James, the author of our book for this series, is presumed to be the eldest of Jesus’ younger brothers as he’s named first in the Gospels. James didn’t believe in Jesus as the Son of God - at first. In fact, early on, James was one who feared for his brother’s safety when he thought Jesus was taking Himself a little too high and mighty in full view of the religious authorities. But, before we judge him too harshly, which of us could grasp the enormity of our sibling being God?
Similar in some respects to the Apostle Paul who didn’t believe in Jesus at first, James’ credibility is shown in his faith transformation. Something of magnificent substance must have been shown to them so obviously that these men were compelled to accept the reality of the physically impossible. Knowing his brother from his birth, James can now show, like no one else, how the puzzle pieces fit perfectly together. We can trust James.
James’ integrity was so uncontestable that he became the leader of the church in Jerusalem. His faith in the Son of Man was so steadfast that he never once considered abandoning his post, despite the dawn of Christian persecution. He writes to the “twelve tribes”, Jewish converts to Christianity from all tribes, who fled to other nations following the barbaric public stoning of Stephen.
Join us as we delve into this treasure trove of authentic Christianity. Look for the signs that become obvious when one truly and completely accepts Jesus as Lord. Notice, if you will, that James isn’t saying that we need to produce fruit (works) in order to become a true Christian. On the contrary, he is adamant that once we accept our salvation by no means other than faith, authentic live Christians can no more prevent themselves from producing kingdom fruit than an authentic live fig tree can prevent itself from bearing figs. The world desperately needs to see our fruit. Ladies and Gentlemen… it’s Showtime!
What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? James 2:14 NLT
