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Every generation experiences change. But perhaps no generation in history has experienced it at the accelerated rate of the last few decades. From family structures and economics, to technology and globalization, to culture, morality, and religious habits, the world we live in has been turned upside down every few years, with little regard for God or his Word. And too often the church finds itself caught somewhere in the middle, tossed to and fro by the passions, pressures, and patterns of the fallen world. We’re always being tempted to cater to the world’s values, cave in to its demands, copy its habits, and even crave its desires. The result is an immature and unstable Christian faith. One that is marked by inconsistent obedience, judgmental partiality, incendiary speech, selfish ambition, quarrelsome relationships, and ungodly indulgence. A faith scarcely distinguishable from the world, but all too familiar today.

So where can the church find its stability? How do we withstand the pressures, passions, and patterns of this world? According to the book of James, what we need is a steadfast faith in Christ. A faith that is focused on God and grounded in the wisdom of his Word, and that generates persevering obedience and steadfast maturity in the face of trials and suffering.

As tempting as it is to give into the world in order to get along in the world, James reminds us that “friendship with the world is enmity with God” (Jms. 4:4). The gospel of Jesus provides a better way. “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life” (1:12).

So join us this fall as we study the book of James and find the stability that comes from a steadfast faith in Christ.

Click on the titles below to be directed to the discussion questions and prayer prompts that correspond with each message

September 7: “Steadfast Under Trial” (James 1:1-11) 

September 14: “Understanding Temptation" (James 1:12-18)

September 21: “Hearers and Doers” (James 1:19-27)

September 28: “Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment” (James 2:1-13)

October 5: “Living Faith” (James 2:14-26)

October 12: “The Torch of the Tongue" (James 3:1-12)

October 19: “Wisdom from Above” (James 3:13-18)

October 26: “The War Within” (James 4:1-12)

November 2: “What Tomorrow Brings” (James 4:13-17)

November 9: “Riches that Rot” (James 5:1-6)

November 16: “Waiting for the Lord” (James 5:7-12)

November 23: “Persevering in the Meantime” (James 5:13-20)

The Letter of James is part of what’s known as the General Epistles (or Catholic Epistles, where “catholic” means “universal”), which can be found in the latter part of the New Testament. Unlike Paul’s letters, which are named for the churches or individuals he writes to, the General Epistles are typically named for their authors, and their audiences are typically less specific (i.e., general). Other General Epistles include Hebrews, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, and Jude.

The letter of James was almost certainly written by James the brother of Jesus. Whereas James the brother of John (sons of Zebedee, cf. Matt. 4:21) played a larger role in the Gospels as part of Jesus’ inner circle (e.g., Matt. 17:1; Mk. 5:37), he was executed by Herod Agrippa relatively early in the church’s story (Acts 12:1-2). The other James who was among the twelve disciples—James the son of Alphaeus (e.g., Matt. 10:3; Acts 1:13)—is mentioned by name, but we learn nothing specific about his ministry. James the brother of Jesus, however, rose to play a prominent leadership role in the Jerusalem church, and has been credited as the author of the letter throughout most of church history.

Despite his lack of faith during Jesus’ earthly life and ministry (Matt. 13:55; cf. Jn. 7:5), Paul tells us that Jesus appeared to his brother James after his resurrection (1 Cor. 15:7). Thus by the beginning of Acts, we’re told that as the apostles gathered after the ascension of Christ, among the believers were “Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:14). While many followers of Jesus were scattered out of Jerusalem during the persecution that followed the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1-2), James stayed in Jerusalem and eventually became the leader of the Jerusalem church. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul recounts going up to Jerusalem to visit Peter and “James, the Lord’s brother” about three years after his conversion (Gal. 1:18-19). Several years later, he makes a repeat visit to ensure he was preaching the same gospel as them (Gal. 2:2), where he refers to James as one of the “pillars” in the church (Gal. 2:9).

We see this development in Acts as well, as James seems to be considered among the leaders in 12:17, and ultimately presides over the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. While Paul, Barnabas, and Peter all gave reports, James provided the summary and proposal that the council agreed upon (15:13ff). Similarly, when Paul visits Jerusalem again in chapter 21, James is the only leader mentioned by name when Paul recounts to him all that the Lord had done among the Gentiles (21:17-20). That scene also reminds us that James’s ministry had predominantly involved shepherding Jewish believers in Jerusalem, who at times misunderstood and clashed with Paul and his ministry to the Gentiles (21:20ff).

This background in Acts helps us make sense of the introduction to James’s letter. He addresses his letter “to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion” (Jms. 1:1). While this has been interpreted in various ways, it is most likely that James is writing to Jewish believers who have been scattered beyond Jerusalem due to the ongoing persecutions there (cf. Acts 8:1-4; 11:19), and who are now facing the challenges of following Jesus among the pagan cities of the Greco-Roman world (the “dispersion” or “diaspora” often refers to Jews living outside of Judea). James writes with an affection and familiarity toward his readers—notice the repetition of “my brothers” and “my beloved brothers” throughout. And he writes with urgency and emotion, warning them and encouraging them, as a pastor who cares deeply for his flock.

Given this context, James is likely one of the earliest letters in the New Testament, probably written before the Jerusalem Council took place (A.D. 48, cf. Acts 15), and certainly before A.D. 62 when James was killed for his faith.

James addresses a number of challenges that his readers are facing as they are scattered among the world, such as persevering amid trials (1:2-4, 12; 5:7-11, 13-18), doubting God’s goodness (1:5-8, 12-18), worldly views on poverty and wealth (1:9-11; 2:1-7; 4:13-17; 5:1-6), a lack of obedience to God’s Word (1:19-25; 2:14-26), pride and partiality (1:26-27; 2:1-13; 3:13-18; 4:1-12, 13-17), careless and destructive speech (3:1-12; 4:11-12; 5:12), and ungodly indulgence (4:1-3, 13-17; 5:1-6). The diversity of topics and style of addressing them has led many to consider James as a kind of New Testament wisdom literature (e.g., 1:5; 3:13-18). At the same time, his letter has a decidedly prophetic edge in calling his readers to repentance (e.g., 4:1-10). Indeed, the common thread that ties together all of the challenges he addresses is the threat of worldliness, or as he puts it in 4:4, “friendship with the world.” One of the chief dangers of living out our faith among the world is becoming like the world we live in. Giving into the world’s values, habits, desires, and ambitions, which threatens the health of the church and results in an immature, weak, and unstable faith.

So it is that James’s chief aim is to call his readers to a deeper, more robust kind of faith—that is, a steadfast faith in Christ. A faith that is focused on God and grounded in the wisdom of his Word (1:5-8, 16-25; 2:8-13; 3:13-18; 4:6-10). And one that generates persevering obedience and steadfast maturity in the face of trials and suffering (1:2-4, 12; 2:18-25; 3:17-18; 5:7-20). This is the theme James opens the book with: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (1:2-4, cf. v. 12). It’s the theme he closes the book with: “Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast” (5:11). And in between, it’s the major theme he develops and applies for the good of his readers. The proper fruit of our faith is steadfast maturity in Christ, which is shaped by the wisdom of the Word, expressed in obedient works of justice, mercy, and righteousness, and tested through trials and suffering.