A reflection on the book of James
Preaching through the book of James is a treat! James is direct, personal, and practical. Moving from exegesis to application is not difficult. He uses the imperative tense 54 times in just 5 chapters, saying, “Do this! Do that!” Unlike Paul, who spends the first half of Ephesians describing who we are in Christ before giving practical applications, James makes it clear step by step how we should live out our faith. He famously declares, “faith without works is dead.”
Despite his focus on works, James is no legalist. Instead, he addresses the heart in ways that echo Jesus’ teachings. The epistle acts as a mirror, showing us our actions and inviting us to evaluate the heart they express. Reading this book often leads to self-reflection of the motives and desires within us.
Consider questions like these:
- When we judge others, do we do so with or without mercy (James 2:13)?
- What kind of faith is demonstrated by our deeds (James 2:14)?
- If we praise God on Sunday but curse others on Monday, what does that say about our hearts (James 3:9-12)?
- Can we quarrel with others without needing to purity our hearts (James 4:8)?
James tells us what to do, and when we try to follow these directives, we often realize we cannot if our hearts are not aligned with God’s. As you put James’ imperatives into practice, focus on aligning your heart with God’s. True life transformation occurs at the heart level.