We’re currently studying the letter of James, which is all about the temptation to be double-minded: trying to be friends with God and friends with the world. This is part two of a three-day look at James 2:14-26.

This passage is a difficult one, not just because of the sobering challenge it gives us (see yesterday’s post if you missed it). It’s also difficult because it appears to stand in contrast to the teaching of Paul about salvation by grace. For this reason Martin Luther thought it probably shouldn’t be in the NT; in his German translation he puts it as the last book and refers to it as ‘an epistle of straw’. And it is a difficult question: how do we resolve the gospel that says we are made right with God by faith – with James’ argument that faith without works is dead?

Continue reading →

We’re currently studying the letter of James, which is all about the temptation to be double-minded: trying to be friends with God and friends with the world. Over the next three days we’re focusing on James 2:14-26.

Words and actions

The greatest lie of the twenty-first century has nothing to do with weapons of mass destruction, the carbon tax, or gifted bottles of 1959 vintage Grange. It’s never been the subject of an ICAC inquiry, and the media is happy to for it to be perpetuated day after day, without comment.

The defining untruth of our generation is not some grand political cover-up, but is far more subtle; far more common. It’s that seemingly innocuous 6-word phrase we hear so often: ‘your call is important to us’.

Continue reading →

We’re currently studying the letter of James, which is all about the temptation to be double-minded: trying to be friends with God and friends with the world. This is part three of a three-part look at James 2:1-13 – if you’re just joining us, check out last Friday’s post first.

A sobering warning

Now when we read Bible passages  like this one we’ve been studying for the past three days, we often miss making an important connection. Sin isn’t just doing something that’s wrong. Sin is also not doing something that’s right. But we often forget that to ignore God’s word in this way is sin. Or we’re tempted to dismiss these kinds of sins as ‘little ones’ at best. ‘Favouritism’ – doesn’t sound like a capital crime, now, does it?

Continue reading →

We’re currently studying the letter of James, which is all about the temptation to be double-minded: trying to be friends with God and friends with the world. This is part two of a three-part look at James 2:1-13 – if you’re just joining us, check out last Friday’s post first.

Jesus and James subvert the status game

But Jesus himself called his followers to a totally different way of life, were wealth and influence is not a badge of honour. Instead, Jesus turned things upside down and said that honour is found in servanthood:

Continue reading →

We’re currently looking (intently) at the letter of James, which is all about the temptation to be double-minded: trying to be friends with God and friends with the world. (See Monday’s post if you missed the intro to the series, as it’s foundational for all of the others.) Over the next three days we’re focusing on James 2:1-13.

Playing the status game

In 2004, philosopher and author Alain de Botton wrote a book called Status Anxiety – all about the status game and why we play it. He observed that our desire to rise in the social hierarchy is not primarily motivated by the material things we accumulate or the power we can wield. Our desire for status is more driven by the amount of love that we stand to receive as a result of having a higher status. Money, fame, and influence are not simply ends in themselves, but a way to get what we really crave – to be loved and accepted by others. He writes:

Continue reading →

This week we’re looking at the letter of James, which is all about the temptation to be double-minded: trying to be friends with God and friends with the world. (See Monday’s post if you missed the intro to the series, as it’s foundational for all of the others.) Today we look at James 1:19-27.

This passage is a bit like the first minute of a “World’s Craziest Grainy Security-Camera Footage” type of TV show. Where they flick through all of the coolest bits (explosions, crashes, and armed robberies) to get you to watch the rest of the show. And over the next hour you realise they didn’t have much more worthwhile footage than the bits you saw in the first minute.

James 1:19-27 is a bit like that, as we get a quick preview of the upcoming highlights – snapshots to whet your appetite. But don’t worry, James has got far more substance to the rest of his epistle. Let’s begin:

Continue reading →

This week we’re looking at the letter of James, which is all about the temptation to be double-minded: trying to be friends with God and friends with the world. (See Monday’s post if you missed the intro to the series, as it’s foundational for all of the others.) Today we look at James 1:12-18.

Back in the opening verses of the letter, James said that “the testing of your faith” (the temptation to be double-minded) produces perseverance. Here (sounding a bit like his brother in The Sermon on the Mount) he describes the person who perseveres when their faith is so tested as “blessed.”

Continue reading →

This week we’re looking at the letter of James, which is all about being double-minded: trying to be friends with God and friends with the world. (See yesterday’s post if you missed the intro to the series. One of the reasons we’re doing James over the summer break is because each section is relatively independent – you can dip in and out while you’re in holiday mode, without feeling like you’re getting behind. But you do need to read the series intro first. And a big “hi” to northern hemisphere readers who are freezing cold and back at work. We’re all reading this at the beach.)

Continue reading →

I heard the story of a guy who got two job offers from different companies – both would be located in the same building, but on different floors. So he decided to take both of them. He’d get in early and start the first job around 7am, and then go upstairs and clock in at his second job around 9. He would then spend his day travelling between floors every hour or so. If people came and found him away from his desk, they just assumed he was in a meeting. He’d then finish at his first job early to work back late at the second. For 6 months he collected two paycheques before he was found out – and only then because someone resigned from one company, got a job with the other company – and recognised him. He was then sacked from both of them.

The letter of James, which we’re going to be studying over the next few weeks, warns Christian against trying to do this – against trying to work for two masters. It warns us against trying to live for God and for ourselves – or for everyone else’s expectations – trying to fool God that we’re working for him full-time, when every chance we get we’re sneaking off to our second job. Except God isn’t fooled. And sooner or later, we find it impossible to keep up the double life.  Continue reading →