Growing in Christian Maturity: James 1:1
Welcome to Timeless Truth with Pastor Jim Thomas. We’re kicking off a brand new season in the book of James, a letter filled with wisdom for everyday life and growing in faith. Today, we begin with James 1:1, setting the stage for all that’s to come in our study.
James 1:1
1. The Writer of James
2. The Readers of James
3. The Redeemer of James
“Not only James, but all Christians are servants, bond slaves, of Jesus (Rom. 6:17). Yes, we are more (we are ‘friends’, John 15:14-15; we are ‘brothers’ and ‘children’, Hebrews 2:11, 13-14); but we are never less. Our lives, our wills, our destinies are all His.”
Sinclair Ferguson
The letter of James is sometimes misunderstood as being at odds with Paul’s teaching on salvation. Some claim that James preaches salvation by works while Paul preaches salvation by faith. However, this is an oversimplification.
- Paul answers the question: How is salvation received?
- James answers the question: How is salvation recognized?
- Paul focuses on the root of salvation.
- James emphasizes the fruit of salvation.
“Not everyone who grows old, grows up. There is a difference between age and maturity. Just because a person has been saved for ten or twenty years does not guarantee that he is mature in the Lord.”
Warren Wiersbe, Be Mature
