JAMES WEEK Ten

PUTTING FAITH INTO PRACTICE:The Common Denominator

Once, when I picked up Sjon-Paul from an afternoon away, his Granny relayed a conversation she overheard between the boys. Evidently, Sjon-Paul’s two older cousins had been fighting.

Sjon-Paul, who happened to be innocent in this particular altercation, declared to them both, “You had better be good because when you’re bad, you’re acting like the devil, and when you act like the devil, you go to hell! There, the angel of fire will burn you. He used to be a good angel, but he’s not no more. He’s in hell burning, and if you’re bad, you’ll burn too!”

Now, just let me say, I recognize that Sjon-Paul’s theology was incorrect. But, give him a break, he was only four!

For almost two weeks now I have been reading James 5:1-12, praying over it and asking God to help me figure out what it is that I am supposed to bring to light for my readers. After nine weeks already spent in James, I am beginning to feel like we are repeating ourselves.

As a writer, I know the importance of sewing one’s words together, stitching them carefully so that, while standing alone in their own right, they also merge together to form a beautiful tapestry. The book of James, however, is more like a patchwork quilt than an afghan. James has sewn several patches of the same material into this letter.

In the New Living translation, these passages are divided into two segments. The first is James 5:1-6. In this passage, James, once again, scathingly admonishes the wealthy. As he is bringing his letter to a close, he seems to leave no holds barred. He points a finger at their greed (hoarding-5:3), their dishonesty (cheating-5: 4), and their self-indulgent lifestyles (5: 5-6). Verse 6 seems especially disconcerting. “You have condemned and killed innocent people.”

In the first passage, James talks to the master who has field workers. In the second passage (5:7-11), James compares his readers to the people who are doing the harvesting. It’s almost as if, in this congregation, James found two classes of people—those who were in charge and those who were serving. In this, second passage, therefore, he addresses the servants. He encourages them to wait patiently as they endure suffering (5:7-8), and reminds them to stop grumbling (5:9).

The danger of riches, the importance of endurance, and the value of controlling one’s tongue are not new. James has addressed these things repeatedly in this letter. However, the message actually goes all the way back to Genesis 1. Like Sjon-Paul’s rather uncouth sermon to his cousins, the “gist” of it all can really be boiled down to one word—“sin.” It is the common denominator in this letter, and it is the common denominator in our lives.

Theologian and reformer, Martin Luther, once said, “Sin is essentially a departure from God.”

And, let’s face it, we are all guilty. If we honestly assess ourselves, I believe we can even identify our own sins in these verses. Have I ever been selfish with what God has given me (time and talents as well as money and material possessions)? That’s hoarding. Have I ever been dishonest in any respect? That’s cheating. Have there been times when I have been more concerned about my own pleasure or comfort than the needs of others? That’s self-indulgence. If I answer yes to any of these (and I do), that lumps me in with the rich people James rebukes.

Have I ever been impatient while waiting for God’s timing? Do I complain? Have I grumbled about the people in my life? Admitting that I have also puts me squarely in category two.

We are all sinners, and we all need the grace of Jesus. Perhaps that is why James throws in verse 12, which almost seems like an afterthought.

“But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else,” writes James. “Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.”

What in the world does this have to do with the previous verses? It outlines another sin, the sin of dishonesty.

When we take an oath, we are in essence saying, “Hey, we are telling the truth now. We may not have told the truth before, but we are telling the truth now.” James makes it a point to remind us that there should be no need to do that. Our yes should be yes, and our no should be no. In essence, this little verse is basically a call to honesty.

That is important because honesty is the bedrock of repentance. Whether we are rich or poor, a boss or a worker, a persecutor or the persecuted, we are all prone to sin. However, we, as humans, like to classify our sins. Even in reading these scriptures, we like to lump ourselves into the “brothers and sisters” of the second category rather than with the “rich people” of the first. But, in God’s eyes, we are all sinners in need of grace (Romans 3:23), and it’s only through the blood of Jesus that we can be saved (Romans 6:23).

To gain forgiveness, however, we must first be honest with ourselves. We must recognize our own sinfulness, refuse to whitewash it, and, instead, turn from it and to Jesus. As James begins to close his letter, He is reminding us again of the practicality and simplicity of our faith. Everything hinges on our need for a Savior.

THIS WEEK

We are almost finished with the book of James. You should know James 1:22 very well by now. This week, I encourage you to place your name at the beginning of this verse and say it to yourself at least once day. For example, I would say, “Tricia, don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourself.”
Read James 5: 1-12 every day.
We are all sinners, but it’s often easier to see the sin in someone else’s life instead of our own. Consider today’s verses. Which of the sins mentioned do you find yourself struggling with most? Hoarding? Cheating? Self-indulgence? Hate? Grumbling? Dishonesty? Ask God to convict you of your sins and then prayerfully repent and ask for His help in living a more Christ-like life.