The Epistle Of JamesParaugs

Wisdom and Obedience: James 1:19-2:26

In 1:19-27, James discussed wisdom and obedience in three basic steps. This section introduces the importance of taking action rather than just listening or talking. To hear the word is simply not good enough. The word of wisdom from God must also lead to faithful obedience. Otherwise, we are deceiving ourselves. James expected his readers to do more than just hear God's word. He expected them to put their faith into action. This theme was so important to James that, although he mainly discussed it in chapters 1 and 2, he returned to it periodically throughout his epistle. For instance, in 3:13, James' basic perspective on the relationship between wisdom and obedience appears again. In 1:27, James closed this section on the need for action by summing up true piety, or religion.

Following this introductory call to action, James elaborated on the connection between wisdom and obedience by focusing on the problem of favoritism in 2:1-13. Some people within James' audience had apparently been showing preference to the wealthy and neglecting the poor. And in this section, James addressed this problem by calling them to give proper attention to what he called "the royal law.” Essentially, neglecting the poor in favor of the rich is a failure to "love your neighbor." And James taught that they must avoid the sin of favoritism by keeping the royal law.

The book of James has a very positive focus on the law of God. In James' view, the law teaches us to care for one another, to have compassion on the poor, to avoid favoritism, and the like. But this positive outlook can be misused if we aren't careful. Modern Christians often point out how the law of God has been used, in vain, as a way to try and justify ourselves before God by our own righteous deeds. And we're right to reject this abuse of God's law. But, by contrast, the book of James stresses a different facet of the law. James taught that although no one can be justified by the law, the law of God is our source of wisdom. And we should live in obedience to it. Of course, we don't obey the law as if we still lived in Old Testament times; we must always apply God's law in the light of Christ and the teachings of the New Testament. But those who've trusted Christ for salvation obey the law out of gratitude to God, because it's the revelation of God's wisdom. In this sense, James echoes Psalm 19:7.

After introducing the importance of action in response to the word of wisdom and resisting favoritism by obeying the royal law of God, James addressed the relationship between faith and obedience in 2:14-26. According to James, having the right beliefs is not enough. A faith that does not show itself in obedience is dead. It is not true saving faith.

James connected practical wisdom and faith. First, James explained the relationship between faith and works; and second, James explained the relationship between faith and justification. 

The question of who was justified, or righteous before God, was a matter of some controversy among Jewish teachers in James' time. And it continued to be a central issue within the first century Christian church as well. Who is counted as justified? Who is considered righteous? In 2:21-24, James answered these questions. Here James spoke of being justified, using the Greek verb dikaioō, which means "to declare righteous," "to justify," or "to vindicate." He argued that Abraham was justified or vindicated as righteous by works, the work of offering his son Isaac to God in Genesis 22. And on this basis, he concluded that no one is justified or vindicated by faith alone. Everyone that God accepts as righteous is justified by works. After exhorting his audience to live a life of obedience, James focused his attention on the relationship between wisdom and peace among followers of Christ.

Does James contradict what the apostle Paul taught about justification?

The seeming conflict between Paul and James on the issue of justification by faith alone is really the major issue, in the book of James. It comes up… There's probably been more ink that has been spilled over that particular issue than any other in the book. First of all the Greek word dikaioō sometimes means "the act of justification," which is that justification is basically two sides to the same coin. You have, on one side, you have forgiveness — God forgives us. That's the subtraction side. On the other side you have an addition, which is the imputation of righteousness. And then there's that declaration of "you are justified in my sight." And so, by faith we are justified, and that's one use of the word justification. On the other hand, we can use justification to mean "to vindicate" or "to be shown to be righteous." And so Paul is using it in the forensic way.  We also have James using it in the sense of a works example, a showing to be righteous, in other words. So, if we were to summarize, it would be, Paul's use of justification is the priority of faith, and James' way of looking at justification is post-conversion or the proof of faith.  So, James' question is, "Who should be considered righteous? One who says he believes in God or one who lives a life based on his profession and his belief in God?" For James and Paul, faith must work. Can I say it again? Faith must work. It must produce. It must be visible. Verbal faith is not enough. Mental faith is insufficient. Faith must move into action. It endures trials, it obeys God's word, it produces doers, it harbors no prejudice, it controls the tongue, it acts wisely, it provides the power to resist the devil, and here, the most important, it waits patiently for the coming of the Lord. And both James and Paul taught exactly the same thing. [Dr. Larry J. Waters]