Epistle of James #4 A Practical Guide

June 27, 2017

The Sermon on the Mount - Jesus' core teaching on how to live the kingdom life in the real world, found in Matthew 5 - 7, is challenging stuff. It taxes us with its high standards, so much so that the Church through the ages has often been tempted to claim that it is unattainable, even with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The Epistle of James is a practical commentary and guide on the Sermon on the Mount. Here the brother of Jesus breaks down the call to holiness in such a way that it can make sense to us, one bite at a time. While no less demanding, it is a bit easier to chew.

One such place is found in James 1:27. Here James, addressing the necessity of doing the word and not just hearing it, reminds us of the entirety of the teachings of all of Scripture when he writes, "Religion that God accepts as pure and righteous is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself form being polluted by the world."

That statement rings in harmony, not just with the words of Christ, but also the cries of the Old Testament prophets. It is the constant refrain of those who have, through history, called God's children to live in the heart of the Father. In the day James wrote this, orphans and wdows were the most powerless of persons. They had no status, and were subject to scorn, mistreatment, and rejection. They had no protection, unless others stood up for them. 

This offers us a very contemporary application. We too are called to protect the most vulnerable: the elderly, the poor, the unborn, the marginalized and outcast. As we consider each and every aspect of our lives - including how we vote and how we use our resources, we must consider how our actions and choices impact the most vulnerable. Questions of the best way to help are valid, and differences of opinion can be debated, but our concern for the least of these must be central as we live out our faith as holiness people.

Grace and peace,

Mike