The relevance of the letter of James for modern Christians
The very practical approach of James provides an
important Christian emphasis for any time. The emphasis comes from Jesus
himself, in teaching such as that recorded in the parable of the two men who
built houses, one on rock and one on sand (Matthew 7
:24-27), and in the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25 :31-46). 'Do not deceive
yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice' (James 1:22).
In a society experiencing rapid change, the
Christian faith has to be seen as offering a total way of life, not just a
system of intellectual belief.
James' teaching about enduring trials and
difficulties is needed by many who feel disturbed by the change around them,
'like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind' (l :6). In
Jesus Christ they can find their security and confidence.
The teaching about the need to control speech and to
realize what evil can result from an uncontrolled tongue is not only relevant
for the individual but important for society as a whole in this age of quick
communications and media such as radio, the press and television. A warlike
threat from the leader of one nation can cause anger in another, with resulting
hostility between them in a very short time. In the nuclear age, with
proliferation of nuclear armaments in many nations, hostile speech between leaders
can be a very serious threat to international peace. As never before, this is
an age when great publicity on a worldwide scale is given to what is said by
leading people, for good and evil.
James' warning against the snare of riches can be
applied not only t individuals in society but to nations. The gulf between rich
and poor nations is a burning issue of our times. If the rich nations are not
prepared to share the world's resources more fairly with the poor, disaster
will result for both, according to a number of very serious forecasts about the
final years of this century. The world-wide Church has a responsibility to
demand international justice and wise use of the world's resources.
The idea of the Christian who must live in the world
but not be conformed to what is evil in it still holds. Christians have to live
out their faith, day by day, in whatever situations they find themselves. They
have to put the principles of their faith into practice, guided by the needs
around them.
Finally, James' teaching about healing through the
prayer of faith is taken seriously today by many Christians. Many churches have
a ministry of healing.