What Comes First the Book or the Cover?
Authors of the Bible often look to nature for analogies to express spiritual truth. The book of James, controversial because of it emphasis on “good works,’ is perhaps best understood through the analogy of motion. Just as the winds blow the clouds across the sky, and rustle the leaves in the trees bringing motion to nature, so the presence of faith and the blowing of the Holy Spirit brings motion to the lives of Christians. In our reading this morning James first warns us against judging people by appearances and showing favoritism because of them, and second he teaches that faith without works is dead. These teachings lead me to two questions. First, are these teachings consistent with the rest of the Bible? Second, are these teachings consistent with each other?
Those questions led me to another question. Drawing from what James’ wrote, what comes first the book or the cover? When a person becomes a Christian, new life begins, and inevitably that life must express itself through spiritual motion, or good deeds. In James words, “what good is it if you say you have faith but do not have works?” 2:14.
Movement does not cause life, but it does invariably follow life. It’s a sure sign that life is present. Similarly, genuine faith in Christ should always result in actions that demonstrate faith.
As it was with Jesus’ teachings which we read last week in Mark chapter 8:34-38, in James’ letter he is not teaching us how to become a Christian, but rather how we should live after becoming a Christian. James was a leader of the Christian movement in the headquarters church in Jerusalem. He speaks or writes with authority and he speaks clearly. He gets right to the point and his words come with a punch as he tells Christians how we should act.
It might seem that James’ letter is being overly legalistic in its teachings, but it is apparent that those, to which James was writing, members of the early church, were not even flirting with legalism. They were living at the other extreme, ignoring the laws that God had clearly revealed. James had a simple remedy: James 1:22-25.
Those questions led me to another question. Drawing from what James’ wrote, what comes first the book or the cover? When a person becomes a Christian, new life begins, and inevitably that life must express itself through spiritual motion, or good deeds. In James words, “what good is it if you say you have faith but do not have works?” 2:14.
Movement does not cause life, but it does invariably follow life. It’s a sure sign that life is present. Similarly, genuine faith in Christ should always result in actions that demonstrate faith.
As it was with Jesus’ teachings which we read last week in Mark chapter 8:34-38, in James’ letter he is not teaching us how to become a Christian, but rather how we should live after becoming a Christian. James was a leader of the Christian movement in the headquarters church in Jerusalem. He speaks or writes with authority and he speaks clearly. He gets right to the point and his words come with a punch as he tells Christians how we should act.
It might seem that James’ letter is being overly legalistic in its teachings, but it is apparent that those, to which James was writing, members of the early church, were not even flirting with legalism. They were living at the other extreme, ignoring the laws that God had clearly revealed. James had a simple remedy: James 1:22-25.
Labels: James 2:1-18
posted by Robert C. Howell at
8:58 PM
