In our project of reading through the Bible we now come to the book of James. As you read this book you will recognize its similarity to Proverbs in the Old Testament and the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament. It is concerned with our behavior as much as our belief.
James focuses on some areas of behavior that are common weak spots in the lives of Christians, and shows how to cope with them. His main argument is that “faith without works is dead.”
The late Dr. Alan Redpath was once accused of preaching a gospel of works. He replied, “I don’t preach a gospel of works. I do preach a gospel that works.” Faith that doesn’t result in transforming one’s life is a dead faith.
When returning from a church service sooner than usual a parishoner was asked, “Is the message from God done?” “No, not yet,” was the reply; “It was preached, but it still remains to be done.” Too often Christians are guilty of playing church. Checking in, checking out, and forgetting what they were exposed to while present. James points out that church and the Christian life are serious. We are accountable to God for what we believe, and just as important, for how we behave.
I considered verse 25 of chapter one as being the key verse: “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”
If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to sentence you?