Thoughts

James is a small book, but it’s packed with rich content. Too much, really, to talk about every point, so I’ll just touch on a couple points today, which are actually related.

Hearing Is Not Enough

At the end of chapter one, James, who is the half-brother of Jesus, makes the point that just hearing the scriptures is not enough. Don’t think that by going to church or reading the Bible, or listening to this podcast for that matter, is enough to make you righteous. You must act on what you hear. The Word has to make a difference in your life. You must take action on what you hear.

We Must Be Doers

James 2:14-20 has caused a lot of controversy over the years, but in my mind it is quite clear. The message is this: if you say you love God, but your life doesn’t show it, you are fooling yourself. To expand on that thought, if I love God, I am going to just naturally begin to do things that show the love of God. I don’t do those things to gain God’s favor, and I don’t do them to earn points in Heaven. I do them because He has changed who I am. If I am the same person I have always been, then I have not truly met Jesus, and I am still lost.

The example James gives is that of Abraham. He said he had faith, but until he showed that he was willing to sacrifice his son, Isaac, his faith was incomplete. It was only when he raised the knife to sacrifice his son that God pronounced him complete. And then, as James quoted from the Old Testament, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” And James said that Abraham was called the friend of God.

It Is Not By Our Efforts

Now, don’t misunderstand. We are saved by faith alone. There is nothing we can do to earn any part of our salvation. Zero. Zip. Nada. Nothing. But unless my faith results in a changed life, it is worthless, because if we have a true faith in God, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, who brings about the fruit of the spirit that was talked about by Paul in Galatians 5:22 and 23: … love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control…

Fruit just naturally grows on the tree, right? The apple tree doesn’t have to try to grow apples, it just does. Same with the fruit of the Spirit. If you have truly become a new person by yielding yourself to Jesus, then these things will become evident in your life.

Can others see the fruit of the Spirit  in your life?

Today's Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1-3 GWT

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