Five reasons to LOVE the letter of James

The letter of James has strong claims to be both the most celebrated and most criticised of all New Testament books. This alone makes it worthy of close attention—we are unlikely to be left unaffected by it! It has generated enormous controversy among Christians over the years. Some early believers questioned its inclusion in the New Testament. Centuries later, the great Reformer Martin Luther famously described James as “an epistle of straw”.

Jesus is explicitly mentioned only twice; others have criticised James for a lack of cohesion; perhaps the most famous criticism levelled at James is that he contradicts Paul (in 2 v 24) This was enough for Luther to fume that: “James mangles the Scriptures and thereby opposes Paul and all Scripture”. Strong words!

But we should not be too fast to dismiss this book. Despite the criticisms made against it, this letter has persistently found its way into the hearts and affections of countless Christians through the ages, and it remains one of the most cherished books of the Bible. When we read it carefully and expectantly, it is not hard to see why. Here are five reasons to love the letter of James:

1. James is practical. James covers a whole range of everyday life issues: how we respond to pain and suffering, dealing with conflict, how our speech can help or harm, dealing with poverty and wealth, even how we should think about planning for the future. We never struggle for application!
2. James is direct. James moves quickly from issue to issue. Much of what he says is straightforward to understand. There is no chance for us to get bogged down.
3. James is vivid. Throughout the letter James gives us pictures and illustrations to help his message hit home in a vivid way. He speaks of forest fires, fruit-bearing plants, sea ships, horses—and that’s just one chapter! The preacher does not have to scratch his head trying to think up illustrations for the message!
4. James is stretching. James assumes that the gospel touches every area of life. He does not let us off the hook in any of them! James likens God’s word to a mirror, and studying his own letter certainly has the effect of revealing to us what our hearts and attitudes are truly like.
5. James is encouraging. Underlying all that James says is a desire to magnify Jesus Christ. It is Christ’s glory that drives everything. Along the way James gives us wonderful reminders of the grace and goodness of God. He can afford to be challenging because the grace of God is so compelling.

Whether we are attracted or troubled by all its apparent quirks, James’ letter demands our attention for one monumental reason. It is all about what it means truly to follow the “glorious Lord Jesus Christ” (2 v 1). It will show us what genuine faith looks like in real life—and it will challenge us about how real faith works hard and lives distinctively. James’ aim is that his readers would serve Jesus more wholeheartedly and radically, and that must be our goal; and it is my prayer that as you read James For You, you will find yourself both excited about and enabled to follow more closely James’ brother and our Lord.

How well do you know the letter of James? All this week on Facebook and Twitter we’ll be celebrating the letter of James by posting picture clues. Can you guess which verse they relate to?