James

James, the brother of the Lord and leader of the church in Jerusalem, writes this epistle, sometime before A.D. 70. Paul had been very clear that we are saved by grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. At the Council of Jerusalem in A.D. 50, Peter, Paul, James and the other Apostles concurred with Paul’s position, and it is James who, as leader of the church in Jerusalem, orders that a letter be written to all the churches explaining the Council’s decision. In his epistle, James does not contradict himself by arguing the contrary, that we are saved by works; rather, he says: “You say you have faith: good, I’m happy to hear it! But I’ll show you my faith by my works.” Saying we have faith is easy; James wants to see the evidence of that faith, for as the great reformer John Calvin said: “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone.” A genuine saving faith in Christ will always manifest itself in a life of active love, or good works. Join Logos Bible Study’s Dr. Bill Creasy as together we encounter James, the redheaded Dutch uncle of Scripture.