The TL;DR Bible: The Letter of Saint James

A while ago I had the idea to begin summarizing some of the epistles in the New Testament.  Today we're going to do the letter of Saint James.  

The letter is thought to be written by James of Jerusalem.  It is unclear who the target audience is.  He addresses it to the "12 tribes in the dispersion".  That could refer to Jews throughout the world, or to the Church as a whole.  There are good arguments for both.

In any event, this letter is meant to remind its readers about how our conduct in this life really does make a difference in the next.  It is the one place in the Bible where we find the phrase "justified by faith alone"... but the phrase is condemned.

Anyway, here we go:

Chapter 1

Hey, it's James.

First, I want you to appreciate how your trials strengthen you and make you wise.  Wisdom is a great gift which you should pray for. God will always grant you that.

When you are tempted to sin, don’t say it is God’s fault, for He is perfect and changeless.  Rather it is your illicit desires which tempt you into sin, and ultimately into death.  Therefor do what is good, not evil.  Tame your tongue and tend to the needy - that is true religion.

Chapter 2

Don’t discriminate against the poor and show favoritism to the rich.  It makes no sense to do that!  After all, Jesus said the poor will inherit the kingdom of heaven – and the rich are the ones persecuting you!

It’s not just the big sins which make you need a savior.  If you sin in any way, you are rightly called a sinner.  So be merciful, and you will be shown mercy.

If a person does not live out his faith, his faith cannot save him.  After all, even the demons believe.  Look at the example of Abraham and Rahab.  Their faith was completed by their actions and they were justified by their deeds.  We are not justified by faith alone.

Chapter 3

Very few of you should seek to be teachers because those who teach will be judged more harshly.

I want you to think about how powerful your speech can be; how it can build people up or destroy them.  Control your speech so that it is edifying and peaceful.  Don’t give voice to things like pride or jealousy.

Chapter 4

If you notice that your prayers are having no effect, consider your motivations.  Petitions made in bad motives will not be answered.

Be humble and do not speak evil of one another.  And don’t be presumptuous about the future, but be mindful of God’s providence.

Chapter 5

The rich should seriously be concerned for their salvation, especially those of you who cheat your workers and live in opulence.  For the rest of you, know that the Lord will return in time.  Until then, live lives of steadfastness and honesty.

If anyone is sick, call the bishop and have him anoint the sick person.  The sick person will have his sins forgiven.

Lastly, pray with perseverance for people who have fallen away from the faith.  The prayer of the righteous is very powerful.  Farewell.