Book Summary
This book is the proverbs of the new testament – a practical Christian guidebook – it portrays Christ as our pattern. James looks at faith from a human perspective – a faith that works – while Paul is looking at faith from God’s perspective, that is a faith in Him. A true faith in God will naturally work out because faith itself is tangible, it is a substance it is not just an abstract thought.Paul says take the gospel in while James says take it out, Paul dwells on the source of our faith while James tells of the fruit of our faith. Paul lays the superstructure and while the other builds the superstructure.
Faith which does not work cannot be faith because faith by definition needs to move, and the source and propulsion of that movement is God. My faith manifests itself with action, that action can be seen but is only a result of the tangible faith that God has worked in.
James tell us that if anyone lacks wisdom they just need to ask from above and it will be given to them, for only the Spirit of God can reveal to us in our spirit heavenly truths. The wisdom revealed to us is all from the in searchable riches of Christ – who is “the wisdom from God.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)
Faith in God is shown through our actions – though our words , shown in our purity and character and faith shown by our prayer lives.