Again, I wasn't thinking and stated that Paul wrote a letter to James. James actually wrote this letter.
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I was reading a blog post here about how this guy is not a Protestant. He made a very good point when talking about Martin Luther saying that you are saved by faith alone. This is what the blogger wrote.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?…Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead…You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?…Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his works were working together…You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. (James 2:14-26)This passage in James should put an end to the contention that we are justified by faith alone. Is it any wonder that Luther wanted to get rid of James, today most Protestants ignore this passage in the Bible. The Protestant doctrine of Justification by faith alone is a dangerous and damaging doctrine, it is Satanic in nature. One must have faith and good works, believing in Jesus Christ is not enough according to the Bible. Jesus himself had the same view of justification, justification and righteousness have the same root in Greek, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23) This may explain the mortal sins in the Protestant churches, I estimate that 33% of the people in my old Protestant are divorce and remarried, alcohol usage is like air in my old Protestant church, the love of money, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.” (Hebrews 13:5)
I decided to go look up the James passage. Here is what it says.
James 2:14-26
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?" In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that -- and shutter. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scriptures was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In this same way, was not even Rahab the prostate considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Martin Luther famously said that the book of James was a "epistle of full of straw, because it contains nothing evangelical." Luther believed the book of James gave no indication, "in the whole length of its teaching, not once does it give Christians any instructions or reminder of the passion, resurrection, or spirit of Christ.”
Luther liked to take the whole Bible apart and read it as a library. He rejected pieces of the Bible that didn't fit his image of Christ (such as the books of Hebrews, James, and Revelation).
I've previously said that I used to disagree with Luther about this, saying that we must do good things. Then I got smart and said that faith, even without good works, still brings salvation. Then I said good works is a good thing, and is completely acceptable in God's eyes. Now I'm not so sure about that again.
I'm still going to do good deeds like the Kindness Outreaches program at my church.
I've decided that I'm going to read the entire book of James and write some of my responses here.
James 1: 6
But when he asks [for wisdom], he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
If you have been reading some of my posts, you know that I suffer from Devil's Advocate Syndrome. I'm in deep trouble if this passage is true.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who preservers under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
I trust that God knows what he's doing with me. You may also know that I suffer from clinical depression, and it's a constant battle. I stay strong though. I try my best to be a good person.
James 1:19-20
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
I'm also hot-tempered. When something upsets me, I stand on my little soapbox for days at a time, (the whole Rush Limbaugh calling a woman a derogatory name comes to mind).
James 2:1-4
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "You sit there," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
If you read the top of my blog, you'll see the little subtitles says, "Progressive and liberal, just like Jesus Christ." It's true, I am a liberal. I believe in helping the poor and middle class. I do not believe in trickle-down economics. I think this picture shows a very good point.
I probably shouldn't get political here, but if the conservatives think that handing out tax breaks to the rich helps revive the economy, just remember what President Herbert Hoover did in the 1930s. He didn't do anything to help the Great Depression. TV personality Rachel Maddow said it best when she said something along the lines of, "The lack of spending made the Great Depression so great."
WWJD?
James 2:10-11
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do not commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
This passage was mentioned in last Sunday's sermon at my home church, Saint Matthew Lutheran Church. Here's what Pastor Mark Daniels said.
"If we violate one of God's commandments--from taking God's Name in vain to bearing false witness about a classmate, church member, or neighbor--God considers us in violation of all His commandments.
In sin, we have a major problem. The prognosis is death."
He went on to say that a little sin is the same thing as being a "little pregnant." That doesn't make sense, does it?
James 3:5
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.
Reminds me of the Rush Limbaugh thing again.
James 4:11-12
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgement on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you -- who are you to judge your neighbor?
My post from February 9, 2012 explains this concerning homosexuality. I still believe that we should not judge others, lest we be judged ourselves. I don't care if you're gay, straight, lesbian, or transgendered. You are who you are, and no amount of prayer is going to change that. You were made that way for a reason.
James 4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
James 5:1-6
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hordes wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.
More liberal bias?
After reading the book of James, I've come to the conclusion that Luther was right when he said, "in the whole length of its teaching, not once does it give Christians any instructions or reminder of the passion, resurrection, or spirit of Christ." However. The book does show you how to be a good Christian. Shouldn't a book telling you how to be a Christian be included in the canon? I think so.
Formal liturgical worship has been part of the Christian church for all its 2,000 years. It is and always will be part of who we are. But it's not the only option. Liturgy, or the "what" of worship (necessary prayers, certain actions or elements), shouldn't cause us to forget the "why" of worship.