James 2:19-20 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
           
In Judaism, the foundational passage of Scripture recited by all Jews is the great Shema (Hebrew for “hear”). It is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:4 which says, “Hear O Israel, Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one.” This passage speaks of the uniqueness of Israel’s God. Whereas the pagan nations worshipped their man-made false gods who often contradicted each other or canceled each other out, Israel worshiped the one true God who never changes. Though one God (from the Hebrew plural, Elohim), Yahweh exists eternally as three distinct persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are one in reference to their nature but distinct in reference to their roles. The interesting part about this is that not only does Israel believe in this God, so does Satan along with his demonic host of fallen angels. Hence, James challenges his audience’s faith by saying, “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”
           
Now James is not advocating that the belief of the demons actually equates to saving faith, even though the word for “believe” is the same Greek word translated “faith” and “trust” in the NT, often used for salvation. Demons may “believe that God is one,” but they are in rebellion against His lordship. Yet they still “shudder” in God’s presence, literally trembling in fear. This is James’ point, for although demons believe God is one, and shudder in His presence, just like many in James’ predominantly Jewish audience, this does not mean that they are Christian.

In the Gospels, and in one account in Acts, demons not only believe in the oneness of God and shudder in His presence, they believe Jesus is the holy and unique Son of God. Note:

• [Jesus] healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was (Mark 1:34).
• Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” (Mark 3:11).
• Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, [Jesus] would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ (Luke 4:41).
• And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15).
• When confronted by Jesus in Capernaum, a demon asked Him, What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God! (Mark 1:24; cf. Luke 4:34).
• Shouting with a loud voice, he said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” (Mark 5:7).

Food For Thought
What is evident is that demons not only know who Jesus is—the Holy One of God—they know that He will eventually destroy them. They recognize Jesus for who He is, and they even submitted to the authority of His apostles (Luke 10:17). But that is precisely James’ point! Demons know exactly who Jesus is, and they even submit to His commands when He rebukes them. But they fail to submit to Him as Lord and God through obedience to His commands to love God and love one’s neighbor—the “royal law” (2:8), the “law of liberty” (2:12; cf. Matt. 22:34-40). So, only a fool can believe that faith without works is a true, living faith. James calls it dead faith, for it is no better than the knowledge and faith of demons.
            

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James 2:15-18 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

James begins with a scenario of a poor person in need who calls for help. Speaking to those who at least claim to be Christian, James challenges them as to how they might respond. They could either feign compassion and wish the poor person well, or they could actually feed and clothe them. Since the verbs “be warmed…be filled” are in the reflexive middle voice, the translation could be, “Go feed and clothe yourself,” implying that the needy just need to get a job, work harder, or spend their money more wisely. Either way, James separates those with true faith from those with dead faith. Those who actually help the needy are true (cf. 1:26-27). John says likewise, asking, “Whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 John 3:17; cf. Luke 10:30-37).

Truly, faith without works is dead, and Christ will judge all those with dead faith, as evidenced by His own prophecy concerning His second coming:


John says, “The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as [Jesus] walked… The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now…” (1 John 2:4-11). So, true faith is that which works the works of Christ, loving Christ through loving one’s neighbor. Without such a love, faith might be professed, but it isn’t real. It’s a dead faith.


            

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James 2:14-26 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? …Faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself… A man is justified by works and not by faith alone… For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Some see a contradiction between the theology of Paul and James. Whereas Paul said, “A man is justified by faith apart from works” (Rom. 3:28; 4:5-6; Gal. 2:16), James wrote, “A man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (2:24). What is easily seen, however, is that since Paul and James address two distinct situations, their teachings actually complement each other. As for Paul, his writings refute the legalism of the Jews who held that one must observe the tenets of the Law in order to be saved. But James opposed antinomian (i.e., no law) notion that said Christians had no obligation to obey the teachings of the Law. Furthermore, Paul’s usage of the term “justified” means “saved” or “declared righteous.” James, however, used the term to mean “vindicated” or “genuine.” In sum, Paul spoke of works of the Law; James spoke of works that true faith yields. Thus, salvation is by God’s grace, through faith in Christ, yielding good works—works created by God for His people to accomplish (Eph. 2:10). We are thus declared righteous by faith alone apart from works. But faith without works is dead faith; no faith.

As Paul illustrates faith alone for salvation by using Abraham as his example (cf. Rom. 4; Gal. 3), James does likewise, illustrating a faith that works—spiritual fruit vindicating one’s salvation (Jas. 2:21-26). What is clearly seen in both the teachings of James and Paul is that faith is the root of salvation, works are the fruit of that salvation. One can neither have works without faith nor faith without works if their salvation is genuine. True belief in Christ is a faith that works. Although no particular works are cited by James, elsewhere in his epistle, it is clear that endurance (1:3) and perseverance under trial (1:12), purity of life (1:21), obedience to Scripture (1:22-23), concern for the needy (1:27), impartiality (2:1-9), acts of compassion (2:15), control of the tongue (3:2-12), humility (4:6, 10), truthfulness (4:11), and patience (5:8) are in his mind as evidence of genuine salvation in Christ (cf. Gal 5:22-23)—that is, a faith that works.

Jesus said, “An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28-29). It is clear therefore that true salvation proves itself naturally with righteous deeds as fresh flowers bring forth a fragrance in contrast to fake flowers. According to Paul, true Christian fragrance flows through the good deeds of believers in Christ (Titus 2:7), for those who “profess to know God, but by their deeds…deny Him, [are] detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed” (Titus 1:16). Likewise, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness” (2 Tim. 2:19).

Jesus addressed this when He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’ ” (Matt. 7:21-23).

Food For Thought
When the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas how he could be saved, they responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31), proving that salvation is by faith alone. Yet faith that is alone is dead. Let us therefore examine ourselves by our works to see if we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). Do your works for Christ absolve or accuse your faith?

            

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Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
           
Whereas the beatitudes from vv. 3-6 speak of the Christian’s vertical posture before God, vv. 8-12 speak of the Christian’s horizontal posture toward his fellow man. Christians have a different standard for how they treat others in comparison to non-Christians. Mercy, for instance, is typically for the weak, illustrated in the Karate Kid movie when the sensei told his students, “No mercy!” Needing no command to be merciful from Christ, however, Jesus merely reminds His people that one of God’s assessments of His children is whether they have a heart of mercy, mercy being synonymous with forgiveness. Those who are merciful have blessings multiplied on their lives in the here and now, and they will receive eternal mercy in eternity.
           
Reminders of mercy are priceless for all who are struggling with or are caught in a web of bitterness. Countless examples exist where bitterness creeps into relationships. There are lies told about brothers, misunderstandings between people, betrayals of trust, jealousy, etc.—all of which cause hard feelings, and in some instances cause God-fearing people to never speak to one another again. This is where the exhortation to show mercy—to forgive—can be so convicting.
           
A merciful person is one who helps those who cannot help themselves, being attentive to those in despair. Stott says, “From this we make the important distinction between mercy and grace. Grace is shown to the undeserving; mercy is compassion to the miserable. Thus the synonym for mercy is compassion. Mercy, however, is not simply feeling compassion. Mercy exists when something is done to alleviate distress.” This is well illustrated in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. Of the three men Jesus put forth—a Levite, a priest, and a hated Samaritan —Jesus revealed that the blessed one was the Samaritan who showed mercy (Luke 10:36-37). From this, it is evident that mercy is not simply a feeling, it is an action. Anyone can feel compassion, but it is the merciful who act.

But mercy also entails forgiveness, for since the reward for the merciful is that “they shall receive mercy,” it is evident that it entails forgiveness. After all, what greater mercy is there than being forgiven for our sins? This is illustrated in the OT story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50). After being sold into slavery in Egypt by his own brothers, by the grace of God Joseph ascended to second in command in Egypt. Twenty-two years later his brothers came to Egypt looking for food during a particularly devastating famine, oblivious to the fact that Joseph was alive and well, ruling in Egypt. Yet when Joseph was given an opportunity to show mercy to his brothers, he did, having long since forgiven them of their sins toward him! In fact, he was convinced that what they did with evil intent, God had decreed for His own sovereign purposes (Gen. 50:20).
           
As in all the beatitudes, the pronoun “they” is emphatic. Who receives mercy? The merciful; no one who is unmerciful shall receive mercy. James 2:13 says as much, for judgment without mercy will be shown to the unmerciful. Later in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matt. 6:14-15).
           
Of course God’s grace does not come to those who simply show mercy. Many show mercy who are not Christians, but Christians show mercy because they are Christians. Salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Christ, and it is unto good works (Eph. 2:8-10)—in that order. Mercy is therefore the evidence of salvation, not the means of it.
           
One of the tests of mercy is forgiveness, for those who refuse to forgive have clearly not understood the forgiveness they have in Christ (cf. Matt. 18:21-35). Hughes says, “The warning is not for those who find that bitterness and hatred recur even though they have forgiven the offender. The fact that you have forgiven and continue to forgive is a sign of grace, despite the ambivalences and imperfections of your forgiveness. The warning is for those who have no desire to forgive. Their souls are in danger. There may also be some who find forgiveness difficult because they have been recently offended and are still in such emotional shock that they cannot properly respond. The warning is not for these. The overall lesson is, if we are Christians, we can forgive and will forgive, however imperfectly it may be.”

Food for Thought
            One of my heroes is the late Corrie ten Boom. Though she was not Jewish, her Christian faith caused her to have great mercy toward the persecuted Jews during WWII. She and her family built a hiding place in their home, a tiny room to hide Jews fleeing the S.S. Sadly, she, her sister Betsie, and their father were all arrested by the Gestapo and put in various concentration camps. Her father died quickly, but Corrie and Betsie endured many cruelties and indignities for almost a year in the Ravensbruck concentration camp. Betsie would eventually die there, but Corrie, on a clerical error, was released and lived to tell their story. In her book, The Hiding Place, Corrie tells of a postwar encounter she had with one of the guards at Ravensbruck after she spoke of forgiveness in a church in Munich. She says, “It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there—the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s pain-blanched face. He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. ‘How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein,’ he said. ‘To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!’ His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side. Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him. I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness. As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.”
            

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James 2:12-13 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
           
Active, ongoing love for both God and man is the command of Jesus Christ to all of His followers (cf. John 15), distinctions between classes and races of people notwithstanding. This is James’ point, for apparently within the early Church distinctions between the rich and the poor were being made, favoritism being shown to the rich (2:1-4). Having pointed out the sinful nature of favoritism, James uses two imperatives—“speak” and “act” in v. 12—both of which stress ongoing behavior. They could be translated as “continually speak and always act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.” As already noted, the “law of liberty” (cf. 1:25) is the perfect law of both the old and new testaments, the law that Christ fulfilled and that set His people free from the penalty of sin. In James’s context, the dual imperatives to both “speak” and “act” concern ongoing love for both God and man as the law of liberty.  
           
Verse 13 comments on v. 12 by adding the reason, specifically judgment, as to why Christian behavior should follow faith in Christ. The Greek text literally says, “Speak in such a way and act in such a manner as those who are about to be judged by the law of liberty.” What this shows is that James is still commenting about the necessity of doing the word of God as opposed to just hearing it and deceiving oneself about what it means to be in Christ (1:22). But James, for the first time, adds a caveat about future judgment, a judgment based upon the law of liberty. In the following section, vv. 14-26, James will argue that “doing” the will of God (i.e., works) is necessary if one wants to experience God’s final approving verdict on their lives.
           
The future coming of Christ will be a time of judgment upon all those whose works were not in accordance with their faith (Matt. 25:31-46; Rev. 19). Paul speaks of those who knew the Law, saying, “All who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law” (Rom 2:12b). Christians of course will not be judged to hell, but their behavior will be scrutinized (2 Cor. 5:10). God has set us free from the Law and has placed us on new ground, that of mercy and grace—the law of liberty. Moreover, He gives us the Holy Spirit who provides us with the ability to choose to obey Him. This is James’ point, for his teaching is meant to separate those who only claim to be Christians from those who truly are—those whose judgment is in Christ.
           
The coming judgment for those who do not show mercy—those who are merciless to the poor—will be judgment without mercy. This teaching clearly connects James’ words with the OT, for Zechariah says, “Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another’ ” (Zech. 7:9-10). Jesus’ own parable of the merciless servant also speaks to this issue (Matt. 18:21-35) as well as the beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matt. 5:7). Here James teaches the same thing in reverse: “Cursed are those are not merciful, for they will not be shown mercy.” Clearly mercy, like love, is an action—an ongoing deed that is the fruit of true salvation. It manifests itself to those in need and shows itself to be “true religion” (1:27). The mercy James himself demonstrates is that of merciful teaching, for in simply teaching the truth about God’s coming judgment upon those who show no mercy to those in need, God is able to work through him to remind all people everywhere that He is a good and just God.

God’s mercy, working through us—based on the finished work of Christ— “triumphs over judgment.” This means that those who are merciful, revealing the fruit of their faith in action, will be safe on the day of God’s judgment and will escape His wrath. For a Christian’s mercy is the fruit of their faith. And God’s mercy will overcome His judgment of them.
            

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James 2:8-11 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
           
When asked what the greatest commandment was (Mark 12:28-34), Jesus responded by saying, “love God” (Deut. 6:4) and “love your neighbor” (Lev. 19:18). This is a summary of the entire Law of God and the words of the Prophets (Matt. 22:34-40; Rom. 13:8-10; Gal. 5:13-14). Since the first four commandments (Ex. 20:1-11) concern one’s relationship with God, if one loves God, then those commands are fulfilled. Since the last six commandments (Ex. 20:12-17) concern love for one’s neighbor, if one truly loves his neighbor these commands are fulfilled. The Ten Commandments are thus summarized in two commands, called the “royal law according to Scripture,” for it is the Law of the King. Therefore, discrimination against the poor violates all the commands of God, for it proves a lack of love for both God and man.

In the OT, where Israel was concerned, one’s neighbor was one’s fellow Israelite. Yet Jesus taught Israel that anyone with whom they might come in contact with was also their neighbor, even foreigners (Luke 10:25-37) and enemies (Matt. 5:44). Paul later said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female” (Gal. 3:28). Thus, the teaching of James 2:8-11 is theological in that favoritism of the rich over the poor contradicts God’s concern for the poor. Moreover, from a functional standpoint, favoring the rich over the poor is absurd since God chose many among the poor to be rich in faith (2:5). The point James is making concerns the application of true religion (1:21-27), for true faith manifests itself in works since faith apart from works is dead (2:14-26). In sum, faith is the root of salvation; good works are the fruit of it.

In v. 8, James is neither talking about being “in love” with oneself (cf. 2 Tim. 3:2) nor with one’s neighbor. Since “love” is an imperatival verb in the Greek text, it has to do with caring for others as one cares for oneself. As one feeds himself when he is hungry, clothes himself when he is cold, provides shelter for himself from the elements, so too is one to love their neighbor. In James’ context, since the poor would also appreciate a seat among other worshipers in church (2:1-4), they should be helped as one might help himself to a comfortable and honorable chair.

Now in v. 9, those who would favor the rich over the poor are “convicted by the law as transgressors.” Since the law protects the poor, those who persecute them are found guilty by the law. By transgressing one law, they are guilty of transgressing the entire law. Certainly James is not advocating the idea that all of God’s laws can be kept. He knew that was impossible. But neither was James softening the law of God to allow any intentional transgression of it. He was merely reflecting the words of Jesus: “Until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:18-19).

Food For Thought
            We might not have committed murder, but we’re all murderers at heart (Matt. 5:21-22). We might not have ever committed adultery, but we’re all adulterers at heart (Matt. 5:27-28). The laws we can keep are good, but breaking just one entails breaking them all. Keep that in mind the next time you’re tempted to show favoritism. It’s a sin on the level of both adultery and murder.
            

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James 2:5-7 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
           
James surmises in v. 5 that since the early Church was comprised mainly of the poor—by God’s own choosing, what sense did it make for the Church itself to despise the poor? If God elected the poor to salvation, then the Church has no business condemning the poor. The fact that so many poor people were, and are, Christians points to the fact that God highly regards them.

“Poor” (Gr. ptōchos) can refer to both destitution or humility. When it refers to material destitution, the antonym is “wealthy”; if humility, then the antonym is “arrogant,” a common trait among the materially rich. The materially poor who had received Christ for salvation had a stark reversal of fortune, for God’s choosing of them made them rich in faith and heirs of His promised kingdom. Addressing both the poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3) and the poor in general (Luke 6:20) in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus promised all of them the “kingdom of heaven,” a common subject throughout His teachings, and certainly the subject of James’ teaching in v. 5. This kingdom of God is surely present with the Church on earth, yet it is ultimately future.

As to His future return, Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne… Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’ ” (Matt. 25:31, 34). Likewise, Paul spoke often of “inheriting the kingdom” which is the heavenly and eternal realm (1 Cor. 6:9, 10; 15:50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5). It is this kingdom that God “promised to those who love Him,” inclusive of so many of the poor.

God has indeed “chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise… the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong… so that no man may boast before God” (1 Cor. 1:26-29). Mary spoke of this upon hearing that she would bear the Messiah, speaking of the reversal of fortunes for the people of the world: “He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:51b-53). The context of Paul’s and Mary’s words dates back to the OT when the wealthy Israelites oppressed their own people, even widows and orphans (Ez. 22:7). Most of the prophets, especially Amos, spoke out against this atrocity. They dragged their own people into courts and used their wealth to influence judges in their favor, causing poor widows to turn over their land to pay debts.

By oppressing the poor the rich were not only dishonoring them, they were blaspheming—slandering the “fair name” by which they themselves were called by God. Though not stated, this “fair name” is likely the name of God, perhaps Christian, that is in view. Thus, by dishonoring the poor, the rich were slandering the very name of God who had redeemed them. This criticism may have come from both within and outside the Church. Either way, it was blasphemy of God.

Food For Thought
Some have surmised that God loves the poor but hates the rich. But we must not exchange one form of discrimination for another. For the early Church had many rich people—from the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) to Cornelius (Acts 10) to Lydia (Acts 16). It also ignores the fact that many rich people have devoted their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. What James is teaching us is that those God has honored, we too must honor. No one should be favored over another, for giving undue honor to one at the expense of another is clearly unacceptable in Christ’s Church.
            

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James 2:1-4 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?
           
Having challenged his audience to be doers of the word and not just hearers (1:22), James addresses what appears to have been an issue in the early Church: favoritism to the rich while demeaning the poor. In the OT, God instructed Israel to act on His behalf by defending the cause of the orphan and widow (Deut. 10:17-18) and to not pervert justice or show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the rich (Lev. 19:15). Jesus Himself taught that one’s neighbor is one in need (Luke 10:30-37). Sadly, though many in the early Church claimed to be followers of Christ, some were deceived by their own hypocrisy (1:22-24), showing favoritism to the rich and demeaning the poor. Such people would be judged without mercy (2:13).
           
Since James viewed Jesus as “glorious” (Gr. doxa), he bristled at those who acted contrary to Christ. In the OT, glory was associated with God’s presence (1 Sam. 4:22), for He is the “God of glory” (Ps. 29:3), “the King of glory” (Ps. 24:7-10). This glorious God took on flesh, and John saw it (John 1:14). Paul thus called Jesus “the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:8). Peter also, who witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration said, “For when [Jesus] received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, ‘This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased’ ” (2 Pet. 1:17; cf. Rom. 9:4; Heb. 1:3). James thus calls Jesus “glorious,” seeing Him as the manifestation of God’s presence among humanity. Now although all of Christ’s followers, the Church, will inherit this glory in eternity (cf. Rom. 5:2; 8:18, 30; 2 Cor. 4:17), in the present we are no less responsible to reflect such glory. Yet the Church acts contrary to Christ’s glory in showing favoritism—defined here as “making unjust, outward distinctions between people by treating one person or group better than another.”

When James speaks of personal “favoritism” (Gr. prosōpolēmpsia), literally “receiving the face,” he’s referring to thoughts about people based on their outward appearance. Douglas Moo says, “The word was apparently invented by NT writers (cf. Rom. 2:11; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25) as a literal rendering of a Hebrew word for partiality.” The specific location as to where this sin was occurring was in “your assembly,” literally synagogue—the Jewish place of fellowship outside the Jerusalem Temple. But since James qualifies this location as “your assembly,” and since the word itself simply means “gathering,” he is certainly referring to the place where first century Jewish Christians met for fellowship, worship, and teaching (cf. Acts 2:42), namely their church.

Clearly the early Church gatherings were attracting people from all walks of life. But contrary to Christ’s example, those with gold rings and fine clothes (cf. Acts 10:30; Rev. 15:6) were being favored and receiving special attention over those who were poor and who wore shabby clothing. While the rich were seated in the good places, the poor were either left standing or seated on the ground. Upon hearing this, James rebukes his audience, accusing them of making evil distinctions between people, belittling one under another. These judgments caused them to assume the role of wicked judges with evil thoughts. In 4:11-12, James likewise condemns those who speak against other Christians who take upon themselves the rights of a judge that only God can rightfully employ. Clearly James warns that God has not called the Church to judge the socioeconomic status of its members; all are one in Christ (cf. Gal. 3:28).

Food For Thought
Although God does not play favorites, He has indeed been known to give special attention to certain ones—from Abraham to Israel to Daniel to the virgin Mary whom God paid special attention to due to her low social status and high moral character (Luke 1:48-50). James therefore is not instructing the Church to treat everyone equally. It is perfectly acceptable to honor those exceptionally faithful servants in the church who are particularly helpful. Whereas we tend to judge by outward appearances, God sees the heart of man (1 Sam. 16:7). We are to thus avoid outward judgments while highly appreciating inward character.
            

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James 2:1 My brothers, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.
           
Firstly, we notice in James 2:1 that James is addressing “my brothers.” James being one of the half-brothers of Jesus (cf. Matt. 13:55), and Jesus being from the tribes of Israel, specifically Judah (Matt. 1:1-16), James was Jewish. His “brothers” therefore were the twelve tribes of Israel (Jas. 1:1), more specifically Jewish Christians (1:2, 19; 2:1, 5, 14; 3:1, 10; 4:11; 5:12, 19) and by extension all believers whether Jew or Gentile. Knowing that his audience was Christian—that salvation is by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-9), James was not content to allow professed Christians to be idle in their faith; he demanded that they put their faith to work. For without works, faith cannot be verified (Jas. 1:22; cf. Eph. 2:10).
           
Secondly, James speaks of how Christians must “hold” (Gr. echō) their faith in Jesus. The term simply means “have”—how professed Christians continually have, or live, in their saving faith. The point he will make in vv. 1-13 is that true Christians are not partial to one person or group over another; they show no “personal favoritism.” If Jewish, Jews are not favored over Gentile Christians. And if wealthy, the rich do not favor the rich over the poor.
           
Thirdly, James speaks of the object of our Christian faith: our “glorious Lord Jesus Christ.” In this phrase we see “Jesus” sandwiched between “Lord” and “Christ,” all three terms being modified by “glorious.” First, “glorious” (Gr. doxa) is a term in the NT that means “honor; brightness; splendor”—a term used for deity, or something associated with deity. No one in Scripture except God is “glorious.” Hence, James exalts his half-brother as full deity (Col. 2:9).
           
Second, James calls Jesus “Lord” (Gr. kurios). Though this term can be translated “master” and “sir” as terms of respect, it is the term that the LXX scholars used for translating the holy name of God (Yahweh). Jesus, being God in flesh (John 1:1-2, 14), is thus called “Lord.”
           
Third, James refers to Jesus as “Christ” (Gr. Christos), the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Messiah,” or anointed one. It refers to the one who delivers. Now since all three terms modify “Jesus” (Gr. Iēsous), the Greek translation for the Hebrew “Joshua,” a name that literally means “Yahweh saves,” it is obvious that Jesus is God. What other conclusion could be drawn?

Jesus is God

• …the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true… His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20).
• The Jews answered Jesus: “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God” (John 10:33).
• The high priest said to Jesus, “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said, “You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! (Matt. 26:63–65).
• Jesus said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” The scribes and Pharisees said “…who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Luke 5:20–25)
• …you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).
• Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel—God with us (Matt. 1:23).
• John the Baptist prepared the way for “Yahweh,” Jesus Himself (Mark 1:1-11).
• Jesus: “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58; cf. Ex. 3:14).

            

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Matthew 13:5-7, 20-21 “Other [seeds] fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out… 20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”
           
Jesus preached a sermon in Matthew 13 revealing the various kinds of people who hear the gospel preached. Some hear it, and the devil immediately comes and steals it away (Matt. 13:19). Others hear it and believe it but ultimately fall away. One of their kind is depicted as seeds sown on “rocky places” without “much soil.” This person exists today as one who hears the gospel “and immediately receives it with joy.” They profess Christ! Yet since the soil was thin, as the parable teaches, when the sun came up it scorched the shoot, and it withered and died. Jesus thus likens the rocky, shallow soil to one who seemingly receives Him by faith, yet “when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.” These folks do not expect to suffer for their faith. When they do, they abandon Christ. Lacking a “firm root,” when the strong winds of life blow hard, they fall over. Having only the truth without knowledge, they are not able to endure the trials associated with faith in Christ. The Apostle John said, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19).
           
Another kind of perceived Christian is represented by soil with thorns underneath the surface. Like the rocky soil, they too sprout up, but the thorns grow in around their roots, choke them, and keep them from bearing fruit. Whereas those represented by the rocky soil fell away (Gr. skandalizo) “because of the word,” the thorny-ground people, because of the anxieties of the world and their desire for wealth, are merely said to become “unfruitful.” Chuck Swindoll says, “It perfectly describes many American Christians, who embrace the Word of God and call themselves followers of Christ but never sacrifice anything significant. They merely add the Bible and Sunday sermons to their cluttered mental storeroom, along with money, possessions, and all the anxieties that accompany wealth. Years pass, and they never progress in their spiritual walk. The ‘worries’ Jesus had in mind are the cares associated with losing something we hold too dearly. That’s the danger of material wealth: We too easily think in terms of loss prevention.”
           
Worldly desires replace Christ in some people’s lives. So they live out their days bearing no fruit. These are spiritual “adulteresses” (Jas. 4:4) who turn from trusting in Christ to trusting in their wealth. James says, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself and enemy of God.”

Food For Thought   
True salvation cannot be lost. Jesus’ parable proves, however, that some who think they have salvation actually don’t. They may come to church for a time, but they either fail to endure their trials, or become overwhelmed with the love of riches and worldly anxieties. Some fall away, and we never see them again while others just remain fruitless. As for you, prove yourself true by faithfully enduring all that God puts before you each day, and make strides to never let the desire for riches and fame take the place of Jesus Christ in your life. Be found faithful!
            

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James 1:26-27 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
           
Elsewhere in the Greek NT, the root for “religious” in vv. 26 and 27 is only used in Acts 26:5 and Colossians 2:18. It is a general term for worship, especially as it relates to some outward practice or ritual that honors a god. Instead of singling out Christianity as a faith of good works related to its confession of Christ, James seems to have been emphasizing the core of all religions, namely good works. He lists three of them as tests for “pure and undefiled religion.”

The first test of any religionist is to “bridle his tongue” (cf. 1:19-20; 3:1-12; 4:11-12). As the bit and bridle are instruments for the rider of a horse to control a horse (cf. 2 Kgs. 19:28; Isa. 30:28; 37:29), so too does one with true religion control his tongue through the influence of his god. Those who fail to do so not only deceive themselves into thinking they are pleasing to their god, they worship that god through a “worthless” (Gr. mataios) religion. This word is translated elsewhere in the NT as “meaningless” in relation to idol worship (Acts 14:15; Rom. 1:21; Eph. 4:17). James thus believes that the religion of those who cannot control their tongue is idolatry. But those who speak with self-control, who live without duplicity, are properly “religious.”

A second test of true religion is reflected in those who are concerned for the helpless (cf. 2:1-13, 15-16; cf. 5:1-6), and James specifies “orphans and widows in their distress.” These two groups were the most needy in the first century and prior. Since women were not professionals in the work force, and since there were no state welfare agencies to aid them, widows and orphans were unable to provide for themselves and needed to be cared for by God’s people. God not only commanded Israel never to afflict the widow or orphan (Ex. 22:22), He demanded that they be cared for (Deut. 14:29). God condemned Israel when they failed at this, reminding them to seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the fatherless, and plead the widows cause (Isa. 1:10-17). It is no wonder that James referred to God as “Father” in v. 27, for God Himself was a “father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows” (Ps. 68:5). Since God accomplished this through His people, in order to prove they were His people, they were to obey this ordinance.

A third test of true religion is for its adherents to keep themselves “unstained by the world,” that is, to avoid worldliness (cf. 4:4-10). This means that true religion is not bound up simply in charitable acts; it must also be followed with moral behavior that reflects a heart dedicated to God. Where Christianity is concerned, those who have looked at themselves in the spiritual mirror and have seen their depravity (1:23-25) and turn toward God to save them out of their sinful rebellion against Him, it is these who have ended their war with God and have been reconciled to Him through faith in Jesus Christ. The product of this peace with God (Rom. 5:1) is a new life in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) where the believer strives to distance himself from his prior life of sin and to keep himself from being influenced—from being “stained”—by the unbelieving world where he lives. This is indeed true religion, reflecting the worship of the only true God.

Food For Thought
The Christian life is not a life not of empty religion but of faith that produces works. It’s about controlling our tongues, speaking the truth in love, and helping those in need. As we live and breathe in this world, we are to maintain a distance between ourselves and the corrupt influence of the worldly system that tempts our lusts. We are those who not only profess love of Christ and others with our lips, we demonstrate that love in action. That is true religion.
            

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James 1:22-25 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
           
Once we have “received the word” (v. 21), it is then that we apply it. Knowing the word of God is insufficient, for we must now “prove” ourselves “doers of the word” (v. 22). Only the doers of the word will be “blessed” (v. 25). If merely knowing the word of God could save, then the devil himself would be saved, for even the devil can quote God’s word (cf. Matt. 4; Luke 4). Jesus Himself said, “Blessed… are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28, italics mine). James says that those who fail to apply God’s word “delude” themselves. Thus, faith in Christ and and obedience to Christ are two sides of the same coin (cf. John 3:36).
           
In vv. 23-24 James gives a negative example, commenting on the absurdity of those who hear the word but who fail to act on it. Like one who looks at his reflection and notices that he is unkempt but fails to make the proper adjustments, such a one is a fool since he sees what needs to be fixed yet fails to do it. Spiritually speaking, since the verb for “look” connotes a careful pondering of oneself, James is saying that the one who hears God’s word preached and agrees with God’s assessment that he is lost and in need of Christ’s salvation, yet fails to receive Christ by faith and obey Him, is self-deluded. Better to respond to God’s word as Isaiah did: “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (Isa. 6:5). Or as Peter did: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8). Or as Job did: “I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6).
           
In v. 25 James gives a positive example of one who responds to God’s word aptly. Such a one “looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it.” First, note that he “looks intently.” This is how both John and Mary came to Christ’s empty tomb, for they “stooped and looked” into it (John 20:5, 11). Second, note that what Christians look intently at is the “perfect law.” Although the Jews saw the Mosaic Law as perfect (Ps. 19:7), James speaks of the “law” as “the word” that Christians must do (vv. 22-23)—“the word of truth” that regenerates the soul of the one who trusts in Christ for their salvation (v. 18). James is not referring to the OT Law per se; rather, he speaks of the OT as Jesus interpreted it (cf. Matt. 5-7). Referring to the Law as “perfect” in that it grants “liberty” is to say that the perfect Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, fulfilled God’s flawless and ideal Law, bringing freedom to those who receive Christ by faith and who abide in Him by doing all that He commanded (cf. John 15). In short, true Christians have the Law of God written on their hearts (Jer. 31:31-34), and they have the Holy Spirit’s regenerating power enabling them to obey God’s Law to the glory of God.
           
The effectual doer of God’s word, in contrast to the forgetful hearer, “will be blessed in what he does” (v. 25). The blessing here appears to be a present, ongoing gift of God that culminates into an ultimate, future eschatological blessing. In the present, the believer is saved from the penalty and power of sin. But in the future he is saved from the very presence of sin.

Food For Thought
There are two very different responses to God’s word. We can hear it, be convicted of sin, and receive Christ for salvation, or we can hear it and forget it. Since Christ warned us never to forget His works on our behalf but to remember Him (2 Pet. 1:12-13; 3:1, 8; cf. Deut. 6:12; 8:2; Mal 4:4), let us never forget what we really look like in the mirror, then let us rejoice in Him.
            

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James 1:20-21 For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
           
James’ Jewish Christian audience was angry with God about their trials. But having instructed them concerning joy in the midst of these trials (v. 2), he explains that “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (v. 20). The “therefore” in v. 21 transitions to the antidote for such anger: “putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness…” The verb “putting aside” means to “take off,” like removing a filthy garment (cf. Acts 7:58). This verb is also used in reference to the former lifestyle of sin that the unbeliever once knew (cf. Rom. 13:12; Eph. 4:22, 25; Heb. 12:1; 1 Pet. 2:1) before coming to faith in Christ—putting it aside in favor of righteousness. “Putting aside” is actually a Greek participle modifying “receive the word implanted” in the sense that the “word implanted,” the saving power of the gospel, cannot be effective until “all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness” has been put aside.

The “filthiness” (Gr. rhuparia) James speaks of comes from the same root of the term “dirty” in 2:2, describing filthy clothes (cf. Zech. 3:3-4), although James speaks of it here as moral filthiness. Just so the audience will know exactly how filthy sin is, James couples “filthiness” with the “remains of wickedness” (v. 21), that is, the surplus, or abundance, of evil (cf. Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 8:2; 10:15). Clearly James sees the dangers of sin and temptations to sin in the midst of God-ordained trials. He therefore not only warns his audience, he wants them to remove this abundance of wickedness like old clothing and lay it aside forever. James himself would know, however, that this is an intense spiritual battle that Christians face daily, a battle that never truly ends until death. In fact, the battle is so intense that as long as Christians engage it by daily striving to set aside their wickedness, they will find more sin in their lives to be laid aside and greater conflict with each rotten fruit they uncover.

Of course James’ audience already had the word of truth preached to them. He knew that they knew God’s word and the message of the gospel. But what he could not know for certain was whether the gospel had truly impacted their lives now that their faith was being tested. So, after commanding them to abandon their sinful ways, he tells them to humbly “receive the word implanted.” This is typical of James who, throughout his epistle, demands works as the proof of genuine faith (cf. 2:14-26). He never tells his audience to adopt a new corpus of ethics; rather, they were to trust that which they already possessed: “the word.” It was this truth in action that would determine their worth and allow them to experience joy in the midst of their trials.

Notably, the word “implanted” (Gr. emphutos) does not mean that everyone has God’s word innately. James’ Christian audience had received this word; thus, it was implanted. The “word” (Gr. logos) is equivalent to the “word of truth” which has the power to regenerate (v. 18), that is, to save (v. 21). Now they just needed to let God’s saving “word” influence their behavior. By adding that they received this “in humility,” James reminded them to be receptive to the work of God’s word in their hearts (cf. Mark 4:3-20)—the word that had been implanted for power.

The power of God’s implanted word is that it “is able to save your souls” (v. 21). The soul in this context is a reference to the entire human being, not just a part. Also, since the salvation of the soul is spoken of as future, James was referring to the Christian’s final salvation from sin at the time of Christ’s return in glory (cf. Rom. 5:9, 10; 13:11; 1 Thess. 5:9; Phil. 2:12; 1 Tim. 4:16; 2 Tim. 4:18; Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 1:5, 9; 2:2; 4:18). It thus seems evident that James’ heart for his readers was that they not merely know Jesus but obey Him for their ultimate salvation.

Food For Thought
How might we “receive the word implanted” when we already believe in Christ for salvation? Answer: prepare your hearts! You can begin by confessing unconfessed sin to God and receiving His forgiveness for the restoration of your fellowship (1 John 1:9). Next, you can read and meditate on God’s word, asking God to search you and reveal to you all the ways you are offensive to Him (cf. Ps. 139:23-24). Finally, you can humble yourself before God, accepting everything the Scriptures teach—from salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Eph. 2:8-10) to the doctrine of election-predestination (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:4-14) and to agreeing with God that men are men, women are women, and that women are not to teach or have authority over men in the church (1 Tim. 2:9-14). Though these doctrines can anger us, it’s only because we are wrong and God is right. Let us thus receive God’s implanted word and live the abundant life, no longer tossed about by our anger and frustration over life’s trials.
            

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James 1:19-20 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
           
James’s audience was scattered beyond Palestine due to a severe persecution of Jewish Christians in and around Jerusalem in the first century (1:1; cf. Acts 8:1ff.; 12:1ff.). Both the rich and poor had to leave their homes to find refuge (1:9-11), and James challenged them to find joy in the midst of their God-ordained trials (1:2-4). God was testing the value of their faith for their benefit, not tempting them to anger. After all, God never tempts anyone to sin (1:13). He tests our faith; He never tempts to sin. So, in an effort to bring calm to his brothers in Christ, James, having preached joy in the midst of trials (1:2-4), is now instructing Christians to receive the word of God through him, being “quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.”
           
Although the mood of the verb “you know” is an imperative in Greek, translated “Know this” in the NIV, ESV, LSB, and NET, the NASB translates it in the indicative mood: “This you know.” Since James was writing to a Jewish audience (1:1) whose Scriptures are replete with teachings about being “quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger” (Prov. 10:19; 11:12-13; 17:27-28), James was reminding his audience of things they knew, not giving them new orders.

There can be little doubt James’ audience was angry about being torn from their homes. This is why James first told them to be “quick to hear.” Instead of being swift to grumble about their current trial, as most are, they were to be eager to hear God speak to their predicament. Of course being quick to hear also entails being “slow to speak,” for when one is tuned into listening to God, or anyone for that matter, they are not talking over the person who is speaking. This is of course sound advice for all Christians, then and now, in the midst of a trial—listening to God and not tuning Him out. After all, when we get upset, angry, or confused, we are not often under the Spirit’s control; instead, we are fighting for our rights, demanding answers, and completely oblivious to what God is teaching us. James’ admonition is therefore of great value for us all.
           
In v. 20 James explains that anger can be sinful. No matter what situation a Christian finds himself, he is to reflect God’s righteousness. This includes justice, mercy, grace, compassion, love—all virtues that reflect the holy character of God. Obviously a believer under the control of selfish anger cannot work any such righteousness. Now in this context James is not speaking of the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ alone—the righteousness Paul writes about in terms of God placing man in a right relationship to Himself (cf. Rom 3:21-22; 2 Cor 5:21). No, James’ context of righteousness concerns Christians, already righteous in Christ, doing what pleases God. Jesus used “righteousness” this way when He called His disciples to exceed the legalistic good works of the religionists (Matt. 5:20; cf. 5:6, 10; 6:33). Simply put, James is exhorting his audience to avoid the angst with which they were struggling; it was a detriment to them. He wanted them instead to rejoice in their trials, knowing that God was maturing their faith through trials. He wanted them to be encouraged, knowing that the trials of God are not temptations to evil but occasions to be reminded of the future crown of life (1:12).

Food For Thought
            Being “quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger” is a great principle in all our dealings. But James isn’t writing a self-help book; he is instructing us in worship. We can apply it in church, being “quick to hear” God’s word, “slow to speak” when God’s word is taught, and “slow to anger” when we hear something from God’s word that rubs us wrong. Since God is speaking to us in our trials, let us find that joy (1:2) while sitting still listening to Him speak—whether a pastor is teaching us or whether we’re just simply sitting still reading God’s word.
            

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John 3:3 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God… unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

The work of the Holy Spirit with regard to regeneration is a key issue in John 3, and it answers many of the questions posed about the Holy Spirit’s work. Regeneration, or being “born anew,” might be defined as the sole work of God by which He imparts spiritual life into His elect children in order that they might respond by faith to the gospel call and be saved. God promised this to His people before Jesus, circa 600 BC, saying, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ez. 36:25-27; cf. Jer. 31:31-34). Clearly God has always intended to impart spiritual life to His elect people.

In John 3:3-10 Jesus chastised Nicodemus, “the teacher of Israel” (John 3:10), for failing to understand, or even be aware of, Ezekiel’s prophecy and what it meant to be born anew—to be regenerated. Jesus asked him, “You are the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” Jesus spoke of the same “water” that Ezekiel did—the spiritual cleansing from sin—and the new heart that was needed to be spiritually reborn. Both of which are given by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Peter, likewise, said, “…according to God’s great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Pet. 1:3; cf. Eph. 1:13; Col. 2:13; Jas. 1:17-18). From Peter’s words, along with Paul and James, it appears that it is God the Father who regenerates. The conclusion to the matter is that both the Holy Spirit and the Father are responsible for the regeneration of the sinner dead in his sin.

It is vital to note that regeneration occurs prior to saving faith, for no one can respond by faith to Christ’s call without having been regenerated. Jesus speaks of this marvel in John 6:44 saying, “No one can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him.” There is a sequence, therefore, in salvation whereby God the Father draws one to Christ, then after they hear the word of truth (1 Pet. 1:23, 25; Jas. 1:18), those who have been drawn respond in faith. But they must first hear the gospel preached before they can believe. Though many hear the gospel, only those chosen by God will respond in faith (Matt. 22:14). But they must be regenerated, “born anew,” through the work of God before they are able to respond in faith. The Spirit washes and regenerates, then faith follows immediately thereafter, as in the case of Cornelius in Acts 10:44. As Peter preached the gospel to him and his household, “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.” There is also the example of Lydia in Acts 16:14: “And the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.” It is God’s work, therefore, that reaches into the hearts of His elect children to summon their response—an instantaneous event that occurs only once for all believers in Christ. Now although regeneration occurs before saving faith, in the minds of believers, belief and regeneration are practically simultaneous.

Food For Thought
There are those who hear the gospel but do not respond to it by faith. They remain “dead in their trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1-5), unable to comprehend and receive the gospel since they are spiritually appraised (1 Cor. 2:14; cf. Mark 4:14-15). It is the work of the Holy Spirit that gives new life through regeneration and enables God’s Elect to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Jesus thus said, “The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes or where it goes; so it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).
            

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James 1:18 In the exercise of His will [God] brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
           
Though some might blame God for tempting them with evil, James says that this is impossible. God certainly tests His people to mold us after His will, but He never tempts us to evil. Temptations come from our own lusts, and when we are carried away and enticed by them, God is not to blame. Our loving God cares for His creation, giving perfect gifts from above as the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow (1:13-17).
           
Whereas in v. 17 James speaks of who God is, in v. 18 he speaks of what God has done. Rather than attempting to destroy His people by tempting them to sin, God not only gives them physical life, He gives them spiritual rebirth through “the word of truth”—the preached gospel. This is the greatest gift from above that God could give! And He did it “in the exercise of His will” which means that it was His choice to do so—by grace! Of His own freewill, in His love and grace and mercy, God gave the gift of eternal life—His Son Jesus Christ.
     
When James says, “He brought us forth,” he is not talking in this context about physical life but of the doctrine of regeneration—being born anew through faith in Christ by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 3:3, 5-8; Titus 3:5). This gift from above does not set man free from sin; rather, it cleanses him and gives him the ability to not sin. The means through which this occurs is the “word of truth,” namely Scripture (Ps. 119:43; Jer. 23:28; Deut. 22:20; Prov. 22:21; 2 Cor. 6:7; Eph. 1:18; Col. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 1:25). Moo says, “This reference to ‘word’ must also be seen in relation to the other important uses of the same term (Gk. logos) in this context (vv. 21, 22, 23). The ‘implanted word’ of v. 21 is sometimes thought to be a consciousness of God resident by nature in every human being. Yet this word, James says, can ‘save your souls’: indication, again, that the gospel is in view.”

God’s purpose in regeneration is “so that we would be a kind of first-fruits among His creatures.” The “first-fruits” are an allusion to OT passages like Exodus 34:22 and Leviticus 23:10 where first-fruits are the first portion of the harvest to be given to God. Peter Davids says, “The OT background is that of the first fruit of people, animals, and plants which belonged to God and were either redeemed or offered to Him (Ex. 22:29-30; Num. 18:8-12; Deut. 18:3; 26:2, 10; Lev. 27:26; Ez. 20:40). Israel was pictured as God’s firstborn (Ex. 4:22; Jer. 2:3) and thus specially belonging to Him.” Interestingly, the first-fruits in the NT are Christians (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:15; 2 Thess. 2:13; Rev. 14:4). Like the first-fruits of grain or crops, those first century Christians represented a harvest of souls that were the initial sign of the great multitude of people, called “His creatures” who through succeeding millennia would be born anew by the Spirit of God. In short, they were representative of every future soul that would be born again.

By appealing to the new birth of man, being brought forth by God’s will through the word of truth, James presents the greatest example of God’s good and perfect gifts from above. A God that would bring new life to a spiritually dead people is a God who could never tempt anyone with evil. In exercising His will in this way, God reveals Himself as loving and merciful.

Food For Thought
            The grace of God can be seen when we look at our wretched lives prior to knowing Christ. We were rebels living only for ourselves, having forsaken our Creator for our own depraved desires. But after being born again, having submitted our lives to Jesus Christ by faith, we see a new creature saved by grace (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17), having been given the word of truth by a preacher or evangelist. Praise the name of God for regenerating our wretched souls! Sola de gloria!
            

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James 1:16-17 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

Since “Do not be deceived” is a present imperative, the gist of it is more like “Stop being deceived.” James is thus attempting to put to rest the idea that had crept into the minds of some Christians that God tempts with sin. He wanted them to stop believing this lie. Richardson aptly says, “If the great temptation of the sinner is unbelief, then the great temptation of the believer is misbelief.” All Christians must be taught about God’s role in molding His people through trials versus man’s role in being tempted to sin against God in the midst of those trials.

What James wants believers to understand in v. 17 is that “every good thing and every perfect gift” is from God—who is “above.” So, why the repetition of both “good” and “perfect”? Although “good” might be a predicate adjective in the sense that “every giving is good,” but “every perfect gift comes from God” distinguishes the two, the fact that there is no “but” in the text mitigates this. Moo says, “A popular poetic device among the Greeks was the hexameter, a series of words whose syllables formed six rhythmical sections… The repetition of the ‘giving’ idea, then, is necessary in order to create this literary form, and no difference in meaning between the two Greek words should be seen.” Richardson thus says, “The gifts of God are good because they never foster evil desire or sin. The gifts of God are perfect because they are the fulfillment of His will for His people.” D. Burdick likewise says, “God’s gifts are marked by kindness and helpfulness, not destructiveness. They are ‘perfect,’ which in this context excludes any possibility of moral evil, such as tempting His people to commit sin.”

Verse 17 speaks of God as being “above” (i.e., heaven), that is, not of this world. It is thus from the eternal heavens that good gifts derive. In contrast to “above” Jesus denounced those who were from “below” in John 8:23—those who are of this world. James wants all Christians to know that God ordains that which is good, those things that derive from His eternal mind. But that which is evil, the worldly temptations that stir our lusts, actually originate from the world itself. Consider the Garden of Eden as an example, created perfect so as to house the “very good” Adam and Eve. The gift of the Garden was from above, but the temptation to sin came from the devil who was from below. Jesus told those who hated Him, who were “from below,” that the devil was their father, the originator of murder and lies (John 8:44).

Unique to James is his label for God as the “Father of lights.” Speaking of God’s good gifts coming from “above,” context reveals that the lights are the stars and planets—birthed by God at the creation (Gen. 1:3-18). His creation of light makes Him the author of it, depicting His power and ongoing care for His creation (cf. Job 38:4-15, 19-21, 31-33; Ps. 136:4-9; Isa. 40:22, 26). But contrary to the “variation or shifting shadow” caused by the sun, moon, and stars God created, He Himself never changes (cf. Heb 13:8). God is thus not like His creation, for He remains above it and sovereign over it. In order to nurture it, God put man in charge of it to care for it. And in order to make man all that he can be, God tests him with trials. But God, who is from above, is in no way responsible for man’s depraved lusts which originate from below.

Food For Thought
God is the Giver of good and perfect gifts. No wonder He sent His unique Son, Jesus Christ, who came to give spiritual light to the world (John 1:5; 9:5). It is through Christ alone that God gives good and perfect gifts to those who ask Him (v. 5). God judges motives (4:3), but the prayer for wisdom in the midst of trials (v. 5) will always be answered with a resounding “yes!”
            

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James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Sadly, man’s nature is to sin, a disease that always leads to death (Rom. 6:23). As Paul said, “Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all, for all sinned…” (Rom. 5:12). Man is thus not the good creation he was in the beginning. Though still in God’s image, from the time of Adam’s rebellion in Eden, man has sought his own way, driven by his inner lusts. Our inborn rebellion necessitates our need for a Savior.

James says that Christians, though tested by God, are never tempted by Him to sin. Our “own lusts” are responsible for that (v. 14). Peter likewise warns, “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). But apparently Satan is only able to devour when we allow ourselves to be “carried away and enticed by [our] own lust.”

Although Scripture portrays Satan as tempting humans to sin, as he does with Jesus in the wilderness (Matt. 4; Luke 4), James was concerned with the Christian’s own role in leading himself into lustful temptations. God is never to blame when Christians follow after their own lusts, for even the redeemed struggle with their own flesh, conflicting with the Spirit (Gal. 5:17).

Though James uses the term “lust,” or “desire” (NIV) in v. 14 in the context of sin, the term is not inherently evil in the NT (cf. Luke 22:15; Phil 1:23). Yet on most occasions “lust” either has a sexual undertone or a more general meaning for how man longs for that which is forbidden (cf. 1 Pet. 2:11; 1 John 2:17). This is James’ meaning for the term, for anything that man desires outside of what God permits is what carries us away and entices us. The Greek terms for “carried away” (exelkō) and “enticed” (deleazō) picture a fish being hooked. As the fish swims along it is alerted to something that looks good. Partaking of it, it is snagged and killed. The fisherman is not to blame, for the fish was enticed by what it saw and paid for it with its life. Such is sin. Like a child conceived that grows in his mother’s womb and is later birthed, so too are lustful desires —starting small becoming irresistible. Solomon pictures the scene in Proverbs 7:6-27 where a young man is lured by a loose woman. What initially looked good to him ended in his death.

Now the “death” that James is referring to here is not a reference to the end of life. If it were, no one would be alive today since all are lured by sinful lusts throughout their lives. Neither is he referring to eternal death in hell for succumbing to sinful lusts. Sinners are saved by God’s grace when they trust Christ, in spite of their sinful lusts (Eph. 2:8-9; cf. Rom. 8:1). The “death” James is referring to here reflects the Jewish way of thinking, namely that death was a way of life, “more as a trajectory than a destination” (Swindoll). As King David, in his lust, willfully sent for the married Bathsheba and committed adultery with her, then later had her husband killed, he lived in a state of death: “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer” (Ps. 32:3-4; cf. Deut. 30:15; Prov. 12:28; 13:14).

Thus, the “death” James is referring to is a “death-like existence”—not the “abundant life” Christ promised to those who love Him (John 10:10). In the death-like existence, having succumbed to our sinful lusts, we experience neither victory over sin nor the benefit of the Spirit’s fruit (cf. Gal. 5:22-23). David escaped this by repenting: “I acknowledged my sin to You… I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah. Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.”

Food For Thought
We must pray for wisdom, for we all struggle with temptations to sin leading to a death-like existence. Wisdom is the antidote in those times of testing (Jas. 1:5-8). It’s not a prayer against Satan or a rebuke of the devil; it’s the prayer, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:13) we must pray. Clearly, the “evil one” lurks during our times of testing. Our prayer therefore is that Satan not take us down during those vulnerable times. Note Agur’s prayer: “Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion, that I not be full and deny You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or that I not be in want and steal, and profane the name of my God’ ” (Prov. 30:8-9). Agur knew what his weaknesses were, namely too much and too little. So he prayed that neither of them would overtake him. He knew that his nature, like every human being, was as inclined to sin just as a fish is inclined to water. The antidote? Prayer to God for temptation to be removed. Wisdom!
            

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James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
           
Since the Greek term behind “trial” (peirazō) can also translated “temptation,” context must determine the English translation. Trials are clearly the topic of vv. 2-4 & 12, but in v. 13 the context shifts to temptation, James distinguishing between the two. Whereas God certainly ordains trials in the lives of His people to draw out the hidden nature of their hearts and mature their faith, He never tempts His people to sin. For example, God may test a man by allowing him to lose his job through no fault of his own. In response, the man might question God’s love or even His existence if his unemployment is prolonged. Likewise, God might ordain that a mother be bereaved of her child, prompting her to be tempted to believe that God has forgotten her or that He is not truly good. Like the Teacher (Heb. Qohelet) in Ecclesiastes who observed the vanity of life (1:2; 12:8) in light of how unfair life can be, man can be tempted to blame or question God for all the seemingly unfair things that happen to him. James, like Qohelet, desired that true believers persevere under these trials (v. 12). This of course entails remaining faithful under trial, finding joy in the midst of them while praying for wisdom (1:2-5).
           
In reality, our inward temptation to sin is congenital from our conception. Our will is free to choose, but our will is also depraved. Even our good decisions are made for selfish reasons, for when given the opportunity to do the right thing, if we succeed, we expect something for our efforts—either recognition or payment or both. Even when we make the wrong decision for right reasons, we blame someone or something else for that decision. Nothing is more common among mankind! But this is not so with God. He is holy and pure, unable to sin or tempt us to sin.

James deduces that since God cannot be tempted by sin, He could therefore never tempt anyone to sin. Donald Burdick comments, saying, “[God] cannot be successfully tempted. His omnipotent, holy will fully resists any invitation to sin. Furthermore, in Him there is not the slightest moral depravity to which temptation may appeal. Therefore, it is inconsistent to think that God could be the author of temptation.”

So, since there is no moral depravity inherent within God to which the devil may appeal, Satan’s efforts to snare God to sin are worthless. This can be seen in his efforts to tempt Jesus—God in flesh—to sin in the 40 days in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Though Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for testing, the devil used the opportunity to tempt Him to sin. This is a perfect illustration of what James is talking about. Christians are obviously led by God’s Spirit into times of testing, but in those situations satanic temptations abound.

Food For Thought
            Since it is clear that God tests His people—from Abraham (Gen. 22:1) to Joseph (Gen. 40-50) to Job (Job 1:12; 2:6) to Israel (Judges 2:22) to Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:31; cf. 2 Kings 20:12-19)—believers must pray as Jesus taught us: “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13). But why pray this if in fact God cannot tempt us? Answer: so that while God is testing us, we fervently seek His mercy that He not allow Satan’s temptations to prevail upon our weaknesses (cf. Prov. 30:8-9). Paul thus assures us that “no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Therefore, our prayer is that God be true to His word and assure us that the sins we most fear succumbing to will never overtake us during our trials. Such a prayer is guaranteed to be answered in the affirmative, just like the prayer for wisdom in 1:5.
            

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James 1:9-12 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away. 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
           
The “brother in humble circumstances” (v. 9) specifically refers to financially devastated Christian chased from his home during the persecution in Jerusalem depicted in Acts 12, leaving what little he had to flee for his life. Yet James tells such a man to “glory in his high position,” for as Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:11-12; cf. Acts 5:41). Donald Burdick says, “To endure persecution for Christ’s sake lifts the believer to a position of honor that more than offsets his poverty.” James calls us to rejoice in this.
           
The poor Jewish Christian in v. 9 is contrasted with the rich in v. 10. Since the rich also would have been chased from their homes during the persecution, unlike the poor, they were not accustomed to humble means. As in any society, the rich enjoy the glory of exaltation, not humiliation. James, however, tells the rich that instead of feeling like they had lost everything by leaving it all behind, they should rather glory in their “humiliation.” Douglas Moo says, “The rich believer is to boast not in his wealth or his elevated social position but in his identification with Christ and His people, a matter of ‘humiliation’ in the eyes of the world.”

Whether rich or poor, James exhorts both to look toward their identity in Christ as the gauge of their definitive worth. Financially poor believers, though often scorned or ignored in society, are to boast in the fact that they know God (Jer. 9:23-24) and will one day be seated next to Christ. Likewise, wealthy believers who are accustomed to leisure and admiration from the world must learn not to lean on their wealth as the answer to life’s problems. The suffering of the rich man reminds him that his wealth is powerless and that his life is no more enduring than the grass that fades or a wild flower that loses its beauty in the scorching heat (Isa. 40:6-8). He will learn in his trial that it is not his riches that will “pass away”; it is he that will pass away! To rejoice in his trial, therefore, is for the rich to learn how trials, suffering, persecution, and death do not distinguish between the rich and the poor. Wisdom is demanded for both.

Moo concludes James’ meaning, saying, “The point of the passage is… that Christians must always evaluate themselves by spiritual and not material standards. Maintaining such a perspective in a world that so insistently confronts us with a very different standard of measurement is not easy. But if the church is to be the kind of ‘countercultural’ society that Jesus intended it to be, establishing and propagating such a perspective is essential.”
In v. 12, James blesses those who endure trials with joy. On earth this results in character; in heaven, it results in the “crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” The implication is that those who love God will welcome life’s trials and conquer them with the wisdom that only God can provide in the midst of them (cf. Rev. 2:10).

Food For Thought
One day the “body of our humble state” will be transformed into the “body of [Christ’s] glory” (Phil 3:20-21). We should thus see beyond the futility of how the world evaluates us and be comforted at how God sees us. We not only know God, we are known by Him (Jer. 9:23-24).
            

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James 1:5-8 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
           
In the midst of enduring trials with joy, Christians are building endurance and patience. This ongoing experience that accompanies each trial is the avenue through which God molds His people into perfection (Jas. 1:2-4). But it takes wisdom to understand this, and even Christians are prone to question God’s goodness when bad things happen to them. James therefore tells his audience to simply ask for “wisdom” (Gr. sophia) in the midst of those times when they cannot understand why things happen as they do. The fact that he tells them to ask God to give them wisdom means that they do not inherently have wisdom. But what man lacks, God has. He is the source of all things, and all His people need do is ask Him to give them what only He can give.

God gives wisdom to those who ask “generously and without reproach.” “Generously” (Gr. haplōs) means “in a forthright, open manner.” Without “reproach” means to be without “insult.” So although one might feel unworthy to ask God for something, God regularly puts His people in situations where they have to come to Him for aid, seeking the Source of what they need to get through their trials. When we ask God for wisdom to understand our trials, He does not hesitate to not only grant it to us generously. He also does so without insult. In other words, God does not berate us by saying, “I’ll give you what you want, but you don’t deserve it!” As the NLT puts it, “Ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.”
           
Now since God will give wisdom to those who ask for it, then Christians should be regularly asking God for wisdom! It is one thing to pray for this and not feel worthy of God’s blessings, but it is another thing altogether to ask God for wisdom and doubt that He will give it. James sternly warns against this in vv. 6-8. Those who ask anything from God must do so boldly, truly believing that God can give what is asked of Him, specifically wisdom. Those who ask of God but doubt whether He will answer their request are likened to a boat on the waves of the sea. As the boat lacks steadiness, being tossed around with no control, so too is the person who asks of God while doubting His willingness to answer. If James said it the opposite way, he might have said, “Those who believe that God will grant the wisdom they ask for are like the man standing on a rock foundation, on firm footing, knowing for certain that the prayer they offered to God in faith for wisdom will be answered immediately in the midst of their trial.”
           
Those who doubt God are said to be “double-minded” (Gr. dipsuchos)—two-headed. They are hypocritical. With one head they ask of God, but since they doubt whether God will answer them, they also cover their bases by seeking help elsewhere—from the other head. These kinds of people are not believers, for they use God as insurance while seeking their own solutions. James says that these kinds of people ought not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They are “unstable” (Gr. akatastatos) in all they do—lacking any kind of stability or strength (7-8).

Food For Thought
            God’s purpose for us is to glorify and enjoy Him for eternity. To do so, we must learn to trust Him. So, God gives us trials to mature us. He wants us to know that they are given by Him and that we can find joy in the midst of them. Like a weightlifter suffering under the weight of the barbell, whose muscles will grow after the pain, in the midst of our pain God has ordained that we seek Him for wisdom. He guarantees He’ll grant it. We just have to ask!
            

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James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
           
Since the trials of life are God-given and have a divine purpose, it is no wonder James tells Christians to “consider it all joy…when you encounter various trials.” The verb “consider” (Gr. hēgeomai) is a Greek aorist imperative signifying urgency. It means to “have an opinion” of something, as in gathering information and forming a conclusion about a subject, in this case “various trials.” “Trials” (Gr. peirasmos) is the same word translated “temptations” in other contexts. Yet the two are distinct, for although God does test His people (e.g., Job), He never tempts anyone with evil (Jas. 2:13-14). Context always determines whether the word is translated “test; trial” or “temptation.” In James’ context, Christians were undergoing the trial of persecution, and James encouraged them to embrace this with joy. Jesus said as much in His Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:11-12).
           
Of course neither James nor Jesus ever told their listeners to go looking for trials or to consider the trial itself as joyful. Certainly Jesus did not consider the cross or the horrors of His beatings leading up to His crucifixion as joyful. Trials, by definition, are difficult and painful. Yet joy can be found in the midst of them. It is our perspective of suffering that we must “consider.” Whereas many have abandoned their faith due to suffering and various trials, Scripture is clear that sufferings are meant for the good of believers. James says to consider the fact that one’s faith, being tested by trials, “produces endurance” (v. 3). Note the present participle, “produces” (Gr. katergazomai), for it speaks of an ongoing work, the result of which is “endurance” (Gr. hupomonē)—also translated perseverance, steadfastness, or patience. Paul loved the term, using it 16 times (e.g., 2 Cor. 6:4; 12:12; 1 Thess. 1:3). John likewise uses it seven times in the Book of Revelation in the context of trials (e.g. 1:9; 2:2; 13:10; 14:12).
           
Yet James is not simply looking to encourage Christians in patient endurance. Important though it is, endurance itself is not the end-all. Endurance is supposed to progress to its “perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Since James affirms elsewhere that no one will ever be truly perfect (3:2), sinless perfection is not what he has in mind. Clearly, he wants Christians to remain faithful throughout their lives. So, the “perfect result” of perseverance, though unstated by James, would reflect the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:6; cf. Rom. 6:22), to include remaining in Christ—loving Him and one another (John 15:1-17; cf. Rom 13:8; 2 Pet 1:6). Obviously this perfection is not one single virtue; rather, when one understands God as sovereignly working through our sufferings, we endure and consider it a joy to be a part of what God is doing in our lives and in the world He created. It seems that God’s desire for His people is not necessarily to understand all that He is doing but to trust Him in all things. So when Christians endure trials, we are attaining their “perfect result.”

James teaches us to value character above comfort—character that comes from trials. He thus stresses that our spiritual maturity trumps our physical growth, for if we value the physical over the spiritual, we will never “count it all joy” when we face trials. Living for the day, not the future, will cause us to shake our fists at God when He puts us through trials. Job said, “But He knows where I am going. And when He tests me, I will come out as pure as gold” (23:10, NLT).
 
Food For Thought
The perfection Jesus called us to (Matt 5:48) is that of a maturing character where we love Christ and are complete. That can only come through trials. It does not come through reading books or hearing sermons. It comes through sufferings, the result of which will be our perfection.
            

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James 1:1b-2 …to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials…

The nation of Israel began with Abraham and his grandson Jacob, whose name God later changed to Israel, who birthed 12 sons. These became the 12 tribes of Israel. Though one nation under David and Solomon (circa 1000 BC), they split in 930 BC into 10 tribes in the north (Israel) and two tribes in the south (Judah). The northern tribes succumbed to the Assyrians in 722 BC, although members of all 10 tribes migrated south into Judah. Then in 586 BC the Judean kingdom was sacked by the Babylonians. Though all 12 tribes were carried into captivity and only Judah and Levi maintained their genealogies up to AD 70, all 12 tribes will one day came back together under their Messiah (Isa. 11:12-13; Jer. 3:18; 50:19; Ez. 37; Rev. 7:5-8).

James’ primary audience was comprised of members from each tribe of Israel who had come to faith in Jesus Christ. It is clear the Jewish persecution in Jerusalem began right after Stephen’s stoning (circa AD 35, Acts 7:58-8:3) and intensified after James, the son of Zebedee, was killed by Herod Agrippa in AD 44 (Acts 12:1-2). It was at that time that the Apostle Peter was arrested for preaching Christ in Jerusalem (Acts 12:3). As a result, many Jerusalem Jews scattered and were “dispersed abroad,” in and around Palestine. James wrote to them, encouraging these Jewish Christians to “consider to all joy…when you encounter various trials…” (v. 2).

The trials James speaks of concern the persecution Jewish Christians endured after being scattered. Yet James encouraged them that God has a divine purpose for trials and afflictions and has ordained suffering as an avenue through which He molds and shapes His people. Note:
 

• Trials train us, for God disciplines those He loves (Heb. 12:6).
• Trials determine our love for God (Deut. 10:12; cf. 13:3), Abraham being a prime example in his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen. 22). What he proved was that he loved God more than his own son. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26).
• Trials equip us to help others. Jesus told Peter, “Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32, italics mine).
• Trials test the quality of our faith. Those who complain in their trials have weak faith, but the strong trust in God’s sovereign plan in the midst of their suffering (e.g., Moses and Israel in Ex. 16:4; cf. Deut. 13:3-4; Hezekiah in 2 Chron. 32:31; and Job).
• Trials test our resolve to follow Christ, like the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11—all of whom looked past their earthly afflictions to their heavenly hope.
• Trials such as losing one’s job or possessions remind us that God is all we need. Our wealth, advanced degrees, and success tend to puff us up and keep us from trusting God for all things (cf. Moses in Ex. 2:11-25 & Phillip in John 6:5-7). Trials help undo this.
• Trials humble us and remind us that God is in control, not us. Note how God dealt with Paul and his so-called “thorn in his flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7).
• Trials cause us to long for heaven while at the same time savoring the opportunity to serve Christ faithfully in their midst (cf. Phil. 1:23-24; Rom. 8:18-25; 2 Cor. 4:14, 16-18).

Paul, said “I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10).
            

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James 1:1a James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…
           
The author of the epistle calls himself “James.” Among Christ’s 12 disciples, the name James appears three times. There is James, the son of Zebedee—brother of John (Matt 10:2; Luke 6:14), James the son of Alphaeus (Matt 10:3; Luke 6:15), and James the father of the other disciple named Judas (Luke 6:16; John 14:22; Acts 1:13). Since it is known that James, the son of Zebedee was martyred under Herod Agrippa in AD 44 (Acts 12:2), and the epistle was written after that, he cannot be the author. The other two men are almost entirely unknown apart from being named in the Gospels. So, by process of elimination, the only other James who could have written the epistle is the half-brother of Jesus named James. His other half-brothers were Jude, Simon, and Joseph (Matt 13:55; Mark 6:3)—the physical offspring of Mary and Joseph.

Now this particular James was not always a follower of Christ (John 7:3-5; cf. Mark 3:21). His eyes were opened to Jesus’ true identity as God in the flesh after Jesus’ resurrection, for Paul wrote, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…He was buried… raised on the third day… appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve... to more than five hundred brethren at one time… then He appeared to James” (1 Cor. 15:3-8, italics mine). Shortly thereafter, James became the leader and pastor of the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18). Paul knew him as one of the “pillars” in the church (Gal 2:9), calling him “James, the Lord’s brother” (Gal. 1:19). Later, according to the early Church historian Hegesippus, he became known as “James the Just.”

Like his brother Jude (author of the NT epistle bearing his name), James did not identify himself as Jesus’ brother, referring to himself only as the Lord’s “bond-servant,” or slave (Gr. doulos). This Greek term, one that Paul used for himself (cf. Rom. 1:1; Phil 1:1; Titus 1:1), denotes one who willingly gives himself to his Master who owns him, selflessly and absolutely submitting himself for service (cf. Matt 24:46; Luke 2:29; Acts 4:29; Gal. 1:10; Col. 1:7; 2 Tim. 2:24; Rev. 19:5). In the OT, those whom God called to distinctive service were dubbed “slaves” (doulos) of the Lord—from Abraham to Moses to Joshua to David to the prophets (Josh. 14:7; 24:29; 2 Kgs. 17:23; Ps. 89:4, 20). Clearly both Jude and James saw their primary relationship to Jesus not as brothers with the same mother but as servants—slaves of their Master and Lord.

If James had a boast about his relationship with Jesus, it was as a slave and nothing more. After all, being a slave of Christ transcends a blood relationship with Him. Even Jesus said as much. For when Jesus was told by the crowds that His mother Mary and His brothers and sisters were looking for Him on one particular occasion while He preached, Jesus used the occasion to say that those who actually do the will of God are His mother, brothers, and sisters (cf. Matt 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35), not the woman who gave Him birth or his blood siblings. Thus, neither James nor Jude designated themselves brothers or “servants” of Christ; they saw themselves as “slaves” to their Master who is God in the flesh. All Christians should boast likewise.

Food For Thought
For James to call himself a slave of both God and the Lord Jesus Christ is not that he divided the two. God is the Father, and Jesus is the Son. They are one in their nature and attributes but distinct in their roles and functions. They are as J.P. Lange writes, “wielding one dominion” (John 17:3). James thus believed the OT God is the same as the New Covenant God, and as a faithful slave to Him, Lange says, James’ service was “rendered to God and Jesus Christ with undivided consciousness, obedience and operation.” What a great commentary on what a Christian should be! In a day when Christians look so much like the culture around them, a slave of Christ who submits to God stands out as a true member of the family of God. O to be like that.
            

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Hebrews 13:22-25 But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. 24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with you all.
           
Concluding his epistle, the author was clearly not writing for the sake of his own health; he was writing a “word of exhortation” to people he loved—the act of earnestly encouraging a response to God’s inspired word. This “word of exhortation” was thus a sermon preached with pen and paper, admittedly “written to you briefly.” In under 10,000 words, the author was calling his audience “to bear with” the brief words he had written—specifically to put their Christian faith into practice, to turn their single-minded attention to Jesus Christ who is superior to everything and everyone their Jewish minds once held important (i.e., angels, Moses, Joshua, the priesthood, the temple). If the author had developed the themes he wrote about more fully, his epistle would have been much longer. But with the brief sermon he preached with his pen and paper, he impacted the entire world for centuries, even us in the twenty-first century.
           
In his final comments, the author speaks of “our brother Timothy” in v. 23, a familiar name in the NT, especially in Paul’s epistles. That “Timothy has been released” points to Timothy, like his mentor Paul, spending time in prison for preaching the gospel. This reflects back on Hebrews 13:3 where the author urges Christians to pray for those in prison, for at least a few of their brothers in Christ were suffering in chains, Timothy being one of them. Apparently the author intended to visit his audience in the company of Timothy, for he says, “with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.” So wherever his audience was located, if Timothy came to see them after his release, the author himself would be with him, for they were evidently traveling companions.
           
For students of the NT, this news about Timothy both being in prison and being released from prison is encouraging. After all, at one point in his young life, Timothy became weak in his faith, for in 2 Timothy 1:6–2:12 and 3:12-14, the Apostle Paul encouraged him to endure persecution without fear. After Paul was executed, Timothy obviously remained faithful, to the point of suffering in prison. Most likely, Hebrews was penned just after Paul wrote 2 Timothy, just before his death. It thus seems that Paul’s exhortation to Timothy was just what he needed.
           
In v. 24, the author sends his greetings to those reading his epistle—both their “leaders” (cf. 13:7, 17) and the “saints,” namely all Christians. The mention of “all of your leaders” means that the audience did not have just one senior pastor but a plurality of elders (cf. Acts 20:17-38) leading and serving them. The author in turn sends not only his own greetings but greetings from his own cohorts who were “from Italy.” This indicates either that the author was in Italy when he wrote his letter or that there were some Italian Christians present with him sending the audience their greetings. Either way, greetings (Gr. aspazomai) were clearly important to the early Church.
           
In v. 25, the final words of Hebrews are “grace be with you all.” The author does not say, “Works be with you all,” but “grace,” the antithesis of works. Not mercy but grace. Not love but grace. Perhaps grace includes both love and mercy, God’s unmerited favor upon His people conferred back on them by those to whom His grace was given. God’s grace is upon His people through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Now may His grace be multiplied to all His children over and over, even modern readers of this Spirit-inspired epistle. Likewise, may we as His people give others grace when they may deserve our wrath. Grace upon grace is honoring and glorifying to God, and it is certainly beneficial to us.

Grace be with you!
            

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