One of the most
powerful, inspired, life-changing books of the Bible is the epistle of James.
It is the road map for the walk of faith.
The author of the book is James "the Lord's brother,"
not James the Apostle. Like the other brothers of Jesus, James did not believe
in Him at first (John 7:2-5). But after the Resurrection this brother became a
key leader in Jerusalem and at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). One tradition
nicknames James "camel knees," because of the calluses he was
supposed to have developed from long hours spent in prayer.
The theme of the Book of James is "faith" ... but not
saving faith, or justifying faith. James' theme is practical in that he looks at the lifestyle which is produced by faith in Jesus. True
faith generates obedience, and so James encouraged the early church to live
a life that was worthy of their profession of faith in Jesus as the Christ.
The
book of James is the practical application of all the doctrines of Paul sets
forth on faith. It’s where the rubber meets the road. It’s where our faith is
expressed in tangible ways through our actions. The epistle is indispensable to
our understanding of what our faith is all about and how the Christian life is
supposed to be lived. But living this out in reality is far from easy!
Here
are several questions for you to consider:
What might have occurred
to James to move him from a skeptic to a prayer warrior? How can we apply this
to our own lives?
Why do we have such a hard
time living out our faith today? What could make it easier?
Why is it so hard to remain steadfast on
our spiritual journey, especially during tough times?
We all have good and not-so good experiences with our walk of faith. Why not encourage and share your views?
Robert Parlante
March 2015
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