Who James Is
Welcome again, my dear friends. I hope I have delivered on your expectations. Some days the insights feel clearer than others, but my aim is always the same: to let the Spirit guide me. Today, in examining the first two chapters of the book of James, we will learn more about how people live their faith.
Also, I learned in this book that Jacob (Iakōbos) was the actual name of Jesus’s half-brother, James the Just. (1) James is simply the English form of that name. While that detail may not seem important at first, it does matter because of what James emphasizes in these opening chapters: expectation, deliverance, discipline, and understanding what Jesus truly taught.
James grew up with Jesus. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, His brothers did not believe in Him and even thought He was out of His mind (Mark 3:21; John 7:5). Everything changed after the resurrection, when Jesus appeared specifically to James (1 Corinthians 15:7). From that point on, James became a leader of the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:13). He is writing now not as a skeptic, but as a man transformed by grace who wants believers to live out what they claim to believe.
Expectations, Fairness, and Misunderstanding
We all live with expectations. We expect people to act reasonably and fairly. You send out your résumé while looking for a job and assume the reader will carefully examine your GPA and work history, eager to talk with you about the open position. Instead, you receive a form letter of rejection and realize a computer scanned for three key factors, found only two, and stamped your application denied.
It doesn’t feel fair. But when we come to Scripture, we need to realize something important: fairness isn’t what we actually want from God. What we want is mercy.
Another expectation we often carry is that others will see the world through the same lens we do. As a Christian, I try—though I often fail—to live according to Jesus’ command to love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:39). Yet when I have only one sandwich and I am hungry, I may walk past a hungry man, hoping someone else will feed him. Surely someone with more will step in.
In that moment, I deliver a good understanding of what God wants, but not an excellent demonstration of the faith I claim to have. James addresses this directly:
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food… what good is it?” (James 2:15–16)
James is telling believers scattered throughout the region that following Jesus comes with a commitment to show who Jesus is to those who have never seen Him.
Discipline, Trials, and Spiritual Training
If I truly had the faith I claim, I would trust that God would provide enough for me to share half of my sandwich. If I later felt hungry, I could even choose to see it as a blessing—perhaps losing a few pounds wouldn’t hurt, anyway. Why pay for a fancy diet plan when I could simply let others eat my food?
That kind of thinking takes discipline.
Some people know me as a self-motivated, disciplined person. I enjoy going to the gym, moving from machine to machine, lifting multiple sets of weights. I know the soreness that comes later is a good sign—it means my muscles are growing stronger. The suffering has a purpose. It moves me toward my goal.
James uses a similar idea in Chapter One. Trials test our faith, and that testing produces perseverance. When perseverance finishes its work, we become mature and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2–4).
Looking at the exercise machine, sitting in the seat, and adjusting the weight stack may feel productive—but nothing happens until we actually push the handles. Only when we do the work does growth begin.
Misjudgment, Translation, and Danger
Sometimes, however, I overestimate what I can do. If I’m not careful, I could injure myself and set myself back. Part of the problem is memory. In my mind, I remember being able to lift 150 pounds. I grew up using standard measurements, and while I understand the metric system, my mind does not instinctively think in kilograms.
So I sit at a modern machine, set it to 150, and quickly discover it is 150 kilograms—over 330 pounds. At first, I thought age had caught up with me. But I’m stubborn, so I push harder. That can be dangerous.
Not knowing how to translate what we see can lead to disaster. That’s true in the gym, and it’s true in life.
James warns us against judging incorrectly—about favoritism and partiality (James 2:1). Christian judgment is not about who we like or dislike. It is about whether something aligns with God’s will. God’s will is not that I eat the sandwich and promise myself extra time in the gym. God’s will is that I give the sandwich to the one who needs it—and perhaps even invite him to walk with me afterward.
Mercy, Faith, and Doing the Word
Therefore, I say I try. I have met no one who perfectly lives up to what God has shown us He desires. It is easier to do what we want and ask forgiveness later. James reminds us that mercy is not optional.
“Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13)
James presses the issue further by telling us that hearing the Word without doing it is self-deception (James 1:22). We can spend years reading, discussing, and agreeing with Scripture, but none of it will change us unless we apply it. Doing God’s will feels unnatural and often beyond our strength, which is why faith is required. We ask God what to do, believe He will guide us, and trust Him to supply the strength to act.
Closing Thought
James 1–2 challenges us to examine whether our faith is alive or merely intellectual. True faith trusts God enough to obey Him, even when obedience costs us something. A belief that never becomes action is incomplete. Faith that acts reveals Christ living within us.
Tomorrow, we will read James 3–5.
Footnote:BibleProject, “James,” video, 8:05, published April 18, 2016, https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/james/