Morning Scriptures: James 1
Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 07:10AM Annette of Fish and Cans wrote this morning of the times she comes to the Word, well, less than prepared, and how God opens her eyes to His Word anyway. I start the day with a chapter from the Word, delivered by email. It's not the passage I am studying, but I read that first, emailed chapter each day as a discipline. Sometimes I have to admit, I read it and do not allow it to sink into my thoughts, nor let it inform my day.
Today was not one of those days. I've known it was coming. As sure as Wednesday follows Tuesday, James chapter one follows Hebrews chapter 13.
The book of James has always seemed like an assault--it hits the ground running and never lets up.
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:
Greetings.
The introductory greeting is short, blunt, and seems a bit perfunctory. It has a "listen up" quality to it. You can almost hear James saying, "Now that we've got the greetings out of the way, everyone sit down and listen fast, because here it comes."
And what comes is real life--real trials and real temptations and real sin to overcome. Real personal examination to discover real religion--or not. Real life that needs real sanctification.
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (vs.27)
I read down to the bottom of the chapter and thought, 'my religion is neither pure nor undefiled. I do not visit orphans and I rarely visit widows in their trouble. And to live in this world is to be spotted by this world. Is my religion useless?' (vs 26)
If my religion were dependent upon my works and my ability to keep myself unspotted by this world, then I would be without hope in this world. But thanks be to God!, James follows Hebrews.
Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
My religion rests on One who offered Himself without spot to God and it is He Who cleanses my conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Good thing, because James has quite a bit to say about works coming up in tomorrow's chapter. As sure as Thursday follows Wednesday, James 2 follows James 1.
Like Annette, my thoughts were captured. I'll be thinking of "spots" today:
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Reader Comments (4)
great post!
In the Sunday school class my husband and I teach, we are currently studying the book of James essentially verse by verse and it has been as convicting and challenging as you might imagine, so practical in its challenge to examine your faith. Real faith will show itself!
Kim, I had the privilege a few years ago to be a part of a ladies bible study that was doing an expositional study of the book of James. We were given the option to memorize the entire book. This was my first time memorizing an entire book of the bible. Wow! What a blessing. Surprisingly it is a really easy book to memorize. James will truly put your faith to the test! Blessings-Terri
A clear, straightforward and CONVICTING post. The connection you cite between Hebrews and James gives exactly the encouragement this believer needs to hear--He indeed is able!
Thanks, Kim.