There can be no debate over this question (1:1)!
James is writing to the twelve tribes of Israel that had been scattered due to
the great persecution mentioned in Acts 8:1. James is NOT writing to the body of
Christ because there are NOT twelve tribes in the body of Christ (Gal. 3:26-28).
There were believing Jews from all twelve tribes in the kingdom church (Acts
2:14, 22, 36). The kingdom church of Acts is NOT the same as the church which is
the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). A church is simply a called out assembly and
there is more than one kind of called out assembly in the Bible (Acts 7:38). The
kingdom church was the “little flock” (Lk. 12:32) that believed on the Lord
Jesus as their Messiah and were looking for the kingdom to be restored to Israel
(Acts 1:6). Jews and Gentiles were NOT in the same body in the kingdom church!
During the latter half of the Acts period BOTH the kingdom church and the body
of Christ were co-existing (some of the kingdom saints, like Barnabas, heard
Paul’s gospel and became part of the body). I do not believe that the twelve
apostles became members of the body of Christ (Matt. 19:28). Acts records a
transition from the kingdom church to the body of Christ (one is phasing out
while the other is phasing in).
This epistle, as well as the other Jewish epistles, certainly has a future application to the kingdom church that will go through the tribulation period (Jam. 5:7-11). The tribulation could have started in Acts 7 but was postponed due to the revelation of the mystery committed to Paul. After the rapture of the body of Christ, God will resume His dealings with Israel and the day of the LORD will begin.
“The closing books of the Bible- Hebrews through Revelation- relate to the future, and will uphold the faith of the elect members of the Hebrew people and of the Gentiles who will love and confess the true Messiah, and brave the persecutions of the future false Messiah. These Books specially belong to them, and will be understood by them.” (George Williams, 1850-1928)
What is the theme of this epistle?
The key words are: faith (16 times), works (13
times), and law (10 times). James is exhorting Jews, whose faith is being tried
(1:3), to have true faith that works according to the law (2:12) and endures
patiently to the end (Matt. 24:13-14). This epistle teaches pure RELIGION
(1:25-27). The word “religion” is only found 5 times in scripture and it is used
in reference to the works of the law (Acts 26:5; Gal. 1:13-14; the “Jews
religion” included their traditions). Notice that “pure religion” is to DO and
continue in “the perfect law of liberty”. What is the “law of liberty”? Many
think that the law of liberty cannot be a reference to the Law of Moses because
it was called a “yoke of bondage” by Peter and Paul (Acts 15:10; Gal. 5:1). The
law was a “yoke of bondage” to those who were required to obey it in order to be
saved. Although the law itself cannot save (Rom. 3:20) it was at one time
required for salvation (Luke 1:5-6). As a nation, Israel failed under the old
covenant but will be saved when God makes a new covenant with them when the
kingdom is set up (Heb. 8:6-13). Under the new covenant, Israel will keep the
law from the heart because they will be filled with the Holy Spirit. If the law
is kept from the heart it is not a “yoke of bondage” but a “law of liberty” (Ps.
119:32, 45; Jn. 8:31-32). The Jews to whom James was writing were filled with
the Spirit. The kingdom church of Acts was a preview of Israel in the Kingdom
Age (Ezek. 36:24-28). The kingdom church lived by the law (Acts 2:1, 46; 3:1;
5:42; 21:20). God has not killed the law (Christ fulfilled it for us, Rom.
10:1-4). Christ will rule by the law in the Kingdom Age (Isa. 2:1-5).
The King taught “pure religion” in the beginning of His ministry when He taught the righteous principles of His kingdom in Matthew 5-7. The “Sermon on the Mount” was pure law (Matt. 5:17-20).
Compare the following verses and you will easily see that James has the same theme as the Sermon on the Mount.
James Sermon on the Mount
1. 1:2
5:10-12
2. 1:4
5:48
3. 1:5, 17, 4:2,
5:15 7:7-11
4. 1:9,
2:5 5:3
5. 1:25,
2:10-12 5:19
6. 1:22, 2:14
7:21-26
7.
2:8 7:12
8. 2:13
6:14-15, 7:2
9. 3:12
7:16
10. 3:17-18
5:9
11. 4:4
6:24
12. 4:8
5:8
13. 4:9
5:4
14. 4:10
5:3-4
15. 4:11-12
7:1-2
16.
4:13-16 6:25, 34
17. 5:1-3
6:19
18. 5:9
5:22-24
19. 5:10
5:12
20. 5:12
5:34
Under the kingdom program of Israel works were required to prove faith for justification (Jam. 2:24) but today, in the age of grace, no works are required to prove faith for justification (Rom. 3:28; 4:5) because we are instantly and permanently justified by the "faith of Christ" (Gal. 2:16). Of course, good works should follow salvation (Eph. 2:10). We do not need to reconcile James and Paul because they were not enemies. They wrote to DIFFERENT groups under DIFFERENT programs!
James is profitable for the body of Christ to study (2 Tim. 3:16). It certainly contains moral principles and spiritual applications for us (as with the “Sermon on the Mount”). But, if we fail to rightly divide the epistle of James it will cause us great doctrinal confusion and problems.
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