A. The writer(s), the place, and the time: This book was written by James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, a flesh brother of the Lord Jesus (1:1; Matt. 13:55), to the twelve tribes of Israel in dispersion (see 1:1 and footnotes 3 and 4). Because the content does not mention the church being degraded, this book may have been written around A.D. 50. Because it is not easy to find evidence that James left Jerusalem at any time, it was probably written in Jerusalem.
B. The subject: practical Christian perfection.
C. The background: [After studying Paul’s writings and all the Life-study Messages on these writings, we shall no doubt be influenced to receive the light concerning God’s economy and to be strongly for it. But there is the possibility that we may be careless in our behavior or that we may neglect the matter of practical Christian perfection. Therefore, we need the balance provided by the book of James.]
[A striking characteristic of the Epistle of James is that it indicates that we may be very strong in God’s economy, yet may not be complete and entire in our Christian behavior in our personal daily life. Many of us can testify that we have seen the vision concerning God’s economy and that we are absolutely for this vision. However, we still need to pay attention to our behavior in our daily life.] A brother may easily become angry with his sibling, or a sister may not have the proper attitude toward her mother. In such cases, [both the brother and the sister are neither complete nor entire. This is an illustration of the fact that we need the balancing word found in the book of James.]
In Acts 21, James told Paul emphatically that many believers were still zealous of the law. He also asked Paul to perform a Nazarite vow in a purification rite for seven days and to pay for several others who could not afford it. James was mixing the dispensation of law with the dispensation of grace. He was unclear concerning God’s New Testament economy (Acts 21:23-24, 26 and footnote 1).
[In addition to providing balance, the Epistle of James also serves as a strong warning that it is possible to be very godly and yet not be clear concerning the vision of God’s New Testament economy. According to church history, James was noted for living a godly life. One account says that James spent so much time kneeling in prayer that his knees became calloused. James certainly was a godly man, a man of prayer, and prayer is emphasized in his Epistle. Nevertheless, James may not have had a clear view concerning the distinction between grace and law; that is, he may not have had a clear view regarding God’s economy. In his writings there are hints that this was the situation. However, his Epistle is notable and remarkable concerning Christian conduct and emphasizes practical Christian perfection. For this reason, in 1:4 James indicates that the believers should be “complete and entire, lacking in nothing.”]
Because we have pointed out that James may not have been so clear about God’s New Testament economy, you may wonder if his epistle is inspired by God. [In 2 Timothy 3:16 Paul says, “All Scripture is God-breathed.” Therefore, we need to explain carefully what is our attitude toward the inspiration of the Scriptures in relation to the book of James.
First, we definitely believe that all Scripture is God-breathed, that is, inspired by God. We believe that every word of every book of the Bible has been breathed out by God.
Second, although every line and word of the Scripture is inspired by God, this does not mean that every word in this holy Book is the word of God, but we must be very careful in our understanding of this matter. In the Bible there are a great many words that are not God’s words.]
Many [words recorded in the Scriptures are the words of Satan, evil men, God’s opposers, and even the nonsensical talk of godly men. Furthermore, all the words of the Scriptures were breathed out by God and recorded for a particular purpose. In Genesis 3 the purpose is to expose the subtlety of the enemy. In Acts 21 and in the book of James the purpose is to show us the possibility that a godly person may lack the clear, heavenly view of God’s New Testament economy. Praise the Lord that everything in the Bible is God’s breath, and everything has been recorded to serve a particular purpose! We thank God for the Scriptures breathed out by Him.]
Although we know that James was not clear concerning God’s New Testament economy, we should not despise the book of James, because it is part of God’s breathing concerning practical Christian perfection. We need to be clear that God’s New Testament way is for us to believe into Christ and to enjoy the dispensing of life. This life becomes our supply for us to have a godly living that James would approve. The Lord said, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpass that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 5:20). The standard of our morality must be high; yet, the living is not a result of our trying to fulfill the law of the Old Testament. Whenever we try to fulfill the law, we do it in the flesh. The Lord also said, “You, therefore, shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). Our perfection is not by the law but by grace, in the enjoyment of the life of the Father. Praise the Lord that we are getting clear on God’s New Testament economy.
D. The central thought: [James writes not merely concerning Christian perfection, but concerning practical Christian perfection, that is, a perfection that is not theoretical but practical in our daily living. It is a strong point of this Epistle that James teaches regarding this practical Christian perfection. The many virtues he covers in this book are related to this perfection.]
E. The general sketch: James begins by addressing the twelve tribes in the dispersion. He then presents many points concerning practical virtues of Christian perfection, such as enduring trial by faith, resisting temptation as God-born ones, living a God-fearing life by the implanted word according to the perfect law of freedom, having no respect of persons among the brothers, being justified by works in relations with the believers, bridling the tongue, behaving in wisdom, dealing with pleasures, the world, and the Devil, not speaking against the brothers, confiding not in self-will but in the Lord, awaiting the Lord’s coming with longsuffering, speaking honestly without swearing, and having healthy practices in the church life.
F. The sections: 1) introduction—to the twelve tribes in dispersion (1:1) and 2) practical virtues of Christian perfection (1:2—5:20).