Not to be confused with: James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus, two of the Twelve (Matt. 10:2, 3); James the Less, the son of Mary and brother of Joses (Mark 15:40); James the father of Judas (that is, of Thaddaeus; Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).
Home: Probably Nazareth.
Family: Father was probably Joseph; mother was Mary; younger brother of Jesus Christ and of other brothers named Joses, Judas, and Simon; also had sisters not named in Scripture.
Occupation: Unknown, but he may have been a carpenter like his father and brother Jesus.
Best known for: Leading the Jerusalem church and writing the Book of James.
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God has a three-stage spiritual growth plan for each of us. Stage one involves trials—as many as we need, as hard as necessary. Stage two requires patience—waiting for God with conviction and perseverance. Stage three brings wisdom—God’s ultimate goal for every member of His kingdom. We should be aware that asking for wisdom might get us a vigorous dose of trials that demand a lot of patience. But if we let the process work, we will eventually get the wisdom we need.
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God is more interested in us being someone than getting somewhere. Instead of measuring our worth by what we achieve and acquire, the Lord wants to see us develop virtues such as peace, truth, and integrity. He intends for us to …
• Endure trials (James 1:4).
• Trust Him to meet our needs, freely asking for His help (1:5–9).
• Discern between good and bad to make wise decisions (1:12–16).
• Give generously to others just as He gives generously to us (1:17, 18).
• Listen well and respond thoughtfully (1:19–21).
• Act instead of merely talking about doing good (1:22–25).
Character never develops instantaneously. And God desires long-term growth, not a quick fix. If all we care about is getting as much as we can as fast as we can, He will do what it takes to spare us from self-destruction, even if that means forcing us to slow down and reexamine our life direction.
More: Paul suggested practical steps to slow down and become Christlike. See “Quiet Living” at 1 Thess. 4:11.
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Some people blame God for their sin, as if He puts them in situations more tempting than they can handle. But sin never starts outside us; it always begins within, often because we want something God has not given us (1 Cor. 10:6; James 4:1–3).
Sin comes from our own covetousness or discontent, a feeling that we deserve more than we have. This close tie between sin and pride should alert us to the fact that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (4:6). The surest path to overcoming temptation is to develop humility, a character trait that leads to contentment (see “Humility: The Scandalous Virtue” at Phil. 2:3).
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A Faith That Works
Working as a missionary at India’s southern tip, Amy Carmichael (1867–1951) became known as Amma (“Mother”) to the family that grew ever larger as she rescued more and more children from the extreme perils of poverty and ritual prostitution. Beginning in 1895, she served five unbroken decades in India, dying in her adopted land and buried in an unmarked grave, just as she had wished.
Upon the death of her father when Carmichael was eighteen, she and her family faced an uncertain future, but their move from a small village in northern Ireland to the capital city of Belfast sparked a new passion within the brown-eyed lass. She began a Sunday morning outreach to the “Shawlies,” girls and women who worked in the local mills and who had earned their nickname from their habit of wearing shawls rather than hats. Carmichael saw firsthand the miserable working conditions of factories, and the people drawn by her outreach in the slums grew into a church of hundreds.
During this time, Carmichael heard Hudson Taylor, the great evangelist for China, give a speech about the four thousand people dying in China each day without knowledge of the gospel (see here for an article on the life of Hudson Taylor). Carmichael was convinced of her call to overseas evangelism, but a chronic nerve condition made her seemingly unfit for the foreign mission field. Taylor’s own organization ultimately rejected her involvement. Carmichael persevered, but her first experience serving abroad in Japan proved unsatisfying. Not giving up, she moved on to Sri Lanka, then returned home to care for an ailing friend, finally arriving in India in 1895.
The new arrival witnessed an active church producing meager spiritual results. Carmichael observed missionary women gossiping and drinking tea, seemingly unconcerned about the lost souls all around them. She thought, prayed, and moved southward. There she found a welcoming missionary family, the Walkers, and found female partners for village ministry. Carmichael began donning Indian dress and dying her skin with coffee, happy for the first time in her life that her eyes were brown instead of blue; she suspected that her eye color, along with her intentional efforts to appear less foreign, made it easier for the local population to accept her into the community.
An encounter with a little girl in 1901 changed the course of Carmichael’s ministry. A seven-year-old named Preena escaped from a temple where she was being trained as a devadasi, a ritual prostitute said to be married to a Hindu god. Preena begged Carmichael for protection. When locals demanded the girl’s return, Carmichael refused to give her up. Afterward, Carmichael found other girls being sold to temples or left on roadsides to die, and her Dohnavur Fellowship ministry grew up in response to this dire need. Despite the wrath of Hindu priests and false accusations of kidnapping, Carmichael eventually rescued more than one thousand girls from perpetual sexual abuse.
A fall in 1931 left Carmichael bedridden for much of the rest of her life, but during the next twenty years she expanded the prolific writing ministry she had begun in 1903 with Things as They Are: Mission Work in Southern India. Her honest accounts inspired many to pursue missionary work, including the martyr Jim Elliot and his wife Elisabeth. Carmichael never smoothed over the difficulty of the call to ministry, telling one inquirer, “Missionary life is simply a chance to die.”
Yet alongside her brutal honesty, Carmichael is also remembered for her buoyant hope and generosity. “One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving,” she once remarked. To Carmichael, the truest test of faith was action. If one’s faith was genuine, then it must and would shine forth in concrete expressions of love and sacrifice. In turn, the experience of sacrifice would strengthen one’s faith. Through it all, God’s loving protection would never fade. “God is the God of the waves and billows,” Carmichael writes, “and they are still His when they come over us; and again and again we have proved that the overwhelming thing does not overwhelm. Once more by His interposition deliverance came. We were cast down, but not destroyed” (Lotus Buds).
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In James 2, a congregation is put on trial for giving good seats to the wealthy and forcing poor people to stand in the back. James calls on God’s “royal law” to condemn this favoritism toward the rich and prejudice against the poor. People who discriminate against others based on socio-economic status violate the core of God’s law.
The same biases continue today. Our churches might consider only the wealthy for church leadership. Or we may respond coldly or even cruelly to people who appear poor, whether visitors at church, customers at work, or strangers on the street.
This warning does not imply that we should favor the poor and dishonor the rich. We are guilty of reverse discrimination when we assume that people have gained wealth through dishonesty and oppression rather than honesty and hard work.
James asserts that favoritism is as much a transgression of the Law as adultery or murder (James 2:10, 11). The behavior of Christians in James 2 shows how faith that is not reflected in our actions fails to welcome all into God’s household as equals. Similar prejudice against Gentiles, slaves, and women led Paul to affirm that in Christ “we are all one” (see “We Are Family” at Gal. 3:28).
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Wealth tends to distract us and distort our worldview, and no human being is exempt from the lure of money. God does not condemn possessing wealth but He does warn us against thinking that we can both chase riches and be fully devoted to Him—or that we can make material prosperity the foundation of our lives and still rely on His faithfulness (Matt. 6:24–34).
We must all answer tough questions about our attachment to money and possessions:
• What is our goal—to move to a higher level of wealth, to hold steady where we are, or to live modestly and give away the excess?
• How has our wealth brought us closer to God? How has it led us away from Him?
• What specific giving plans do we follow? Is our amount of giving increasing or decreasing each year?
More: Paul offers a penetrating discussion of wealth in his first letter to Timothy. See “Christians and Money” at 1 Tim. 6:6–19.
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The Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1–17) touched on by James are just as relevant to modern life as they were during ancient times. Jesus commanded His followers to honor these laws (see “The Morality of Christ” at Matt. 5:17–48). Here are some suggestions for ways to fulfill these commandments in today’s world:
Original Commandment | Modern Application |
1. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Ex. 20:3). | Treat your relationship with God as your first priority. |
2. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” (Ex. 20:4). | Do not build all of your life around any person, place, thing, cause, or idea. God’s place is at the center of our existence. |
3. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain” (Ex. 20:7). | Do nothing in God’s name that is contrary to biblical principles. |
4. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Ex. 20:8). | Pause for worship and rest, thanking God for meeting your daily needs. |
5. “Honor your father and your mother” (Ex. 20:12). | Treat parents and other elders how you would want to be treated at their age and stage of life. |
6. “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13). | Honor life and promote human rights. Do not harbor hateful thoughts against others. |
7. “You shall not commit adultery” (Ex. 20:14). | Maintain the physical and emotional faithfulness necessary to keep your family—or your future family—healthy and intact. |
8. “You shall not steal” (Ex. 20:15). | Do not take others’ belongings or claim others’ ideas as your own. |
9. “You shall not bear false witness” (Ex. 20:16). | Practice total integrity and honesty. Make your yes mean yes and your no mean no. |
10. “You shall not covet” (Ex. 20:17). | Do not allow yourself to crave others’ possessions, abilities, or relationships. |
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By offering the Israelite spies a safe haven in Jericho, Rahab the prostitute demonstrated faith in Israel’s God. Her simple but brave act was a bold move toward Him, and evidence that she believed He rewards people who seek Him. Find out more about this remarkable woman in her profile at Joshua 2:3 and “Rahab’s Faith” at Hebrews 11:31.
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Nations, organizations, and individuals usually think it wise to pursue peace through strength. But James challenges us to secure peace through humility. He argues that the source of wars and fights are internal “desires for pleasure,” which align us with a world system that is opposed to God. Peace between people is achieved when we first find peace with the Lord, and peace with Him only occurs as we pursue humility. We demonstrate humility not only by submitting to Him but by ordering our lives around other appropriate forms of submission:
Who Submits? All Christians
To Whom? Governing authorities
Supporting Text: Rom. 13:1, 5; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13
Who Submits? Women
To Whom? The church
Supporting Text: 1 Cor. 14:34
Corinthian Christians
To Whom? Paul’s coworkers
Supporting Text: 1 Cor. 16:16
Who Submits? All Christians
To Whom? One another
Supporting Text: Eph. 5:21
Who Submits? Wives
To Whom? Their husbands
Supporting Text: Eph. 5:22, 24; Col. 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1 Pet. 3:1, 5
Who Submits? The church
To Whom? Christ
Supporting Text: Eph. 5:24
Who Submits? Slaves
To Whom? Their masters
Supporting Text: Titus 2:9; 1 Pet. 2:18
Who Submits? All Christians
To Whom? God
Supporting Text: Heb. 12:9; James 4:7
Who Submits? Young people
To Whom? Elders
Supporting Text: 1 Pet. 5:5
The New Testament shows other relationships of submission as well:
Who/What Submits? Jesus
To Whom? His parents
Supporting Text: Luke 2:51
Who/What Submits? Demons
To Whom? The seventy disciples
Supporting Text: Luke 10:17, 20
Who/What Submits? Creation
To Whom? God
Supporting Text: Rom. 8:20
Who/What Submits? Everything
To Whom? Christ
Supporting Text: 1 Cor. 15:27, 28; Phil. 3:21
Who/What Submits? Christ
To Whom? God the Father
Supporting Text: 1 Cor. 15:28
Who/What Submits? The world to come
To Whom? Christ and His church
Supporting Text: Heb. 2:5–8
Who/What Submits? Angels, authorities, powers
To Whom? Christ
Supporting Text: 1 Pet. 3:22
Note these two examples of a lack of submission:
Who Fails to Submit? The sinful mind
To Whom/What? God and His law
Text: Rom. 8:7
Who Fails to Submit? Israel
To Whom/What? God’s righteousness
Text: Rom. 10:3
Christ’s submission to His Father demonstrates that deference does not necessarily imply inferiority. Biblical submission is a Christlike behavior that deserves honor (Phil. 2:1–11). It is also worth noting that submission is only one side of the relationships listed above. The church is called to submit to Christ, for example, but Christ also has responsibilities toward the church: He is to love her, to give Himself up for her, to make her pure, to nourish and cherish her, and to present her to Himself in her perfect and holy state (Eph. 5:25–33).
More: Biblical humility involves acknowledging the truth about ourselves. See “Humility: The Scandalous Virtue” at Phil. 2:3.
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The Bible never discourages us from walking into our future with bright expectations of fulfilling our hopes and dreams. But James cautions us to make our plans—in business, in relationships, in major decisions and small ones—with the knowledge that God is ultimately in control of our lives.
It is part of human nature to seek control over our circumstances. Yet while the Bible encourages us to take responsibility (1 Thess. 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:12), we must also submit to God’s sovereignty. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah compares us to clay in the hands of a potter, a divine Artist who does with us as He wishes (Is. 64:8; 1 Cor. 12:15–18).
We should do our planning with a humility of mind and heart that submits every goal to God. He may let us proceed according to our desires, or He may send us in a new direction that is better suited to His purposes. Either way, He invites us to accept whatever He brings into our lives without arguing or complaining (Rom. 9:20, 21; Phil. 2:13, 14).
This might seem like a painful surrender of freedom, but through our submission we gain tremendous peace. We can approach our days confident that an infinitely wise, powerful, and good God controls our world. Life might not always go the way we want. It might even seem unfair or even absurd. But God is in charge of the world, and that is a very good thing.
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When James condemns the rich, he does not condemn possessions or money as inherently evil. He issues his warning to people who acquire their wealth unjustly and live lavishly while ignoring their neighbors’ obvious needs. The rich who fail to use their resources to do good can expect fierce judgment. When God asks you to explain how you earned and spent your money, what will you say?
More: James’s warning aligns with other Scriptures on the use and abuse of wealth. See “Christians and Money” at 1 Tim. 6:6–19.
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Christians have ample reason to enjoy life—a truth that James hints at when he urges us to sing praises with those who are happy. Paul too said to “rejoice in the Lord” (Phil. 3:1; 4:4). Even Jesus challenged a gloomy attitude. He was indeed “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Is. 53:3). But His enemies called Him a “winebibber” (Matt. 11:19). He enlivened a wedding with a miraculous gift of fine wine (John 2:1–12) and attended a “great feast” with a converted tax collector and his friends (Luke 5:27–29).
The Bible begins with celebration. God created the world, then set aside a day to commemorate what He had done (Gen. 2:1–3). He told the Israelites to repeat that same pattern weekly and annually (Ex. 20:8–11; Lev. 23:1–44). And at the opposite end of the Bible, we find a wedding-like celebration in heaven as God removes all pain and suffering (Rev. 19:1–10).
Scripture encourages the people of God to cultivate joy, hope, and celebration in many ways and on many occasions. Some examples include:
Weddings
Weddings are cause for celebration because the “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24) union of a man and a woman reflects God’s image on earth. The Song of Solomon is a love poem dedicated to celebrating this theme.
Artistic Expressions of Thankfulness
Major accomplishments or events call for song, dance, poetry, and other arts. Scripture memorializes God’s work among His people in songs by Deborah (Judg. 5), Moses and Miriam (Ex. 15:1–21), Hannah (1 Sam. 2:1–10), David (Ps. 18), and Mary (Luke 1:46–55). We do not have the words to the songs of Jephthah’s daughter (Judg. 11:34), David’s followers (1 Sam. 18:6, 7), or Paul and Silas (Acts 16:25, 26), but their songs of deliverance set a joyous pattern for us to follow.
Harvest Festivals
Israel’s agricultural economy was marked by harvest celebrations that included parading samples of produce and honoring God with joyful songs (Ps. 126:5, 6; Is. 9:3). Other feasts included the week-long festivals of Unleavened Bread, Weeks, and Tabernacles (Ex. 23:16; Lev. 23; Num. 28–29; Deut. 16:9–17). The Sabbath year festival (held every seven years; Lev. 25:1–7) and the Jubilee celebrations (held every fiftieth year; 25:8–55) linked national worship with social policy. Any time a good work has been brought to completion, joy and thanksgiving naturally abound.
The Sabbath
God completed His work and established a day each week to remind His people that all of creation belongs to Him, that work is not endless, and that His people must depend on Him to meet their needs (Gen. 2:1–3; Ex. 20:8–11). Early Christians moved their weekly observance from the last day of the week to the first day of the week, in order to commemorate “Resurrection Day” or “the Lord’s Day” (see “The Lord’s Day” at Rev. 1:10). This was the day that Jesus proved He was “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matt. 12:1–14) by rising from the dead. As with the Sabbath, the Lord’s Day is set aside for worship, celebration, rest, and renewal.
Other Special Occasions
Scripture records other scenes that called for spontaneous celebrations, including escape from captivity (Ps. 126:1–3), conversion from sin (Acts 2:40–47; 16:25–34), and miraculous deliverance (Ex. 14:30—15:21). On occasions like these we need to pause to enjoy God’s good gifts and give thanks for everything He has done for us.
More: For more on the Jewish day of rest, see “Keeping the Sabbath” at Ex. 20:8–11; “Taking a Break” at Ex. 35:1–3; and “The Sabbath” at Heb. 4:1–13.
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James presents Elijah as an example of a person of effective prayer. Many people may find James’s choice intimidating; Elijah was one of Israel’s greatest prophets. He took on the outrageously evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, brought a punishing drought upon the land, called down fire from heaven, and was swept up to heaven in a whirlwind accompanied by fiery chariots (1 Kin. 17–22; 2 Kin. 1–2).
Yet James insists that “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours” (James 5:17). And it is true that while the prophet experienced many victories, he also endured painful emotional struggles (1 Kin. 19:1–4)—yet Scripture records that even in Elijah’s darkest hour, he reached out to God in prayer and was comforted (19:5–18). According to James, Elijah apparently did not pray because he was a great man; but perhaps he became a great man because he prayed. James offers some reasons why Elijah’s prayers were so effective:
• He prayed. He didn’t just hope or wish; he actually prayed.
• He prayed fervently. He prayed with discipline and perseverance.
• He prayed effectively. He expected results.
• He prayed righteously. He did not allow sin to muddy his conversation with God.
• He prayed specifically. He asked first for drought and then for rain, in keeping with God’s Word (for example, Deut. 28:12, 24). He prayed according to Scripture.
God granted Elijah extraordinary results. There is no reason why any Christian cannot pray using these same principles. Imagine what God might do in our world if we prayed like Elijah.
More: For more on this exemplary man of faith, see Elijah’s profile at 1 Kin. 17:1; “The Lord Is God” at 1 Kin. 18:37—19:14; and “Mapping the Life of Elijah” at 1 Kin. 18:1. For more on prayer, see the articles under “Prayer” in the “Knowing and Serving God” section of the Themes to Study index.
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