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A) WORKS TO BE PERFORMED BY THE BELIEVER ARE IN VIEW
Some maintain that works should accompany faith to the extent that one is finally saved unto eternal life depending upon the character and continuation of the works. On the other hand, the Bible teaches that works must accompany faith in order to justify the already saved believer in another way: unto mankind - preserving his physical life and producing an enriched eternity in heaven.
Notice that believers are in view in this chapter as well as in the entire book of James - more specifically "to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations", (v. 1:1), as a result of persecution during the times of the early church:
[Compare Acts 11:19]:
"Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews."
[Zane C. Hodges states, ("The Epistle of James", Grace Evangelical Society, Irving, Texas, 1994, pp. 17-18)]:
"James addresses an audience whom he calls the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad. If we are right in thinking that this epistle was written to Jewish Christians not long after the first persecution of the church in Jerusalem (ca. A.D. 35...), the addressees are the true twelve tribes because their hearts have been circumcised by faith (Col 2:11-12).
In this light, the reference to the readers being scattered abroad (Greek: en te diaspora, 'in the dispersion') does not refer to the Diaspora, i.e., to the dispersion of ethnic Jews all over the Roman world that took place centuries earlier. Instead, it refers to the scattering of Jewish believers in the persecution that followed the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 8:1). Some time had passed (a few months?) since then, and these believers had taken advantage of less stressful times...
[Compare Acts 9:31]:
"Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord."
...and had settled into various assemblies of believers throughout Palestine. Yet, continuing pressures were felt by them because they constituted a Christian minority among their unbelieving Jewish contemporaries. James writes to them in a pastoral capacity in which his concerns are especially focused on the on-going problems and trials which they faced."
[Compare Jas 1:2]:
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."
[Hodges, cont.]
"Naturally, James refers to his readers as his brethren, not because they are fellow Jews but because they have been born from above, brought...forth by the word of truth (1:18; cf. Acts 9:30; 10:23, etc.). This form of address, (my) brethren, is frequent in this epistle (1:16, 19; 2:1, 5, 14; 3:1, 10, 12; 4:11; 5:7, 9, 10, 12, 19). Even a superficial reading of James 1:2-18 shows that the author regards his readers as Christians. It may be said that nowhere in this letter - not even in 2:14-26! - does he betray the slightest doubt that those in his audience are truly his brothers or sisters in the Lord. If we do not observe this simple and obvious fact, we may fall into a quagmire of skewed interpretations, just as so may expositors of James have actually done."
B) JAMES BELIEVED IN THE FREE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE
[Zane Hodges states, "The Gospel Under Siege", Second Edition, Redencion Viva Publishers, Dallas, Tx, 1992, pp. 22-24]:
'''We should carefully observe that James, like all the inspired writers, believed eternal life was the gracious gift of God. This is made plain in a splendid passage in his first chapter:
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures."
Anyone who is familiar with the words of Jesus, as James certainly was, can surely hear an echo of our Lord in a statement like this. New birth is a sovereign act of God. It is one of His good and perfect gifts which comes down from above.
In fact, in the expression “from above,” James employs exactly the same word that Jesus used when He told Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (John 3:7). The Greek adverb is anothen and means both “again” and “from above.” No doubt our Lord deliberately selected it for His discourse with Nicodemus. The supernatural birth which He was describing is both a rebirth and a birth from above. The play on words which this involves is an effective one.
[Bob Wilkin, 'Grace In Focus', Sept/Oct 2004, 'God's Word, The Source of Assurance', p. 4]:
"James 1:18.... The half brother of Jesus reminds his readers, Jewish believers, that they were 'brought forth' or born again 'by the word of truth.' Clearly James is referring to their faith in the truth of the gospel (compare Jas 1:3, 'your faith'). This new birth is not dependent on some future action. It isa n accomplished fact that occurred at the moment of faith in the word of truth."
[Hodges, cont.]:
"In James’s statement about our rebirth there is also a strong emphasis on the sovereign will of God:
"For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
Here, too, the sovereign act of God is stressed.
Neither Paul nor James intends to deny the necessity of faith. But faith, as we see it in the simple, direct statements of the Bible about salvation, is nothing more than a response to a divine initiative. It is the means by which eternal life is received.
Since this is so, it is proper that God Himself should be viewed as the sovereign Actor at the moment of conversion. It is He who wills to regenerate. It is His Word that penetrates our darkness. Salvation, we may say, occurs when the sufficiency of Christ for my eternal need dawns on my darkened heart. At this moment of believing illumination, I become a Christian.
So there is no reason to doubt that James and Paul were in harmony about the way eternal life is received. For both of them it is the gift of God, graciously and sovereignly bestowed. Only when we take this unity for granted can we really begin to understand the meaning of James’s instruction about works.'''
C) SO THE ISSUE IS NOT WHETHER WORKS SHOULD ACCOMPANY FAITH BUT TO WHAT END!!!
In chapter two of the Book of James, the author describes the unfaithful Christian lifestyle which is devoid of works as a dead, i.e., useless faith with respect to its value to mankind. He warns the unfaithful believer of an early departure from his earthly life and that nothing stemming from his earthly life will be saved when he does get to heaven:
(v. 1) "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism."
A) DO NOT ACT WITH FAVORITISM, ESPECIALLY TOWARD THOSE WITH WORLDLY RICHES OR STATURE
Fellow believers in Jesus Christ, don't be prejudiced or show personal favoritism toward others, but treat all brothers and sisters in Christ as special - as better than yourself:
(v. 3) "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself;
(v. 4) do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."
II) [Jas 2:1-4 cont.]:
(v. 1) "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism."
[Hodges, op. cit., p. 48]:
[Re: "In our glorious Jesus Christ" = lit. "our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory"] =
"The phrase in Greek equals '(the) Glory,' that is, heaven or the presence of God (cf. 1 Tim 3:16). The whole expression will then mean 'of our Lord Jesus Christ of (from) Glory.' James would be thinking, in that case, of the fact that the true abode of the Lord was (and is) the glorious abode of God Himself. Such a splendid origin for Christ makes any kind of earthly wealth and glory appear drab and worthless by comparison. Faith in One Who belongs to 'Glory' makes all deference to rich people on earth look shabby and cheap. The readers should not combine their faith with such demeaning behavior."
[Jas 2:1-4 cont.]:
(v. 2) "For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,
(v. 3) and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, 'You sit here in a good place,' and you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool'
(v. 4) have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?"
The author James illustrates this attitude of personal favoritism as evil in an hypothetical case in which special attention and preferential seating is given to the rich man and standing room only or an inferior seat on the floor is afforded the poor man, (literally "under my footstool").
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", p. 49]:
"In the circle of churches to which James writes... it is not likely that there were many which met in the local synagogue, since that would imply the conversion of most of the synagogue's members. Most probably the Jewish-Christian churches of Palestine met in private homes where rooms might be set aside to accommodate these gatherings. The statement, sit here at my footstool, is literally, 'sit here under (or, below) my footstool.' There could be a touch of ironic exaggeration in these words: James suggests that the position given the poor visitor is so demeaning as to be underneath the footstool on which the speaker rested his own feet!
However, the scene James had in mind may well have been one in which the Christians were reclining at a table to observe the Lord's Supper. If so, the rich visitor is allowed to sit down on a seat in the room to observe the proceedings. The poor visitor, on the other hand, is told simply either to stand (against the wall?) or to sit on the floor 'under' (i.e., behind) the pillow or object on which the speaker placed his feet. For the concept of visitors at a Christian gathering, see 1 Cor 14:23-25)."
"Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who loved Him?"
'Listen', James says to his beloved, born-again Jewish believers, 'Didn't God choose the materially poor of this world and those who truly love Him, (which means obey Him, Jn 14:23-24), to be rich spiritually in faith, (cp. Lk 6:20), and thereby become heirs, i.e., inheritors and corulers, of the world with the Lord Jesus Christ, (cp. 2 Tim 2:11-12, Eph 5:5; Mt 5:5, 10)?
B) MATERIAL POSSESSIONS ARE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO A BELIEVER'S FAITHFUL LIFE
Verse 5 indicates that material possessions are a stumbling block to a believer's faithful life. Compare the following verses:
(v. 18) "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,
(v. 19) and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."
"You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' but you do not realize that you are [spiritually and eternally] wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
(Compare also Lk 6:20, 8:14, 16:1-15; Pro 30:8-9).
Although riches are not inherently evil, Scripture teaches that rich believers as a general rule will not receive much inheritance when they get to heaven:
(v. 9) "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction."
["But those who want to get rich..." = If one has and continues in the desire to get and remain rich then the motivation behind one's wealth is the reason why riches can block faithfulness, (or even salvation, cp. Mt 19:23)]
[1 Tim 6:9-10, 17 cont.]:
(v. 10) "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang."
(v. 17) "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, Who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy."
So the reason for the tragedy of the rich man's lack of eternal rewards is found in the definition of a rich man = 'one who retains wealth'. God, in His sovereignty, provides certain individuals with wealth for the purpose of enhancing the kingdom of heaven. The riches are not to be retained in the manner that a rich man usually has wealth: He usually is overprotective of his wealth. He develops a self centered concern about it, and he retains it in a way that only he has use of it. None of this is God centered motivation. The typical rich man self-centeredly sets aside the blessings that he receives in order to protect and cling to what he views as his own possessions and not God's. Such is the pervasive extent of the sin nature within men - even believers. And the temptation of riches only serves to stir up the evil, self-centered response of that sin nature. Most men fail the test of wealth. This mental attitude and consequent action of hoarding God's blessings instead of spending them for the glory of God, (1 Cor 10:31), disqualifies a believer from doing divine good works and earning an inheritance/rewards in heaven. Often by hoarding one's blessings of wealth in order to retain them, a believer fails God's test which would have been followed by even greater blessings. The unfaithful believer who is rich sacrifices the supernatural inner happiness and peace which accompanies the child of God who spends his abundant blessings for the glory of God instead of retaining them for his own in order to be rich in the eyes of men.
The ultimate issue then relative to being faithful & receiving rewards in heaven is our obedience to God's Word motivated by our love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: Jesus said to His disciple Philip, and by application, to all believers:
"If you love Me you will keep My commandments"
"love" = "agapate" = 2nd person plural, present, active, indicative = 'If you are in a state of continual loving of Me, Phillip......' = 'If you are loving Me, Phillip, then as a result of loving Me, you will be keeping My commandments.'
Our Lord is not saying in Jn 14:15 that unless Philip keeps His commandments he will not enter into the kingdom of heaven - the words do not say that. Philip is a believer, one of our Lord's faithful disciples, secure in his eternal destiny! What He is saying to Philip is, 'If you are loving Me, Philip, then as a result of loving Me, you will be keeping My commandments. They go hand in hand' If a believer at some time in his life is not obeying the commandments in God's Word that he has been instructed in, then that believer is at that moment demonstrating that he is not loving the Lord Jesus Christ, (compare Jn 14:23-24, 15:9-10; I Jn 2:3-5; 5:2-3).
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", p. 51]:
"Ironically, a rich Christian may have less opportunity to trust God for his needs than a poor man who must trust Him day by day, and sometimes meal by meal. Thus, by the providential arrangement of God, a poor Christian may become very rich in the area of personal faith in God, while the rich Christian may be poverty-striken in this aspect of spiritual experience. James's readers needed to remember this whenever a scruffy, poor brother came to their assembly. Despite outward appearances, he might be a spiritual millionaire!
Indeed, if so, he was also one of the heirs of the kingdom. By this phrase James indicates that the poor man who is rich in faith will be a co-ruler with Christ over the kingdom of God. Just as Christ inherits the kingdom (Ps 2:8-9) due to His loyalty to God the Father (Heb 1:8-9, quoting Ps 45:6-7), so will the co-heirs of His kingdom (2 Tim 2:12; Rev 2:26-28). Thus the kingdom has been promised to those who love God. Although salvation is freely bestowed at the moment we exercise simple trust in Christ for eternal life, the kingdom is not inherited that way. Heirship in the kingdom requires us to love God, which we can express only through obedience to Him (John 14:21-24), while obedience itself is the product of living by faith (see Gal 2:20). Anyone who does not live this kind of life cannot rightly be called rich in faith, even though he or she has believed in Christ for eternal salvation."
At this point it is important to reiterate that James is addressing born again believers in James chapter two and NOT unsaved people. Salvation or condemnation to the Lake of Fire is NOT in view in this chapter. What is in view is the rewards that believers, when they get to heaven, will or will not receive as a result of what they did with their lives on earth as well as the quality and length of their physical lives while on earth.
E) LOSS OF SALVATION CANNOT BE IN VIEW EITHER - ESPECIALLY SINCE SCRIPTURE TEACHES ETERNAL SECURITY
There is therefore no condemnation once an individual has become "in Christ Jesus", i.e., a believer, (cp. Eph 1:13; Ro 6:1-3). Let's examine an important passage in the book of Romans in order to clarify the believer's position in Christ relative to whether or not he obeys Christ's commandments:
~~~Ro 8v4
(v. 1) "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
a) THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST, I.E., BELIEVERS, ARE UNCONDITIONALLY ETERNALLY SECURE FROM GOING TO HELL
[All those who are "in Christ", i.e., believers, ( 2 Cor 5:17; Ro 6:1-3), are eternally secure from going to hell whether they continue to obey Christ or not, (compare 1 Cor 3:11-15, 2 Tim 2:11-13).
Note that some translations have the phrase copied from verse 4 below "who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit". This phrase is omitted from the end of verse one above because it was discovered that it was erroneously copied from verse 4 in a number of later manuscripts. Earlier, more reliable manuscripts do not have this phrase. Its placement here in verse one by someone who was transcribing manuscripts contradicts many other passages which teach God's exclusive and sovereign role in preserving the eternal security of the believer, (ref: Ro 8:38-39; Jn 10:28; Eph 1:13-14, 2:8-9, 4:30 & Ro 11:29). How the believer lives his life does not effect his eternal destiny. Whom he has placed his faith in does, (Ref. Jn 3:16; Jn 14:6)!]
1) [Ro 8:1-4 cont.]:
(v. 2) "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death."
"The Law of the Spirit of life" = The law of the Spirit of life of those who are in Christ Jesus, i.e., believers, is a law which stipulates that one is set free from the law of sin and of death, i.e., believers are set free from ever being condemned unto eternal death, i.e., separation from God in the Lake of Fire.
The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus can also be described as the law of perfect Christian freedom which is energized by living by faith in Jesus Christ and His Word - energized by the love of Him, (cp. Gal 5:1-6, 13; 1 Cor 8:9); which law makes provision through the blood of Christ for eradicating the effects of the believer's daily sins, (1 Jn 1:1-9), and also for preserving his eternal destiny in heaven, (1 Jn 1:7; 1 Jn 2:2).
So once a person has expressed his faith alone in Christ alone as Savior he is now subject to this new law: the law of the Spirit of Life which is administered by God the Holy Spirit indwelling in him. Under this new law, the child of God can obey and walk in the Spirit by faith; or not obey and walk in carnality by the world and put himself under God's discipline. Either way he walks, this new law of the Spirit of life that he is under has permanently and eternally set him free from the law of sin and eternal death in the Lake of Fire. The believer, therefore, is eternally secure from condemnation under the law of sin and death because he has trusted alone in Christ alone. The law of sin and death is that law which keeps an individual who is subject to it under the slavery of sin, (Ro 6:17a; 20), and then under eternal condemnation when he dies, (Jn 3:18; 1 Jn 5:12). An unbeliever has no choice under this law but to sin in everything he does. Even the good that he does, not being directed by God the Holy Spirit, is contaminated by his evil nature in some way, (Isa 64:6; Jer 17:9; Ro 6:20; Lk 18:19). The unbeliever is truly a hopeless slave to the law of sin and eternal death, (Ro 6:20)]
[Ro 8:1-4 cont.]:
(v. 3 NIV) "For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man..."
"His [God's] own Son in the likeness of sinful man" = God the Son became flesh - became in the likeness of man without a sin nature, yet He remained fully God at the same time, (cp. 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 2:6-8; Col 1:15-16). He came to earth as a Man "to be a sin offering" = to die for the sins of the whole world, (cp. 1 Jn 2:2).
"And so He [the Lord Jesus Christ] condemned sin in sinful man.." = "condemned" = "katerkrinen" = passed a judicial sentence upon sin. In other words, the Lord Jesus Christ died for the judgment due for our sin and thus paid the penalty that our own sins required us to pay:
"He [Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
So all that remains for the individual is to trust in our Lord's payment for his sins and that individual will receive forgiveness and eternal life:
"All the prophets testify about Him [Jesus Christ] that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."
This then provides the individual who has expressed faith alone in Christ alone with unconditional eternal security, (Ro 8:1), and the brand new potential of living righteously.
1) Ro 8:1-4 cont.]:
(v. 3c) "And so He condemned sin in sinful man,
(v. 4) in order that the [perfect & righteous] requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
When a believer is controlled by, i.e., walks according to the Spirit Who now indwells him, (Eph 1:13-14); he fulfills the righteous requirement of the Law. It is a matter of choice for the believer. So if he chooses to follow his own way he will be unrighteous. But if he chooses to be controlled by the Spirit, he will be righteous.
(v. 15) "[Believers] Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise,
(v. 16) making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
(v. 17) Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
(v. 18) Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled [controlled] with the Spirit."]
1) [Ro 8:1-4 cont.]:
(v. 3c cont.) "And so He condemned sin in sinful man,
(v. 4 AMP) so that the righteous and just requirement of the Law might be fully met in us, who live and move not in the ways of the flesh but in the ways of the Spirit - our lives governed not by the standards and according to the dictates of the flesh, but controlled by the (Holy) Spirit."
Notice: "might be fully met" = "pleroe" = aorist tense, passive voice, subjunctive mood = so that a condition of possibility but not certainty is established. Maybe you will act righteously and maybe you won't. But now at least you as one who is now a believer can fulfill the righteous requirement of the Law by submitting to the leading of God the Holy Spirit. Before, as an unbeliever, you could not at all.
So Jesus Christ "condemned sin in sinful man" in order that the perfect standard of the Mosaic Law might be fulfilled on a moment to moment basis in the lives of those believers who for those moments are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. Therefore believers at times do choose NOT to live according to the Spirit and at those times are NOT meeting the righteous requirements of the Law. They are then out of fellowship with God but not out of salvation, (Ro 8:1, 38-39). Their position in Christ relative to eternal life remains sovereignly intact. The out-of-fellowship problem is then resolved by confession and by obeying the Word again, (1 Jn 1:5-10, Jn 14:15)
Detailed
study on Eternal Security: 
~~~ro8v4
(v. 6) "But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?
(v. 7) Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?"
James gives good reason in verses 6 & 7 why one should not give preferential treatment to the rich. For it is often someone with wealth and power who is behind oppression, unfair legalistic restriction and defamation of one's character in order to gain further advantage.
Note James' earlier comment of those who are rich:
(v. 9) "The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.
(v. 10) But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.
(v. 11) For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business."
Notice that in God's viewpoint those that are rich have a low position - one that will "pass away like a wild flower" - and those that are in humble circumstances have a high position in God's eyes.
(v. 1) "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.
(.2 ) Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.
(v. 3) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.
(v. 4) Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
(v. 5) You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.
(v. 6) You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you."
J. Ronald Blue states, [The Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT, Walvoord & Zuck Editors, Victor Books, USA, 1988, pp. 832-833]:
"It is not the wealth itself that is condemned, but the greedy attitude toward it and the grisly actions with which it is obtained. God is not deaf to the cries of injustice that rise both from wages withheld in fraud and from the laborers who have been oppressed by the rich. The Jewish converts were well aware of God's Law forbidding holding back on wages (Lev 19:13; Deut 24:15) and oppressing the poor (Prov 3:27-28; Amos 8:4-6; Mal 3:5)....
In the scramble for more wealth, the rich used their influence in courts of justice, and in the process were guilty of bringing condemnation and even death to innocent men who offered no resistance... What began as an interest in money ended as an insensitivity to murder."
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", p. 52]:
"Poor believers, then, tended to live such lives and to be people of importance in the light of God's coming kingdom, and disdainful treatment of a poor person who attended a meeting was a failure to take that fact into account. 'You should have honored him,' James is saying, but instead you have dishonored the poor man. Conversely, as a class, rich people were more likely to be the enemies of Christianity and to be oppressors rather than helpers of the Christian community. Though some indeed would be saved, their tendency to trust riches rather than God made their salvation difficult (Mark 10:23-27). Like ungainly camels, they were too big and self-important to enter the kingdom by simple, child-like trust. Still worse, in the Jewish context of this book, many unbelieving, wealthy Jews were a source of oppression to Christians and might drag them into the courts on any pretext. Moreover, many did not hesitate to blaspheme that noble name by which you are called. That is, they blasphemed the Lord Jesus Christ (see v. 1). By putting the statements about rich men in question form, James is simply making them face what they already knew. It made no sense for any reader of James to obsequiously extend himself in welcoming a rich person into the Christian assembly, while at the same time slighting a potential heir of the kingdom!"
(v. 8) "If, however you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well.
(v. 9) But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as transgressors.
(v. 10) For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
(v. 11) For He Who said, 'Do Not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not commit murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the Law.
(v. 12) So [believer] speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty."
To paraphrase vv. 8-11:
'If on the other hand, fellow believer, you are fulfilling the royal law by loving your neighbor as yourself you do well. But if you break any statute of the Law you are guilty even as a believer of breaking the whole Law.'
The believer who sins is still breaking the Law which transgression our Lord has already paid for in advance relative to securing eternal life, (1 Jn 2:2), so there will be no consequence of eternal condemnation.
Nevertheless as a born again child of God, he is still subject to living by the standard of God's absolute righteousness as portrayed in the Mosaic Law and as specifically detailed for him in the letters, (epistles), to the church. A child of God is thus subject to being disciplined by God when falling short of what God expects and subject to the receipt of eternal rewards when he complies with God's standard. So James says, 'Take notice fellow believer that when you do break the law you will be held accountable under the judgment of the law of liberty relative to discipline on earth and rewards in heaven.' Under the Mosaic system, infraction of any part of the Law or any law makes one a lawbreaker and a guilty sinner before God. But the believer of any age, the man who expresses a childlike faith alone in Christ alone to save him, (Mt 18:3-4), no longer comes under the Mosaic Law of condemnation relative to eternal life, (cp. Jn 5:24; Ro 8:1), but under the law of liberty - the law that gives freedom, i.e., the principle of free grace and mercy in Christ, (cp. Gal 5:1-6, 13; Eph chapter 5; Ro 6:14b; 1 Cor 8:9-11).
The law of liberty is successfully fulfilled when the believer acts toward others under the royal law of love, (v. 8). James therefore tells the believer to act responsibly and righteously with his freedom in Christ for his deeds will be judged, (for rewards in heaven, 1 Cor 3:11-15), and he will be disciplined on earth even to the point of extreme severity and death, (Heb 12:5-11; 13:18; Ps 32:1-11; 1 Cor 11:28-30; 1 Jn 5:16-17; Phil 4:6-7).
[Compare Gal 5:1-6, 13]:
(v. 1) "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
(v. 2) Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
(v. 3) Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised [re: justification unto eternal life] that he is obligated to obey the whole Law.
(v. 4) You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
(v. 5) But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.
(v. 6) For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
(v. 13) You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."
V) [Jas 2:8-12 cont.]:
(v. 8) "If, however you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well.
(v. 9) But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as transgressors.
(v. 10) For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
(v. 11) For He Who said, 'Do Not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not commit murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the Law.
(v. 12) So [believer] speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty."
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", pp. 52-53]:
"The failure to avoid partiality (v. 1) in dealing with the rich and the poor was more than a failure to face reality in regard to these two classes of men. More fundamentally, it was a breakdown in Christian morality. It was a violation of Scripture's royal law commanding love for our neighbor based on how we ourselves would wish to be treated. Certainly no one desired to be slighted in the way described by James (v. 3).
In calling the command to love your neighbor as yourself a royal law, James has created a memorable expression with more than one significant facet. The command to love is royal because it is issued by the King - our Lord Himself, in fact, first as the divine Revealer (Lev 19:1, 18) and then in His incarnation among men (Matt 22:37-40). But it is also Royal because it is conduct of a high order that is worthy of a king. No doubt James is alluding to the theme of heirship in the kingdom which he had just mentioned (2:5). The heirs were the future kings of God's kingdom, and they should conduct themselves according to the royal (kingly) law of love for one's neighbor. Note how skillfully James pulls together in 2:5-9 the two great commands of OT revelation - i.e., love for God and love for man (see Mark 12:28-31). These two commands are also part of the New Covenant law of liberty.... The aspiring future kings will possess (reign over) the kingdom if they love God (v. 5), but this requires also love for men (this verse; see 1 John 4:20-21).
Thus, James is saying, if the readers really (mentoi) do fulfill the command to love others as they love themselves, they are doing the right thing (i.e., you do well). And they are acting in a royal way."
V) [Jas 2:8-12 cont.]:
(v. 8) "If, however you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well.
(v. 9) But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the Law as transgressors.
(v. 10) For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
(v. 11) For He Who said, 'Do Not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not commit murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the Law.
(v. 12) So [believer] speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty."
B) SHOWING PARTIALITY IS ENOUGH TO BE CONVICTED OF BREAKING THE LAW
"but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the Law as transgressors." =
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", pp. 53-56]:
"But do they indeed fulfill it? [the Law]. Not if they show partiality to the rich over the poor, for in that case they commit sin, and the biblical command to love exposes them as transgressors of God's Law. No doubt, as Jewish converts to Christianity, James's readers still held the moral standards of God's OT Law in high esteem, as should we. After all, every one of the ten commandments, except the one about the Sabbath day, is repeated in the NT. Thus the repeated commands are binding on those who live under the New Covenant rather than under the Old, which has been set aside (see Hebrews 8). Therefore, the failure to love a brother as oneself (which is a failure reflected in partiality) constitutes a genuine infraction of God's will for us."
"For whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." =
[Hodges, cont.]:
"Furthermore, such failure exposes our inadequacy in the light of God's holy standards. An infraction of the Law of the sort James is discussing is to break the Law as a whole. No matter how well we might keep the rest of it, a sin against love constitutes a person a lawbreaker - i.e., a criminal before the bar of justice!"
"For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the Law." =
[Hodges, cont.]:
"This disturbing point is driven home by James with the observation that the commands against adultery and murder are part of the same Law. Since both sins were punishable by death under the Old Covenant, James's argument has great force. Obviously, he is saying, if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, your innocence in one area does not excuse you in the other. As James's readers would know, murderers suffered the ultimate penalty for lawbreaking whether or not they had ever committed adultery.
Naturally James is addressing himself to Jewish Christian readers... who still retained a high opinion of law-keeping, though possibly not as intensely as those in Jerusalem who were so zealous for the Law (Acts 21:20). Their culture and heritage strongly inclined them to this, even after they had been justified by faith in Christ. James writes with considerable perception to his readers. Even though justification is not the issue here, his readership (like their unsaved but self-righteous fellow countrymen) put a high premium upon avoiding such sins as adultery and murder. But they needed to be reminded that a failure to love a poor brother who came to their assembly nullified any pride they might have in obeying God's law in other respects. One either obeyed it all, or he did not obey it - whatever the specific infraction might be....
Even today the Church readily lapses into a quasi-Roman Catholic view of 'mortal' and 'venial' sins. Some sins (like adultery or murder) are considered too serious to be committed by Christians, while others (like jealousy, selfish ambitions, envy, etc.) are condemned but tolerated. Yet all are listed as works of the flesh in Gal 5:19-21. Although we can speak at times of some sins being worse than others (see John 19:11), James's words remind us that in the final analysis any sin is enormously serious because it breaks God's law and makes a person a lawbreaker.
The words of vv 10-11 could easily have been written by the apostle Paul himself. Certainly they powerfully reinforce the Pauline declaration that by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight (Rom 3:20). How could a man ever hope to be justified by the Law if, as James declares, whoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all? Not even Paul could be more Pauline than that! Thus, if anyone still hopes for justification by works before God, he cannot derive that hope from the Epistle of James. In the modern evangelical world, it is amazing how often the statements of Paul and James about the Law are readily ignored. Instead, we are supposed to believe (according to some) that we can keep God's law well enough to essentially validate our own conversion and be so regarded as Christian people. But such a view is Pharisaism revisited. It is not NT doctrine at all.
Even James's converted readers, however needed to be reminded of this truth about the Law, so that they would not ignore their own unloving partiality and carelessly regard themselves as law keepers in God's sight. 'Don't think that way at all,' James is saying, 'for your loveless behavior sets you under the Law's condemnation, not the Law's approval!' Thus the kind of 'hearing' James wants of his readers (see 1:19 ff.) is not mere moral separation from sins like adultery and murder. No indeed. To be swift to hear is also to be swift to love, and that excludes partiality.
It should be noted how James can effectively use the Law in an exhortation to Christian readers who esteemed it highly. Just as Paul did, James employs it for the condemnation of sin, since by the Law is the knowledge of sin (Rom 3:20). Thus James uses the Law 'lawfully,' in accord with Paul's own perception of this. The Law, Paul would later affirm, can be lawfully used to reprove whatever is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God (see 1 Tim 1:8-11). That is exactly what James is doing in this passage."
(v. 12) "So speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
(v. 13) For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment."
Therefore a believer who by definition is to be judged by the law of liberty, and not by the Law of Moses - because our Lord Jesus Christ already suffered that judgment for the believer, (Ro 3:21-28) - that believer will only be judged for his works to determine temporal judgment to be received on earth for unfaithfulness and whatever rewards he will receive in heaven effecting his entire eternal life. This judgment will be a perfectly just one which is dependent upon the believer's life on earth:
If he was merciful to others, God will be merciful and reward him graciously. For none of us truly earns rewards in heaven apart from the gracious work of God the Holy Spirit directing our earthly lives on a moment to moment basis, sovereignly providing circumstances in which we have the opportunity to exercise our spiritual gifts in God's service.
James previously establishes the important doctrine of rewards in heaven as directly related to the degree of ones faithful lifestyle:
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."
Note that since salvation is
a free gift based on faith alone in Christ alone, (Eph 2:8-9, Ro 3:23-24)
- no works permitted; then the "crown of life" cannot be
speaking of salvation unto eternal life since such crown is received as a
result of persevering under trial. The "crown of life",
therefore, is clearly a reward and not a gift in recompense for
continual works of service for the Lord by the already saved believer.
"So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty" =
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", pp. 56-58]:
"But it is not the OT Law by which Christians will be judged, but rather by the law of liberty to which he has already referred (1:25...). The qualifying phrase of liberty clearly suggests a differentiation from the mere term Law when not so qualified. James certainly concurred with Peter's description of the OT Law as a yoke of bondage (Acts 15:10), and James joined in the final solution of the Law problem which was hammered out at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:13-29). James knows that Christians are not under law but under grace (Rom 6:14). That is to say, he knows that Christians are not under the Mosaic Law of the Old Covenant. But James also knows that God's will was extensively revealed for New Covenant people through the NT apostles and prophets and - above all - through 'our Lord Jesus Christ from Glory.' It is precisely this revelation which was made for born-again people and which appeals to the fundamental instincts of their regenerate nature. As such it is not a burden at all (1 John 5:3-5), but rather it allows them to express what they really are as children of God. Thus it is a law of freedom.
Yet at the same time it is the code of conduct by which our Christian lives will be judged. Thus we should so speak and so do with that fact in mind. Our Christian lives will be assessed in the light of the high and holy standards of the law of liberty.
In speaking of judgment, of course, James can only mean what we refer to as the Judgment Seat of Christ (see 2 Cor 5:9-11...). In reference to eternal life the believer shall not come into judgment (John 5:24). There is no such thing as a judgment for the believer to determine whether he goes to heaven or hell. The believer has already passed from death to life and no charge can be brought against him because he is already justified (see John 5:24; Rom 8:32-33). Those who here read out of James a doctrine of judgment pertaining to eternal life for believers can only do so by first reading it in!..."
"For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment" =
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", pp. 57-58]:
"Such is the solemnity of the Judgment Seat of Christ, however, that no man can view it without sensing how awesome and exacting it must be. Paul also sensed this feature of it (2 Cor 5:10-11). Any reasonable person must know that a judgment of his Christian life 'by the book' (i.e., with full strictness) is likely to leave him with much censure from his Savior and with much loss of potential reward. What is needed in that day is mercy - a willingness on the part of our Lord and Judge to assess our words and deeds with the fullest possible measure of compassion. But how can we store up the mercy which will be so urgently needed in that day?
James's answer is simple and thrilling: he commends mercy. For if the one who has shown no mercy will experience none in that day, the converse must certainly be true: the one who has shown much mercy will experience much. Indeed, the mercy we show to others can actually 'win the day' at the future experience of judgment, for mercy triumphs over judgment. The word triumphs (katakauchaomai) could be rendered 'exults over,' as if mercy could celebrate with words its victory over judgment. Hence, if a Christian constantly tempers his words and deeds with mercy, he can emerge a victor in the day of divine assessment.
In this light, then, the cold indifference toward the poor man of vv 2-3 was a dangerous procedure to follow. Instead, that poor man should have been welcomed with the warmth and sensitivity which the merciful person is careful to express. Only in that way would their treatment of him be a positive, rather than a negative, factor at the Judgment Seat of Christ."
And if he was not merciful, God will be merciless to him - he will enter eternity in heaven because of the one time that he trusted in Christ as Savior but he will receive precious little else, (1 Cor 3:11-15). From the perspective of the rest of eternity one can call the future eternal lifestyle of the unfaithful Christian relative to the results of his wasted life on earth and the disciplines that God invokes on him an utter and devastating tragedy.
There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth by the faithless believer at the realization of the inestimable loss of rewards that that believer will suffer and be lacking for the rest of eternity, (Mt 8:10-12; 21:1-14; 24:14-30; Eph 5:1-5). Yes, tears will eventually be wiped away, (Isa 25:7-8; Rev 7:15-17; 21:3-4), and all of God's children will ultimately move on into eternity.....some with absolutely astounding, indescribably wonderful corulership roles to fulfill alongside of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They will have an intimacy with and a love for their 'Husband-King' that is inexpressible - indefinable. Others will merely be residents of heaven with miniscule capacity by comparison to enjoy the rest of eternity. Compare 1 Cor 3:11-15; 9:25-27; 2 Cor 5:10.
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", pp. 58-59]:
"The theme of this famous unit of James's epistle has already appeared in his letter. As far back as 1:21, James had urged his readers to receive God's Word because of its lifesaving power. This Word is able to save your lives, James had stated... But James quickly went on to insist that to benefit from the Word that way, one must be a work-doer (v. 25..). In a sense, the remainder of the unit, which clarifies the command to be swift to hear, explains what it means to be a work-doer (as stated in v. 25). Thus a real workdoer is not simply punctilious about performing his religious routines, but restrains his tongue and is helpful to widows and orphans (1:26-27). Moreover, a work-doer is not a merely moral person, abstaining from things like adultery and murder, but is one who fulfills the royal law of love even toward the poor man who visits the Christian assembly (2:1-13). But this leads to a third consideration.
One cannot expect to benefit from the lifesaving capacity of God's Word if he dismisses the idea of works as though they were irrelevant. In that case, it does not matter that he is orthodox in his beliefs. Yet how easy it would be to downgrade works in a church where it was understood that justification before God was by faith alone. If God had accepted them eternally on the basis of faith, apart from works, why could He not accept their Christian lives on the basis of their correct beliefs - their orthodoxy - apart from works? This question might easily be raised, moreover, by someone who felt convicted by his lack of concern for, or by his prejudice against, the poor. As a shrewd and observant shepherd, James understood such defense mechanisms and seeks to address this one in 2:14-26.
But what James is not addressing is the issue of the eternal destiny of his readership. Although this famous passage is often taken that way, this approach actually rips James's text out of the larger context in which it is found. It introduces into the text a concern which James did not have here at all, and ignores the fact that James regards his readers as his brothers and sisters (1:2) and as born again (1:18). To get the subject wrong, of course, is to misunderstand James's entire text and to create a false theology about which James knew nothing at all. If this sounds too strong, it is not. The damage done to the Christian Church by an incorrect understanding of James 2:14-26 has been incalculable. It is also utterly deplorable because it betrays superficial thought and study, not only of the passage itself, but also of the entire epistle."
"What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
"What use is it" = What use "ophelos" = profit, advantage
In other words James is saying to fellow Jewish Christian believers, 'What use is it, fellow believers, for anyone to profess to have faith, even if it is true, if he has no divine good works to show for it?'
Answer demanded by context and Greek grammar: No good at all!
James then asks the question: "Can such faith save him?"
Answer demanded by context and grammar: No!
Author James, however, is not talking here about salvation from hell. He and his readers were born again, (Jas 1:17-18); they have expressed their faith in the Lord of glory, (Jas 2:1); they have the privileges of prayer reserved only for believers, (Pr 15:29; Jas 5:16); and he repeatedly calls them his brethren, (1:2, 9, 16, 19; 2:1, 5, 14-15; 3:1, 10, 13; 4:11; 5:67, 9-10, 12, 19). Born again believers are always in view in this passage.
In the previous chapter James establishes the context and meaning for verse 2:14 which is the exhortation of believers to live faithfully for Christ, justifying to mankind that they indeed are disciples of our Lord preserving their lives in this age and the value of it in eternity relative to eternal rewards:
(v. 12) "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial [a man who is a believer, (vv. 2, 9)] for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him."
"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial " = only believers are put under trial, Jas 1:2-4.
"he will receive the crown of life" = Only believers receive the crown of life and only if they are faithful - only if they persevere - only if they exemplify their love for the Lord by obeying His commandments and thereby persevering in faithfulness.
So the Christian who adds works to his faith will not only lengthen his physical life, but he will also save the value of what he did on earth - the value of his life - preserving it in heaven in the form of a crown of life in addition to an inestimable number of other rewards.
Believers, however, will not all be faithful in their love for the Lord. And so Jesus said to His disciple Philip and by application to all believers:
"If you love Me [the Lord Jesus Christ] you will keep My commandments."
...which indicates the distinct possibility that a believer may not always be obedient to God's Word.
1) [Jas 1:12-15 cont.]:
(v. 12 cont.) "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."
(v. 13) Let no one [who is a believer, cp. Jas 1:2-11] say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt any one.
(v. 14) But each one [who is a believer] is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
(v. 15) Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth [physical] death [in that believer]"
Many believers will not keep our Lord's commandments. Scripture testifies to this in many places, (cp. 1 Jn 1:8; Gal 6:1-3; Jas 1:19-21; 1 Cor 3:1-3, 11-15; Eph 5:1-14). Therefore, verses 13-15 and 18-21 of James chapter one continue on the theme of exhorting fellow believers to lead faithful lives and not to practice sin otherwise the consequences will be dire and eternal.
1) [Jas 1:12-15 cont.]
"Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth [physical] death. [in that believer] " = "accomplished" = "arotelstheisa", matured. Sin, in the believer, having come to an end, to maturity, will bring physical death to him.
(v. 18) "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth [i.e., begat us] by the Word of truth, so that we might be as it were the first fruits among His creatures.
[Notice that born again believers are in view and what they do with their lives]
(v. 19) "This you know, my beloved brethren, [believers] let every man [let every believer] be quick to hear, [be a ready listener] slow to speak, slow to anger;
(v. 20) for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
(v. 21) "Therefore [you believers] put aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in a humble spirit receive the word [which] implanted [in your heart] is able to save your souls."
"so that" = "hoste" = so that - refers back to vv. 17-18: so that as a consequence of our salvation, i.e., of our new birth - v. 18. We Christians will be the first fruits, the pre-eminent glory of all creation. Therefore, verses 19-21 go on to exhort believers to act accordingly.
"able to save your souls" - "souls" - "psuchas". The soul is defined as the essence which animates the body but is not dissolved by death, (Mt 10:28). In this context, the 'soulish life' which is lived on earth, (i.e., the life as directed by one's soul), will be saved from a premature physical death and rewards in heaven, if the believer turns from living a sinful life.
[Hodges, cont.]:
"That this passage is analogous to 2:14 is easy to see.
"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?"
Here, too, James is affirming the necessity of doing something, and he clearly means that only if his readers do God's Word will it be able to 'save their souls.'
At first glance, this seems only to repeat the problem already encountered. But in fact it offers us the solution. The reason we do not see it immediately is due to the fact that we are English speakers with a long history of theological indoctrination. To us, the expression 'save your souls' can scarcely mean anything else than 'to be delivered from hell.'
But this is the meaning least likely to occur to a Greek reader of the same text. In fact the expression 'to save the soul' represents a Greek phrase whose most common meaning in English would be 'to save the life.' In the New Testament it occurs in this sense in parallel passages Mark 3:4 and Luke 6:9 (see also Luke 9:56). Among the numerous places where it is used with this meaning in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the following references would be especially clear to the English reader: Genesis 19:17 and 32:30; 1 Samuel 19:11; and Jeremiah 48:6. Perhaps even more to the point, the phrase occurs again in James 5:20, and here the words 'from death' are added.
By contrast, the expression is never found in any New Testament text which describes the conversion experience!
The natural sense of the Greek phrase ('to save your lives') fits perfectly into the large context of James 1. Earlier, James was discussing the consequences of sin. He has said, 'Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-growth, brings forth death' (1:15). Sin, states James, has its final outcome in physical death. But obedience to God can defer death and 'save' or 'preserve' the life. This truth is echoed also by Paul (see Rom 8:13).
This understanding of James 1:21 agrees completely with 5:19, 20, where James says to his fellow Christians:
(v. 19) "My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
(v. 20) remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."
On this attractive note of mutual spiritual concern among the brethren, James closes his letter. But in doing so, he manages to emphasize once again that sin can lead to death.
It has been observed that the Epistle of James is the New Testament writing which most clearly reflects the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. The theme of death as a consequence of sin is an extremely frequent one in the book of Proverbs. A few illustrative texts can be mentioned:
"The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short."
"He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death."
"He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die"
It is clear that this is the Old Testament concept which furnishes the background for James's thought. A recognition of this fact clarifies a great deal. 'To save the soul' (='life') is to preserve the physical life from an untimely death due to sin."
(v. 24) "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
[Notice that "coming after Me [Jesus]", i.e., discipleship and not salvation is in view, i.e., following the Lord in service, denying one's own personal direction and accepting the Lord's direction in one's life to the extent of taking up one's particular cross in life of difficulty, persecution and service to God]
(v. 25) For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it.
[So in light of the previous verse the phrase
"to save his life" = "ton ...psuchen autou sosai" ....= ................................."the... life ........your...to save" = to preserve his life, his physical life and the value of it as the rest of the passage indicates to earn a reward when Christ comes again. Notice that since salvation is not a reward but a gift, (Eph 2:8-9, Ro 3:23-24), then something other than salvation is in view in this passage.
"but whoever loses his life for Me will find it" = Notice that Eternal Life vs the Lake of Fire cannot be in view here because losing one's life for Christ results in finding it. What is in view is finding one's life, i.e., preserving the value of one's life via service to the Lord = becoming a disciple]
(v. 26) What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?
[So gaining the whole world is pictured as valueless in some respect: the eternal respect; for worldly gains are only short-lived, temporal. But the value of one's life which is found in serving Christ results in eternal rewards that will last forever]:
(v. 27) For the Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels, and then He will reward each person according to what he has done."
[Notice that the one who loses, i.e., gives up control of his life by committing it to serving the Lord will preserve his life, i.e., preserve its value in eternity for rewards when the Lord comes again]
"And Jesus said to them, 'I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do evil, to save a life, ["psucheu"] or to destroy it?"
The word for physical - soulish life in Luke 6:9 - "psucheu" - is the same root word that is translated as "souls" in Jas 1:21, ("psuchas").
Compare also Mk 3:4: same word "psucheu" translated in Mark as one's physical - soulish life.
So James tells fellow believers in Jas 1:21 to put aside all immoral behavior and obey God's word "which [God's Word] is able to save your soul." [with the result that one's physical life is preserved from premature death]. He refers to saving one's life relative to physical death, to rewards in heaven and to the true value of one's soul - one's physical life - to God on earth....instead of wasting one's life on earth with the temporal, immoral or trivial which have a devastating effect on the quality of one's life in eternity.
999
[Joseph C. Dillow, 'The Reign of the Servant Kings', 1992, Schoettle Publishing, Miami Springs, Fl, p. 118]:
"[Jas 2:14]:
'What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?'
The form of the question requires a negative answer. No, faith without works cannot save! If salvation in James refers to final deliverance from hell, only with difficulty can he be broght into harmony with Paul, a harmony at the expense of the plain meaning of the text. Works clearly ARE a condition of salvation according to James. But what is the content of that salvation?
James takes us back to the teaching of his Master in 1:21 when he refers to the saving of our lives. The Greek text reads: 'Humbly accept the implanted word which is able to save your lives [sosai tas psychas humon].' The expression 'save your lives' is the same one used by the Lord Jesus in Mt 16:25. That salvation does require work and self denying service to Christ. But it does not constitute final deliverance from hell. Rather, it involves the preservation of physical life now, a victorious perseverance through trials, and a glorious reward for our faithful service in the future (Clause 4 above in Mt 16:25).
There is nothing here about a 'saving faith' and one that does not save in the sense of final deliverance from hell. There is no perseverance in holiness taught. Nowhere does James tell us that works are the inevitable result of the faith that delivers from hell, nowhere, unless salvation means deliverance from hell. But then, if it does, James is teaching salvation by works!"
(v. 18) "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth [i.e., begat us] by the Word of truth, so that we might be as it were the first fruits among His creatures.
(v. 19) This you know, my beloved brethren, [believers] let every man [let every believer] be quick to hear, [be a ready listener] slow to speak, slow to anger;
(v. 20) for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
(v. 21) Therefore [you believers] put aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in a humble spirit receive the word [which] implanted [in your heart] is able to save your souls."
James 1:18-21 is definitely not a salvation passage. The two conditions given:
(1) Not leading a sinful lifestyle and
(2) Obeying what God says in His Word relative to a righteous lifestyle are repeatedly given in Scripture as conditions for believers to meet for discipleship & not for unbelievers to satisfy in order to be saved.
James and all the authors of Scripture call upon believers to please God, to avoid temporal discipline and to lay up treasure in heaven not for salvation but as an expression of what God has done for them through His Son, (compare Acts 20:27-38; Ro 12:9-15; 1 Cor 9:24-27; 2 Cor 5:9-10; Eph 4:17-31; 1 Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:21-36; Titus 3:1-8; Heb 13:1-9; Jas 5:7-12; I Pet 1:13-16; 2:1-2).
James must also be writing to believers in Jas 1:19-21 because it says in verse #18 that God's Word is in believers because they have been begotten of God, i.e., saved unto eternal life:
(v. 18) "The exercise of His will He brought us forth [i.e., begat us] by the Word of truth, so that we might be as it were the first fruits among His creatures." ?
"He brought us forth" = "apekuesen" = 'rebirthed us' = 'He, God, rebirthed us spiritually by the Word of truth' = the gospel of salvation so that we believers might be the "firstfruits among all creatures" = which refers to believers only as the firstfruits of all creation, (cp. Ro 8:23).
And verse 21 describes the "implanted word" as completely natural to the individual - which can only be true of born again believers. This of course cannot be true of unsaved people, (compare I Cor 2:14; Ro 8:7-8).
G) CONCLUSION: THE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING JAMES' LETTER:
The key to understanding James' letter is understanding that James is saying that believers are to serve God and not instead serve themselves or the world. James is telling fellow believers in Jas 1:18-21 that they must give up their sinful lifestyles and start obeying God's Word in order to save themselves from prematurely losing their lives on earth - from physical death which includes the cutting short of the time the soul spends on earth in the physical body doing the Lord's work. For the soul departs from the body upon physical death.
If nothing of value was produced by that soul while in the physical body due to a sinful lifestyle then that soul has wasted himself and will have nothing to show for his time on earth - his life will have been worthless.
(v. 12) "If any man builds on this foundation [of Jesus Christ, his salvation, (v. 11)] using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
(v. 13) his work [i.e., his life] will be shown for what it is, because the Day [of judgment] will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work [i.e., his life].
(v. 14) If what he has built survives [i.e., if the value of his life is saved], he will receive his reward.
(v. 15) If it [the value of his life] is burned up [i.e., not saved], he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames."
So nothing the unfaithful believer did will be saved in heaven for all eternity! Compare other passages which deal with the subject of the premature physical death of a believer due to a persistently sinful life, a life without much divine good production:
A believer dies physically because he violates the sharing in the Lord's supper with serious, unconfessed, mental attitude sin.
The sin that leads to physical death in a believer is indicated as a truth from God's Word.
Aaron's sons Nadab & Abihu die immediately of their sin before the altar of the Lord.
A husband and his wife physically die due to sin.
Although immediate death of believers due to sin is not the norm, Scripture warns that sin will cut a life short:
The soul that sins shall (physically) die, "nephesh" = soul, the invisible & immaterial life principle of a living being. Compare Gen 2:7.
"My son, do not forget my [Solomon's] teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life, And peace they will add to you."
The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
The truly righteous man, (the believer who stays in fellowship with the Lord), attains (longer physical) life, but he who pursues evil, (could be believer or unbeliever), goes to his (physical) death (before his time).
"The fear [reverent awesome respect] of the Lord is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death."
["snares" = those traps, i.e., lures which hasten physical death]
Sin when it is full grown in the believer brings forth physical death.
The believer who enables another believer who is leading a sinful lifestyle to turn his life around will save that sinful believer's soul, i.e., save his physical life. Note: soul = "psuchen" = physical life. See notes on previous page under Jas 1:18-21.
There is much to be said for
the longer and better quality of life due to the inner peace and joy which
obedience to God's Word brings verses the life-shortening and life
depreciating value of turmoil, guilt, bitterness, anger, arrogance and
lack of peace which disobedience to God's Word brings. Heaven will be
filled with severely disappointed - even grieving - premature arrivals of
unfaithful believers who will be weeping and gnashing their teeth for a
season due to the realization of their loss of rewards and lesser
relationship with Jesus Christ for the rest of eternity,
(cp. Mt. 8:12; 22:1-14) .
This will be due to their unfaithful lifestyle on earth.
So all of the exhortation James does to his readers to not lead an unfaithful lifestyle is directed exclusively toward believers who by definition are secure in their eternal life and not to unbelievers. Unbelievers cannot live a godly lifestyle because they cannot please God, they are slaves to sin, (Ro 6:20; 8:8), and do not have the capacity to repent from an ungodly lifestyle, get water baptized in a manner that is acceptable to God, clean up their lives and perform divine good service, (Ro 8:5-8). They first must be saved unto eternal life and thereby indwelt with Divine Capacity for Good: the Holy Spirit, (Eph 2:8-10; 1:13-14). Therefore author James' appeal in chapter 2 of his epistle must be to fellow "brethren" - to fellow believers. Furthermore, since the destiny of every believer is eternal life - heaven no matter what,
(ref. Jn 5:24, 6:47; 10:27-30; Ro 8:1; Jas 1:18; Eph 4:30; 1 Jn 5:9-13),
then James cannot be referring to eternal damnation - death in hell as a result of an unfaithful lifestyle. He is not referring to a lack of or loss of salvation to eternal life but to saving oneself from a premature physical death. God the Holy Spirit is consistent and truthful in the books of the Bible; James could not contradict Paul's statement to the Philippian jailer when the jailer asks, 'How do I go to heaven?' with Paul's answer reflecting faith alone in Christ alone: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.", (Acts 16:30-31). All of the authors of Scripture teach that salvation is by a grace gift operation through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. God is totally and exclusively sovereign in His work of salvation in each of us. We contribute nothing.
Compare each of the following passages which teach that salvation is a grace gift operation by faith alone in God's plan of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ:
AUTHOR PASSAGE
Paul Ro 1:16; 4:1-17; Eph 2:8-9.
John Jn 3:16; 5:24; 6:47; 20:31; 1 Jn 5:9- 13.
Peter 1 Pet 1:5
Matt. Mt 10:32; 19:16- 25
Mark Mk 1:14-15
Luke Lk 18:18-27; Acts 16:30-31
Acts 2:21 & Ro 10:13- 14* Acts 2:38
James Jas 1:17-18 & Jn 3:3**
Jas 2:23 & Gen 15:6***
Isaiah Isa 28:16; 53:4- 12
Moses Gen 15:4-6 & Ro 4:1-5 Gen 4:3-5 & Heb 11:4 Gen 5:22-24 & Heb 11:5-6 Gen 6:14-22 & Heb 11:7
David Ps 32:1-2 & Ro 4:6-8
Ezekial Ez 36:26-27
Heb Heb chapter 1
Acts 2:21 = compare Ro 10:13-14 where calling on the name of the Lord is defined as believing in the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved unto eternal life.
*In Jas 1:17-18 the Greek word which is translated "from above" = "anothen" is exactly the same word which John uses when he tells Nicodemus:
"....no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again
["born again" = "anothen" = literally = 'born from above"]
The word "again" = "anothen" = literally, 'from above' which indicates that in order to have eternal life it is totally and exclusively God's grace gift operation = from heaven, i.e., from above. Nothing from below, from man, will do. One can only trust in this grace gift operation since God has done it all and permits no contribution, (Ro 11:5-6).
***Jas 2:23 = Abraham is saved by faith alone in God's plan of salvation through Abraham's Seed, Christ, alone, (cp. Gal 3:16).
What James is dealing with in his letter is the problem of a Christian not living up to the doctrinal principles that he knows. The result is that a Christian who does that will waste his life, not in terms of salvation, but in terms of storing treasures in heaven. An inactive and out-of-fellowship lifestyle produces nothing of value for the kingdom of God! Merely professing faith in Jesus Christ as a believer and having enthusiasm for Bible doctrine is NOT ENOUGH to give a believer an enriched eternity. A believer's enriched eternity is a direct result of his obedience to doctrine, (God's Word), and the accompanying production of divine good works through the filling, i.e., the obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit, (Eph 5:15-21).
Bob Wilkin states, ('The Grace Evangelical Society News', Sept-Oct '94 issue, 'Can Faith Without Works Save?', pp. 2-3):
"About half of the NT uses of the words save and salvation refer to salvation from physical death, from disease, and from various temporal difficulties........
The word save occurs five times in James (1:21; 2:14; 4:12; 5:15, 20). In none of the four uses outside of our passage [Jas 2:14] is eternal salvation in view.......
So when faith is divorced from works, its power is gone. Faith comes alive as we do good works. Faith dies when we fail to do good works...... James is warning believers to put their faith to work so that they don't experience the painful consequences of sin."
VII cont.) [Jas 2:14 cont.]:
"What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?"
H) SUMMARY OF VERSE 14: IN LIGHT OF THE FOREGOING ANALYSIS, LET'S SUMMARIZE VERSE 14
(v. 15) "If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
(v. 16) and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled'; and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body; what use is that?"
A) OF WHAT USE IS YOUR FAITH FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU DO NOT HELP A BROTHER OR SISTER IN NEED?
Here's a Christian who believes that clothing and food is truly needed and yet does nothing to help. This Christian's lack of observance of his beliefs is not producing the fruit of love and compassion that God commands, (Gal 5:22-23). James is saying, 'What good is that kind of faith relative to being an ambassador of Jesus Christ and to receiving rewards in heaven? Do you think that God is going to bless you and honor you and prosper you on earth and in heaven for that kind of faith?' These two verses in James speak of an example of faith without works which is described as dead - worthless in the next verse in this passage]:
(v. 17) "Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself."
Without obedience - without observance - without works, faith is dead, useless to one's ambassadorship and useless in earning rewards in heaven. A man who has saving faith, (and therefore is secure in his eternal destiny in heaven, Eph 1:13-14, 4:30), but has no works; has a faith which is DEAD! His faith is of no value to man and he is temporally out of fellowship with God, (temporally dead, ref. Eph 5:14), until he deals with his sin before a Holy and Righteous God, beginning with confession, (compare 1 Jn 1:5-10). He is under God's discipline, (not condemnation of eternal judgment, cp. Heb 12:5-11); until he gets back into fellowship with God and begins to perform the divine good works which God prepared beforehand for him to do, (Eph 2:10). The word "dead" in Scripture does not mean annihilated or nonexistent or ceasing to exist - or never existed. It does mean useless, of no value, unable to perform, separated from God and His righteousness.
Compare
Ephesians 5:1-14
which defines the situation of a believer who is not walking in fellowship
- who has a dead, useless faith which is not producing work for the Lord
and is even involved in a lifestyle of sin. That believer is considered
'dead' by God in this passage in the sense of being totally inactive and
useless and dead to God. That believer is spoken of in this passage as
being physically alive, having the capacity to "wake up" from
being asleep - from being dead and useless to God in the sense of not
living for Christ.
"Wake up, O sleeper, Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
[Hodges, "Epistle of James", pp. 62-63]:
"Such idle words are as dead (ineffectual) as a non-working faith! So James says, Thus also faith by itself, it does not have works, is dead.
It needs to be carefully considered why James chose the term dead to describe a faith that is not working. Yet the moment we relate this term to the plainly expressed concept of 'saving the life' (1:21), everything becomes clear. The issue that concerns James is an issue of life or death. Can a faith that is dead save the Christian from [an early physical] death? The question answers itself. The choice of the adjective dead is perfectly suited to James's argument. Just as the idle words of some ungenerous believer cannot save his brother from death in the absence of life's necessities, no more can a non-working faith save our lives from the death-dealing consequences of sin. For that purpose faith is sterile and ineffective by itself, because it cannot accomplish the needed result.
Commentators often deal with the word dead very simplistically. As a metaphor, dead is often treated as though it could refer to nothing other than the death/life terminology employed to describe salvation from hell. But every linguist knows that 'death' and 'deadness' are concepts that have given rise to numerous and diverse metaphors in nearly every language. English itself has many ('this law's a dead letter,' 'you're dead wrong,' 'he's dead drunk,' 'he's a dead duck,' 'that idea is dead,' 'they navigated by dead reckoning,' etc.). So also the Greek language (and the NT itself) abounds in such metaphors. Thus, in Romans alone, Paul can call Abraham's body dead while it was still alive, and can attribute 'deadness' to Sarah's barren womb (Rom 4:19). He can say that apart from the law was [or is] dead (Rom 7:8); although sin can be quite active apart from the law: Rom 5:13), and then declare that sin revived and I died (Rom 7:9). So too the Christian's body, in which the Spirit dwells, can be described as dead (Rom 8:10), although the Christian himself is regenerated. The complexity in Paul's use of the term dead is clearly evident from these texts. A concordance study will yield examples in other parts of the NT as well (e.g., Luke 15:24, 32; Heb 6:1; 9:14; Rev 3:1). It is simply wrong to think that James's metaphor about 'dead faith' can have only one meaning, i.e., a soteriological one [i.e., re: salvation unto eternal life]. To claim this is to beg the question.
So, when faith is described as dead in James 2, this can easily be understood in context as meaning that (for the purpose being considered) faith is sterile, ineffectual, or unproductive."
B) BUT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES AND A RISK FOR A BELIEVER BEING FAITHFUL IN HIS WORKS
It is a Christian's obligation - his duty - to provide for the legitimate needs of his brethren, not just to pray for another brother, but to take out of what he has and share with others - share his material possessions - his food, shelter, clothing, money, his spiritual possessions: his spiritual gifts and knowledge of God's Word. He is to risk explaining God's Word - to risk defending God's Word in the world, (cp. Jude 3, Phil 1:27-28). There is a risk in doing that: censure by others; being insulted; being called arrogant; being isolated because fellow brothers in Christ do not wish to stand with you in your defense of the gospel; even being terminated from your job; and in the not so distant future: being physically tortured and killed. Today it is relatively easy to stand up for the truths in God's Word. Today, most Christians actually remain silent - earn few rewards - and condemn obedient believers for showing their love for the Lord and being open about what they believe, often ending up in heaven before their allotted time. The faithful believer is often falsely condemned for being 'pushy', or divisive or out of line in some other way with their w