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You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you Isa 26:3 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Sunday, October 26, 2025
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Overview of the New Testament: The Epistles Bible Verse:James 1:19-21; 2:14-18; 4:1-4 (ESV) "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. * * * What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. * * * What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. * * * My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death . . . . " Message:
Everyone has parts of the Bible that they don’t want to hear. And for most people, it is something in James.
St. James (Durer, ca. 1516)
St. James (Durer, ca. 1516)
Protestants and many prominent Catholics believe that James (“the Just”) was the half-brother of Jesus; however, the official doctrine of the Catholic and Orthodox churches teaches that he was Jesus’ cousin. (This stems from the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, i.e., the conviction that Mary had no children after Jesus.) James was apparently a latecomer to the faith. The Gospels all record that Jesus’ family were not believers; John states simply, “even his own brothers did not believe in him.” (John 7:5)
Whatever his early misgivings may have been, nobody doubts that James became a devout and convicted Christian either late in Jesus’ life, or after His resurrection. He was enormously influential in the early church; the Book of Acts (e.g. Acts 15:12-21) indicates that he had equal footing with Peter in the Council of Jerusalem.
His epistle, very possibly the earliest-written book of the New Testament, is also enormously important as a theological check on the misstatement of such matters as justification by faith and the involvement of the church in politics. It is also notable for James’ powerful criticism of loose talk, in general, and anger, in particular; he identifies anger as “moral filth” in the passage above.
Chapter 1 (of 5) is a general introduction. Chapter 2 treats two subjects, in plain direct language. First, that deference to the richer members of a church is completely contrary to Christ’s teaching; and second, that faith and action are inseparable: “faith” that consists only of words is insufficient to find salvation.
Chapter 3 treats the dangers of speaking unwisely and pridefully. Chapter 4 discusses the incompatibility between love for the world and love for God.
Chapter 5 begins with a vituperative warning to those who create wealth by exploiting the poor and powerless. It then counsels patience in the face of hardship; repeats Jesus’ admonition that no oath of any kind be sworn; extols the power of prayer; and finally, in one sentence, approves those who save fellow Christians from hell by convincing them to repent.
This last sentence, again, has enormous theological significance as a check against “cheap grace,” that is, a person who is baptized but then continues to act as he or she always has.
There are a variety of views on whether a person of true faith can backslide and lose his salvation — the Bible seems to have verses that support three different positions. We don’t have space to discuss such a major issue today, except to say that this last sentence of James is cited by those who believe salvation may be lost by a person who “talks the talk” but doesn't “walk the walk.”
Meditation : Prayer : Sovereign and almighty Lord, bless all your people, and all your flock. Give your peace, your help, and your love unto us your servants, the sheep of your fold, that we may be united in the bond of peace and love, one body and one spirit, in one hope of our calling, in your divine and boundless love..Amen. |
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