James' exhortation to the church has been incredibly foundational. Imagine not having his words to challenge and assure us. . .so glad his letter ended up in the Bible for all of us to learn from. For a second week, we will be in the same passage. Last week, we meditated on what it means to have a dead faith. Praise be to God that all things can be made new in Christ Jesus! Whatever is dead can come back to life again. What a gift His resurrection is to the world. We continue to proclaim that astounding truth.
Now, we want to look at this passage to study what these words mean. This teaching has been controversial in the church because people have understood them to mean that James doesn't think faith matters. This, of course, is in direct contradiction to Paul, who says in Ephesians 2 that we are saved by grace alone, THROUGH FAITH. This week we want to think through what James is saying. What problem is he trying to address in his context? How has the church, through the years, lived out this dual understanding? How do you understand it?
It is a privilege to be able to come freely into the house of God, learning together from His Spirit. What a gift to worship with no persecution. On Sunday, let us be grateful and pray for our brothers and sisters who have a very different reality. May the Lord continue to meet all those who seek Him in truth, by the power of His Spirit.
