James--The Law of Christ for Daily Life

James--The Law of Christ for Daily Life This beautiful Epistle of holy living was possibly the first of the New Testament writings, a patriarchal letter, addressed to the twelve tribes, reminding us of some Hebrew prophet in its denunciation of the oppression of the rich, the hire of the laborers kept back by those who give themselves up to live in pleasure.

It is a superficial reading of Paul and James which counts them to be at variance as to the relative importance of faith and works. Paul uses the word justify in the sense of “acquitted,” “accounted righteous.” James uses it in the sense of being proved righteous by the works which are the result of faith.

It is a remarkable fact that while Paul uses the expression “rich in good works” (1 Timothy 6:18), James uses “rich in 242faith” (James 2:5). James exalts faith; its trial worketh patience (James 1:3); his Epistle opens and closes with strong encouragement to pray the prayer of faith (James 1:6; James 5:14-18). He exposes the spurious faith which does not produce works by the question so emphatically rendered in the R.V. “Can that faith save him?” Paul is one with him in this when he says we are “created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10).

James compares God’s Word to a mirror, revealing the natural depravity of the heart of man. His description of the sins of the tongue is unequalled: “The tongue can no man tame;” but God can, for He can bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).