we crave comes from God alone. He is the single source of good in our lives, including the greatest good we can possess: to be alive in Christ. To move away from God is to move away from good, to move into the shadows.

James 1:2–18 begins with a challenging command for Christians. We are to classify hard things in their lives as ''joyful,'' because those ordeals help us develop a deeper trust in God. Christians who trust God also seek wisdom from Him—and not from ungodly sources. We continue to trust Him through difficult experiences, in part, to receive the crown of life promised to those who don't stop. We don't blame Him for our desire to sin, but we do credit Him for every good thing in our lives.

James 1:19–27 emphasizes that those who truly trust God don't settle for merely appearing religious. They give up trying to control the world with their words and their anger. They humbly receive the Word God has planted in them, listen to it, and proceed to do what it says. Part of what the Word says to us is that we should keep control over our words, to care for those who are weak and suffering, and to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world around us.

Chapter Summary:

How important is it for Christians to trust God? It's so important, James writes, that we should call our worst moments joyful things, because trials help us trust God more. People who trust God ask Him for wisdom—and then take what He gives. People who trust God make a bigger deal about their rewards in the next life than their wealth in this one. People who trust God don't blame Him for their desire to sin; they give Him credit for all that is good in their lives. They look into His Word, and they act on what they see there.

Chapter Context:

This first chapter in the book of James sets the course for the rest of his letter to Christians worldwide. God wants us to trust Him more, and more deeply, as we learn more of Him. This is so important to God that He calls on us to find joy, even in hard times, because hardship helps us trust God more. Those who really trust God will ask Him for wisdom, will be excited about their status in eternity, will recognize Him as the source of all good in their lives, and will work to act on what they find in His Word.

The book of James is about specifically understanding what saving faith looks like. How does faith in Christ reveal itself in a believer's life? What choices does real trust in God lead us to make? Those are the questions James answers. Most scholars believe the writer was Jesus' half-brother, a son born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus' birth. James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem. This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50. James addresses his letter to Jewish Christians scattered around the known world.

Accessed 5/7/2024 7:46:51 PM