Skip to content

The Significance of James

As part of the requirements for one of my seminary classes, all students were required to follow a guided template in explaining the significance of certain books of the Bible. below is the first one about James.

The summary follows four main parts: The purpose of the book (including the argument), a short summary of the book, what I want the audience to know regarding knowledge and action, and finally how this book will affect my personal character development. Each of us will be different in how James challenges us to grow and it is also dependent on the season of life we are in. Certain themes are more prominent in different seasons that help us grow and stick out more to us. God will speak into our lives through Scripture to tell us what He wants us to hear. You can read the same passage a year later and be reminded of a different truth that is important.

This post will focus on the significance of James

The Significance of James to Your Life & Ministry

  1. State briefly the purpose and argument of the book? (Give references to support your statements). What I want you to do here is (1) discern the importance of what this book teaches well enough to remember it; (2) the argument is trying to assess how the author develops and accomplishes his purpose.
    • Purpose (Major Theme or Purpose): The purpose of James is to answer the questions that the Jews in the dispersion had. The people were in danger of drifting away from the true faith. James’s purpose in writing his readers is to help them determine the genuineness of their faith and help them understand what true faith is. James wanted to restore the true faith and genuine fellowship that characterized the church immediately after Pentecost. The theme is seen in James’ emphasis on genuine faith being evidenced in works before men (2:14-26). James suggests that God accepted religion is known by the fruit that it bears (1:26-27). In identifying true faith, James gives several tests to show what true, living faith is (2:26). These include love without favoritism (2:1-13), taming the tongue (3:1-8), and submission to God evidenced by serving others (4:1-12). In showing what true faith is, James provides a model of genuine righteousness and a theme of God’s hatred of hypocrisy is shown (2:1-13; 4:112). Finally, James warns against being double minded (1:8; 4:2-4). James exhorts his readers for a single-minded allegiance to God.
    •  Argument (What is the author trying to accomplish and how is he doing it?): The book of James is a General Epistle where James responds to the questions and answers that his readers had, most likely the Jews in the dispersion. His response to these questions contributes to the varied nature of the book. However, James continually reminds his readers what true and genuine faith is and accomplishes his argument by offering a series of tests to see if they are living out true faith, or if they have dead faith. These test include love without favoritism (2:1-13), taming the tongue (3:1-8), and submission to God evidenced by serving others (4:1-12). James argues that true faith will result in works, because without works, faith is dead (2:17) because it does not manifest a transformed and obedient life (2:20, 26). Also, James parallels Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount to accomplish his purpose (1:2-5; 2:13-16; 3:1718; 4:10-11; 5:10, 12). James uses a number of imperatives to emphasize his point. One half of the verses in James (54 imperatives to 108 verses in James) contain a call to action. James also uses a number of metaphors, analogies and figures of speech to help the audience further understand his point (1:6; 1:11; 3:4; 4:14; 5:4; etc.).

 

  1. Give a short paragraph of how this book fits into the overall message or argument of the whole Bible. Support your statements with passages from the OT & NT. Give crossreferences from both Testaments—(like chapter and verse, 2:12 for example; “passages” means more than one)? 
O.T. Present Book N.T.
Isaiah 3:14-15; 10:1-2;

Amos 4:1; Micah 2:1-2;

Proverbs 14:31

 Social Justice: God’s people are to care for the poor and disadvantaged James 1:27; 2:1-7; 5:1-6 Mark 12:40; John 12:5;

Romans 15:26; 1 John 3:17-

18; Acts 20:35; Matt 6:1-4
Habakkuk 2:4; Genesis

15:6; Genesis 12:3; Isaiah

26:3

 True Faith is evidenced in a righteous life

James 2:14-26; 1:4, 5, 9, 20; 2:13-16;

3:17-18; 4:4, 10-11; 5:2, 10, 12, 15

 Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 John

3:14; Matthew 7:20;

Galatians 5:22-23; John 1:12; Matthew 5-7 (Sermon on the Mount)
Psalm 18:6; Psalm

107:28-30; Jeremiah

29:11-15; Jeremiah 33:3;

2 Chronicles 7:14

 The Power of prayer James 5:13-20; 1:5 Luke 1:37; Luke 18:1;

Philippians 4:6; Matthew

6:10; Acts 12:5, 7-11; Mark

11:24
Deuteronomy 6:4-5;

Psalm 119:113-115; 1

Kings 18:21; Hosea 10:12; Isaiah 29:13

 Warning against being double minded

James 1:8; 4:4, 8

 Matthew 6:24; Luke 11:3940; 1 John 2:15; Revelation

3:15-18; Luke 16:13

 

  1. What do I want my congregation, audience, or study group to apply after studying this book? What would I want them NOT to forget? What does it do for YOU?
    • KNOWING/MEMORY – Give four (4) PRINCIPLES (values; ethical standards; doctrines; main beliefs) that you gleaned from this book and that you and your congregation will think of and remember when the book is named. These should be appropriate to the text, so GIVE REFERENCES (chapters and verses) for each.
      • True faith is lived out in righteous obedience to God.
        • I want the audience to remember that while a Christian is saved by grace through faith and justified by faith, a Christian with true and living faith authenticates their faith by works (2:14-26). James stresses that holy living is a necessary outcome of Christian faith (2:17). Living faith is evidenced in treating the poor well (5:1-6) and not showing favoritism to the wealthy (2:1-4).
      • True faith prays for God’s will.
        • I would like the audience to remember that James offers great advice on prayer and what faithful prayer looks like. James advises those going through trials to pray to God to gain His wisdom about the trials and what we can learn through those trials (1:5-8). In prayer, we have to be single minded and pray for God’s will to be done. We can still share our desires and plans with God, but we must remember to ask God in faith believing that He can do what we ask, but also surrendering to His will (4:1317). Faith prays to God no matter what the circumstance is or how dire it is. Prayer is a way that God uses to prevail over the situation and it is a tool He has given to believers to use to talk to Him about all that is going on in life (5:13-20).
      • Seek God’s wisdom through trials.
        • The trials and tribulations that we face will require a dependence on the Spirit. While we are not guaranteed an easy life and the afflictions may be severe, believers can use their position as children of God to draw near to Him and persevering in faith (5:1011). God will use these experiences and sufferings for good. During these trials, wisdom is needed to see the good in the benefit of the suffering (1:5-8). We need to ask God to give us wisdom to see the good that can come out of this suffering. Also, wisdom is needed to know how to deal with the suffering correctly so that it produces maturity. God loves to give and this suffering will be used to bring perseverance and endurance to maturity (1:4).
      • Only God can control your tongue.
        • Worthless religion is seen in a person’s lack of control of their tongue (1:26). The tongue indicates how a Christian’s walk with God is. Like horses with bits and ships with rudders, the tongue is small but can cause such great damage (3:3-5). Just as the world contaminates a person, so the tongue can defile a person. However, no human can control their own tongues, only God can. True faith as it matures and sees how much a person needs God, submits to God their tongue for Him to control. By God’s wisdom from above, the Christian is enabled to give this battle to God (3:13-18).
  • DOING/ACTION – What you will lead others to do that is based on the text or passage that suggested this action. You are required to do two (2) of these and be sure to give references It must be supported by a particular text, so be sure to give chapters and verses, example 2:12.
    • Develop a program to help people incorporate prayer into their daily life (1:5-8; 5:13-20).
      • Develop a guide that helps people see how James encouraged believers to pray in different circumstances. This guide will help them understand how to pray for wisdom through trials and suffering (1:5-8), as well as for those who are hurting and in trouble (5:13-18). Another part of this guide can be used to confess sins and ask for God’s forgiveness (5:16). Also, this will help those individuals who are seeking God’s guidance for future plans and including Him in those decisions (4:13-17). Finally, it will include praising God for His blessings. o Teach and show these individuals how to keep or write a prayer journal. This will allow them to look back and see how God worked.
    • Develop avenues for people to engage the poor and practice social justice (Jas 1:27; 2:1-7; 5:1-6).
      • Challenge those around me to get involved and serve in mission programs that target the poor, homeless and widows. At the end of each month, a small toke of appreciation will be given to the person who served the most hours.
      • Create a blog post that has a list of various mission organizations in the area with a list of contacts and opportunities.
      • Have the individuals share what they have learned and accomplished through these volunteer opportunities.
  • BEING/PERSONAL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT –What one (1) thing touched your heart, as you were reading/studying this book? Tell what it was and what text influenced you – Scripture reference(s) required. What you are going to do about it?
    • As I am personally experiencing some difficult times in my own life, the concept that stuck out to me the most was seeking God’s wisdom during the trials and sufferings (Jas 1:5-6). I liked the concept of asking for God’s wisdom to see the good and benefit in these trials, as well as what is the best way to endure so that perseverance and endurance is mature and complete (Jas 1:4). I liked the reminder that James offers that it is not God tempting us (Jas 1:13) as is so often heard in our culture, but that God is a giver and loves to give (Jas 17-18). He will use these trials to help us grow and develop a faith that is alive because we will then be able to help others who are going through things that are similar.
  • What am I going to do:
    • First, I will take time daily to ask God for His wisdom as to how best to endure these trials and what is the good through these things that I need to be learning (Jas 1:46). Second, I will make a journal of my prayers and requests and see how God answers (Jas 5:1320). Finally, since true faith is shown and lived out by works, I will serve at a homeless shelter to help those in need (Jas 2:21-26). 
  • Give a short paragraph of how this book fits into the overall message or argument of the whole Bible. Support your statements with passages from the OT & NT. Give cross-references from both Testaments—(like chapter and verse, 2:12 for example; “passages” means more than one)?
SHORT PARAGRAPH
James contributes to the Bible’s story by helping provide a proper understanding of how faith is lived out in Christians life despite trials and tribulations (James 2:14-26; 1:4-8). James reminds all audiences of the God’s call to care for the poor, widows, and marginalized (James 1:27; 5:1-6; Amos 4:1; Micah 2:1-2; Matt 6:1-4). While James does  not make reference to the incarnation, crucifixion, or resurrection of Jesus, he does provide several parallels to genuine righteous living as Jesus preached on in His Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7; James 1:4-9; 2:13-16; 4:4, 10-11; 5:10, 12). James offers several exhortations for believers to pray through these trials, asking for wisdom and seeking God’s help through it (Jas 1:13-18; 5:13-20; Ps 107:28-30; Mark 11:24; Phil 4:6). James also reminds readers and believers that Jesus is coming back (Matt 24:36; Rev 20:4; Heb 11:19) and they need to be patient and stand fast until then (Jas 5:7-12; 1 Pet 5:10; Rom 12:12; Ex 14:14). James also provides many practical ways to live, like controlling the tongue (Jas 3:1-18; Prov 21:23; Eph 4:29; Ps 141:3; 1 Pet 3:10), loving others without showing favoritism (Jas 2:1-13; Rom 2:11; 1 Tim 5:21; Gal 3:27-28), and submission to God (Jas 4:1-12; Prov 3:5-6; Rom 8:7; 1 Pet 5:6). James provides an overall view of the gospel by reminding people of their sin (Jas 4:1-17; Rom 3:23; Ps 19:13-17; Gen 4:4-7) their need for saving faith in Christ (Jas 2:14-26; Eph 3:8-10; Gen 15:6), how to live a Christian life (Jas 1:27; 2:14-26; Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 5:17; Deut 6:45), and the hope of Christ return (Matt 24:36; Rev 20:4; Heb 11:19).

 

Tags: