James: Faith/WorksSample

Wanderer / Restorer

Restoration begins with confession. You can’t fix what you don’t recognize is broken. James’s letter doesn’t wrap up with final words of greeting like most of Paul’s letters. James didn’t close by naming particular individuals or by offering a broad theological expression of praise. Instead, he hammered home one final practical application of faith in action. If someone isn’t putting their faith into action, call them out and point them back in the right direction.

What a great note to end on. It rings in our ears with force and finality.

Wandering from the truth means we’re pursuing something less than God’s best for us in the gospel. This is a matter of life and death. This is why Jesus outlined a process to reconcile wanderers from the truth. While the process is often known as church discipline, the goal isn’t punishment but reconciliation. We pursue wanderers, hoping they’ll return to the truth and be reconciled to God and the community of the church. Because God has reconciled us to Himself at the cross, we help others find the same reconciliation we’ve found. 

God is a God of pursuit. In the garden He looked for Adam and Eve after they had sinned and called out to them as they tried to hide in shame (see Gen. 3:8-9). When sin had infected the whole world, God came in the flesh—Immanuel, God with us (see Matt. 1:23). And in the end He will come again to restore all things and to bring about the consummation of His redemptive plan.

If you would like to learn more about James: Faith/Works Bible Study by Matt Chandler, please visit LifeWay.com/JamesStudy.