The book of James calls believers deeper and higher, to be doers of the Word and not just hearers, to walk in the fruit that results from authentic faith.
As the half-brother of Jesus, James got to witness the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus up close and personal. Can you imagine being related to the Savior of the world? Because he witnessed so much of Jesus' life, James had thoroughly absorbed what mature faith and life in Christ is characterized by.
Throughout his letter, James strongly echoes the moral and ethical teachings of Jesus in the 4 Gospels, and particularly Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). The upside-down principles and ethics of God's Kingdom call us to the purest standard and leave us feeling convicted and aware of our deep need for God to live such a life.Â