Former M.V.C.W.C. - HERALD ARTICLE ARCHIVE








"James ~ Teller Of Truth"
by Kelly Purvis

When Christians gather, everything that can go wrong sooner or later does. Outsiders, on observing this, conclude that there is nothing to this religion business except, perhaps business. So churches are not model communities of good behavior. They are, rather, places where human misbehavior is brought out in the open light, faced and dealt with." The letter of James shows one of the church's early pastors skillfully going about his work of confronting, diagnosing, and dealing with areas of mis-behavior. Deep and living wisdom is on display here, wisdom both rare and essential. Wisdom is not primarily knowing the truth; it is skill in living it. For, what good is truth if we don't live it?" THE MESSAGE

"true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and TRUTH"

It's about growing up... beyond the reading of the Word (milk), past talking the talk and onto the "doing" of the Word (meat). Jesus said, "My meat is TO DO the will of God." To sum it up, James admonishes ~ JUST DO IT!"

James, the brother of Jesus, was a powerfully humble Christian man leading a large and influential church - The Jerusalem Church, at the center of Christianity. In Acts 2 we see the church zealous, continuing steadfastly in the doctrine, fellowship, and prayer, daily in one accord, showing brotherly love, preferring one another, having gladness and simplicity of heart. Some 50 years later, they had become worldly, prideful, a quarrelsome group, with bitter attitudes, presumptuous, selfish. They weren't GROWING... in fact they were REGRESSING! But that is the principle of PROGRESSION... if we're not moving forward, daily learning and changing, we won't just sit still... complacency produces regression!

So James wrote a letter to them... and to us. It's strong, crisp, succinct, straight to the point, laid out in black and white... boom... boom... boom REBUKE! There was no beating around the bush. James wasn't a "spin meister" or rather "spin minister", twisting or "putting a spin" on an issue like a pitcher throwing a baseball to make it go in a different direction. James laid out the facts for us... He was a teller of truth. Read him again... if you dare. He was a great leader because he was led by the Spirit of God himself. He carried a mantle of supernatural authority. Acts 15 shows us that he was a leader who was willing to move forward into the "new things" that God was doing. He was a right leader, in the right place, at the right time ~ because of this, the entire church moved forward.

The historian Eusebius (AD265-340) refers to his letter as "universal", meaning it was meant for the entire church. His letter quotes Jesus or repeats His themes more than any other New Testament writer. His passionate plea was... "you've heard the truth a long time now... put it into practice in your lives!" He tells us that God talk without God acts is outrageous nonsense... he asks "do we think we'll get anywhere if we learn all the right words but never DO anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? Do we suppose for a minute that we can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on our hands?" The Message His timeless letter confronts reality in religion ~ the nature of genuine faith ~ pure, undefiled religion ~ and the shameful neglect of Christian duties. James had an uncanny, balanced revelation of The Truth.

"The SUM of Thy Word is truth" Psalm 119:160

He knew that it is all about RELATIONSHIP ~ with God, with others ~ about the validity of our experiences with Christ being demonstrated by our actions ~ practical, ethical, Godly living. Personal growth and ethical social relationships... a faith that doesn't deal with both is dead. A living faith creates good works, and good works perfect faith. 2:22 James gives us "duty" over "doctrine". The message of James especially speaks to trying to talk our way to heaven instead of walking it. Paul emphasized that faith is not religious deeds without a born again heart. James shows us also that a living faith is not a born again heart without deeds. It is not one or the other, they don't contradict... it is both. I love how Pastor Morris says it, "Our faith is both vertical and horizontal. It's between God and us, and also between us and others."

The message of James is "imperative" ~ not to be avoided. It is commanding. We can't ignore it, we can't eliminate it from "the sum of His Word". LIVING our faith, DOERS of the Word ~ is still basic. To know Him more! And also to manifest the knowledge of Him in every place! BOTH... it is not either or.

God WILL have a people who are a praise to His Name...THE HOLY ONE! A people who manifest the glory of God on this earth ~ who manifest His Son.

REAL CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION... IT IS TIME TO JUST DO IT!

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Make a joyful noise!