The Path of Spiritual Maturity

As we wrap up our series in the Letter of James, let’s ask, “What have we heard, where is Jesus leading us, what is our charge?”

James points out all kinds of messes in the church.  This implies:  1) Christian life gets messy—expect it; 2) Messy believers are not rejected, they’re lovingly confronted.  3) We can grow into greater spiritual maturity, both individually and corporately—yet we need to be content this side of heaven to be souls under construction.

James would warn:  Don’t go with your gut; don’t follow your heart.  Our natural reflexes generate “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” (3:14).  Instead, we need to humbly seek “the wisdom from above,” which is pure, peaceable, gentle, and merciful (v 15).  The maturing believer is quick to listen, but slow to speak or get angry (1:19).  And this counter-cultural lifestyle of trust is profoundly different from the pride and fear that churn up so much hostility in our world!  Are you ready and willing to stand apart with Jesus in today’s society?

This letter teaches that we must not, and actually cannot, compart­mentalize our faith in Christ—as if we could reserve some corner of our lives as “religious” while everything else was our own domain.  Our hearing must be matched by doing (1:22-25); our faith needs to find expression in good deeds (2:14-26).  If we blurt out wicked words, we become ambassadors of hell (3:1-12).  If we act like we run the future, we’ve forgotten who we are—and who God is! (4:13-17).

There are a lot of commands in James’s short letter, and it could feel overwhelming.  But don’t miss a key point in 4:6, [God] gives more grace.  Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Good deeds and Christian obedience always flow from hearts of faith that thank God for his mercy and rest in his saving, sustaining grace!

James teaches that God is so wise and ingenious and loving that he even accomplishes great good through our trials:  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (1:2-4).  God is good, and he’s up to good things—always.  Trust him.  And step out in faith.