James 4: 1-10
The letter of James still suffers from the marginal status given it by the Protestant Reformation. All because Martin Luther didn’t hold the book in high esteem, in fact Luther did not include it among the ‘chief proper books.’ He even called it “an Epistle of straw.” But Luther’s view was not that of the early church, which regarded James as a powerful moral encouragement.
James consists mainly of short sayings and commands. It is not one sustained homily (like some Pauline writings). It does have several essays or discourses that are relatively free-standing such as on faith (2: 14-26), the use of the tongue (3: 1-12), and envy (3:13- 4:10).
James is addressing members of the Christian community who gather in the name of Jesus Christ, but whose attitudes and actions are not yet fully in friendship with God. And, in this exhortation, James reminds us that conversion is a continuing process and an essential element in spiritual transformation.
St. Augustine once said, “Just as pride was the beginning of sin so too is humility the beginning of Christian discipline.”
James exhorts in verse 4, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” The Christian life is not a “one and done” conversion. James sees that conversion is never complete. We are always “going on to perfection,” you might say.
John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Movement, took seriously Jesus's invitation to 'be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect' (Matt 5:48). By 'perfection,' Wesley did not mean moral flawlessness or sinlessness. He meant perfection in the sense of maturity and humility.
Wesley believed we could become perfect in love in this life. If Jesus invites us to seek perfection, perfect love is possible. He didn't mean we would be free from mistakes, temptation, or failure. For Wesley, growing as a Christian is all about being filled with love, which happens by the grace of God. We may not be there yet; but by God's grace, as United Methodists say, "we're going on to perfection!"
James’ writing explicitly invokes the voice of Scripture—scripture does not portray the Spirit God made to dwell in humans as being for envy. Rather, as Proverbs 3:34 makes clear, God resists the arrogant and gives gifts to the lowly. The verse cited by James points to that entirely different understanding of reality given by the “wisdom from above” found in Scripture: Life is not about competition for possessions; it is about the receiving of gifts from a God who “gives all the more grace” (4:6)
What is James trying to teach us here in these 10 verses? I think the word of the day is grace! More specifically more grace. One transition declares, “But he gives greater grace!” Oddly, perhaps ironically, the book that is condemned by Luther for promoting works over faith, it all falls back on grace. Again, very Wesleyan!
James is offering more than any other New Testament writer a basis for a social ethic. Religion is to be proved, by care of the widows, orphans, and sick. James denies the compatibility of discrimination on the basis of social status. And here he traces war and murder to their root in envy and the insatiable desire for more pleasure and power. The living God alone saves and destroys (4:12), gives grace to the humble while opposing the proud!
We are to be doers of the word, because when we are doers of the word, then we are living out our faith, it’s not something which drifts away from us, something we forget, a mere illusion, but instead it becomes who we are, it becomes what we do, it becomes everything, and it is how we become known to the world. James is arguing that those who say they have faith, but do not do have works, do not have the “fruits of the Spirit” in Paul’s words, that come because of faith, they are not transformed in how they live, they do not actually have faith. Their faith is dead. It’s meaningless. It’s worthless. Its mere words that are thrown out to the universe but have no actual purpose or belief. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Your actions speak so loudly, I cannot hear what you are saying.”
Christian discipleship comes at a price. It is humbling to pick up your cross and follow. The world and pride tell us we should lead and conquer. But James is clearly reminding us that is the way of death.
When we have faith, when we have been transformed, when we have taken up our cross, there is only one thing we can do, and that is to serve, offer hospitality, to offer extravagant love, that is to offer all that we are and all that we have to God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. If you show me works, James says, I will show you your faith. Or as Jesus says, we will be judged by the fruit that we produce, not because of those things, but because of the faith that they represent. Go and do likewise my brothers and sisters. Amen.
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